James
Seton of Barnes
James Seton was Governor of the Island of St. Vincent in the West
Indies (or Caribbean) and in 1773 presented a petition to King
George III to be allowed the title, rank, and privileges of the
Earl of Dunfermline. The claim was accepted, however, it was not
acted upon due to the want of funds. In the words of Archbishop
Robert Seton of Parbroath, “it took two English fortunes to
prosecute a peerage case before the House of Lords.”
By his wife, Susan Moray, a great beauty in her day, daughter of
James Moray of Abercairney, in the County of Perth, of Lady
Christian Montgomerie, daughter of the ninth Earl of Eglinton, he
had, with other children who died young or unmarried, a son and
heir James. The Governor of St. Vincent died in London at an
advanced age and very much respected.
James Seton II was the heir of the Governor and was bred to a
military career. He became Brigade Major, and then later a
Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army. He married Margaret
Findlater, only daughter of the Rev. John Findlater, and had among
other children Catherine, born 23rd May, 1818. She
married John Coventry, Esq. of Burgate House, Hants, formerly
Rector of Tywardteath and great-grandson of the Earl of Coventry.
One of their sons, Bernard Seton Coventry, born in 1887, founded
the Seton-Coventry line. Colonel James Seton died at Brookheath,
Hants, in 1831.
