William Seton, of New York

William Seton (1746-1798), belonged to the impoverished noble Scottish family and emigrated to New York in 1758.  He became superintendent and part owner of the iron-works of Ringwood, N.J. He was a loyalist, and the last Royal Public Notary for the city and province of New York during the war. His silver notarial seal, dated 1779, is still in the possession of his family. He was financially ruined at the close of the Revolution, but remained in NY, where he founded the once famous mercantile house of Seton, Maitland & Co.

William's oldest son, William Magee Seton, married Elizabeth Ann Bayley in 1793.  She was later to become the first American Catholic Saint, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  William and Elizabeth had five children, two sons and three daughters.  After the death of William Sr in 1798, they assumed care for William's seven siblings.  He assumed control of the Seton Shipping business, however, due to his ill-health he poorly managed it and the family business failed.  In 1803, due to a developing tuberculosis, he and Elizabeth went to Italy to visit the Filicchi family for a vacation, but was placed in quarantine for almost a month.  He died two weeks later at the Filicchi home in Pisa on Dec. 27th, 1803. 

William and Elizabeth's oldest son, William Seton, was an officer in the United States navy. He was recognized by Burke's "Peerage " as the head of the ancient family of the Setons of Parbroath, senior cadets of the Earls of Winton in Scotland. His son, author William Seton, was born in New York city, 28 January, 1835. He was educated at Mount St. Mary's college, Emmittsburg, Maryland, and by private tutors, and served as captain of the 4th New York volunteers during the first part of the civil war until he was disabled by wounds that he received at Antietam. He was a frequent contributor to periodicals and journals, and published "Romance of the Charter Oak" "The Pride of Lexington; a Tale of the American Revolution " ; and other works.