History of the Seton's Mounie

MOUNIE CASTLE

The History of Seton's of Mounie

The 1st Seton's of Mounie - Descended from the Seton's of Meldrum directly

The second son of Alexander Seton, 4th of the Meldrum family branch of the House of Seton, also named Alexander Seton, was the first Seton of Mounie and he had acquired the lands of Mounie in Aberdeenshire in the early 1500's. The lands of Mounie were conveyed to the Seton's formally under an Episcopal Charter dated 1556, which was later united under a Great Seal Charter in 1575. Alexander Seton of Mounie was himself, Vicar of Bethelnie and Chancellor of the Diocese of Aberdeen. He passed his portion of the lands to his brother William Seton, 5th of Meldrum who was joint owner, which were in turn passed to his 2nd son, John Seton, of Lumphart and Broomhill, and who then became John Seton of Mounie. It was this John Seton, the second son of William Seton, 5th Seton Laird of Meldrum and his wife Janet Gordon of Lesmoir in Aberdeenshire, who began to fully develop the lands of Mounie. John married Marjory Panton (Patton?) of Pitmedden and had a son, William Seton of Mounie.

William Seton of Mounie was served heir to his father in 1597, and received at that time another Charter confirming the lands of Mounie to him. In 1598, he was admitted an honorary burgess of Aberdeen at the request of Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie (later Earl of Dunfermline and Chancellor of Scotland). William married Helen Udny, heiress of Udny and became William Seton of Udny, and sold Mounie to John Urquhart of Craigfintry and his wife Elizabeth Seton (later heiress of the Seton's of Meldrum) in 1623. Elizabeth's son, Patrick Urquhart of Meldrum, sold Mounie to Robert Farquhar in 1636 and who's heirs lost the lands by bankruptcy in 1702. Mounie was briefly acquired by Alexander Hay of Arnbath, before they were re-purchased by George Seton, Advocate, 2nd son of Lord Pitmedden, in 1714. Wlliam Seton of Mounie and Udny had two sons, William Seton of Menie and Alexander Seton of Kinloch. It is mentioned in the funeral account of Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline and Chancellor of Scotland, that William Seton of Oudnie (Udny) and the, "Good Men of Mounie" carried the arms of the House of Hamilton of Sorn in the procession, 19th July, 1622 (Memoirs of Chancellor Seton, by George Seton, Rep. of Cariston, 1882).

William Seton of Menie, was Regius Professor of Jurisprudence at Angiers and was one of the greatest lawyers of his age. He was residing at Rome when Dempster wrote his History (c. 1627). William was also mentioned by Francisque-Michel, in his writing, "Les Ecossais en France", (ii. 295) as "le docteur William Seton", one of the most learned men of his time - a distinguished "jurisconsulte", and, in the opinion of his contemporaries, "le flambeau de l'epoque". William also wrote a volume on the life of Chancellor Alexander Seton entitled the Life of Chancellor Seton, which Dempster refers to in his History. He mentions it as by, "Gulielmus Setonius, J.C.., Alexandri consanguineus, et olim familiaris", which was intended to be published by William and not fulfilled. He married Margaret Graham, daughter of Sir Robert Graham of Morphie.

John Seton of Menie, and later of Auquhorthies (Seaton of Achorters), was related to the 1st Seton's of Mounie branch. He was Chamberlain to both the 1st and 2nd Earls of Dunfermline and at Fyvie Castle. He married Helen Leith, daughter of John Leith, 2nd of Harthill.

William Seton, son of William Seton of Menie, had a son James Seton, last of Menie, who died without issue in 1707, when the line was then represented by Robert Seton, son of Alexander Seton of Kinloch. Robert had a son, also named Robert, who was commonly called of Mexico, and who was the last of that particular family line, but not of the overall 1st Seton's of Mounie.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Robert Farquhar of Mounie received the honour of knighthood at the hands of Charles II in 1651, and he married Elizabeth Patrie.

His sister, Elizabeth was married to James Chalmers, second son of William Chalmers, the first legally established minister at Boyndie after the reformation. He was first, professor philosophy in Marischal College, afterwards Minister of New Machar, thereafter of Cullen and subsequently of Paisley.

The 1st Seton's of Mounie rebuilt the original castle largely from the ground up, and no alterations were made during the Farquhar ownership.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The 2nd Seton's of Mounie - Descended from the Seton's of Pitmedden

Mounie was then re-acquired back into the Seton family by George Seton, Advocate, second son of the 1st Lord Pitmedden, Alexander Seton in 1714. George Seton, 2nd son of Alexander Seton, (1st Lord Pitmedden), inherited a considerable provision from his mother which enabled him to purchase Mounie. He was twice married, and married second, Anne Leslie around 1740. They had a son William and several daughters, including Margaret (later heiress), and Isabella who married Dr, Skene Ogilvy, minister of Old Machar. He died circa 1763 and was succeeded by his son William.

William Seton, 2nd of Mounie, was born around 1750 and made significant agricultural improvements on the Estate. He died unmarried in London in 1781 and the Estate passed to his sister.

Margaret Seton, 3rd and heiress of Mounie, was born on the 30th of April, 1749.

She married Dr. James Anderson of Cobinshaw, who in terms of of succession, assumed the surname of Seton, a gentleman of literary and scientific achievements, on the 10th of July, 1768. She died on the 26th of November, 1788 and was succeeded by her eldest son, Alexander Seton.

Alexander Seton, 4th of Mounie, born 1769, married his cousin, Janet Ogilvy who was descended from the Airlie line, by whom he had: Alexander, David, and George, as well as Isabella and Jessy-Jane (who died at Pisa, Italy, on the 19th of February, 1831, aged 14), and others. Alexander Seton was a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy-Lieutenant, and died at Leamington, England, on the 16th of April, 1850, at 80 years of age. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander.

Alexander Seton, 2nd son of Alexander became 5th of Mounie, and was born in 1815. At the time of his succession he was a Major in the 74th Highlanders Regiment. He became Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment in 1851, and was known for his gallant actions during the sinking of the HMS Birkenhead in 1852 near the Cape of Good Hope, where almost almost all perished, including himself. He died unmarried and the Estate passed to his brother, David.

David Seton, 3rd son of Alexander and 6th of Mounie, was born in 1817. He was an Officer in the 93rd Highlanders, and afterward the 49th Regiment. He was an accomplished linguist, writer and antiquarian and travelled extensively and maintained a deep interest in everything connected with the Seton family whose characteristics he exhibited. He died unmarried in Edinburgh on March 14th, 1894 and was succeeded by his nephew, Alexander-David Seton, Esq.

George Seton, 4th son of Alexander, was a Major in the Army. He married Anne-Lucy Wake, daughter of Baldwin Wake, Esq. and grandson of Sir William Wake of Courteen Hall, Northamptonshire, 7th Baronet. George Seton had besides others: Alexander-David Seton, who succeeded to the Mounie estate.

Alexander-David Seton, 7th of Mounie, was born the 25th October, 1854. He was an Officer in the British Artillery and attained the rank of Colonel. He married Emily Isabel Turner, daughter of Alfred Turner of Daysbrook, Lancaster, England on the 12th of February, 1879. They had several sons and daughters.

Henry Winton Seton was the son of Colonel Alexander Seton. He was an Officer in the British Military and married Sybil Helen Abercromby, daughter of Douglas Charles Abercromby and Helen Louisa Hodgson Murray, on 27 July 1915. He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the 9th Gurkhas.

Margaret Helen Seton is the daughter of Captain Henry Winton Seton and Sybil Helen Abercromby. She was born on 30 May 1916. She married Colonel Rolland Padraig Stewart Erskine-Tulloch, son of Captain Denis Rolland Diarmid Stewart Erskine-Tulloch, on 15 August 1940