|
Short Historical
Lineal Outline of the Seton Family
It was
during the reign of King David I that the Seton Family firmly established
themselves in Scotland. Before that the family was previously known as
de Lens, of the House of Boulogne and seniors of the ancient Carolingian line
descended from the Emperor Charlemagne from the eldest son of Count Lambert de
Lens from his first marriage. It was Count Lambert's eldest son, the
Seigneur (or Seier) de
Lens who held lands in both Northumbria and Scotland. Seier is the
corrupted scots-french word
from old French for
Baron, from "Seigneur".
Count
Lambert died when the boys were too young to administer to the important estate
of Lens, and thus they followed the Flemish military contingent into England
with their half-sister's husband, Duke William of Normandy, in his quest for the
English crown and settled there in the north following William's success. Count
Lambert himself was the second son of his father, Eustace I of Boulogne, and
brother of Eustace II, and they were lineally descended in both Eustace I’s
mother and father from King Charles I, Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor and the
first of the Carolingian Empire.
Unlike
fables and stories and legends written throughout the ages, these were the
actual descendants of those people. Their story unravels with the history of
Europe, going from Palestine, to Rome, to Auquitaine, to the Frankish Empire and
Flanders… they migrated to England and settled in Scotland.
Seier
de Seton (de Lens, in Flanders) founded the family of Seton. He
was the son of Count Lambert de Lens of Flanders who was the
second son of Eustace I of the five Eustace fame. Seier was
granted lands in East Lothian by King Malcolm III, which were
later named after the family's estate holdings Northumberland then
called after the sea-town of Seaton-Staithes, Seaton. This
eventually was set in the Scots language as SETON.
Walter
de Seton (known as Dougall) married the de Quincy heiress in the
early 1100's. Philip
de Seton recieved a Charter from King William the Lion in 1169
re-affirming the Lands of Seton, Winton and Wynchburgh, one of the
oldest Charters to exist in Scotland. He was a prominent Knight
and landowner who supported the King and the Royal House.
Sir
Alexander de Seton witnessed a charter of David I to the Church of
Saint Mary at Newbattle, and was a great favourite of this King.
He died in 1211.
Bertram
(or Bartine) de Seton married Margaret Comyn, daughter of William Comyn and
recieved a grant of the lands of Ruchlaw, confirmed by the King,
February 22, 1172. His second son, Alexander de Seton, witnessed
a Charter to the Burgh of Glasgow by King Alexander II in 1225.
Adam
de Seton was a Master Clerk in the reign of King Alexander III and
is listed on a Charter of Marriage from Roger de Quincy in 1246.
His second son, Philip de Seton, was a Priest and Rector in Biggar,
Lanarkshire.
The
1st Sir Christopher de Seton married Maud de Percy, daughter of
Lord Topcliff in Yorkshire and managed the family's estates in
England with great zeal during the lifetime of his father. He was
a pious man who was a great benefactor of the Church, so
recognized by Pope Innocent IV. His 1st son, Sir Christopher
(2nd), was a famed Knight in the Wars of Independence and was a
companion of Sir William Wallace and was killed at the Battle of
Dillicarew, 12th June, 1298; and 2nd son John founded the
Yorkshire Seton's in England.
The
3rd Sir Christopher Seton married Christina, sister of King Robert
I (The Bruce) in 1301. He is renowned for saving the King's life
at Methven when he was unhorsed. He was known as, "The Good Sir
Chrystell", and was the famed Knight who having sought refuge at
Loch Doon Castle, was betrayed by MacNab and later executed in
Dumfries by the English.
Sir
Alexander Seton (2nd) succeeded his good father and was Knighted
by King Robert before 1302. He publicly signed an Oath at
Lindores affirming the rights of Robert Bruce as King, and later
joined Sir Gilbert Hay and Sir Neil Campbell in defending the
rights of King Robert the Bruce and was one of the signatories of
the Declaration of Arbroath, April 6, 1320, which confirmed the
Independence of Scotland to Pope John XXII. Present at the Battle
of Bannockburn, June 24th, 1314, he was by the King's side during
the victory celebrations. He also accompanied the King's brother
Edward Bruce in his claim of the crown of Ireland.
Sir
Alexander Seton (3rd) succeeded his noble father and was the famed
Keeper/Governor of Berwick in 1333 during the seige of the town by
the English King Edward III, during which his sons were executed.
He was a signatory on the Charter to the Abbot of Lindores for the
monks of Balmerino in 1331, and his curious dagger is in the
possession of the Seton's of Parbroath. He was succeeded by his
son, Sir Alexander Seton, who's daughter was the famed Heiress of
Seton.
John
Seton, youngest son of the Keeper of Berwick, was married to the
Ramsay of Parbroath heiress Elizabeth by award of King David II
and founded the Seton's of Parbroath (Pitbroad, 1774) in Fife in
approx. 1333. This branch eventually became highly established in
the United States (after 1770) and eventually, through the
marriage of William Seton of New York to Elizabeth Ann Bayley,
carried the name of Seton to Elizabeth Ann who founded the Sisters
of Charity, which flourished along the Eastern Atlantic coastline,
as far north as Halifax, Nova Scotia (and continue to this day)
and became the 1st American Catholic Saint, as St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton. There are a great many Institutions, Churches, Colleges
and Universities named after her in the United States and abroad.
The
heiress, Margaret Seton, married Alan de Winton and their son
William retained name Seton and became the 1st Lord Seton.
Alexander, Lord William Seton's second son, married Elizabeth Gordon,
heiress of Sir Adam Gordon and became Lord Gordon and their son
Alexander became 1st Earl of Huntly.
The
second son of Alexander Seton, Lord Gordon, was William Seton who
married the Meldrum family heiress and founded the Highland
Seton's of Meldrum who flourished in Aberdeenshire and who were
Chamberlains to the Earls of Huntly and Chancellors of St.
Machar's Cathedral and of Aberdeen. From
this family branch came the Aquhorthies, Pitmedden, Menie, Mounie, and other Aberdeen
Seton branches, as well as many of the Seaton's in Ireland and the Seeton's of Nova Scotia.
John Seton, of Aquhorthies
(prev. of Menie), was
Chamberlain to the Earl of Dunfermline at Fyvie Castle, and Alexander Seton of Pitmedden, Baronet of
Nova Scotia, became Lord Pittmedden of Session in 1677, and it
was he who created the Great Garden of Pitmedden in Aberdeen.
Sir Alexander's son, Sir William Seton of 2nd Pitmedden, was the noted
Scottish Commissioner of the House of Parliament who assisted in
the drafting of the Act of Union between Scotland and England, the
succession of the Crown, and the prime Scottish parliamentary
agent responsible for the creation of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain. From Alexander Seton, Lord Gordon's descent came the Marquess's and Duke's of
Gordon and the Duke's of Sutherland, all Seton's who changed their
name to that of their inherited Houses.
The
second son of the 1st Earl of Huntly was Alexander who also kept the
Seton name and founded the Seton's of Touch in Stirling in the
central region of Scotland, Hereditary Armour Bearer's to the King. From the Seton's of Touch came the
family branches of Gargunnock, Abercorn, Preston and Ekolsund,
etc... as well as the Seton's in Dublin Ireland. The Abercorn Seton's became Baronets of Nova Scotia as
well, and Sir Henry-John Seton of Abercorn was a Groom-in-Waiting
to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. With the marriage of the
daughter of Alexander, Viscount Kingston to the Hay family, which
descent married the Abercorn heir, the Seton's of Abercorn are the
bloodline representatives of the House of Seton, which also carry
the name, and thus are the Head of the House.
John
Seton, 2nd Lord Seton, was Master of the Household for King James
I and died about 1441. He was succeeded by his grandson, George
(the 1st of the name George), who became the 3rd Lord Seton. His youngest
son, Alexander had a son John who was Baillie of Tranent.
John
Seton, Master of Seton, was killed by robbers in Annandale. His
son became 4th Lord Seton.
George
Seton, 4th Lord Seton, built Winton House and was an early
"scientist" who was devoted to study and attended the University
of St. Andrews after his marriage. He founded the Church of Seton
as a Collegiate one and was a constant figure in the house of King
James IV. He died before 1510 and was succeeded by his son
George, who became 5th Lord.
George
Seton, 5th Lord Seton, was very attached to King James IV as a
result of the influence of his father, he was a great favourite of
the King and as such, was present and died with his King at
Flodden in 1513. Before this, he had repaired much of the Palace
of Seton, including the Great Dungeon of the Tower at Seton.
George
Seton, 6th Lord Seton, succeeded his father in 1513. He repaired
the older parts of Niddry Castle and enlarged it. He was an
extraordinary Lord among the Senators of the College of Justice in
1533. He was a favourite of King James V, and was active in the
affairs between Scotland and France. He married as his second
wife, Marie Pyeris who came in the retinue of Marie de Guise in
her marriage to King James V. He was appointed to oversee the
imprisonment of Cardinal Beaton before his execution during the
struggles of the early reformation, and suffered much during the
Rough Wooing of Henry VIII. He had been a close supporter of
Marie de Guise, and died in 1549.
John
Seton, son of the 6th Lord Seton, married the heiress of Balfour's
of Cariston and founded the Seton's of Cariston in the mid 16th
century in Fife.
George,
7th Lord Seton (the 5th of the name George in succession) supported
Queen Mary Stuart against the Lords of the Congregation and was
Master of the Household after Queen Mary (of Scots) returned to
Scotland. He was responsible for rebuilding the Palace of Seton,
after the “Rough Wooing”, which became a frequent home to Mary
Queen of Scots, it was there she spent much of her honeymoon with Darnley, and again with Bothwell went after Darnley's murder and
here their marriage contract was signed. His portrait (by Frans
Pourbus) hangs in the Scottish National Porttrait Gallery in
Edinburgh and is the most spectacular painting of that period, and
on many others. His sister Mary Seton was one of the Queen's Four
Marys and he was one of those who waited for Mary on the banks of
Loch Leven when she escaped in 1568.
His
second son, Robert, became 8th Lord Seton and was created 1st Earl
of Winton in 1600; his 3rd son, John, served in the
courts of King Phillip of Spain and was so highly recommended for
his services that King James VI and I called him home to serve in
Great Britain, and Alexander, 3rd son of the 1st
Earl of Winton inherited the Montgomerie Estates and his son, who
took his mothers name of Montgomerie, succeeded as Earl of
Eglinton. The Montgomeries of Eglinton later claimed the
title of Earl of Winton by right of eldest surviving male-descent,
though not the lineal descent, and do not bear the Seton name,
hence they are not head of the House.
Alexander
Seton, 4th son of the 7th Lord Seton, was Prior of Pluscarden during
the reign of Queen Mary Stuart. Upon ascention to the legal bench
he was created Lord Urquhart which was later followed by the title of
Lord Fyvie, created in 1597, and Earl of Dunfermline in 1605.
He became Chancellor of Scotland under King James VI and I, and it was he who
rebuilt Pinkie House in Mussellburgh and the famous Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire.
His descent, the Earls of Dunfermline, were eventually attainted and forfeited for their part
in the Jacobite Risings of 1689-90: James, 4th Earl of Dunfermline
forfeited his estates and title, when he commanded a
troop of horse under Viscount Dundee at the Battle of
Killiecrankie in 1689.
Alexander,
2nd son of George, 3rd Earl of Winton,
became Viscount Kingston and was the famed Captain who held
Tantallon against the English and Cromwell. His line
joined the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 and like the majority of the
Seton's there involved, forfeited their estates and titles.
George,
5th Earl of Winton joined the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 after the
family's principle mansion was unlawfully rifled by the Hanoverian
troops and the collegiate church ransacked and partly demolished.
He was
captured and sentenced to death after the Battle of Prestonpans,
though he escaped from the Tower of
London, fled to Rome and was part of Chevalier's Cabinet. He
died in old age in 1749.
 View a history of Niddry Castle in images from the special
Seton Flash
gallery
| 
