A GENEALOGY OF THE SEATON FAMILY

 

 

BY:  JOHN SEATON BORN 1823

SON OF SAMUEL SEATON AND HANNAH EDDY

RETYPED BY SUSAN WOOD SHERIDAN IN MAY 2000

 

 

 

  The Seaton family was one of the leading families in Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots found shelter in the house of Lord Seaton at West Niddry in East Lothian, after her escape from Lochleven Castle in May 1568.

From the earliest days of her life Mary Stuart had been given four companions, all of them born at the same time as herself, and chosen from among the most distinguished Scottish families, the lucky cloverleaf of the four Marys: Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton, Mary Livingston, and Mary Seaton, all maids of honor to "Queen Mary".

The Seatons were adherents to the Stuarts and had a castle 14 miles from Edinburgh Scotland. The house of Stuart commenced about A.D. 1057, under the reign of Malcolm 3rd, the 86^th King of Scotland. George Buchanan in his history of Scotland makes frequent mention of the Seatons. They are first mentioned by him on page 199, (Alexander Seaton a Nobleman), about A.D. 1330 under David the 11th., 98th. King.

 

  The Seatons are mentioned in said history up to 1715 under George the 1st., the 114th., King, where the Seatons house is then mentioned on page 638 thus: Mackintosh accordingly landed in East Lothian and having taken the Seaton house advanced toward Edinburgh. The name is sometime spelled Seton (as in Robert Seton's book), but Seaton is thought to be proper spelling as shown by the "Seaton's coat of arms". One tradition is that the name was taken from a sea-town, a town by the Sea, which the writer thinks quite likely, as the name is sometimes found so spelled: Seatown.

 

  At the overthrow of the Stuart, the Seatons, their adherents were dispersed and their property confiscated, when our branch went first to County Tyrone Ireland; from thence the brothers John and Andrew, with their families came to America, John in 1729 and Andrew in 1740 and settled in Oxford, Mass. At the dispersal of the Seatons some went to northern part of England, some to Germany, some to France and some to America, before the brothers John and Andrew. The writer of this has a letter written by William Winston Seaton, dated March 15th, 1958 in which he says his great grandfather Henry Seaton came to Virginia about 1696. (WW Seaton was of the firm of Galy and Seaton of the National Intelligencer of Washington D.C. notations are made from Lcomb's History of Amherst, N.H., and a pamphlet of Amherst by John Framer, published in 1820.) John Seaton who married Jane Edwards and his brother Andrew Seaton, who married .Jane Blake, both lived in Scotland and went from thence to Ireland and lived in Tallahoag, County , Tyrone,lreland.

 

  John learned the tailor trade in Newry; Andrew kept a public house in Tallahoag and was very wealthy; he said when he left Ireland he could have given his four children their weight in gold as their portion. His wife Jane Blake was of one of the first families in Ireland, she was a niece of Judge Lindey's wife, who was her mothers Sister. John Seaton, after all his children were born, emigrated to America in 1729 and settled in Boxford (Andover) Mass., at which time his fourth child John 2nd., was about five years old (born 1724), according to this: his said John 2nd. , subsequently moved to Amherst N.H., and finally the old folks went also and lived and died with their children. John 1st., frequently wrote to his brother Andrew 1st., in Ireland till he persuaded him to follow, which he did in 1740. John 1st., son, John 2nd, and his grandson John 3rd, were both deacons in the Congregational or Presbyterian church in Amherst for many years. John 1st died at the old family farm near Amherst, as did his son John 2nd, and his son John 2nd, who married his cousin Ismena Seaton sold the old farm to his son John 3rd, who married Rebecca Kendall, after which John 2nd., moved to Washington N.H., in 1787., the place where his son James lived and where he John 2nd., died and was buried in April 1793, at about 69 years of age.

 

 

 

  The sons of John 3rd., having visited the grave. John Seaton and Jane Edwards and seven (7) children. Mary married John Mann, lived in Pembroke and had three ( 3) children, James, John and Samuel. James married Elizabeth Robertson and had one ( 1) child, Elizabeth, who married Ebenezer Ellenwood and had two (2) children, John and Phoebe. Matha (Martha?) married John Wasson and lived in Penobscot, the had eight (8) children, William, John, Samuel, Thomas, Mary , Martha, Anna, and Elizabeth. John born 1724 died 1793, married his cousin Ismena Seaton and had ten ( 10) children; Elizabeth, Jane, Andrew ( died) Mary , Margaret, Martha, John 3rd., Anna, Andrew, James. Samuel (died about 1796) he married Ruth Smith and had one (1) child, Sara, who married Henry Kimball. Elizabeth died single, age 21 years.

 

  Jane married David Henderson and had one (1) child; John. Andrew Seaton, who married Jane Blake, and who with his family shipped to America in July 1740, in the richest laden vessel that had ever to that time crossed the ocean, and shipped with him a store of goods intending to commence business at Boston, Mass., but the vessel was cast away, about break of day on the Isle of Sable, and he lost all of his property and many lost their lives; but ~ family were all saved, though Anna the youngest child, being four ( 4 ) years of age, was lost for some time, but was found washed up on shore about two (2) miles from the wreck and was resuscitated. There were no inhabitants on the Island and they stayed nine days without food save one gill of dough and a thimble full of butter each day. They fitted up the long boat and went to the Island of Cancel., where they got assistance and then his wife Jane died from fatigue and suffering, being in a state of pregnancy. They went from Cancer to Cap Ann and from there to Oxford (Andover) Mass. Andrew had his Jaw broken at the time they were cast away. Andrew afterward married Peggy Wood and went to Amherst N .H., where he died.

 

  He and his wife Jane had four ( 4) children; Sarah married Jos. Chapin, lived in Lunenburg, they had four (4) children; Joseph, Mercy, Anna and Sally. Ismene married her cousin John Seaton, they lived in Amherst and had ten (10) children: Elizabeth, Jane, Andrew (died), Mary, Margaret, Martha, John, Anna, Andrew and James. Elizabeth married Richard Kimball, lived in Newburyport where Nicholls died; afterwards she went back to Londonderry and taught school till she married James Donaldson; she had no children. John lst., and his brother Andrew Seaton when they came to America in 1729 and 1740, settled in Oxford (Andover, Mass). John and perhaps Andrew Ist. also brought with him to America a copy or copies of the Seaton coast of arms, and perhaps also brought with him to America a copy or copies of the Seaton coat of Arms, and perhaps also brought the metallic plate from which they were struck, as a plate was in existence in Mass., in the 19th. century.

 

  James Seaton, (great grandson of John and Andrew and grandson of John and Ismena Seaton and son of Andrew Seaton and Polly Bowen, was a clerk in the Navy Yard in Charleston, Mass., near Boston in the early part of the 19th century; while there he had the original plate that was brought from Scotland, ( or he got a plate made from one of the copies brought from Scotland) , and he had many copies struck off which were distributed among the family. Nathan Kenda1l Seaton, born Oct. 24th., 1794, son of Deacon John Seaton of Amherst, was a cousin of James Seaton of the navy yard and he (Nathan) was an officer of customs in the Boston Custom House at the time and for nearly twelve ( 12) years, under Jackson and Van Buren, up to 1840. He borrowed of his cousin James the plate and had several copies struck off. This writer, John Seaton of Greenup, Ky., son of Samuel Seaton and Hannah Eddy, born July 2Sth, 1823., received several copies from his Uncle Nathan. The writer~r has also in his possession a very old copy of the Seaton coat of arms, which he has had for nearly seventy (70) years, and which is a copy of the one tradition says was brought from Scotland to Tyrone, Ireland, thence to America by John Seaton. It was transmitted to him from his grandfather Deacon John Seaton of Amherst. N .H., who was an uncle of James of the navy yard.

 

  John Seaton who married his cousin Ismena Seaton, was a deacon in the church in Amherst N.H., from Jan., 5th, 1774 up to 1787, when he moved to his son James at Washington N.H. where he died in April 1793, at about 69 years of age. His son John was also deacon in the same church until his death Oct., 3rd, 1836. John and Ismena had ten (10) children; Elizabeth (born Nov., 8th, 1744 and died Nov. 8th 1819), married Richard Goodman (Godman), who died in the army at Valley Forge. She married again June 2nd , 1780 to Henry Hendley (no children). Both husbands were Englishmen.

 

  Jane (born Oct.6th, 1746 and died Dec., 5th 1812), married Land Stanley, they had seven (7) children; Anna, Peggy, Ismena, Jane, Land, David and Sally. Andrew, (born Oct.,6th, 1748 and died Jan., 10th., 1749) Mary born Jan., 14th, 1750 and married Peter Robertson, who lost his right arm at the battle of Bunker Hill, they had six (6) children: Peter, John, Robert, Polly, Ismena and Nancy (all Married). Marry (Polly) Seaton born Jan., 25, 1750 at Amherst N.H., died at Goffstown N.H., April 2nd, 1841 (right date? S.Sheridan) married John Washer born Aug. 11 1779 Amherst N.H. died at Goffstown A ..- 5 N.H., Aug. 11th (~ 1851. they had nine (9) children; Ismena, Louisa, Sarah, Mary , Stephen, John. Peter, George and Hannah French. Hannah French born June 6th, 1819 at Bedford N.H., died Sept., 16th, 1869 Pique, Ohio, married Charles Amsbury Wood, born Feb. 24 their, 1820, at Hollis, N.H. , they had three (3) children; Charles Leonard. George Phillip and Marcus Davis. Charles Leonard born June 28th. 1841 at Hollis N.H. married Julia Miller who was born Oct. 21st, 1844 at Pique, Ohio, died , they had three children; Martha, Nellie, and -asher ( first letter hard to make out because of lines from the carbon onto the paper).

 

  Nellie born Jan., 5th, 1873 Dunkirk, Ind., married George H. Taylor. Two (2) children; Emma Wood born Aug., 1st., 1900 at Hartwell, Ohio, and Charles Leonard born ]an., 16th, 1903. Margaret, born April12th1752 and married Timothy they had one child and was left an orphan, she married Densmore and moved to Genesee. Martha, born Feb., 27th, 1754 and married Jesse Steve!1i April 13th, 1786, and moved to Genesee. They had four (4) children: Andrew John, Patty , and Nancy. John born April 8th" 1756 and married Rebecca Kendall June 28th, 1787, both of Amherst, N.H., he died oct., 3rd, 1836. She was born Sept 9thJ 1763 and died Aug. 30th 1839 in Greenup, Ky, they had four (4) children; John Nathan, Kendall, Samuel and Ambrose. Anna, born July 5th 1760 and died in Antrim, Oct., 4th 1834. She married John Duncan and lived in Antrim. He was a member of the Legislature for sixteen ( 16) years. She married in 1827 J at her brother John's house, who related and gave the tradition of the Seatons to her nephew and land Seaton of Greenup Ky ., then on a visit to his father, Deacon John Seaton.

 

  The author of this four ( 4 ) years old at the time. Andrew, born Nov. 4th, 1762. Married Polly Bowers. They lived all about; he died in Medina Ohio. They had ten ( 10) children; Mary, died at six (6) months, James, Ismena, John, Andres, (who died at 3 years 9 months), Mary, Andrew, Tyler, Reed, Page, and Isaac. James married Abigail Stevens, lived in Washington N.H., moved to New York near Canada. John Seaton 2nd, sold the old homestead in Amherst to his son Deacon John 3rd, who married Rebecca Kendall. The following are the inscriptions on the tombstones of the two John Seatons, father and son. "Erected to the memory of Mr .John Seaton son of Dea. John and Mrs. Rebecca Seaton, who died Aug. 5th, 1813. "Lamented friend we mourn the doom, that sent thee early to the tomb, But we reJoice the path was trod, That led to virtue and to God." Deacon John Seaton died Oct. 3rd...1836.

 

  John Seaton ( 7th., child of John and Ismena Seaton, born in Amherst N.H., April 8th., 1756 and married Rebecca Kenda11, June 28th., 1787, she was a daughter of Nathan Kendall and was born Sept., 9th, 1763. He was a deacon in the Congregational church in Amherst from Sept., 3rd, 1795 to his death Oct. 3rd, 1836. His wife Rebecca, after her husband's death, removed to her son Samuel Seaton's house in Greensupsburg, Greenup County, Ky., where she died Aug. 30th, 1839 and was buried. They had four (4) sons; John born Nov., 2nd, 1791, died Aug., 5th 1813, Natan Kendall born Oct., 24th, 1794 and died March 11 their, 1859 in Greenup, Ky, he married Nancy D. Richardson of Mt. Vernon N.H., Dec., 25th, 1817, no children.

 

  Samuel born July 3rd, 1796, married Hannah Eddy, Meiga County Ohio, on Aug., 22nd, 1822, they had six (6) children: John, Rebecca, Emily, Emma, Samuel and Mary Peck. Ambrose, born Sept., 27th, 1804, and married Mary Goss of Amherst N.H., Nov., 12th, 1828. He died April 9th, 1866. She was born March 25th, 1804, and died July 4th, 1863. They had seven (7) children; Mary Elizabeth, born Nov., 23rd., 1829, at Amherst N.H., John Ambrose, born Jan., 5th, 1832 in Boston Mass., residence Cleveland Ohio., where he died suddenly Aug., 5th, 1905, Nathan Kendall, born Jan. lst, 1835 and died Oct., 12th, 1835 in Boston Mass., Helen Augusta, born July 22nd, 1837 in Boston Mass and died Feb., 28th, 1887 in Greenup, Ky., Ann Martha, born Aug., 23rd, 1840 a1ld died April 30th., 1848 in Maysville., Sarah Frances, born Aug., 2nd ., 1842 and died March 13th., 1848 at Maysvil1e, Charles Stewart, born May 29th, 1849 and died Oct. 16th,1898.

 

 

  Andrew Seaton the 9th., child of John and Ismena Seaton married Polly Bowers. They lived all about, a long time in Hancock N.H., moved to Boston Mass., in which he kept a public house on Elm St. He was a thorough going business man; was a great stage coach owner, he ran several lines to Andover and to Providence. His daughter Ismena married James Moore and they moved to Medina Ohio, to which place they prevailed on her father to move his family, which he did about 1818, after all his children were born, and at which place he (Andrew died). Andrew married Polly had ten ( 10) children.

 

  Samuel Seaton the father of this writer was born July 3rd., 1796 in Amherst N.H. He made a visit with his and this writer and his sister Rebecca from his home in Greenup Ky, to Amherst N.H., in 1827. He then began to trace the genealogy of the Seatons. He was assisted by his father and mother and others but principally by his fathers sister, Ann Duncan, who was a daughter of John and Ismena Seaton. He accumulated material as occasion offered up to his death March 29th, 1850, and this Miter has continued it to the present. The genealogy of our branch is correct from 1729 to the present. Samuel Seaton was satisfied that there was originally only the one family Though some spelled it "Seton"; as in New York City lived Samuel W. Seton, Supt., Public Instruction, whose acquaintance Samuel Seaton made between 1838 and 1842: he told much about Seatons, ancient and modern and that they were all the same family originally. At the overthrow of the Stuart some of the Seatons went to Germany and the name became Seyton.

 

  The coat of Arms settles the spelling for our branch. Robert Seaton speaks of W W. Seaton on page 147 thus: "A distinguished man and Journalist in his day at Washington D.C.", the late Mr. Winston Seaton of the National Intelligencer of whom a biographical sketch was published in Boston in 1871, claimed to be a descendent of this branch of the family ( George Seaton of 6th Earl of Winston and that Henry his ancestor who had been involved in resistance to the Prince of Orange, sought refuge in 1690 in the colony of Virginia. He settle in county on the Pyanketank River. There is a letter in the British Museum for Dorothea Seaton, widow, dated July 21st, 1730 which gives he address at the Seaton Ferry on Pyanketank, Virginia. The present representative of Mr. Seaton is Commander Schroder U.S. Navy, Gov ., of Guam.

 

WW Seaton's life was written by his daughter and published, Jas. R. Osgood & Co., Boston.

 

In the Rand-McNallv map the river is spelled Plaukatauk