Kingston, Viscount of (Seton)

Quarterly: 1st and 4th Or, three crescents within a double tressure flory counter-flory Gules (Seton) 2nd and 3rd Argent, a dragon breathing fire with tail nowed Vert (coat of augmentation)

Alexander Seton
               Viscount of Kingston
               Born 1621
               Died 21 October 1691 Whittinghame
               Married (1) Jean Fletcher, daughter of Sir Andrew Fletcher
               Married (2) circa 1661
               Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Sir Archibald Douglas, of
               Whittinghame
               Born 1636
               Died 1668
               Married (3) Hon. Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of Sir John
               Hamilton, 1st Baron Belhaven and Stenton and Margaret
               Hamilton
               Married (4) 3 August 1686 Edinburgh
               Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of Archibald Douglas, Earl
               of Angus, Earl of Ormond and Lady Jean Wemyss
               Born September 1651
               Died 12 October 1692 Whittinghame
                         Children, Generation IV-1

5  Archibald Seton
               2nd Viscount of Kingston
               Born 1661
               Died 1714

            6  Hon. Arthur Seton
               Born 1665

            7  Hon. John Seton
               Born 1666
               Died aged nine

            8  James Seton
               3rd Viscount of Kingston
               Born 1667
               Died circa 1726
               Married 16 April 1714 *
               Lady Anne Lindsay, daughter of Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of
               Balcarres and Lady Jean Carnegie
               Died 4 February 1743 Edinburgh
                         S.P.

            9  Hon. Isabel Seton
               Died aged eight

            10 Hon. Barbara Seton
               Died aged sixteen

            11 Hon. Elizabeth Seton
               Married 23 November 1695
               Hon. William Hay, of Drumelzier, son of John Hay, 1st Earl
               of Tweeddale and Lady Margaret Montgomerie
               Born December 1649
               Died 1726

            11- 1  Hon. William Hay, of Drumelzier
               Born December 1649
               Died 1726
               Married 23 November 1695
               Hon. Elizabeth Seton, daughter of Alexander Seton, Viscount
               of Kingston and Elizabeth Douglas

Up to 1725 the Grand Lodge alone could make Masons, the power was now confided to the discretion of private lodges regularly assembled under a master and wardens, and an adequate number of fellow-crafts, and for want of master Masons many lodges were still presided over by fellow-crafts. The roll then contained 49 lodges. The Lord Paisley was followed by the Earl of Inchquin in 1726, in which year provincial Grand Masters were introduced, Lord Colerane was Grand Master in 1727, and Viscount Kingston, under whom the twelve Grand Stewards were introduced in 1728, and in 1729 the Fund of Benevolence was instituted. Lord Kingston having introduced Freemasonry into the East Indies, resigned in favour of the Duke of Norfolk, who brought from Venice the sword of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, now used in Grand Lodge, and in 1731 became first Grand Master of Ireland.

The "Bull's Head" Tavern was also much frequented by the Irish Freemasons, whose history is as yet a total blank. James King, Viscount Kingston, who had been the Grand Master In England in 1729, was in 1730 the first who filled the office of Grand Master of the Irish Freemasons; and in 1731, at the "Bull's Head" Tavern, on Tuesday, the 6th of April, he was again unanimously chosen and declared Grand Master for the ensuing year. Their records further inform us, that "On Wednesday, 7th of July, 1731, was held a Grand Lodge in ample form. When the Right Worshipful and Right Honourable the Lord Kingston was installed and proclaimed aloud, Grand Master of Masons in Ireland, and was most cheerfully congratulated and saluted in the ancient and proper manner: his Lordship was pleased to appoint Nicholas Nettirvill, Lord Viscount Nettirvill, his Deputy. The Grand Lodge (as is their ancient practice in Ireland) chose the Honourable William Ponsonby, and Dillon Pollard Hampson, Esqrs., for Grand Wardens, who were all declared, congratulated, and saluted.