Old family; or, The Setons of Scotland and America

176S] WILLIAM SETON (2). 275
I can promise that they shall not remain unanswered ; I am always happy to
be his scribe, and should be particularly so in this case. Our father received
a letter a week or two before his death from Lady Synnot, announcing the
death of Mrs. George Seton, which was a very great shock to him, as like-
wise that of our grandmother: for though he could not again expect to
see her, her letters and the certainty of her fond affection were his greatest
pleasures. And in short he had no other gratifications than the happiness
and welfare of all his numerous friends and relatives ; and although we who
were in the constant enjoyment of his affections have reason most to feel
his loss, there are many who sincerely participate our sorrow who only knew
him for his virtues, and to you, my dear aunt, who so well knew and
esteemed them I can not help again lamenting that the sad tidings should
come from my pen. My William desires his affectionate regards to your self
and Lady Synnot and Sir Walter, and the rest of the family, in which I beg
leave sincerely to join, and remain
" Yours most truly,
" E. A. Seton."
" To Dowager Lady Cayley, at Sir Waiter Synnot's, Dublin, or [Bally-
moyer), Afewry, Ireland.'*
IV. William Seton, Eso^, of New York, Represent-
ative of Parbroath. William Seton, eldest son of William
Seton and Rebecca Curzon, was born at sea on board the
ship Ed-ward, on 20th April, 1768, as his parents were re-
turning to America from a visit to England made shortly after
their marriage. One of his sponsors at baptism in the Prot-
estant Episcopal Church, on the 8th of May following, was
William Magee, of London, whose proxy was John Alsop
of New York. During his father's lifetime he was always
known as William Magee Seton, or oftener as William M.
Seton. I know nothing about Mr. Magee, except that he
was married, had no children, was rich, and was not related
to the Setons. On his death he left his godson a legacy of
.£1,000, and one of ,£1,500 to his father. I suspect that he
owed a debt of some kind to old Mr. John Seton, who was at
one time, as we have seen, in business in London, and, like
all the family, was generous and open-handed, almost fool-
ishly so.
Young William was sent to England for his education when
IS