George Seton


George Seton of Careston FRSE FSA was a Scottish philanthropist and genealogist.

Early life

Seton was born in Perth, Scotland the son of Captain George Seton, an officer in the East India Company, and his wife, Margaret Hunter. The family lived at Potterhill, Bridgend on the south side of Perth. Seton was educated at Edinburgh High School, then studied Law at University of Edinburgh, and Exeter College, and finally Oxford, from which he graduated in 1845.

Later life

Seton qualified as an advocate, passing the Scottish bar in 1846. Although Seton did practice as an advocate he soon focussed upon various other public offices: firstly as secretary to the Registrar General for Scotland and as Superintendent of the Civil Service examinations in Scotland. As an advocate he lived at worked from 13 Coates Crescent in Edinburgh's West End.
Seton was one of the founders of the St Andrews Boat Club, the first vice-chairman of the Society for Improving the Condition of the Poor, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1872 his proposer being Philip Kelland. However, his real love was genealogy, and in 1863 he published The Law and Practice of Heraldry in Scotland.
He retired in 1889.
In later life he lived at "St Benets", 42 Greenhill Gardens in south-west Edinburgh. The house was designed by John Henderson in 1860. The house was later acquired by the Roman Catholic Church and serves as the home for the Cardinal.
George Seton died in Edinburgh on 14 November 1908, aged 86.

Family

In 1849 he married Sarah Elizabeth Hunter, second daughter of James William Hunter FRSE.
Their son George Seton was a tea-planter in India then set up business in London.

Tall soldiers

Over 6 feet 5 inches in height, Seton served in the Royal Company of Archers and in 1859 raised his own company of volunteer grenadier artillerymen, all of whom were over 6 feet tall.

Works