Andrew Seaton

"Andrew Seaton, the 4th and youngest son of Alexander, was active in the "Rising" of 1715 along with his brothers. As a result, his property was confiscated and he fled with his brothers to Ireland, where he kept a Public House in Newtownstewart, or Tullaghogue, County Tyrone and became quite wealthy, "so much so that he said when he left Ireland he could have given each of his children their weight in gold as their portion". He married 1st Jane Blake and had six children by her, and they left to join his brothers in America in 1737 intending on settling in Boston, on a heavily laden "snow-vessel" similar to a "brig" called the "Catherine". He commissioned the ship from Workington, Cumbria, England, and it set sail from Portrush, Antrim, Ireland, filled with valuable merchandise and was one of the richest vessels to cross the ocean at that time, enroute to Boston, Massachussetts. However, he was shipwrecked during the voyage at the east end of Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia, on July 17th, 1737.

There were 98 people who died as a result of the wreck, the 100 plus survivors made it ashore to Sable Island where they used the main sail of the vessel to construct a tent. The ship's long boat had washed ashore but was somewhat damaged, and over the next two days it was repaired and on the third day the master, mate and others sailed it to Canso. Despite the survivors enduring nine days of hardship without food, "except a gill of dough and a thimbleful of butter to each individual per day", they were finally rescued by residents of Canso, who mounted a successful rescue operation. While Andrew had the misfortune of having his lower jaw broken during the wreck, and he and his children survived, his youngest daughter, Anna, was for a time lost and thought drowned, but was later found washed ashore about two miles from the wreck, half-buried in the sand, but alive. Andrew's wife Jane, however, sadly died on the journey from the island to the mainland. They journeyed from Sable Island, to Canso, Nova Scotia, and from thence to Cape Ann and onwards finally to Boxford, Massachussetts. Andrew nevertheless settled in America and later married 2nd, to Miss Peggy Wood, and she adopted two children from her step-daughter, Ismenia Seaton.

Although Andrew lost much of his possessions as a result of the wreck, he did manage to recover enough to later rebuild his fortunes in America before he died circa 1754. After his death, his eldest daughter, Sarah Seaton, traveled to England and enlisted lawyer Nathan Haislup to settle her father's estate, and who was later appointed Guardian of Andrew Seaton Sr.'s children. Miss Peggy Wood married 2nd, Joseph Sewler."

"Although Andrew lost much of his possessions as a result of the wreck, he did manage to recover enough to later rebuild his fortunes in America before he died circa 1754. After his death, his eldest daughter, Sarah Seaton, traveled to England and enlisted lawyer Nathan Haislup to settle her father's estate, and who was later appointed Guardian of Andrew Seaton Sr.'s children. Miss Peggy Wood married 2nd, Joseph Sewler.

References for the three brother's can be found in the book entitled: THE SEATONS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, by Jane Snowden Crosby (of Bradford Pennsylvania, July 1, 1945); Oren Andrew Seaton's book entitled THE SEATON FAMILY, WITH GENEALOGY AND BIOGRAPHIES, by Oren Andrew Seaton (Topeka, Kansas: Crane and Company, 1906); Hayward's HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE; Seccomb's HISTORY OF AMHERST, NEW HAMPSHIRE; and THE HISTORY OF WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE; The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia."

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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.