In 1901, Ernest Thompson Seton, having achieved his goal of
gaining widespread fame and growing wealth, turned his attention to researching
his ancestry. Monsignor Robert Seton had published An Old Family, Or, The Setons of Scotland and America in 1899. ETS
maintained that his father should have claimed the title of “Baron of Seton
Winton” (a.k.a. Earl of Winton). See Ernest
Thompson Seton, the Life and Legacy of an Artist and Conservationist for a
fuller account of this story. Monsignor Seton, however, showed that the title
was extinct; my research into the peerage record turned up the same result. ETS
and others in the Thompson family thought differently.
Shortly before the death of his father, Joseph Logan
Thompson, ETS made one last attempt to get the story. Apparently, they were not
on speaking terms so he asked his older brother George Seton (1854-1944) to
make an inquiry on his behalf. From the Seton archives at the Academy for the
Love of Learning, here is the typescript copy of Joseph’s reply to George (and
thus to ETS). I have added punctuation in a few places for clarity.
Toronto, 14th May 1901
My dear Son G.S.
Yours of
10th inst with enclosures from Mr. Seton [ETS] duly reached me and I
lose no time in replying there to.
I have
answered seriatim every question in the list to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I hope the answers will forward the object he has in View, and shall be
very glad to know if they prove so.
It is
rather curious that my dear father’s family history runs almost parallel to
that of my dear mother. My great-grandfather was out in the Jacobite wars,
& was defeated, for “the stern arbitrament of the sword” was against his
party & being defeated, he, like the rest of his fellow rebels, fled for
his life, and found a refuge in So. Shields, my native place, and, of course,
changed his name, Cameron to that of Thompson. I am not sure whether his
baptismal name was “Alan” or “Evan.” I know that my paternal G-father’s name
was “Evan” & likely that was his father’s name also, we have both in our
boys’ names. I [word missing] fancy his name was “Alan” but I have no authority
for it, but this I do know, that our progenitor who fled from Scotland to So.
Shields, whether “Evan” or “Alan” was a man of importance in the Cameron Clan,
being a blood relation & a foster-brother of the well known Chief of that
ilk, the brave and gallant “Lochiel.”*
My
father has frequently told me that he knew well enough that there [were] large
estates in the highlands of Scotland that he was undoubtedly heir to, but that
when the rebellion was crushed all the estates belonging to the rebels were
forfeited, & most of them bestowed among the leading followers of the
winning party, so there was very little chance of any portion falling to those
who fought for the Stewart-party. Lochiel & perhaps a few others of high
rank & great family influence, who eventually submitted, had much of their
lands restored to them, but the majority were not so fortunate, and among these
was our ancestor, but as to the lands of the officers other than leaders, or
those who had not sufficient influence to expect to be successful applicants
for forfeited lands, or those who perhaps dared not claim their lost
inheritance. Many estates were not sought to be restored, & my
g.g.g.-father was one of them, and my father, whether he knew the locality that
should have descended to him, or not, he knew right well that the attempt to
recover his rightful inheritance would involve expensive and unending lawsuits,
and, as a result of actions at law is mostly a question of the longest purse
holding the longest out, & he not being speculative besides, declined to
waste good money after bad, on the barest chance, gave up the idea of fighting
for his own, & moreover, believing with Shakespear [sic] that the best
policy was to be “content with the ills he had, and sought not others that he
knew not of” he adopted it & I think he did well doing so.
But now
my dear Son I will draw this long yarn to a close, & with best love &
all good wishes to you & all your dear ones am ever, your affectionate
father.
J.L.
Thompson
P.S. I return the memdum of questions propounded by Mr.
Seton having taken a copy of them.
Answers to questions re Seton claim.
No. 1. I
have no legal evidence, at hand, of my descent from Ann Seton, but the Parish
Registers of S’Hilda’s Church, So. Shields will prove my birth, also, that of
my mother, Mary Ann Thompson nee Logan, was the daughter of Ann Logan nee
Seton.
No. 2. I
am sure that my Grandmother was the Ann Logan, nee Seton in question.
No. 3. I
have no books, letters, writings, rings, or inscriptions in books bearing on
this matter. My family and myself left my native [country] in 1866. My father
and my mother were both living at the time. My father died Dec. 27, 1874 and my
mother died 5 days afterwards. I never received any rings, or heirlooms being
absent in America at the time of their death, and doubtless, those members of
our family present at their demise would keep all the trifles that might have
belonged to my parents under the impression that they were not worth the
sending to America.
No. 4. I
do not think it at all likely that there are any witnesses, now living, that
could prove this.
No. 5. I
remember George Seton paying a visit to his cousin my dear mother when I was
quite a little boy. I do not remember much about him, but I distinctly remember
being told of his having proved, by the Scottish judges, to be the lawful heir
to the title Baron Seton of Winton, but the Seton estates, having been
forfeited, were sold and afterwards I suppose, were resold in lots, as they
would probably be, and the Estate broken up.
No. 6
Geo Seton was my mothers full cousin, as I have heard her often say there can
be no question about that.
No. 7. I
must have had some conversation with him, as he spent the greater part of the
day in my father’s house.
No. 8. I
cannot recall aught of the conversation I am certain to have had with him.
No. 9. I
was told by my mother that her cousin, George Seton had died unmarried, and
that she was the next heir to the Barony of Seton Winton but that the estate
having been lost to the family, the title was not worth the expense of her
proving her right to it. Had the estate been restored, I suppose my mother’s
claim to it would have been in due form long ago, and my father being in good
circumstances, would certainly have proved my mother’s rights, but there being
only the bare title he did not think it worth his while to waste money over it.
There
must, I think be a mistake about George Seton’s death having occurred in 1853.
My impression is that he would not be more than 30 or 35 at most when he died,
as when I met him in 1832 about, he was, I believe about 22 or 23 years of age,
and as his death took place a very few years after that; he must have died many
years prior to 1853!
I have
no knowledge whatever of George Walker, neither had my grandmother Ann Logan
(nee Seton) for, on the death of her nephew, George Seton, she asserted that I
was now, in my mother’s, the heir to the Barony (title Baron of Seton Winton)
and on her deathbed, addressing her daughter (my mother), she said “now Mary,
mind, Joseph’s the heir,” (that is, myself). These are the last words she
uttered.
The
foregoing statements are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, correct.
J. L.
Thompson
Toronto
14 May
1901
*The Cameron’s of
Lochiel, Scotland, were chiefs of Clan Cameron for several generations. Joseph
was referring to one of them, Donald Cameron.
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