William Seton III was an American author, a novelist and popular science writer. He was a Roman Catholic from one of America's most distinguished Roman Catholic families. His paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton, the first American citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

Life

He Emmittsburg]], Md., and xtensively abroad before entering a law office in New York.

Soon after his admission to the bar he answered Lincoln's first call for troops in 1861. Disabled for a time by two wounds received in the Battle of Antietam

Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...

, where he fought as captain of the Forty-first New York Volunteers, French's Division, Sumner's Corps, he returned to his father's home, Cragdon, Westchester County, New York, but went back to the front to be captain of the 16th Artillery in Grant's campaign against Richmond.

His t. St. Mary's, conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1890.

Works

After the war he devoted himself chiefly to literature, publishing two historical novels, "Romance of the Charter Oak" (1870) and "Pride of Lexington" (1871); "The Pioneer", a poem (1874); "Rachel's Fate" (1882); "The Shamrock Gone West", and "Moire" (1884). About 1886 he went to Europe for serious study in paleontology, psychology, etc., and thereafter usually spent the greater part of each year in France in such pursuits. His forte was presenting scientific matters in attractive English. He issued a brief work, "A Glimpse of Organic Life, Past and Present" (1897). He was a frequent contributor of scientific articles to the "Catholic World". "The Building of the Mountain", a novel, was in the press at the time of his death.

Family

His father was William Seton II, captain in the U. S. Navy, son of Elizabeth Ann Seton

Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church . She established Catholic communities in Emmitsburg, Maryland....

; his mother was Emily Prime. Burke's Peerage

Burke's Peerage

Burke's Peerage publishes authoritative, in-depth historical guides to the royal and titled families of the United Kingdom, such as Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, and of many other countries. Founded in 1826 by British genealogist John Burke Esq., and continued by his son, Sir John...

 (1900) recognized him as the head of the Seton family of Parbroath, senior cadets of the earls of Winton

Earl of Winton

The title Earl of Winton was once created in the Peerage of Scotland, and again the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is presently held by the Earl of Eglinton....

 in Scotland.

He outlived by ten years his wife Sarah Redwood Parrish, a Philadelphian Catholic convert from the Society of Friends. He is buried with the Setons at Mt. St. Mary's, Emmitsburg, Maryland.