Abstract:
The Seton family of William Seton Sr. lived in New York in the late 1800s, at an estate called Cragdon near East Chester, a part of what is now the Bronx, in Westchester county. The Seton family photo album contains 51 images of the Seton family home, Cragdon Cottage, including the house, grounds, nearby landmarks, and family members.
Scope and Content:
The Seton family photo album contains 51 images of the Seton family home, Cragdon Cottage, including the house, grounds, nearby landmarks, and family members. The majority of the images are of the house, grounds, and area around Cragdon in and near Eastchester, New York. Names given for locations include Rattlesnake Brook, Rattlesnake Ledge, Willie's Rock, Seton Falls, Ting's Bridge, and others. Images of several family members are included, including several groups; most individuals are identified, as are several dogs owned by the family. William Seton Sr. appears in several images, as do William Jr., Isabel, Elizabeth, and Emily Seton; Thomas Jevons, Thomas Fletcher, and Emma Wardell also appear several times. Alfred Booth is in at least two images, while Lydia Butler, General Guy Henry, General Totten (possibly James Totten), Henry Ogden, Grace Bayley, and Seton cousins Ethelinda and Harry appear at least once. Other individuals whose full names are not given also appear.The first page of the album includes the inscription "William Seton Esq, from Alfred Booth and Tho. E. Jevons, Cragdon, October 1867." The album binding is missing; some string from the binding keeps sections of the album together, but the cover is missing completely.The photographer was Alfred Booth (1834-1914). All images in the album have handwritten captions describing the location, individuals, and many give the season in which the image was captured. Winter, spring, and summer are included in the album, and likely all date from 1867. Two books owned by the Seton family were acquired at the same time as this album and are listed in the catalog: Homer's <title render="italic">Odyssey</title> inscribed by William and Emily Prime Seton and by Robert Seton, and <title render="italic">Select Pieces on Religious Subjects</title> by Effingham Warner, inscribed by William Seton Sr. and by Robert Seton.