Introduction

Welcome to the June 2008 issue of “Daltons in History”. The past month has been busy with preparations for our events, including a visit to Birr, and a meeting with Chris Pomery to review our DNA project. You will find further details below.

2008 Annual General Meeting

As I write, the Society’s 2008 Annual General Meeting is now only a week away, taking place on Saturday 7th June 2008 at the Royal Logistics Corps Museum in Camberley, Surrey, England. Those attending will be viewing the original of the Victoria Cross medal awarded in 1879 to James Langley Dalton for his gallantry at Rorke’s Drift in the Zulu War. The day will commence at 11.00 am with a tour of the medal collection, including the James Langley Dalton VC, hosted by Colonel Owen. This will be followed by a buffet lunch, after which we will have our DGS AGM. There will then be the opportunity to tour the Museum, which contains many interesting displays. Next month “Daltons in History” will include a full report on the day. We will also publish the minutes of the AGM in due course.

2008 Gathering in Ireland

Friday 1st to Monday 4th August 2008 are the dates when our 2008 Gathering will take place in Birr, Co Offaly, Ireland. This is a double event – it is the Annual Gathering of the Dalton Genealogical Society and it is also the first official meeting of Clan Dalton. Dooly’s Hotel is the venue, with its excellent conference facilities for our meetings and the annual dinner. Delegates are staying at Dooly’s and we have also arranged additional accommodation at nearby places offering bed and breakfast. Birr is located in the heart of mid-Ireland about two hours drive west of Dublin, and a similar distance east of Shannon. It is a beautiful old Georgian town with an impressive castle and much of interest to the visitor. It is also well situated to enable us to make a number of visits to places with Dalton connections.

Since the initial details were published last October considerable interest has been shown in the Birr Gathering and we are now expecting forty or more delegates to join us over the weekend. These include many overseas delegates attending their first DGS Gathering and we particularly look forward to welcoming them.

It is still possible to book and if you have not already done so, you are urged to contact myself (email: michaelndalton@aol.com), and our Irish Secretary and Clan Dalton Chieftain, Ciaran Dalton (ciaran_dalton@hotmail.com) as soon as possible to register your interest in attending. The full programme for the weekend, together with the official registration form are to be found in the “Forthcoming Gatherings” section of this website, and they were also mailed out to all DGS members with Volume 47 of the DGS Journal.

It is important that registrations are confirmed immediately by completing the registration form and sending it to me with the appropriate deposit. Full details and instructions for this accompany the registration form. We will do our best to accommodate you, but we must ask that all reservations are confirmed by the end of June at the latest.

If, in the meantime, you have any questions about our plans for the Gathering or need help with making your travel arrangements, please contact either Ciaran or myself. Many delegates are planning to tour in Ireland before and/or after the event.

Kate and I visited Birr again at the end of May and we were able to confirm the final details of the arrangements with Dooly’s Hotel, for the bed and breakfast accommodation and for the various events and activities over the weekend. I am now updating the programme to include these various details and this will be distributed to all delegates over the next two or three weeks, and it will be published on the website.

I know that we are assured of a great welcome and I am sure it will be a memorable weekend.

The Dalton International DNA Project (DIDP)

Issue 2 of the DIDP Progress Report dated December 2007 was distributed by email to all project participants during January. The publication of the report has generated a considerable amount of interest and discussion, and I want to thank all those who have been in contact following reading and digesting the report. I am continuing to deal with your responses as quickly as I can.

Participants will be aware that the DGS retains the services of Chris Pomery as our project consultant. I held a review meeting with Chris in mid-May and, following that, I will be publishing a further update on the website in due course. It is very encouraging that new participants continue to join DIDP, and it is particularly pleasing to see that the test results for many of these are placing them in existing genetic families and therefore we are able to put them in direct touch with new “genetic cousins”. As I write there are 111 Y DNA project participants, but we still need more, particularly individuals with documented ancestral lines that take them back to known English or Irish Dalton origins.

For further information please look at the “Dalton DNA Project” section of the website, and do please contact me by email if you would like to join the project, or if you have any questions which you wish to raise.

Back issues of the DGS Journal

Back issues of the DGS Journal continue to be available. On this website you can access the DGS Journal Index from the homepage. Here you will find a full synopsis of the contents of the Journal of the Dalton Genealogical Society commencing with Volume 1 published back in 1970 through to Volume 41 published in December 2004. Lists of contents are available for Volumes 42 to 47 and the full synopses will be available shortly. Copies of all back numbers are available for purchase and these can be obtained from DGS member, Mrs Pat Robinson (address: Mallards, 3 High Street, The Green, Barrington, Cambridge CB2 5QX, UK email: gandprobinson@waitrose.com. Details of prices, including postage and packing, will be found with the index.

Conclusion

Enjoy this month’s issue of “Daltons in History”, your regular monthly update on everything that is happening in the world of Dalton family history. We will be back again in July.

Thank you for your attention and best wishes to you all.

Yours very sincerely

Michael Neale Dalton
Chairman and Honorary Life President of the Dalton Genealogical Society

DGS Meeting at Orange, NSW, Australia - 13 - 15 March 2009

The plans to hold a meeting at Orange, N.S.W. are moving ahead and it is hoped that many DGS members will be able to attend.

Chairman and Hon. Life President of the DGS, Michael Neale Dalton and his wife Kate will be in Australia for the meeting. At this time, the Australian and New Zealand branch of the DGS has reserved space for Saturday 14th March 2009 at Duntryleague (perhaps in the Dalton Room) and this will need to be confirmed. For this reason it would be helpful to find out approximately how many members, family and friends, intend to attend the meeting to be held over the week-end of the 13th to 15th March 2009.

Would you be kind enough to indicate your interest in attending so that arrangements can be made at the Central Caleula Motor Inn. “Heritage House” is adjacent to the motel, and run by it, and it is likely to be used for the Saturday evening dinner. Other definite arrangements can be made at a later date, depending on numbers.

Please indicate below your interest in attending the whole or part of the week-end and return by mail to Maureen Collins, 1/11 Moruben Road, Mosman NSW 2088 or email to mmcollins@ozemail.com.au or to h-smith70@bigpond.com or to wendy.fleming@optusnet.com.au.

Name...................................................................................................

Address................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................

Tel No.................................. Email........................................................

Please address any queries to: Helen Smith at the above address or if in Victoria to Wendy Fleming or to myself. It would be appreciated if your replies could be received by 31 October this year to allow for further information to be published in the DGS Journal published in December.

 

 

DGS Meeting at Orange, NSW, Australia - 13-15 March 2009
Description of Duntryleague (Pictured Above)

James Dalton arrived in Sydney on the convict Barque Hive on the 11 December 1835, having been deported from County Limerick, Ireland to serve a 7 year term in the Colony. He was granted his freedom in 1842 and by 1848 he had established a general store in Summerhill, some 5 miles from what is now the City of Orange [named after the Prince of Orange, it is generally accepted, rather than the growing of oranges]. In 1849 James Dalton’s 15 year old son James joined his father, who was then living at Bathurst, NSW.

In 1876, James Dalton the younger built Duntryleague, a mansion with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. The mansion was sold to Orange Golf Club in 1935 when an eighteen hole championship golf course was established. The house itself is used as a club house with some guest house accommodation.

From: Gerry Dalton, our roving reporter, “On the Road” in NSW!

Some time ago I was given a copy of this old newspaper photo that unfortunately had no newspaper identification or date on it, just a caption and the collage of 3 heads making up the photo.

 

 

In the May edition of "Dalton’s in History" I contributed an article about Michael George Dalton, one of the men whose bust appears in this newspaper clipping. This newspaper clipping refers to the “Three Sons of Mr. and Mrs. G. Dalton of Dubbo” and that created a bit of a puzzle and an enjoyable challenge.

Mr. and Mrs G. Dalton of Dubbo are George Henry and Mary Josephine (nee Grintell) Dalton who are my great grandparents and Dubbo was the town where my great grandparents lived during the WW1 years. Dubbo was the town where my grandfather, Christopher Alfred Dalton, and his older brother, Michael George Dalton, enlisted into the AIF and subsequently both saw active service in France and Belgium during WW1. They did not have a brother Albert Dalton. After performing several records search at http://www.naa.gov.au I was becoming more curious - Who was Albert Dalton? Dubbo seemed to be the link, so I did another search on the National Archive of Australia site using Albert and Dubbo. The results didn’t look too promising until I viewed and read digital images of war service records. One of the records that stood out was that of Private Albert NORTON Serial Number 1959. Albert Norton enlisted at Dubbo and his digitised war service records numbered 51 pages, so I set about reading them. Albert Norton was born at a place called Sunny Corner in NSW; he named his brother Walter Norton of Tara Station via Brewarrina as his next of kin. Albert’s occupation was horse breaker. I read on to find he was 26 years and 7 months old when he enlisted. His height was 5’61/2”, with dark complexion, grey eyes and mid brown hair and his religion was Roman Catholic. He died of wounds received in the field and is buried in France.

Other than the religion there was still absolutely nothing else to link Albert Norton to my Dalton family. I was just about to log out of the digital records when I clicked for the next page and there was a copy of Albert Norton’s will and the link to my Dalton family was uncovered.

The words “In the event of my death I give the whole of my property to Miss Linda R. McKenzie, Goodwin Station, via Brewarrina, N.S.W.” signed and dated 25 Dec 1916.

The name McKenzie was the link. My great grandfather, George Henry Dalton, had a ½ sister named Rose Anne Seery. Rose Anne married William Henry McKenzie and the family lived in the Brewarrina district. I discovered that Linda was the daughter of Rose Anne and William Henry and that she was engaged to Albert Norton. Now, I may never know why the photo of Albert Norton and the two Dalton Brothers appeared in the newspaper as being the “three sons” of George and Mary Dalton of Dubbo, but I have discovered the relationship between Albert Norton and my Dalton family.

When Tom and I were in France in 2008 we located the final resting place of Albert Norton at Vaulx Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, France. Today this cemetery is known as Vraucourt Corpse CWGC, Vaulx-Vraucourt, Nord-Pas-de-Calais which is not so far for the town of Bapaume.

We shed a tear for Albert as we did for all the fallen soldiers at the various cemeteries we visited and said aloud “LEST WE FORGET”. Albert Norton Rest In Peace.

 

Headstone for Albert Norton

Note: The website http://www.naa.gov.au I referred to is the National Archive of Australia. Searches are free on this site and the WW1 records of Australian Servicemen have been digitised.

Compiled by Ken Haas

Ken has been a long time researcher of U. S. Daltons and periodically assembles as much data as possible on individual Dalton lines. The following entries are for Rutherford and Henderson Counties, NC and are the results of trying to research two David Dalton lines. The purpose of this exercise was to help separate Rutherford County from Rockingham Dalton families. This may not be your David Dalton ancestor but could be useful to other Daltons.

Ken has used a variety of sources such as censuses, the Dalton family genforum, marriage data, land records, etc. to put this line together. He has also compiled larger files on (1) Daltons of Central Illinois from Virginia and Highland County, Ohio; (2) John Elijah Dalton and family of SE Missouri and Ken now suspects a connection to Rutherford as J. E. named sons William, John, Elijah and David "exactly" as the early Rutherford men.

Ken welcomes corrections and additions to the data and his e-mail address is kennethaas@q.com.

Regards

Millicent Craig

DALTON FAMILIES, RUTHERFORD, HENDERSON COUNTIES, NORTH CAROLINA (Buncombe County from Rutherford 1791, Henderson 1838 from Buncombe)

David Dalton (1735-1804) was the founder of this family. The following was posted on the message boards in 2002. I have found nothing in the data listed below that contradicts that posting. Hence I post it here with the caveat that I did not do the research.

David Dalton, Sr. born ca 1730. was in Albemarle County, VA before 1763. Another person wrote that his wife was Susan Bradley. All children were born in Albemarle. David died in 1804 in Rutherford with Thomas and John Dalton being executors of his estate.

1783 Nov 1763 - William born 1754 married Charlotte Johnson.
Bradley born 1755 m. Dolly Robinson oldest Bradley on a tax list in 1805 Anderson County, Tenn.
John born 31 Oct 1758 m. Mary Ann Simms. (author said Lucy Simms). I think Mary Ann was correct.
David (1760-1835) m. Sarah Robinson, perhaps a sister to Dolly.
1789 Feb 25 -Thomas (1763-1841) m. Elizabeth Powell Morris.
Lucy Elizabeth (1765-1850) m. Reuben Searcy.
1782 Oct 27 - Nancy (1766-1804) Nancy m. John Halford.
1790 Oct 19 - Frances (ca 1770-ca1825) m. William Searcy.
Sally (Sarah) born ca 1772.
1788 Feb 17 - Susanna born ca 1774 m. Garnett Smathers
Marena born (ca 1779-after 1850).

See below for later marriages.

Tax lists, Rutherford
1782 - David Dorton.
1790 "census” (actually a tax list) - David, Sr., David, Thomas, William, David, Jr., all “Dorton”.

Living in Rutherford
1790 - William
1792 - John, Lucy, Anna Dolton.
1800 - David (2), John, Thomas, William, all spelled “Dolton”.
1805 - Thomas plus William and Reuben Searcy.
1808 - John, Travis and William Sims Dalton plus William Searcy.
1810 - John (2) , one John patented land in 1799, Thomas, Elizabeth, Travis, William.
1814 - William.
1815 - Travis plus Robert Searcy.
1817 - James.
1820 - David (2), William, Travis /
1830 - Travis, Elijah, John, Davis, Elisha ? Elijah (1786-after 1880 ?)
1840 William (3), James (2), Jackson, John, Thomas, Sr., Tim. Elijah, Bradley, Morning, Eliza.
Rutherford created in 1779. No Daltons there in 1790.

1800 Rutherford. Census - Dolton
William 32010 - 11110
David - 12101 - 11101 (Susan born 1797 - which ? married Braxton Lankford (spelling varies).
David - 10001 - 21421 !!
John - 22001 - 20210
Thomas - 10010 - 41010

Volunteer soldiers - War of 1812 - from Rutherford County
William, James, Bradley, all of Capt. Bradly’s company, all spelled Dolton.

1820 Rutherford Census
William - 12101 - 11001
David - 00301 - 01101
John - 11201 - 11101
John (2nd) 11101 - 11201
Thomas - 40010 - 01100
Elizabeth - 101 - 00100
Travis - 10010 - 101

1830 Rutherford Census
Bradley 20-30, Elisha 30-40, William 70-80, Bradley 20-30.
1860 Ruth census - Thomas born 1802, Sarah 1812 plus 31 others born 1831-1857.

Ruth. Marriages - Adding sureties to some of the above marriages.
1788 Feb 17 - Susanna to Garnett Smethers, surety Wm. Ballard.
1789 Feb 17 - Thomas to Elizabeth Morris, surety William Ballard.
1789 Oct 27 - Sally to John Alphard, surety Thomas Morris.
1800 April 4 - Elizabeth to Edwin Linsford.
`891 Nay 26 - Elisabeth to Thomas Ballard.
1801 July 23 - Jesten to David Searcy, surety John Dalton.
1809 Jan 4 - Elijah (1786-after 1880), son of William and Charlotte, to Mary Grant, had a son Lewis.
Thomas born 1792 (1802 ?) had a wife Sarah.
Susan A. born 1797 married Baxter Lankford
Ca 1815 - William Sims Dalton (ca 1792-1842) to Milberry Halford (1794-1867)
1817 Jan 16 - Susannah to Braxton Lankford, witness James Morriss, surety Jos. Cloud.
1820 Feb 29 - Polly to Joseph England, surety, Thomas Dalton.
1823 May 11 - Polly to William Thompson.
1827 Dec 25 - Bradley, born 1802, son of William and Charlotte, to Mary Hills.
1828 Mar 28 - John (178-1850) , to Millie Metcalfe (1805-1880), both buried in Macon County, NC
William Sims Dalton witnessed his deed, 1805. W.S. to Lawrence County, Tenn. in 1817.
1831 Jan 31 - James to Sarah Wilson, surety Thomas Dalton.
1832 June 25 - William to Elizabeth Young, surety Macjah (Micajah ?) Durham.
1837 May 30- Intha to Pitman Lewis, surety William Dalton.
1840 Nov 12 - Bradley to (2) Narcissa Heyden/Hyder, probably Heyden.
I stopped at 1840.
By 1838 part of what had been Rutherford was now Henderson.

1850 census, Henderson County, all spelled Dolton.
Elijah 64. Mary 60, two daus, 3 gr ch, 3 Robinson ch, G.W. and Sarah Bradly, 33 and 32, all in the same household.
William “Potton” (Dolton) 75, houseold if Charlotte Dolton, with Hamilton family and James and Ann Murphy, 64 and 65.
Next HH is Braxton and Susan Langfork, 55 and 53, and dau Suisan 12.
Susan Dolton 26, 4 ch including son Elijah, in household of “Morgin” family, wife Susan 33.
“Gill” Dolton born imn Georgia, 63 and Susan 25, four ch.

Henderson County Marriages
1827 - Bradley born 1802, son of William and Charlotte, to (1) Mary Hill (2) Narcissa Hyder/Heyden ?. Query : How could be Henderson in 1827 ?
William was trying to help the wife of Thomas get a pension and said Thomas was his brother.

1860 Henderson Census
Bradley, age 53, born 1806, Dice A. 1828, Mary E. 1849, Ann 1851, Thomas 1853, John 1856.

Rutherford Deeds
1797 July 8 - Thomas to George Walton Bradley along a line of Reuben Searcy. Witnesses included Reuben Searcy and John Bradley.
1804 June 6 - John and Thomas were executors of the will of David Dalton.
They deeded land on the Broad River to John Ledbetter. A witness was William Searcy and two others.
1807 Sept 10 - Travis to Samuel Elliott land on Buffalo Creek where Travis luves
A witness was William Elliott.
1808 Sept 2 - John Dalton to William Searcy, witnessed by William Sims Dalton and Thomas Ballard.
1809 Feb 15 - John Dalton to William Kelly, land on the south side of the Broad River, witnessed by George Russell and Joseph Reavis.

The story of our English Dalton family who were Knights in Medieval Times

From: Rodney Dalton, USA

Part 1:

Our early Dalton family has a known history of being Knights in the service of the Kings of England and there were a long series of Dalton men who were known to have taken the call to join these Kings or hid Lords to fight in various wars, battles, up-risings, and especially to fight in the many English and Scottish wars in the late 1200's and early 1300's. Then we hear about the notorious battles with the French later on.

***************************

The story of a medieval times knight, begins at the start of the period when they were simply hired hands for battle and ends with the close of the era when knighthood was an honored station. What comes in between for the medieval times knight is a lot of warfare, a rise to landed power and the creation of a mystique that keeps their legend alive today.

At their first appearance, medieval times knights were quite literally hired hands to help fight battles. The medieval times knight of the early period was a warrior who would swear loyalty to a leader and fight for him in exchange for land or money. It was the medieval times knight’s mission to spill blood or have it spilled on the field of battle should a liege call.

As the middle ages continued, the medieval times knight began to pass on land grants from father to son, creating a class of nobility in and of itself. With the land came responsibility for the medieval times knight. As time marched forward the former mercenary, the medieval times knight, was involved in local politics, justice dealing and other workings of government.

Gone were the days of a simple exchange for a sword in battle. With the crusades and other organized battles, the medieval times knight became bound to codes of honor along with their oaths of loyalty. Whether chivalric law or religious convictions, medieval times knights were expected to act a certain way and fight a certain way, giving rise to the legends that made the class of medieval times knight famous.

When it came to fighting, the medieval times knight was expected to follow his code of honor. With the church heavily involved in the politics of Europe, the medieval times knight was subjected to rules that included the limitations of days of battle to exclude days of religious importance. In addition to religious restrictions, the medieval times knight also became subject to a romanticized law as well. Medieval times knights, especially after the crusades, were expected to behave in a certain manner.

Weaponry and armor are often what set medieval times knight class members apart from commoners over and above any land one might own. Well made steel armor and weapons were a sign of wealth and status and were often handed down from father to son along with land and title. The more elaborate the weaponry and armor, the higher the status of the medieval times knight.

The life of a medieval times knight was not all romance and glory, however. Knights were expected to fight and die for their liege. Their oaths of loyalty bound them to a single noble or warlord and that noble or warlord’s own oath could have them fighting in battles that had little or nothing to do with their own concerns. From hired sword to landed wealth, the medieval times knight both shaped and was shaped by the period giving rise to legends that inspire enthusiasts today.

The knight was one of three types of fighting men during the middle ages: Knights, Foot Soldiers, and Archers. The medieval knight was the equivalent of the modern tank. He was covered in multiple layers of armor, and could plow through foot soldiers standing in his way. No single foot soldier or archer could stand up to any one knight. Knights were also generally the wealthiest of the three types of soldiers. This was for a good reason. It was terribly expensive to be a knight. The war horse alone could cost the equivalent of a small airplane. Armor, shields, and weapons were also very expensive. Becoming a knight was part of the feudal agreement. In return for military service, the knight received a fief. In the late middle ages, many prospective knights began to pay "shield money" to their lord so that they wouldn't have to serve in the king's army. The money was then used to create a professional army that was paid and supported by the king. These knights often fought more for pillaging than for army wages. When they captured a city, they were allowed to ransack it, stealing goods and valuables.

On becoming a Knight

There were only a few ways in which a person could become a knight.

The first way was the normal course of action for the son of a noble:

When a boy was eight years old, he was sent to the neighboring castle where he was trained as a page. The boy was usually the son of a knight or of a member of the aristocracy. He spent most of his time strengthening his body, wrestling and riding horses. He also learned how to fight with a spear and a sword. He practiced against a wooden dummie called a quintain. It was essentially a heavy sack or dummie in the form of a human. It was hung on a wooden pole along with a shield. The young page had to hit the shield in its center. When hit, the whole structure would spin around and around. The page had to maneuver away quickly without getting hit. The young man was also taught more civilized topics. He would be taught to read and write by a schoolmaster. He could also be taught some Latin and French. The lady of the castle taught the page to sing and dance and how to behave in the king’s court.

A Knight in full armor

At the age of fifteen or sixteen, a boy became a squire in service to a knight. His duties included dressing the knight in the morning, serving all of the knight’s meals, caring for the knight’s horse, and cleaning the knight’s armor and weapons. He followed the knight to tournaments and assisted his lord on the battlefield. A squire also prepared himself by learning how to handle a sword and lance while wearing forty pounds of armor and riding a horse. When he was about twenty, a squire could become a knight after proving himself worthy. A lord would agree to knight him in a dubbing ceremony. The night before the ceremony, the squire would dress in a white tunic and red robes. He would then fast and pray all night for the purification of his soul. The chaplain would bless the future knight's sword and then lay it on the chapel or church's altar. Before dawn, he took a bath to show that he was pure, and he dressed in his best clothes. When dawn came, the priest would hear the young man's confession, a Catholic contrition rite. The squire would then eat breakfast. Soon the dubbing ceremony began. The outdoor ceremony took place in front of family, friends, and nobility. The squire knelt in front of the lord, who tapped the squire lightly on each shoulder with his sword and proclaimed him a knight. This was symbolic of what occurred in earlier times. In the earlier middle ages, the person doing the dubbing would actually hit the squire forcefully, knocking him over. After the dubbing, a great feast followed with music and dancing.

Chivalry

Knights believed in the code of chivalry. They promised to defend the weak, be courteous to all women, be loyal to their king, and serve God at all times. Knights were expected to be humble before others, especially their superiors. They were also expected to not "talk too much". In other words, they shouldn't boast. The code of chivalry demanded that a knight give mercy to a vanquished enemy. However, the very fact that knights were trained as men of war belied this code. Even though they came from rich families, many knights were not their families' firstborn. They did not receive an inheritance. Thus they were little more than mercenaries. They plundered villages or cities that they captured, often defiling and destroying churches and other property. Also the code of chivalry did not extend to the peasants. The "weak" was widely interpreted as "noble women and children". They were often brutal to common folk. They could sometimes even rape young peasant women without fear of reprisal, all because they were part of the upper class.

Armor and Weapons

A knight was armed and armored to the teeth. He had so much armor and weapons that he depended on his squire to keep his armor and weapons clean and in good working condition. At first the armor was made of small metal rings called chain mail. A knight wore a linen shirt and a pair of pants as well as heavy woolen pads underneath the metal-ringed tunic. A suit of chain mail could have more than 200,000 rings. However, chain mail was heavy, uncomfortable, and difficult to move in. As time passed, knights covered their bodies with plates of metal. Plates covered their chests, back, arms, and legs. A bucket like helmet protected the knight’s head and had a hinged metal visor to cover his face. Suits of armor were hot, uncomfortable, and heavy to wear. A suit of armor weighed between forty and sixty pounds. Some knights even protected their horses in armor.

A knight also needed a shield to hold in front of himself during battle. Shields were made of either wood or metal. Knights decorated their shields with their family emblem or crest and the family motto.

A knight'’s weapon was his sword, which was about thirty-two pounds. It was worn on his left side in a case fastened around his waist. A knife was worn on the knight’s right side. Knights used other weapons in combat as well. A lance was a long spear used in jousts. Metal axes, battle hammers, and maces were also used to defeat the enemy.

In the United Kingdom "Sir" is used in addressing baronets and knights.

We must start this story with the very first mention of a Dalton Knight who we call our founding ancestor. He was a man by the name of le Sieur de Dalton or Walter as we have named him. Below is what some of our learnered Dalton researchers have wrote about this Sir Walter Dalton.

There is a tradition among the Dalton family that there was a man known as Le Sieur de Dalton, who was the head of the village of Dalton. He had two sons, one known as Dalton of Byspham and a second son, Symon, and a grandson, John Dalton, who was still alive in 1193. Also Le Sieur went with the Earl of Manchester, on behalf of King Stephen to treat with Henry II in France for his return to England in 1154. This man may have been called Walter and there is a tradition that when he had finished his business in France, he got the King of France's daughter into trouble and had to do a quick exit to Ireland. There he settled and founded the Irish Daltons, who call themselves Daliton or Daton, with the spelling eventfully changed to Dalton.

Source: A lecture/talk given by Dr. Lucy Joan Slater, Editor and Secretary, Dalton Genealogical Society, Cambridge, England.

More extracts from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1876

From Theckla Ledyard, Washington State, USA

18th January - 17th Ward – William Dalton is Secretary.

12th February - Olympic Theatre – Fulton Street – James Dalton is listed as the talented negro comedian.

8th March - Changes in the Schools – Resignations: No 29 Miss Kate J. Dalton 5th grade Primary 1st January.

20th March - Ladies United F.M.T.A.B. Society Branch 3, gave a reception. Among guests were J. Dalton and wife.

17th April - Second Meeting of the John McMahon 6th Ward Musketeers Assoc. – Officers for coming year: Patrick Dalton, Vice President

A gentleman wishes to be instructed on the cornet – a teacher will find a pupil by addressing Dalton at Box 8,085 N.Y.P.O.

18th April - Michael Dalton of Garnell Street was arrested for stealing two chickens.

20th April - Dalton – Died on 19th April, of consumption, in his 29th year, John J. Dalton, eldest son of James and Catherine Dalton of the Parish of Leagon, County Longford, Ireland. Funeral from his late residence at 193 Classon Ave, Brooklyn.

22nd April - St Patrick's Roman Catholic Temperance Society meeting – Mr William Dalton, President of No 3 Young Men’s Temperance Society of Brooklyn, gave a speech on the evils of drink and the benefits of temperance.

Members of Father Matthew Society are requested to be at Kent Hall to pay requests for late brother, John Dalton.

Members of St. Patrick’s Mutial Alliance Assoc. of Kings Co. Executive Council Members are requested to assemble at the Hall of Branch No. 4. Kent Avenue. 23rd April for purpose of paying last tribute of respect for our late brother, John Dalton.

Also from Alicia Riley:

Oldham Militia for 1781 - below town

0796 - Robert Dalton, Weaver, 3 children

From the Oldham Chronicle, Friday 16th May 2008 - "In Memoriam" - Dalton, Harry. One year on and very much missed. From brother Tommy and Jack, Mavis and all the family.

From Millicent Craig

We belatedly welcome Terence "Terry" John Dalton of Illinois to membership in the DGS. Terry's ancestral route to the U. S. stems from County Cork, Ireland, Wales, the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall England. Scotland also figures in this family's history as described in the following letter.

"Dear Millicent, you have asked me to give an overview of my family history as I know it.

I was born in Helston, Cornwall, in the southwest of England in 1939. My Father was William Francis Dalton born in Falmouth also in Cornwall in 1906. His Father Michael James Dalton served in The Hussars during the first half of his life, was a publican at The Kings Arms in Penryn, Cornwall later in his life. He was born on Tresco, in The Scilly Isles off the western coast of Cornwall, as were his siblings, Mary, Katherine, and Thomas, in that order, my grandfather being the youngest. He was born in this remote location due to the fact that his Father William Francis Dalton, an ex Royal Navy Chief Yeoman, was employed as a Coast Guard stationed there, then in St Mary's (also on the Scilly Isles, or Isles of Scilly as the locals prefer to call them) and finally at Falmouth, Cornwall before retiring, hence my fathers birth place. My father was married to Winfred Maud Trevaskis, the daughter of a Tin Miner of Cornish ancestry, and had one brother Michael James Dalton born 1907. Both born to Michael James Dalton and his wife Margaret Dorothy Nichols born in Llanberis, Wales in 1880, the same year as her husbands birth. William Francis Dalton senior is stated according to various census records to be born about 1846 in Cork, Ireland, as is his wife Margaret Hannan, born 1849.

My greatgrandfather served in the Royal Navy and was a Petty Officer 1Cl on H.M.S. Himalaya 1873/74 when he was involved in The Ashanti War and received the war medal. The census of 1881 shows him on St Mary's with a wife and four children ranging in age from 6 to 1 year old. the census of 1891 he is coast guard living in Falmouth with 3 children and wife. Finally in 1901 he is shown as retired living in Falmouth, with his wife and 2 female children. There exists a photograph of an Ike Dalton, who may have been Williams brother or cousin, taken in Lousiville Kentucky, and inscribed with,' your uncle Ike.'

William's oldest son Thomas born 1878 on Tresco, was a career Royal Navy non commissioned officer. He won The Distinguished Service Medal whilst serving as Chief Yeoman Signals on H.M.S. Temeraire during the battle of Jutland in 1916. He married his cousin Annie Dalton of Perth in Scotland. (I have traced an Annie to Blairgowrie, Perth in the 1880 census aged 4 months.)

This is just about the extent of my research so far, with much to learn I am open to any information which other members care to share with me.

As can be seen we are a remote branch of the Irish Daltons who lived for about 4 generations to all intents and purposes removed from the main family, and in recent years with absolutely no contacts being made with any members of that family. I look forward to renewing severed links.

Best Regards

Terry Dalton

E mail:TerryDalton@sbcglobal.net

Thank you, once again, to all who have contributed to the June 2008 issue of "Daltons in History". Sorry for the delay, due to circumstances beyond my control.

Please continue to send me any interesting pieces, from anywhere, on our Dalton family. New ideas for future articles will be gratefully received. (e-mail: dairneirwin@ntlworld.com).

Contributions for the July 2008 issue must be with me no later than 25th June.