| from Millicent V. Craig It was with great sadness that we received the news from our Chairman Michael Neale Dalton, that his cousin, Richard N. D. Hamilton, passed away on September 8, 2000. Dick had suffered a stroke nearly two years earlier. He was 86 years of age, a retired barrister, and a DGS committee member for many years. I last spoke with Dick during the 1999 Christmas Holiday. His picture had appeared in a recent "Daltons in History" and he was quite pleased. He also sent a lovely note expressing his gratitude. All Daltons will remember him as a brilliant researcher whose contributions to the DGS Journals will stand the test of time. His first Journal article, "Daltons at Westminster" appeared in 1973. This was followed by an account of the first British Family History Conference and a story about Lawrence Dalton, Norroy King of Arms in 1980; Hannah Neale and John Dalton contemporary scenes, part I in 1892 and part II in 1983; The Druce Papers in 1984; The Junior Dalton Line, the Missing Link , Chapter I and Chapter II in 1985, Chapter III in 1986, Chapter IV in 1987; a continuation of Chapter IV in 1987; James Dalton of Lincoln's Inn in 1988; A Living Line, AD 1230-AD 1988; Daltons of Bispham, Croston in 1994. Dick's research efforts were also helpful to your editor in The Irish D'Alton Family, printed in 1998. When "Daltons in History" was launched on January 1, 1988, Dick's article, James Dalton of Lincoln's Inn, was chosen for the first feature. |
| from Millicent V. Craig The genealogy section of the "History of Canterbury, NH" yielded much information on Londonderry and Canterbury, NH Daltons. Canterbury was one of the earliest Shaker communities in America and one of the last two remaining communities. (The other was at Sabbath Day Lake in Maine). This is the second lineage of a Londonderry- born Dalton that has been printed on "Daltons in History". The other lineage began with William Dalton*, likely
the brother of Samuel, but unproven. As with all data, the following statistics
provide clues and should be verified from the original records. Editors Note. The History of Canterbury, NH has helped to link the migration of a branch of the New Hampshire Dalton family from Londonderry, Northfield, Canterbury, Sanbornton, Laconia and to Gilmanton NH, the lakes area, where there was a large family of Daltons. A future issue will provide data on the Laconia and Gilmanton family. Meanwhile the search continues for the head of this family, John Dalton, who was reportedly born about 1730. (One reference states that he was born in Northern Ireland but no documentation has been found). Please contact Millicenty@aol.com if you have further information on this branch of the Dalton family. * In the earlier feature article relating to William Dalton of Londonderry, it was noted that he had moved to Northfield NH where a child was born. The child was baptized at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Hampton, NH. This prompted a search to learn whether the Londonderry Daltons were connected to the Hampton/Newbury Daltons. As of this time there does not appear to be a connection although there is a possibility that William and Samuel were brothers. William may simply desired to have the child baptized in the Church of England. Upon reading part of the diary of the Rev. Matthias Plant, first pastor of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, he may have bent the rules by officiating at the rites of dissenters. He performed the marriage ceremony for couples from the Boston area where the logical place for a marriage was King's Chapel but where rules were strictly enforced. He also administered the baptismal rite to a child whose father was a dissenter and for which he was chided by the wardens. Our thanks are extended to DGS member Bernard Dodd of Concord, NH for copying the relevant pages of this rare book, The History of Canterbury, NH. |
| from Millicent Craig Although Londonderry NH was incorporated in 1722, date of arrival of the earliest residents is unknown. In the book, Pre-Revolutionary Irish in Massachusetts,1620-1775, by Dr. George Francis Donahue (1931) there is an entry that states, "In 1638 a shipload of Irish persons left the port of Carrickfergus for New England and many found their way to Ipswich though most settled in Londonderry, NH". Carrickfergus was a regular stop for vessels, particularly the Snow Antrim, which made the run from New York to Ireland. On the return, Londonderry was the last port where ships waited until the passenger quota was filled. Most of the early passengers from Ireland were Scottish /Irish who went to New England, to the Boston area. By 1722, the Londonderry, NH residents needed more land and made special application for land in the vicinity of Haverhill, Mass. Some claimed land down to the Merrimac River and the Amoskeag Falls. In 1735 force was used and the warring continued until 1759 when they settled their differences and ended the Border War. This strife, begun in 1722, also suggests that Londonderry was settled well before the incorporation of the town and expansion was required to accomodate the arrivals. Meanwhile, the restrictive Penal Laws begun in the1690's were in effect in Ireland and affected not just Catholics but Presbyterians as well. They were deprived of land ownership, education for their children, barred from professions and many other civil rights including the right to vote. The Presbyterians fled to the north of Ireland away from the center of government authority and settled in the County of Londonderry. Among the immigrants from Ireland in 1718 was James McGregor, a clergyman. Born in Ireland in 1677, he received his ministerial education in a Presbyterian institution in Northern Ireland, came to Boston on 4 Oct 1718 with one hundred families. Later he went to Londonderry, NH where he founded the first Presbyterian Church in New England. His son, David, was well known in the western part of Londonderry. Other prominent Scottish /Irish also went on to Londonderry, NH. In 1740, Captain McKinstry came to Boston. He was born in Armagh, Ulster, Ireland in 1712. He married Jane Dickie, widow of a Belknap in the County of Antrim. He had been an officer in the English Army and his destination was Londonderry, NH Not all Irish emigrants were allowed to remain in the Boston area. According to the General Acts, deportation was the order of the day as they were designated as "foreign" and denied the acquisition of land. This was a major reason for the migration to Londonderry, NH where there were no such restrictions on property ownership. By the time of the 1831-1841 Census of Londonderry, Ireland there was not a single Dalton enumerated in the entire County. Unfortunately, we are still unable to make the Dalton connection between the two Londonderrys because of a lack of records. |
| from DGS member Diane Jackman of Canada The following data was hand copied by Diane from the records of the Roman Catholic Basilica at St John's Newfoundland. The list is extremely long and will be printed on "Daltons in History" in three sections. This is a follow on to previous data sent by Diane and not a duplication of earlier records. The DGS is extremely grateful to Diane for her contributions. Baptisms at the Roman Catholic Basilica, St. John's, Newfoundland, 1855-1905 DALTON, Agnes Maud 1897 4 5 110 To be continued next month. |