from Millicent V. Craig

Richard Dalton Williams was born in Dublin; the date of his birth is said to be October 8, 1822. At an early age he was removed to Grenanstown,* near the Devil's Bit, one of the most romantic spots in Tipperary. He was first sent to St. Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, and afterward to Carlow College. While there, he sent "The Munster War Song" to the publication, The Nation. In his leisure hours he amused himself by writing a series of poems full of grotesque humor under the title "The Misadventures of a Medical Student".

On May 26, 1848, Mitchell, the editor of The United Irishman, was convicted as a revolutionary and on the following day his paper was suppressed. New revolutionary journals at once rose to fill the vacant place; John Martin started The Irish Felon; and Williams, with his friend, Kevin Izod O'Doherty, established The Irish Tribune. The new journals went the way of the old; Martin and O'Doherty were convicted and transported, but Williams escaped.

In 1851 Williams came to America, and settled down in New Orleans as a medical man. After this came two flittings, and his last residence was in Thibodeaux, Louisiana. He was there when the Civil War broke out. He took advantage of the occasion to write "Son of the Irish-American Regiments." While his pen was attaining full vigor, Williams himself had begun to decay; consumption had seized hold of his body, and on July 5, 1862, he died, at age thirty-nine.

His resting place had been marked by a crude board bearing his name and the date of his death. Shortly after his death some companies of Irish-American soldiers happened to pass through the locality and resolved that the spot where a countryman so gifted and so faithful lay should be properly marked. They raised by subscription a monument of Carrara marble, inscribed with a brief but eloquent epitaph.

His humorous, patriotic, and pathetic verse he wrote with facility - never quite achieving greatness. However, "The Dying Girl" comes very near to it." The first and last of seven verses are quoted below. When he wrote this poem, he had no thoughts of succumbing to the same illness.

THE DYING GIRL

From a Munster vale they brought her.
From the pure and balmy air;
An Ormond peasant's daughter,
With blue eyes and Golden hair-
They brought her to the city,
And she faded slowly there
Consumption has no pity
For blue eyes and golden hair.

Before the sun had risen
Thro' the lark-loved morning air,
Her young soul left its prison,
Undefiled by sin or care.
I stood beside the couch in tears
Where pale and calm she slept,
And tho' I've gazed on death for years.
I blush not that I wept.
I checked with effort pit's sighs
And left the matron there,
To close the curtain of her eyes
And bind her golden hair.

*Grenanstown, possible linkages. Christopher D'Alton of Grenanstown was Chamberlain and Colonel of the Guards to His Electoral Highness of Saxony, and died at Richmond, near Dublin in 1793. "King James Irish Army List" 1689 by John D'Alton, Esq. Barrister.

The biography of Richard Dalton Williams is abstracted from "Irish Literature" Vol. 1, 1904 and much of the original text was preserved because of the unusual style of writing. If anyone has a copy of the poem that was written for the US Civil War, please forward and it will be printed. Millicenty@aol.com.

Having done all the research possible beforehand, and armed with guides and lists and tasks, K. T. set off for Ireland in July 1999 on an adventure that will long be remembered, and the beginning of more searching. Here is an account of her journey in her own words.

"The trip to Ireland was wonderful - such a beautiful country with warm and friendly people. There are a few Irish who don't have any use for Americans and I managed to meet both of them, the innkeeper and her brother in Clonmel. That is where I met my cousin, John Dalton. We bear a striking resemblance and as a matter of fact that is how I located him. A fellow at the inn's pub heard my name, Dalton, and gave it some thought. The next day I saw him and he pointed and said, 'John Dalton, that's who you're looking for. He's your cousin, I'm sure of it. You look the same about the face'.

My cousin and I had lunch and I could see he was extremely cautious. I asked him why he was uncomfortable. John Dalton admitted that he thought I had come for my family's share of the property. Seems the property was a bone of contention for the majority of the extended family. John Dalton sold the family homestead and developed adjoining lands for single family homes. I assured him I had no interest in our familial lands.

John Dalton is a psychiatric nurse at St. Lukes. He helps those who are challenged to integrate into the community. In addition he operates a lottery under the auspices of his Rural Development Program. He also has a renovated Church of Ireland structure that is utilized as a museum, gift shop, craft center, computer school and all around enterprise zone.

John tells me I am staying in the worst place in town - it's a den of thieves and criminals. I wasn't very fond of the innkeeper and her brother, but the rest was a friendly lot. They did help me find my cousin after all. Anyway, John Dalton tells me to pack my things - I'm going to Thurles to stay with his family!

John picks me up at 4:00PM and tells me it is going to be a very long day. It's Wednesday and that's the lottery! We have to make stops to pick up tickets and money - about 20 stops in all. Then off to the public house (pub) where the lottery will be held.

We stopped first at the cemetery of St. John the Baptist - the church that my grandmother Mary O'Mara Dalton was baptized in. The church had been rebuilt, but the century old original baptismal font was kept. I see family names from both grandparents in this church yard. John Dalton says that the Bishop of Yola was his uncle, Patrick Dalton, and a plaque was recently dedicated at St. John the Baptist in his honor.

We are going to look at the house where our grandfathers were born and raised. We cross the Thorny Bridge. I have heard the name many, many times. The only thing separating my grandparents' houses was the Thorny Bridge. The Daltons lived on one side of the River Anner and the O'Maras on the other. John Dalton is very surprised that I know about the Thorny Bridge because it is a local name.

He tells me that his parents died in 1974 and he fixed up the home and sold it. One side of the house was full of lead. The English soldiers traveling the railway would shoot at the Dalton house because sympathizers of the brotherhood lived within. Decades later John Dalton's uncle was found dead alongside the tracks. His death was termed an 'accident'. The family contends that the death was at the hands of the British because of uncle John's alleged association with the IRA.

John Dalton tells me that the Bank of Ireland has held a note on the Dalton land for three generations. His grandfather, Patrick Dalton, signed a note so his brothers could pursue a timber investment. When Patrick died, the note was passed on to Edward Dalton. When Edward died, the bank contacted John Dalton and he told them to figure up a settlement amount or prepare for litigation. Dalton paid the note in full and it was the first time in almost a hundred years that the title to the land was clear.

But wait a minute, John Dalton! Who was your grandfather? Was it Edward? 'No', John Dalton says, 'It's Patrick'. Well I took the names of my grandfather's brothers and sisters from his obituary in 1945 and it doesn't list a Patrick. I asked John if there were any other Daltons on that side of the Thorny Bridge. The answer is 'No'. John Dalton says that his grandfather died in 1947 and was about the same age as my grandfather. It is a little odd. My great grandfather was Patrick Dalton. Patrick is a family name to this day. Yet there was no Patrick! John Dalton and I both agreed that his grandfather and my grandfather are probably brothers. John Dalton's brother, Patrick, who lives in Galway, has done some genealogy. We will check with him!

I asked John where the Daltons came from originally. The family is from the Dungarvan and Newcastle area. John's father had two brothers. One was the Augustinian Bishop, Patrick, who lived in Nigeria. The other was John who met an untimely death at the railway. Rose was a midwife and maternity nurse and Tess belonged to the Assumption Order and served in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Philomena is also a religious, retired and living in a convent in Waterford and there was another sister, Mary.

John Dalton's father was a school teacher and so was his mother, Catherine. His brother, Patrick, lives in Galway and is a forester. Another sister drowned in her youth in the flooded River Anner. I asked John about other Daltons in Clonmel - were they related? 'Stay clear of that lot, they're clients of mine' was the response.

As the night progressed more stories were told and whether there is any truth to them remains to be seen. John contends that our great grandfather was related to the Dalton Gang. I'm not that knowledgeable about that group but I would be very surprised if there was a connection. John spoke of his father, Edward, being on the run and eventually released by de Valera. (I believe his father would be too young in 1916 to participate in the uprising).

I spoke with a military researcher at the National Library in Dublin about that time in history and my family's possible involvement. He recollected an Emmett Dalton who was involved in a hunger strike, not an Edward. The researcher recommended a book that had been recently introduced, the 1916 Rebellion Handbook. I picked up a copy but have not had the opportunity to read it. John Dalton is a genuine person, but I fear that he might be a bit misinformed.

I attempted to obtain copies of marriages, births, etc. at the County Clinic but the staff was not helpful and I left with nothing. I never spoke with Patrick Dalton in Galway. I did spend some time at the National Library and obtained a copy of my grandfather's baptismal record. The church listed on the document no longer exists. Even the oldest folks that I spoke to in Powerstown, Kilscash and Kilsheelan knew of no such church. I ran out of time in Dulin to check on anything or anyone else.

I did meet with my cousins from the O'Mara side. Jimmy Ryan was difficult to get in touch with and like John Dalton he is very active and has a full calendar. The day I was to leave Clonmel, I spent some time with Jimmy and his daughter, Patricia. They had no idea they were related to the Daltons! They knew John Dalton for his family lived on the other side of Thorny Bridge and knew of his sister's drowning. When we went to Patricia's for lunch, she brought out old letters from her great aunt, Bridget. They were addressed to Bishop Patrick Dalton in Nigeria and Sister Tess in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. There were decades of correspondence. Patricia had old photographs, some were school pictures. The teachers in the pictures are Catherine and Edward Dalton, John's parents.

So I have made my connection to my Irish family and now have more questions than answers. I know that Patricia and I will keep in touch with snail mail and John Dalton and I will use the internet. We'll have a joyful time trying to solve some of these family puzzles. I am astonished at the similarities that I share with the Daltons and O'Maras - the Irish heritage is so evident. Why didn't I notice before"?

from Millicent Craig

The Town of Dalton

Located on the north side of the White Mountains and on the banks of the Connecticut River, the town of Dalton, NH boasts a population of about 875 people today (1999). It was named after the Hon. Tristram Dalton, who with friends from Newburyport, MA, invested in virgin forest land in this part of NH known as Apthorpe.

The river was a natural means for transporting logs to the nearest sawmills which along with grist mills were commonplace about 1800 in this township of 28 square miles. In 1849-50, a channel was blasted along Fifteen Mile Falls of the Connecticut River to facilitate log drives downstream. With the advent of the rail road there was a great demand for railroad ties.

In 1880 farming was practiced on 7,000 of the towns 17,000 acres. Farms in Dalton produced potatoes, starch, butter, hay, corn, oats and wheat, and the lumber and maple syrup business contributed greatly to the economy. In 1885, the population was 775 person. Today, farming accounts for some 2,000 acres and the remainder has reverted back to forest and recreational land. Dalton Mountain, with an elevation of 2142, was once the site of several ski trails.

Tristram's Investment

As the crow flies, present day Dalton is about 150 miles northwest of Newburport, MA, Tristram Dalton's home. If travel was by land, the party had to cross the White Mountains to reach the banks of the Connecticut River. It is more likely that the party traveled in one of Tristram's ships down the Merrimac River to the Atlantic and down the coast to the mouth of the Connecticut River and thence to Dalton.

Tristram's mother, Mary Little Dalton, was descended from the patriarch, George Little, who emigrated to Newbury, MA from England. Also among the descendents was Colonel Moses Little who was born at the ancient homestead in Newbury in 1724 and a fourth generation Little. He was a principal owner of the township of Apthhorp by grant. Having become familiar with the Crown lands, he at one time owned 70,000 acres in ME, NH, and VT.

Additional grantees, who acquired land in Apthorp by purchase were Nathaniel Carter, Benjamin Harris, Tristram Dalton, and Nathaniel Tracy all of Newburyport, MA. Mr. Moses Little, a prominent merchant of Newburyport, was a cousin of Colonel Moses and was interested in many of his land ventures but left the management to his more experienced cousin. Benjamin Harris and Nathaniel Carter had little or no voice in the management of the property. Tristram Dalton and Nathaniel Tracy each had a small interest in the purchase of Chiswick, next to Dalton, which they increased to some ten thousand acres and this included lands owned by Moses Dalton .

The syndicate failed to attract the desired settlers, burdens were not shared equally and dissension arose which resulted in Mr. Moses Little of Newbury buying out the smaller proprietors. In June of 1783 it was agreed that Tristram Dalton and Nathaniel Tracy would have much of the northern portion of Apthorp as their holdings and the Littles should take the remainder. It was then that Tristram Dalton petitioned the Council of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire in General Court to approve the division according to the dimensions presented to the Court. At the fall session of the General Courrt in 1784 they approved the division and gave the upper part the name Dalton, in honor of its principal proprietor, Hon. Tristram Dalton. After some time, Colonel Little decided to perpetuate his name and named the lower part of the grant, Littleton. The Dalton/Little cousins ended up owning the entire section. There is no indication that it became a profitable venture for Tristram. He never lived at the site and relinquished the management to his cousin.

Tristram's investment may also have been motivated by the depletion of his cash crop on his gentleman's farm at the Haverhill /Newbury (MA) line. His father, Michael Dalton, had purchased several adjoining parcels to assemble a 200 acre farm which was occupied by Tristram and boasted gardens, orchards, some livestock, and forest land.. The farm, known as "Pipe-stave", obviously was the source of lumber for the kegs or barrels which Michael Dalton required to ship his business commodities, fish and spirits. There was a huge demand for kegs for the shipment of all staple commodities and for the rum and molasses trade in the West Indies. Empty kegs took up a great deal of space on a vessel so the "staves" were partly connected, appearing as a cradle and stacked in the hold. They were lashed together with poles, known as "pipes". A cooper accompanied the ships and finished assembling the kegs at the port of delivery. When this farm could no longer turn a profit, Tristram sold it. His cash crop, the virgin forest, was spent.

Pipes and staves were still in high demand as a commodity in his merchant shipping business. The Connecticut River forest land, then called Apthorp, may well have been viewed as a replacement crop for his business. Here, nourished by the nutrients of the river, trees grew fast, straight and tall and the river was a natural means of transportation. Hopefully the town records will one day reveal additional information on the activities of the early days of Dalton township and Tristram's disposition of his investment. A lavish spender, his investments were not always fruitful.

Sources: The History of Littleton, NH, Vol.I, The History of Newburyport, MA and the editor's research papers.

Again the DGS has a large number of queries from Daltons seeking connections, especially from Daltons outside of North America, and has assisted the individual with sources, wherever possible. Unless otherwise stated, please contact the initiator of the request.

Connection

DGS member Barbara Williams of WI is descended from George Dalton, Loyalist from England who served under Cornwallis. Amy Woodham also descended from George is now exchanging information with Barbara. The English birthplace of George is still a mystery and any ideas on locating his origin is appreciated. Contact Barbara at: fwms@execpc.com

Queries

Russell Dolton from Washington State asks about the origins of the name Dolton. His father's name was Charles Edward Dolton from Philadelphia whose brother, Roy, changed the spelling to Dalton. Although Dolton and Daulton are considered to be variants of Dalton, is there anyone who might have additional information on the origin? Contact Russell at: doltons@earthhlink.net

Can anyone help Penny Dalton of Zimbabwe? She would like to obtain a birth certificate for her husband who was born in Capetown, SA. She needs the address of the appropriate records office, and particulars about applying for a certificate, as well as information on the currency exchange. Being in a third world country, Penny has few resources available to her. Penny is at: tickey@zol.co.zw

Galen Dalton needs assistance in locating information on his ggg grandfather Henry Dalton, born 1766 and died 1844. He lived in Pittsylvania Co., VA, moved to TN, and then to Livingstone Co., KY. He had at least one son, William John Dalton who is buried in Livingstone Co. Henry had sold 5 acres of land to the New Union Baptist Church and William John is buried in the church cemetery. John has searched in Livingstone, Co and at the Pittsylvania Courthouse but has been unable to find information on his ggg grandfather. Contact Galen: gmdalton@midwest.net

Andrew Delebet of Australia is interested in the Daltons of County Clare. James Dalton and Ellin Kilderry Dalton have a connection to his wife. E-mail to: aandmdelebet@mail.smartchat.net.au

Robert Hales of CA has the following ancestry. James Marion Dalton was born on 20 April 1890 in Fayettevile AR and died in Whittier, CA. His father was William Henry Dalton born 30 Oct 1869 in Fort Smith, AR and died in Springfield, Greene, MO on 31 Mar 1944. W. H's father may have been Manford Benjamin Dalton, born in AR in 1844 and died in 1895, buried in Crosstimbers, Hickory, MO. Does anyone recognize this line? E-mail: robertehales@lds.net

Cheryl T. of Australia would like to be in touch with anyone who is researching the following family. John Dalton and his brother, Thomas, were convicted in Rathkeale, Limerick in 1822 of administering an unlawful oath. They were transported to New South Wales, Australia. John Dalton stated that he was from Newcastle West, Limerick. Cheryl knows nothing of their origins so please contact her if you have information. E-mail:wedu@ozemail.com.au

Irish readers, can you provide any ancetral/biographical information on Major General Emmet Dalton who reportedly had been an officer in the British Arny and later an aide to Michael Collins? E:mail. Millicenty@aol.com

Aaron Daulton of El Dorado Springs, MO states that his great grandpa changed the name from Dalton. His name was William James Daulton, supposedly from Kansas. Aaron is anxious to construct his family tree and wonders if there were any siblings of William James whose descendents might be able to help him. Aaron's e-mail is: ADaulton@hotmail.com

Mel Irwin of Bolton, England writes that he has Irish Dalton relatives (Joseph Dalton 1844- to 23/04/1923). One ancestor, Joe D'Alton came from France during the persecution of the Huguenots. Mel's grandmother, Ellen Dalton (14.01.1900 - 05.03.1982) was a daughter of Joseph and one of 12 children, the second youngest. Mel also had an uncle Edward (Ned) Dalton (21.04.1902 - 24.02.1941) who is buried in Port of Spain, Trinidad after being killed in an aircrash whilst he was training pilots during WWII. Does anyone recognize this scenario. Contact Mel at:
melirwin@psilink.co.uk

Denise of Williams Lake, British Columbia would like to reach Robin and Ann Simpson formerly at: pipemmman@ils.net. Their mail has bounced and they were researching Gillett, Dalton and Milley families. Denise would like to connect with the Gillett family of Carboneaar. Dinah Gillett, her g grandfather's sister married John Dalton in 1849. Contact Denise at: bonksmom@hotmail.com

Daltons from the Cumbria area do you have a Richard Dalton hanging from your ancestral tree with a note "gone to America 1699"? He was born in Carlisle in 1662/1663, making him about 37 years of age when he arrived in either MD or VA. He was one of the earliest indentured servants. Does anyone have access to baptismal or school records for Carlisle for the peeriod 1660's/1670's? Millicenty@aol.com

James William Dalton of Los Angeles, CA is interested in tracing his family tree. His grandfather was William Marian Dalton from Oklahoma City,OK. E-mail: jimwdalton@cs.com

Judy Philip, Adelaide, Australia is researching John Dalton who came to Victoria last century and farmed in the Gunbower area. He was born at Manor House Farm near Barwell in Leicestershire. His Dalton family can be traced back to about 1600 at Church Lawford near Rugby, Warwickshire. Anyone with any connections? JPhilip@camtech.net.au

Editor's note. A possible branch of this Church Lawford family begins with Daniel Dalton, 1704-1777 and traces one descendent, William Dalton, Jr. born 1843 to Kansas, USA; another descendent, Alice Elizabeth Dalton, born 1865 immigrated to Montreal Canada.

Sandra Lee Dalton Perry Hales of Orange, CA writes that her granndfather was James Marion Dalton, b. 20 April 1890, son of William Henry Dalton and Nancy Ridnour (1st wiife), Mary Lucy Drennon (2nd wife). Sandra is searching for the father of William Henry, supposedly Manford Benjamin Dalton. E-mail: robertehales@lds.net

Stephen Dalton from Northampton, England states that his family is from Hull in Yorkshire. His great grandfather and his father were dock workers. That is the extent of his knowledge and would like to hear from any long lost family. E-mail: stephen@dalton99.fsnet.co.uk

Custom at Farnborough, extracted from the Manchester Courier, July 23, 1859.

"The stranger who chances to attend divine service in Farnborough Parish church on the Sunday next after the Feast of St. Peter, has his attention arrested by the floor of the porch being strewed with reeds. By an abstract of the will of George Dalton, gent., of Farnborough, dated December 3rd 1556, set forth on a mural tablet in the interior of the church, he learns that this gentleman settled in perpetual annuity of 13s. 4d. chargeable on his lands at Tuppendence - 10s to the preacher of a sermon on the Sunday next after the Feast of St. Peter, and 3s. 4d. to the poor. Local traditional lore affirms that Mr. Dalton was saved from drowning by reeds, and that the annual sermon and odd manner of decorating the porch are commmemorative of the event. Reed-day, or flag day, as it is indifferently called by the inhabitants of the village, recurred on Sunday last, July 3rd, and was duly honoured after the customary mode, which has obtained for nearly 300 years: - Maidstone Gazette".
Source: Notes and Queries, Vol.8, 2nd S., Sept 24, 1859


Rev. George Brathwaite, Extract from a bible belonging to a member of his Dalton family.

"Dec. 16th, 1758 at Ham died the Rev'd Geo Brathwaite, of St Mary's Carlisle, aged 110 or 111 years, being Sunday. He retained his memory to the last, and was between 90 and 100 years in the cathedral. He was blind before he died, but could repeat all the Psalms and Service by heart, except the lessons; could marry, church, christen, etc; was led in later declining years by his grandson, George Dalton, son of Thomas, and always shed tears, or rather tears were always seen in his eyes when the Psalm containing 'Oh that I had wings like a dove then would I flee away and be at rest'. What eventful period in history he saw".
Source: Notes and Queries, Vol. 5 2nd S. April 17, 1858

 

The Poetical Will of William R. Shipling, Suffolk

"As this life must soon end, and my frame will deacy,
And my soul to some far-distant clime wing its way.
Ere that time arrives, now I am free from cares,
I thus settle my worldly affairs,
A course right and proper men of sense will agree.
I am now strong and hearty, my age forty three;
I make this my last will, as I think 'tis quite time,
It conveys all I wish, though 'tis written in rhyme.
To employ an attorney, I ne'er was inclin'd,
They are pests to society, sharks of mankind.
To avoid that base tribe my own will I now draw,
May I ever escape coming under their paw,
To Ezra Dalton, my nephew, I give all my lands,
With the old Gothic cottage that thereon doth stand;
"Tis near Shimpling great road, in which I now dwell;
It looks like a chapel or hermit's old cell,
With my furniture, plate, and linen likewise,
And securities, money, with what may arise
'Tis my wish and desire that he should enjoy these.
And pray let him take even my skin if he please.
To my loving, kind sister I give and bequeath,
For her tender regard, when this world I shall leave,
If she choose to accept it, my rump-bone may take,
And tip it with silver, a whistle to make.
My brother-in-law is a strange-tempered dog;
He's as fierce as a tiger, in manners a hog;
A petty tyrant at home, his frowns how they dread,
Two ideas at once never entered his head.
So proud and so covetous, moreover so mean,
I dislike to look at him, the fellow is so lean.
He ne'er behaved well, and, though very unwilling,
Yet I feel that I must cut him off with a shilling.
My executors, too, should be men of good fame,
I appoint Edward Ruffell, of Cockfield, by name;
In his old easy chair, with short pipe and snuff,
What matter his whims, he is honest enough.
With Samuel Seely, of Alpheton Lion,
I like his strong beer, and his word can rely on.
When Death's iron hand gives the last fatal blow,
And my shattered old frame in the dust must lie low,
Without funeral pomp let my remains be conveyed
to Brent Eleigh churchyard, near my father be laid."