by Millicent V.Craig

In the United States, President’s Day is celebrated during the month of February and includes the  observance of George Washington’s birthday on February 22nd.  The year, 1999, has special significance. It is the 200th anniversary of Washington’s death, and the Congress has designated it as “The George Washington Bicentennial”. The year will be marked by exhibits, television programs, publications, a biography, genealogy, and pilgrimages to Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.

A friend of Washington was Captain John Dalton.* His accomplishments were many and included; a founder of Alexandria, VA, merchant, trader, land baron and warden of Christ’s Church.  Dalton’s accomplishments are overshadowed by the action of one of his  great granddaughters, Miss Ann Cunningham of Rosemont Plantation in North Carolina. Pamela, as she was known, learned from her mother, Louise Bird Cunningham, that the Mount Vernon Estate was in a deplorable condition and that neither the Federal Government nor the Virginia Legislature would purchase the First President’s Home and maintain it.

Miss Ann, who was crippled and ailing, organized the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1859 and as the Association’s first regent, directed a campaign to raise funds for its purchase. Through Alexandria banker, John Burke, who was the executor and guardian of the estate then owned by John Augustine Washington (killed later in the Civil War), Miss Ann’s organization purchased the Mount Vernon properties for $200,000. Washington, who had received bonds in payment, left them in the house.  During the Civil war, Union troops, who knew of the sale, searched the house three times without finding them. They remained hidden in a basket of soiled clothes until two Philadelphia ladies sewed the bonds into their petticoats and walked through the Union lines, eventually returning them to Mr. Burke.

After the Civil War, Miss Ann and her associates were duly credited with the restoration that made Mount Vernon one of the most respected and visited historical sites in the United States. President Washington’s home is still managed and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association that was founded by a Dalton descendent who is known as the “Saviour of Mount Vernon”.

*An extensive article on Captain John Dalton and his achievements was published in The Journal of the Dalton Genealogical Society, Volume 28, May 1998.

by Millicent V. Craig

When the series, “A History of Irish Daltons”, began in the October 1998 "Daltons in History", it was our intent to shed some light on the rather vague beginnings of the Daltons, Walter and Jane in Ireland.  The following legend has appeared in various publications, in memoirs, and in newspaper accounts in England, and variations of it have been handed down by word of mouth through many generations of Irish. Jane is described as a “daughter of the King of France” and that Walter secretly wed her and had to flee to England (or to Ireland) because he invoked the wrath of the king. It also mentions that Walter acquired land from Hugh de Lacy in a place called Teffia.

One source for this information may be John D’Alton,  barrister and historian, as stated in his detailed  genealogical account of Capt. Miles D’Alton . He writes ; “The tradition of the introduction of this family from France to Ireland, as preserved in the Office of Arms, records Walter D’Aliton as having been its founder; he secretly married Jeanne a daughter of Louis VII, King of France, by Eleanor of Aquitaine, his first wife”.

This  quotation is widely  repeated and many claim a royal connection because of it. But there is something about the story that provokes questioning, and that is the word ‘tradition’. Why has not someone documented it? When and where was Jane born and when and where did she marry Walter? Who was Walter

Enter Eleanor of Aquitane

b. ca. 1122, d. 1204.

I - Marriage, 1137 to Louis VII, King of France  (b.1121 - d. 1180), divorced 1151

               a.  Marie, b. 1145,  d. 1198

                           m. Henry, Count of Champagne

                b.  Alix,  b. 1150, d. ca. 1197

                            m. Theobald, Count of Blois

II - Marriage, 1152 to Henry II of England, (b. 1133 - d. 1189)

               a. William, b.1153, d. 1156

            

               b. Henry, b. 1155, d. 1183

                             m. Marguerite of France

               c. Matilda, b. 1156, d. 1189

                              m. Henry, Duke of Saxony

               d. Richard, b. 1157, d. 1199

                               m. Berengaria of Navarre

                e. Geoffrey, b. 1158, d. 1186

                               m. Constance of Brittany

                f. Eleanor, b. 1161, d. 1214

                               m. King Alphonse VIII of Castile

               g. Joanna, b. 1165, d. 1199

                         m. (1) King William of Sicily

                         m. (2) Raymond VI of Toulouse

               h. John, b. 1166, d. 1216

                         m. (1) Isabelle of Gloucester

                         m. (2) Isabelle of Angouleme

                               

According to the pedigree charts of Louis VII, he and his first wife, Eleanor, did not have a child named Jane, Jeanne nor Joan.  Neither did his predecessor Louis  VI, nor his successor, Philip Augustus II.  Three biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine have been consulted. There was a daughter, Joan, born to Eleanor of Aquitaine and her second husband, Henry II of England, but Joan married the King of Sicily. 

There is another question that requires an answer. How did the “dignity grant” of the fleur de lis by Hugh de Lacy  become part of the Dalton coat of arms?  See January 1999 "Daltons in History", Vol. 2, No.1, A History of Irish Daltons, Final Installment.

There is ample documented evidence about Sir Hugh de Lacy in “The Biography of Henry II” by W. L. Warren, Reader in History at The Queen’s University of Belfast (1973). De Lacy did acquire vast property in Ireland that became known as Meath. This occurred prior to Henry II’s invasion. De Lacy’s political machinations, titles, marriage and death are a matter of record.    Hugh de Lacy married the daughter of Rory O’Connor, high-king of Ireland, without asking for royal permission. Was this event woven into the Dalton legend over time?

Lands known as Meath were reportedly transferred to Walter De Aliton. At present we do not know whether they were transferred by de Lacy to De Aliton as part of the transfers made to his vassals, or whether the transfer was a reward or political move by Henry II to prevent a separate Norman kingdom as was feared under de Lacy or Strongbow. From research evidence gathered by the Dalton Genealogical Society , the Dalton family of England and that of the de Lacys knew each other in England, as many Norman families did.

Our Irish scholars and historians can shed some light on this situation, and descendents of Walter and Jane can share their sources. Together we may learn who “Princess Jane” really is and we will print your replies if you wish on "Daltons in History" Meanwhile, we will continue our search to learn whether the Court Rolls of Henry II have been transcribed and if so, whether they reveal a direct grant to Walter de Aliton and “Princess Jane”.   Millicenty@aol.com

Linda Bunting-Blake of Nebraska, a descendent of Jasper Blake and Deborah Dalton

“Dear Cousin Lucy (Slater) and I went on a hunt for records yesterday at Stow Bardolph Church where the records of the Wimbotsham Parish are kept.

First, we were disappointed to NOT find an entry for the marrriage of Jasper Blake and Deborah Dalton. The years of 1648 and 1649 had space allocated for marriages, but none were entered. The years of 1647 and 1650 had one entry each, but the years before and after this period of time had several entries each year. Oliver Cromwell and the Royalists had several skirmishes in the Wimbotsham area during those years; the siege of King’s Lynn took place in 1648 and Charles I was beheaded in 1649. I suspect that the turbulence of the time was responsible for the lack of entries for those two years.

Tucked in the parish records, however, were some letters from a George Wheelright in Boston, MA and dated April 29, 1907. Mr Wheelright was asking the parish for help in gaining information about Jasper Blake and in the first letter stated: ‘Jasper Blake married in Hampton, NH in 1647 and had three children from 1649-1660. The Jasper recorded as baptized in 1592 cannot reasonably be thought to be this man, but you may have another of this name between 1610 and 1630. We have no information of the age of this man before his death in 1673.’

A second letter stated: ‘Rev. Timothy Dalton who came (1636) to NE was of Wolverstone, Suffolk (about him much has been written). Here he called Jasper Blake his “kinsman” probably because of his daughter’s marriage to Jasper. This is only a guess at this time. It is possible that Dalton was of your own town if so the finding of the baptism would solve a problem which has occasioned much research in England. I thought he was born 1580 - 1590’.

It seems we are not the first to try to solve the Jasper Blake/Deborah Dalton mystery”.

Editor’s note. A Rev. Wheelright was an assistant to and close friend of Rev. Timothy Dalton at the Hampton, NH church. It is possible that the writer of the 1907 note was a descendent of Rev. Wheelright.

Linda Bunting-Blake and Lucy Slater extracted a large number of  entries for Dalton Wills from the Norfolk County Record Office on July 18, 1998. These wills date from the 15th century to the 17th century.  A few will be posted in this issue and more will be listed in the March 1999 issue of "Daltons in History". Linda also copied the listings of Blake Wills for this same time period, but they will not be posted. If any Blake descendents have an interest in them, please contact me.  Millicenty@aol.com

From Norfolk Records

Norfolk Record Society, Index of Wills Proved at Norwich 1370-1550, A-H

1439 John Dalton, Rymeston (Reymerston, Norf.) Clerk 102 Doke

1502 John Dalton, Fersfield, St. Andrew 312 Popy

1537 Thomas Dalton, Stonefield, St. Margaret NP 177 to 179 Mingave

Norfolk Record Society

Norwich Consistory Wills 1550-1603

1589 Henry Dalton, North Lopham, Norfolk 75 Flack

1583 Nicholas Dalton, Helmingham, Suffolk, blacksmith 212 Bate

1600 Robert Dalton, senior, Fersfield, weaver  198 Force and Orig. Wills 104*

1596 Rose Dalton, Ipswich (St Mary Elms) widow 10 Skypton

* The asterisk denotes that this will has been transcribed for Lucy Slater.

In the January 1999 issue of "Daltons in History", there is a discussion of Linda Bunting-Blake’s visit to SS Peter and Paul Church in Swaffham. She returned with a camera and took photos of the Dalton memorials. Daltons who will be attending the DGS Gathering and Meeting in Swaffham on August 6 and 7, will view these memorials at a special service for Daltons. See Linda’s “Notes” and “Swaffham, Beckons” in the January 1999 "Daltons in History".

Twenty years ago, in 1978, a DGS member in England submitted a pedigree of his prominent family which dates back to Thomas Dalton (1609-1673) in Bury St. Edmund’s, Suffolk. This Thomas became Canon of Durham. His grandson, Thomas Dalton, is buried in Norwich Cathedral (1727) and the memorial tablet contains the coat of arms of this branch of the Dalton family. It has some similarities to the coat of arms of the Lancashire branch of Daltons (see home page) but also differences. This was printed in DGS Journal, Vol. 8, 1978.

The coat of arms for John Dalton of Bury is described in Corder’s Dictionary of Suffolk Arms as follows:

A demi wivern and Arms azure. Azure

a lion rampant guardant and/or Azure

crustilly ( and) a lion rampant guardant

argent, a chief barry wavy of four

argent and sable.

The similarities between the many Dalton coats of arms suggest that there might be common ancestry, but of course, they provide no evidence for proving the same.

For those who may have their Dalton roots in East Anglia, we have selected out the spouses’ surnames in this extensive pedigree to compare with your pedigree. The chart also identifies those who were at Cambridge and they were reported in Vol. 7 of the DGS Journal, 1977.

The associated surnames are: Long, Isham, Feakes, King, Harmer, Haywood, Ruffell, Farmington, Weatherby, Spurgeon, Heart, Squires, Alexander, Browne, Henderson, Tew, Firmin, Greenhow, Brooke, Watkins, Barker, Weybridge, Debenham, Pattisson, Kitching, Anderson, Archer, Starrock, Miller, Weir, Barrie, Jeffrey. These names are arranged chronologically rather than alphabetically beginning in the late 1600’s and ending in the 1940’s.

Readers who could be connected to this branch of Daltons in East Anglia may obtain more information from our English Secretary, Dr. Lucy Slater.

The following entries appeared in the IGI files of the Family History Center. Any entries that appear useful should be subject to your documentation.

County Clare

Dalton,  Female,  b. 1736, Michael Dalton / Alicia Bowerman  Woodpark House, Bunratty

Dalton, Alicia,    b.  1762, Michael Dalton / Mary Anne Fitzgerald, Woodpark House, Bunratty

Dalton, Charles Minchin, b. 1770, Michael Dalton/Margaret Minchin, Woodpark House, Bunratty

Dalton, Edward, b. 1734, Michael Dalton/Alicia Bowerman, Woodpark House, Bunratty

Dalton, Edward, b. 1766, Michael Dalton/Mary Anne Fitzgerald, Woodpark House, Bunratty

Dalton, Edward, m. 1790, Elizabeth, County Clare

Dalton, Jane, b. 1723, Michael/Alicia Bowerman, Bunratty, Deer Park*, Clare

Dalton, Jane, m. 1763 John Lysaght, Bunratty, Deer Park, Clare

Dalton, Jane Stermer Bary, b. 1768, Michel Dalton/Margaret Minchin, Bunratty. Woodpark House

Dalton, Mary Anne, b. 1811, Ennis (parents?) relative of Amy Edgley**

Dalton, Michael, b. 1700, Bunratty Castle

Dalton, Michael, m.1727, Alicia Bowman, Woodpark House

Dalton, Michael, b. 1730, Michael Dalton/Alicia Bowerman, Woodpark House

Dalton, Michael, b. 1762, Michael Dalton/Mary Anne Fitzgerald, Woodpark House

Dalton, Michael, m. 1792, Elizabeth Leake, Woodpark House

Dalton, Thomas, b. 1732, Michael Dalton/Alicia Bowerman, Woodpark House

Dalton, Thomas, m. 1760, Elizabeth Leake, Clare

Dalton, William, b. 1729, Michael Dalton/ Woodpark House

* When the main branches of the D’Alton family separated, one branch went to Deerpark, County Clare. See "Daltons in History", December 1998, Vol. 1, No 12, “A History of Irish D’Altons, Part III.

** Amy Edgley was the second wife of John Luther Dalton  of Utah and it would be interesting to learn from her descendents how this connection was made.

County  Armagh

Dalton, Henry Edward, b. 11 may 1867, Armagh, Neury

Dalton, Mary,  b. 9 April 1864,   Anne Dalton, Armagh Rich Hill

Dalton, William, b. 14 Aug 1845. William Dalton/Agnes McCullagh, Armagh, Armaghbra.

The first half  of the American Dalton servicemen burials in the American Cemetery were printed in the January 1999 "Daltons in History".  This listing concludes the entries.

Dalton, John E.                              2 LT                    01310814        12th Inf 4 Div

Nebr.     June 24, 1944    E-24-17   Normandy                       PH

Dalton, John F.                               WO                      00199054        USN

Mass.     Apr. 05 1944                    New York                        PM

Dalton, John H.                               PVT                     33092948        337Inf 85Div

VA        May 12, 1944                    Sicily-Rome                      PH

Dalton, John M                                PVT                     34685823        314Inf 79Div

GA        Aug. 27, 1944     8-14-5     Brittany                          ASM     PH

Dalton, John S.                                S1C                      06416129        USNR

Tenn.     May 03 1943                     Honolulu                          PH

Dalton, John S.                                LT CDR               0-081258         USN

PA        Jan.  07 1946                       Manila                             AM      PH

Dalton, Joseph,                                 PVT                    33543076        30Inf 3 Div

VA        Nov. 01 1944       A-6-58    Epinal                               PH

Dalton, Kenneth A.                           PVT                     33630736        143Inf 36 Div

Tenn.     Dec 20, 1943       G-5-19    Sicily-Rome                       PH

Dalton, Kenneth W.                          SGT                     37120434        33Regt 3Armd Div

Nebr.      Dec. 22, 1944      F-5-71    Henri-Chapelle              55 PH/OLC/

Dalton, Lowell A.                              2 LT                     0-011880         USMC

Tex.        Mar 25, 1944       C-677     Honolulu

Dalton, Lowell S.                               PFC                      39307567        12Cav Regt 1Cav Div

Oreg.      Dec 01, 1944                      Manila                             85M       PH

Dalton, Marlin Clyde                        S2C                       03687356         USN

Ida.        Aug. 10 1943                       Manila                              PH

Dalton, Marvin W.                             T SGT                    06954426        400 Ord Co/AVN/

Colo.      May 26, 1942                      Manila                                PH

Dalton, Matha E.                                PVT                       37734177        19Inf 24Div

MO.        Mar.22 1945        F-10-20   Manila                                PH

Dalton, Nealous M.                            ARM2C                  06406912         USNR

Tenn.      Mar 30, 1944                       Manila

Dalton, Robert A.                                PFC                        39135190       82MedBN 12Armd Div

Cal        Apr 24 1945           D-5-28    Lorraine                               35M    PH

Dalton, Robert E.                                SGT                        36364726       45Bomb SQ 4GP/VH

Ill.          Dec. 14 1944                         Manila                               AM      PH

Dalton, Stanley F.                                AQM2C                  07215130       USNR

Miss.      Oct. 30 1944                          Manila                                PH

Dalton, Thomas Robert                        S2C                        06202024        USNR

Iowa       Aug. 24 1942                         Manila                                PH

Dalton, Virgil R                                    TM3C                     03778997        USNR

Cal.         Oct. 24 1944                          Manila                                PH

Dalton, William A. Jr.                            2 LT                        0-716376         3345Bomb SQ 439

PA.          Sept. 18 1944     B-14-3        Ardennes                     OFC AM/4 OLC/PH       BombGP                                                                                                        

Dalton, William C.                                 PFC                         33046182         116Inf 29Div

VA          July 12 1944       H-19-11       Normandy                          PH

Dalton, William F.                                  SGT                        31309418         262Inf 46Div

Mass.      Dec. 25 1945                          Normandy                           PH

Dalton, William R.                                 PFC                          34195288        313Inf 79Div

GA.         Apr. 07 1943       E-13-15      Netherlands                          PH

Dalton, William T. Jr.                             TSGT                       14156532        82 BombSQ 12BGP

Tenn.       Feb. 11 1946                          Manila                                  PH

Dalton, Willis R.                                     PFC                           34146493        106Inf 27Div

Tenn.       June 25 1944       B-414          Honolulu                          35M   PH.

It will be fifty years in April 1999, since our executive Secretary, Lucy Joan Slater of Cambridge, first set foot in the Computing Laboratory of Cambridge University, England. Lucy, a Professor, was given user number 78 and she was only the second female allowed to use the monstrosity named Edsac. It was a collection of spare parts purchased at  auctions of war surplus materials from the American Air Force radar installations.  Edsac, a first all electronic computer ,actually worked and made complex calculations. Gradually other war surplus items were added such as an electric typewriter, a punched paper tape reader, etc. It took up an enormous amount of office space as well as space in the basement for generating equipment, supplies etc.

Many of the original laboratory workers have passed on but those remaining, will participate in a 50th anniversary celebration of Edsac on 15th April 1999. The Laboratory will hold an exhibition on early computing and a seminar on this first Cambridge computer. Mr. Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, will host a dinner to honour the “Golden Oldies”, as he calls them, and Lucy will be one of the honourees.

Mr. Gates has established a foundation in England to educate young people in the computer sciences, and is committed to upgrading the information system at Cambridge University. He is currently house hunting in the Cambridge area for a home away from home.  Our computer laboratory scientist, Lucy, is quite excited about the forthcoming event and the fact that Edsac’s capabilities to perform complicated mathematical functions will be highlighted. Lucy still cherishes a bit of paper tape of 50 years ago showing the result of calculations that would have taken years to do by hand. Lucy is descended from the Oldham Daltons and a story of her family will appear in a future issue of "Daltons in History".

This month we present a number of inquiries that have come across our desk during the past few months and perhaps a reader will recognize a connection and contact the submitter.

Randolph Cruger of New York City married Emma Dalton who had one son Randolph Cruger, Jr. born Dec. 20, 1896, died June 1966.  Randolph (Senior) was in the music publishing business with his two brothers. Randolph Cruger, Jr. married Minnie Osborne, Mar 17, 1919. He was a band leader. Emma Dalton is the great grandmother of Laurie and any information on Emma’s background will be appreciated.  laurie@eng.ufl.edu

Ivan Dalton was born in Wyoming, Illinois and his father was William Dalton.  He married a local girl by the name of Caine who came from the Isle of Man. Randall Dalton would like to hear from anyone with knowledge of his father’s family. redalton-jay@compuserve.com

Lorraine Hubbell needs help with an Agnes Dalton who married a Robert Dodd in County Ayr, Scotland around 1811. She has not found a record of the marriage, but the first child (her line) was born in 1812 at Kirkoswald, Ayr County. Other children were born in Dailly, Ayr County.

The Dodd line came from Scotland to Ontario Canada, and then to California.  She is seeking the parents and birthplace of Agnes Dalton. lorhub@earthlink.net

There has been intensive work done by descendents of John Elijah Dalton, Primitive Baptist Minister, of Virginia to determine his  or his father’s country of origin. The DGS has also made inquiries. Anyone who may have a lead to the across the waters connection may contact DGS member, Eric Dalton.  DaltonEM@aol.com

Londoners have you ever heard of a London Dalton Gang? Mary Anne Britnell in Guelph, Ontario, Canada relates that they were a group of bank robbers who besieged London in the late 1800’s. The family included: Samuel Dalton b. circa 1855 who was a carpenter and cabinet  maker; his  brothers, Charlie, Rufus and Richard; his children, Marion Emily  b. circa 1855 (my brother-in-law’s grandmother), Eleanor, Bill , Bob, Ted (who was involved in the theatre) and two other unknown children. The Gang included uncles, aunts and a grandmother. Contact Mary Anne: nbritnel@sstsystems.net

Bill Connors is relatively new to genealogy and needs help. His paternal great, great grandmother was Mary Dalton. She emigrated with her husband, Patrick Connor in the 1840’s - 1850’s. The couple landed in Newfoundland where they remained several years before moving to upstate New York --the Lockport/Pendleton area.  One of their children, “Martin Connor, was the father of my dad’s dad, William Connor”. Bill assumes that his family was from Ireland. Does any one have a connection to this family in Ireland? 2Connors@e-mail.msn.com

The following entries are from the naturalization records of New York State. Each was listed as a subject of Great Britain, so unless the actual record is examined one cannot tell whether the emigrant was from Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales. The were registered in Mariner’s Court in NY.

Jane Dalton, spinster, recorded by Anna Dalton, a widow and Eldad Holmes, merchant, Marine Court #83 (no date given).

Richard, Dalton, gentleman, Declaration of Intent*, 21 April 1829, recorded by James Sweeny, tavern keeper, 5 May 1831, Marine Court #36.

*Often the Declaration of Intent contains more information than the Application for Naturalization.