from Millicent V. Craig
During May 2003, Section I of the Lancashire file was uploaded to the Dalton Data Bank and during the month of June, Section II will be uploaded. This file reveals the large number of Daltons who were located in major centres of Manchester, Salford, Oldham and Liverpool. Textile manufacture was a primary industry (less so in Liverpool), and when the industry went into decline in the 1890's, it was workers from this section of the country who made their way to the textile mills of New England.
The focus of this article is on a small area of Lancashire, the home of the forefathers of many Daltons throughout the world. As you browse through the Birth and Marriage entries in the Lancashire file you will note the concentration of Daltons in Wigan, Chorley, Blackburn, Preston and Leyland to name a few. It is from the centre of this area that our Daltons originated and can be best viewed on the magnified Ordnance Survey below. These small villages do not appear on the ordinary road maps.
On the southwest section of the map is one of several Lancashire villages named Dalton. (1). Also nearby is the village of Bispham, (not seen) - one of three in England. The Amery De Biscop family held lands in these villages and one of them is located north of Dalton, formerly known as Biscopham, and nowadays designated as Bispham, with the centre shown on the map as Bispham Green (2). The distance between these two points on the map is about six miles.
Legend states that The Sire de Dalton allegedly arrived in England in 1135 and was the father of this clan. Although pedigrees exist and there are mentions in the Close Rolls, constructing a time line for these early Daltons is difficult. Records of possession of Bispham Hall by Daltons do give a calendar of their presence. In the records there is a space of 36 years from Biscop family possession in 1288 to the possession by a Dalton in 1324.
It is recorded that Sir Robert de Dalton, took possession of Bispham Hall (2) in 1324 and was followed by his son Sir John, in 1369. Sir Robert was also recorded to be of Pickering in Yorkshire and held an interest in Croston Hall as well.
The lands of Bispham village numbered about 900 acres in the 14th Century and today number about 1000 acres. Occupancy of Bispham Hall by a succession of Daltons lasted from 1324 to 1558, when Sir Robert Dalton (later of Thurnham) transferred his interest to William Stopford. During 238 years of known Dalton occupancy, at least 9 generations of Daltons, some with fairly large families, descended from Sir Robert. It was inevitable that they migrated into the surrounding areas for their livelihood.
Bispham was originally in the Parish of Croston (3) as was the adjacent small village, Mawdesley. Records show the purchase of land by the Bispham Daltons at Bentley Carre in Mawdesley where farming was of prime importance and basket making was also a trade of the Daltons. The distance between Bispham and Croston is about two and a half miles.
Besides being part owners of Croston Hall, Daltons owned land and farmed in Croston. Records show the sale of tenements in Croston by Sir Robert and his mother Margaret, prior to purchasing the Manor at Thurnham. Our branch shows the family ownership of the same farms in Croston for almost 400 years from 1609. Because they were landowners, rather than agricultural labourers, the land tended to remain in the possession of descendants, usually the eldest son. Many descendants of this family remain in Croston and Mawdesley today.
As you study the Ordnance Survey along with Birth and Marriage records, they show that in the 16th Century, Daltons inhabited many of the villages surrounding Bispham and Dalton. Some went east to Standish and were raising families there before Myles Standish travelled to North America. Others went to Coppull and Chorley and into Eccleston. And in a wider circle went on to Preston, Burnley, Thurnham, etc.
Just south of Dalton is the village of Up Holland. The De Hollands’ and Daltons’ were close friends. It was here that a De Holland hid Sir John after his dastardly act. Records show that marriages were performed between Daltons and Hollands up to the 16th Century. As you study the Ordnance Survey, note the number of Halls that appear on the map. The lords of the manors were not only friends and entertained, but their children intermarried. One Hall missing from the map is Park Hall, now the base for a Theme Park, located at the side of M6 "motel" near Charnock Richard, and important because of a Dalton/Parke union.
This is the area from where the ancestors to many of us originated, and where they remained for over 700 years. It is an area of narrow country roads, lined with tall hedges. There are numerous farms and small clusters of brick houses. It is a quiet place interrupted only by the sound of farm machinery in a field, or the pealing of church bells. People are friendly, and many ancient customs and traditions are still uninterrupted by the march of time.
So it is with pride and enthusiasm, that two descendants of this ancient family agreed to be the first to contribute their DNA to the DGS Dalton project. This has enabled the Society to establish a baseline against which all other Daltons can be DNA tested, and so learn whether they have an ancestral match with the Lancashire Daltons.
It would be particularly helpful to obtain the DNA of Daltons whose ancestry is in the area of Halsall, Skelmersdale, Up Holland, Ormskirk, Aughton or other villages south & west of Dalton, and to learn whether these Daltons are from the same roots as those who migrated north of Dalton. If interested, contact: Millicenty@aol.com
Our appreciation is extended to DGS member William Derek Dalton of Parbold who searched the Preston Records Office to locate Bispham Hall possession records and provided some facts of the area. |
An Index of Victims and Villains in Lancashire County
Ann Dalton, 66, Fontenay St., Liverpool,
1878 Henry Dalton, 17, Artesian Rd., Bayswater,
1888 John Dalton, 36, M/CR 1898
The above entries were extracted from press reports of court cases and inquests from 1864-1902. The full report on these individuals may be ordered at: http://www.lighlage.demon.co.uk/ |
The following court actions surrounding the validity of a will and last testament of Marguret Ann Dalton were abstracted from Walton County, Georgia records and transcribed by DGS member, Cindy Norwood, of GA. Marguret Ann was the widow of Jesse Dalton and the topic of an article in last month's issue of "Daltons in History".
As a follow on from that article Cindy suggests that Mrs. L. A. Barber who filed the petition to have Jesse declared incompetent may have been his daughter Eliza A. L. Dalton (as the name appears in the 1870 Census) who married William Barber in 1882.
In her will, Marguret bequeathed all of her properties to her grandson, Willie Benjamin Dalton and named her daughter, Mary M. Dalton, executrix. It was declared by the court that Marguret Ann died intestate and through the petitions of her son, Joseph W. Dalton, the court appointed him to handle her affairs and subsequently a decision was made that she died testate. An account of the legal wrangling follows.
State of Georgia, Walton
County Last Will and Testament Last Will and Testament
of Marguret Ann Dalton M.A. Dalton
STATE OF GEORGIA, WALTON
COUNTY. Whereas
M.A. Dalton late of said County, deceased, died intestate, having
whilst she lived and at the time of her death, considerable property
within the State; and it being proper, right and necessary that the said
deceased should be collected and taken care of, until a citation in due
form of law can issue, and it be ascertained to whom the right of administration
doth appertain. Minutes Court of Ordinary,
July 3rd Term, 1911 Georgia Walton County
Georgia Walton County p. 85
Georgia Walton County
I, Mrs. M.M. Dalton the
person named in the will of Mrs. M.A. Dalton as executrix of said will
being unable to give the bond required by law and not deserving to be
appointed as such executrix of said will do hereby refuse to qualify as
executrix. The Ordinary is authorized to appoint Administrators with the
will annexed in terms of the law.
Minutes of the Court
of Ordinary Georgia Walton County
Walton Court of Ordinary
July 1st 1911,
Georgia Walton County Walton Court Ordinary August
Term, Aug 7-1911
I, J.W. Dalton do solemnly
swear that M.A. Dalton died testate so far as I know or believe and then
I will well and truly administer on all the estate of the said deceased
and disburse the same as the law requires and discharge to the best of
my ability all my duties as Administrator on the estate of said deceased.
So help me God.
ADMINISTRATOR’S LETTERS
AND DISMISSIONS GEORGIA, WALTON COUNTY
To all whom these Presents
shall come or be made known, Greeting: |
Forefeiture of Dalton Estates, 1663-1668
Of the 8000 acres of land in County Westmeath that were forfeited to the Duke of York between 1663-1668, almost a third of the acreage, 2650, was owned by Daltons. The following data was extracted from LDS Film 1279284 by DGS member, Rodney Dalton of Utah.
Garrett Dalton, Lianescaskea,
by certificate 9 Oct 1666 Miles Dalton, Rowlandstown,
19 Oct 1668 Richard Dalton, Rathnew,
by decree
27 Jun 1663 |