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About John Dalton
The History of JOHN DALTON SR: The first son of Thomas Dalton.
Compiled by his Great-Great-Great-Great Grandson; Rodney Garth Dalton.
(Note that this record is copied from "From Knight's to Dreamers" The story of our Utah Dalton family; by Rodney G. Dalton)
John Dalton Sr. was born in 1763 in Conococheaque, Maryland.
John Dalton’s spouse was Elizabeth Cooker, born on December 25 1767 in Bucks Co. Pennsylvania. They had the following children:
1.Unnamed son - born: about 1790, Philadelphia Co. PA
(Of note is this unnamed son is just speculation.)
2.Margaret Dalton - born: 1792, Bucks Co. Pa.
Spouse, Stephen Potter
3.Henry Dalton - born: 1794, Bucks Co. Pa.
Spouse, Elizabeth Green
4.Sarah Dalton - born: 1796, Bucks Co. Pa
5.John Dalton Jr. - born: 1801, Luzerne Co. Pa
Sp: 1- Rebecca Turner Cranmer
Sp: 2- Ann Hodgekinson
Sp: 3- Lydia Goldbwait Knight
Sp: 4- Ann Casbourne
Sp: 5- Lititia Williams
Sp: 6- Marianne Catherine Gardal
6.Elizabeth Dalton - born, 1803, Luzerne Co. Pa
Sp: John Varguson
7.Simon Cooker Dalton - born, 1806, Luzerne Co. Pa. (Rodney Dalton’s and Arthur Whittaker’s line)
Sp: 1- Anna Wakeman
Sp: 2- Elnore Lucretia Warner
Sp: 3- Lura Ann Warner
Sp: 4- Elizabeth Veach
Sp: 5- Louisa Bowen Durham
8.Jemima Dalton - born: 1808, Luzerne Co. Pa
Sp: Moses Varguson
9.Charles Dalton - born: 1810, Bradford Co. Pa (Leslie Crunk’s line)
Sp: 1- Mary Elizabeth Warner
Sp: 2- Eunice Daniels
Sp: 3- Emily Stevens Halliday
10.Harriet Dalton - born: 1812, Bradford Co. Pa
Sp: Hiram Varguson
Note: As the reader can see by all the many spouse’s these Dalton brothers married, you would think they were members of the LDS Church, and were polygamists, which they were!
John Dalton Sr. was the first of our Dalton ancestors to be born in America and his history is taken from many sources and Records. We still have much more information to find before every aspect of his life can be entered. Remember that these events happened over a few hundred years ago and we can only assume that we can’t find records of every thing that happened to these ancestors. From all the resources I have read about John Dalton Sr., I believe that he was born in Maryland and not Virginia.
John Dalton’s father, Thomas Dalton came to America sometime between 1754 and 1760 from South Wales. The John Dalton Book of Genealogy mentions some of the places that John Dalton could have been born.
I believe that Thomas Dalton settled down somewhere around the Conococheaque Creek Valley that starts in the present day Franklin County Pennsylvania and runs south through the present day Washington County Maryland. There is a small creek that flows through this valley named Conococheaque Creek. This creek zigzags its way south until eventually it empties into the Potomac River in Maryland.
John Dalton Sr. was born in Jan. of 1763 in a small settlement, Conococheaque, Frederick County, Maryland to Thomas Dalton and Mary of Ireland.
Local residents today call Conococheaque the Wilson District. Conococheaque is located on the western side of the mouth of Conococheaque Creek six miles west of Hagerstown and three miles east of Clear Springs. A writer in 1756 speaks of Conococheaque as an Irish settlement and it is not improbable that the people who first built a blockhouse and established a trading post at the mouth of Conococheaque Creek were of the sturdy race of Scotch-Irish. This little village was the first Settlement in Northern Maryland and was first farmed by white men about 1729. Conococheaque soon became important as being the outpost of civilization in the province. As early as 1763 supplies and provisions were dispatched eastward from this post. We can not be sure when Thomas Dalton first made his home in Conococheaque, but he was very lucky to stay alive. There was terrible Indian troubles going on around him before John Dalton was born.
The French and Indian Wars, also known as the Seven Years War, started in 1755 and ended in 1762. The French and their allies the Iroquois Indians tried to drive the British from Western Maryland. All the settlements of the western parts of Frederick County came under attack and many colonists were killed, tortured and burned out. The little Conococheaque settlement had to be abandoned. The people fled east to the village of Frederick where Fort Frederick was located. Peace was finally established in 1762. Thomas Dalton must have a played in fighting these Indains before he returned to his farm.
John Dalton Sr. had two brothers and one sister, James, born 1765. Charles, born 1767. And Polly, born 1769. So far we have not found much about the life of James, Charles and Polly, except that Polly Dalton married George Odewalt.
Note: The 1810 and 1820 Pennsylvania census shows a Charles Dalton living in the Kensington District in the North Mulberry Ward of Philadelphia County.
The 1820 Pennsylvania census shows a James Dalton living in the North Mulberry Ward, Philadelphia County. These may be our James and Charles Dalton. On the other hand it is a good possibly that James and Charles Dalton died at an early age.
Next we find John Dalton as a young volunteer, August 21, 1775 at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. He was a montross in the First Associated Company for the Township of Newton, Bucks Co. Pa. It was not uncommon to find beardless youths on active duty. At this time the Associated Company was not in the pay status of the State Militia. A montross was a soldier who assisted artillery gunners in loading, firing, sponging and moving the guns.
Source: Bucks County Militia Muster Rolls.
Muster Roll of the First Associated Company: Captain Francis Murray, list of privates, John Dalton. Pennsylvania Second Vacant Company, (The German Company)
The Military Association, 1775-1777:
List of officers of the First Battalion of Bucks County Associators, 1775.
Colonel, Joseph Kirkbride; lieutenant colonel Alexander Anderson; first major, Joseph Penrose; second major, Joseph McIlvain, of Bristol.
Newtown Company, August 21, 1775.
Captain, Francis Murray; first lieutenant, Robert Ramsey; second lieutenant, Joseph Griffith.
Privates -
Henry Vanhorn, John Johnston, Andrew McMinn, John Eastrick, Thomas Huston, Archibald McCorkel, Ewan Scott, James McCoy, Nathaniel Twining, Patrick Hunter, William Bateman, Charles McLaughlin, John Randall, Robert McDowell, John Price, John Vanhorn, John Dalton, James Huston, David McMorris, Thomas Yardley, John Atkinson, Jr., Samuel Tolbert, James Shirkey, Robert Watson, Anthony Teate, John Gregg, John Roney, Lintes Davids, Joseph Dyer, John Reeder, Solomon Park, William Murfits, Abraham Johnston, Henry Lowell, Peter Laffertson, Abram Lowell, Joshua Vanhorn, John Murfits, James Allen, John Bailey, Christian Vanhorn, George Johnston, George Hopkins Burden, Francis Harrison, Thomas Lowrie, Abraham Stark, Thomas Hamey, John Moody.
The below record shows what I have collected about John Dalton’s Revolutionary War duty:
The regular battalions were state militia under pay, in contradiction to Continental Regiments, which were officered and paid by Congress, and the Battalions and Company Associators, who were volunteers, not paid unless mustered into actual field service. To neglect these distinctions will cause confusion. The Pennsylvania Archives give two muster rolls, "men in actual pay, officers included in the Province of Pennsylvania." These rolls are made up to July 1, 1776 and August 1, 1776 from the muster rolls.
Source: Pennsylvania Archives, fifth series, volume five, pages 300 and 301--
Source: FHL book # 974.8 A39p ser. 2 Vol. 10 & 11
Page 247 of the Continental Line “Artillery Artificers 1777-1783“.
This corps, as it was called at first, was raised by the directions of General Washington in the summer of 1777.
Benjamin Flower, formerly commissary of Military Stores of the Flying Camp in 1776, was made Colonel and Commissary of Military Stores. Very few of its record remain.
Capt. Jesse Roe’s Company was one of the original companies. The Companies was sent to Carlisle, Cumberland County and Philadelphia, and their duties were to cast cannon, bore guns and prepare ammunition for the army.”
Roll of Captain Jesse Roe company:
“Return of the men who belonged to the company of Artillery Artificers under the command of General Henry Knox and belong to the state of Pennsylvania.”
Master-Smith
Engle, Michael, Reading
Feb. 13 to March 24 1881
Sergeant
Taylor, Joseph, Providence, Chester Co
Feb 17 1777 to Feb. 17 1780.
Privates - (26 listed names)
Dalton, John, Philadelphia
Feb. 14, 1777 to March, 22 1780.
This following information is shown on film number 0882854 at the FHL in SLC, Utah
War Department
Office of the Adjutant General
Old Records Branch
General Index - Revolutionary War - Reel # 14
General Index card number 523
Dalton, John
Commissary General of Military Stores
Dept. Revolutionary War
Private / Matross
General Index card number 525
Dalton, John
German Battalion, Continental Troops
Revolutionary War reference card - Original filed under
Dolton, John
Note:
The term ""Flying Camp Battalion"" was also associated with the German Battalion that was formed from Maryland and Pennsylvania. It had eight companies and the citizens would refer to them as a Flying Camp Battalion. In reality, they were also given a battalion designation of the Pennsylvania Line commonly associated with the Maryland Line. That’s why when the battalion was transferred to Maryland it was supposed to become the 8th Maryland Regiment, but Maryland never officially recognized the German Battalion as a state regiment.
So what was a Flying Camp Battalion?
By June 1776, General Washington appealed to the Continental Congress for more troops. Maryland responded by organizing the ""Maryland Flying Camp"" of 3400 militia troops. The Flying Camp was then authorized to join the Continental Army, and assigned to fight beside troops from Delaware and Pennsylvania in the area of operations stretching from Maryland to New York. General George Washington wanted a 10,000 man strategic mobile reserve originally conceived the ""Flying Camp"". Under the command of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, of Virginia, the flying camp was to be comprised of militia units from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Headquartered in Perth Amboy, this force would be expected to perform a number of vital functions in New Jersey while Washington’s army was preoccupied with the defense of New York. Its duties would include guarding the vulnerable Jersey coast, protecting the Continental Army's supply lines, suppressing roving bands of Tories and acting as a ready reserve should Washington have need of reinforcements. (Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V; History of Bucks County, Davis)
On June 3, 1776, the Continental Congress resolved "that a flying camp be immediately established in the middle colonies." For its part, Pennsylvania was called upon to provide a force of some 6,000 men. Delegations of one officer and two enlisted men from each of Pennsylvania's fifty-three associated battalions met in Lancaster, on July 4, 1776, for the purpose of selecting this force. Then, on July 10, 1776, the Bucks County Committee of Safety, citing "the Resolve of the late Provincial Conference for embodying four hundred of the Associates of this County," appointed the following officers to command. (Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V; History of Bucks County, Davis)
The flying camp received little support from New Jersey. Pennsylvania sent some 2,000 associates, many of who were quickly drafted into service by Gen. Washington in New York. More men soon arrived from Maryland and Delaware, but despite the best efforts of Gen. Mercer the flying camp was fraught with difficulties almost from its inception, and never realizing its full potential was disbanded by the end of November, shortly after the fall of Fort Washington. (Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V; History of Bucks County, Davis)
The definition of the Flying Camp Battalion is a Reservist or a Home Guard. Their duties were to serve and protect citizens of the state in case of an invasion. They acted like a police force guarding barracks, government buildings, so on and so forth. Before the Revolutionary War there was no such thing in America as a Reservist or a Home Guard. Therefore, the militia was formed, a group of trained soldiers that could pack up and leave for duty at a moment’s notice.
During the Revolutionary War, however, the militias were called to active service. This left the state and it’s cities needing protection. A Flying Camp Battalion was organized in Frederick during the early spring of 1775 due to the act that called for independent companies for home service duty. However, there were several regiments called the Flying Camp Battalion that was called for active service by July of 1776. When you read about the Flying Camp Battalion of Toms Creek Hundred, which one is being referred? Here is a list of Flying Camp Battalions that were formed in Maryland and also Pennsylvania in 1776:
Associators and Militia:
Bucks County Associators -
List of officers for the First Battalion of Bucks County, 1775 -
Colonel, Joseph Kirkbridge
Lieut. Colonel, Alexander Anderson
Newtown Company
Roll of First Associated Company for the Township of Newtown, taken the 21st day of August, 1775
Captain, Francis Murray
List of Privates: John Dalton
Continental Line--Depreciation Pay
Thirteenth Regiment (c)
Pennsylvania Continental Line
Farmer, Lewis, Lieut. Colonel
Dalton, John (Matross)
Matross is one of the soldiers in a train of artillery who assisted the gunners in loading, firing and sponging the guns.
Source: Volume three--Series five--Page 801
Pennsylvania Second Vacant Company
The German Regiment
John Dalton, April 22, 1778
Source: Pennsylvania Archives, Series five, Volume 3, Pages 1099 and 1135--
Page 1099--Artillery Artificers
Roll of Capt. Noah Nicholas' Company-
List of Privates:
Dalton, John, Philadelphia
Page 1135--Artillery Artificers
Dalton, John, 14 Feb. 1777
Capt. T. Patten certifies that the above men were all discharged in the year 1780 and 1781
Series five, Volume 3, Pages 1112 and 1136
Page 1136--Continental Line
Return of the men who belonged to the Co. of Artillery Artificers under the command of Major General Knox and belonging to the State of Penna.
Commissioned: James Livingston, Lieut.
Men's names:
John Dalton
Towns: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
When Enlisted: Feb. 14, 1777
When Discharged: March 22, 1781
In reviewing the Pennsylvania Archives, Revolutionary War Series five, there is only one John Dalton.
Muster Roll of a company of infantry under the command of Captain Samuel Bowman, in the Eleventh Regiment of the United States, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Aaron Ogden, from May 1 to June 14, 1800.
Names of privates:
John Dalton
At the beginning of 1775, Pennsylvania, founded under Quaker auspices, differed from other American colonies in being totally devoid of military organization. Early in that year, as tension mounted, there appeared spontaneously in certain localities volunteer companies of Associators patterned essentially upon groups which had existed briefly in 1747-1748 and again after Braddock's defeat in 1755. These volunteer companies made up the Military Association, a civilian reserve designed to repel invasion. On June 30, 1775, the Provincial Assembly gave official recognition to the Associators and grouped their companies into battalions. Organization was territorial, so that normally a company consisted of men from a single township, while a battalion included all the Associators of several neighboring townships. Ages ranged from sixteen to sixty years. Provision was made for recruiting from the ranks of Associators in each county a small corps of Minute Men, on call for special duty at short notice, but no evidence of the existence of such a corps in Pennsylvania survives. It is notable, however, that during the summer campaign of 1776, thousands of Pennsylvania Associators saw active service in New Jersey.
During the winter of 1776-1777 the Association collapsed, and the Assembly replaced it with a militia system, which, though imperfect, proved better adapted to Pennsylvania's
General George Washington to Colonel Joseph Kirkbride
December 19, 1776
To Colo. KIRKBRIDE of Bucks County Pennsylvania Militia.
Sir,
The Honble. the Council of Safety of the State of Pennsylvania having, by a Resolve passed the 17th. day of this instt. December, Authorized me to call forth the Militia of the County of Bucks, to the Assistance of the Continental Army under my Command, I hereby require you, immediately to issue Orders to the Captains of your Regiment, to summon the Officers and Privates of their Companies to meet on the 28th. day of this instant, at the usual place for their joining in Battalion, with their Arms and Accoutrements in good Order, and when so met, march immediately to the City of Philadelphia and there put yourself under the Command of Major Genl. PUTNAM. And you are further required to make me an exact return of the names and places of abode of such Officers and privates, as refuse to appear with their Arms and Accoutrements, at the time and place appointed, that they may be dealt with as the resolve, above refered [sic] to, directs.
Given under my Hand at Head Quarters
this 19th. day of Decemr. 1776.
G. WASHINGTON.
General George Washington to Colonel Joseph Kirkbride
January 14, 1777
To Col. KIRKBRIDE. Bucks County Pennsyl.
Head Quarters Morris Town, 14th. Jany. 1777.
Sir,
Colo. SMITH being ordered to march up to this place with the Jersey Militia and form a Brigade under Genl. DICKINSON, you are hereby directed to collect as many of the Militia of your County as will mount the necessary guards at the Ferries, where Colo. SMITH was posted. You will take particular Care to keep all the Boats, except such as are necessary for the Ferry, drawn up and well guarded, under the care of a good Officer.
I am Sir Yours &c.
G. WASHINGTON.
We think John Dalton enlisted in the army in Philadelphia and served after Feb. 14, 1777 to March 22, 1781. He was an artillery artificer, a soldier who made platforms and repaired broken cannon carriages and torn harnesses for the artillery regiments --- a craftsman in the field of battle. He was sent to the Wyoming Township, Luzerne County, where the “Battle of Wyoming” had taken place the summer of 1778. Wyoming in near Wilkes-Barre on the Susquehanna River. Our John Dalton was known to have been with General Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adam Hubley’s Pennsylvania Eleventh Regiment in 1779. He was also a member of the “German Regiment”
The next part was researched and complied by Rodney Dalton with a clue from Gus Borgeson of our John Dalton Jr. line.
Bradford County, the largest of the four counties comprising the Endless Mountains Region of Pennsylvania, is rich in history beginning with Native Americans first inhabitants of the county.
The rich land along the Susquehanna River was once termed "the breadbasket of the Indians." The fields spread out below Wyalusing Rocks on Route 6 once supplied tons of corn and other foods for the Iroquois and Delaware peoples. Despite wars and removals some Native Americans remained, their crops and agricultural techniques adopted by European settlers. Many of their descendants now share their traditions and culture adding to the cultural diversity of Bradford County.
Shortly after the American Revolution settlers braved the wilderness of the Endless Mountains Region attracted by fertile farmland. Many early settlers were veterans of the Sullivan expedition waged against the Indians. This is why I think our John Dalton moved his family north and finely ended up at “Dalton Hollow” farm in Wysox, Bradford Co. PA.
Information about Adam Hubley:
ADAM HUBLEY, Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiment. Published in the appendix of Miner's History of Wyoming. The original contained several illustrations, and maps, not in the published copy. The following is a reprint. This journal has also been republished in Pennsylvania Archives, New Series, Vol. XI or Vol. II of the Revolution.
Adam Hubley was commissioned as First Lieutenant in the 1st Pa. Battalion, Oct. 27, 1775; promoted Major of one of the additional regiments in 1776; Lieutenant Colonel, 10th Pa. Reg't, March 12, 1777, ranking from Oct. 4, 1776; Lieut. Colonel Commandant 11th Pa. Reg't June 5, 1779 to rank from Feb'y 13, 1779; retired Jan'y 1, 1781.
Source: The Biographical Sketch of Major General John Sullivan.
BY REV. DAVID CRAFT, WYALUSING, BRADFORD CO., PA., BEING A FULL AND COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE IROQUOIS OR SIX NATIONS OF INDIANS OF NEW YORK IN 1779, COMMANDED BY MAJOR GENERAL JOHN SULLIVAN.
Prepared Pursuant to Chapter 361, Laws of the State of New York, of 1885.
by Frederick Cook, Secretary of State, Auburn, N. Y. Knapp, Peck & Thompson Printers
1887.
Biographical Sketch of Major General John Sullivan.
BY REV. DAVID CRAFT.
Please read the complete story of this march to the North by searching “Google” for General John Sullivan or Lt. Col. Adam Hubley. Plus Captain Selin’s German Company.
Of interest to the readers is this information from the text of Rev. Craft’s narratives on this Military expedition.
“On the evening of the 13th of July, thirty-three of the German Regiment deserted, on the plea that their term of enlistment had expired. They were apprehended, brought back, tried by court-martial, the leaders condemned to suffer death, and the others to severe punishment. On the petition of the criminals, with the promise to serve faithfully until properly discharged, and the recommendation of a board of officers, they were pardoned, and cheerfully took their places in the ranks.” (The Army was camped at Wyoming at this time)
One of our Dalton family, Gus Borgeson of the John Dalton Jr. line, believes that John Dalton Sr. may have been one of these who deserted. But as you have read in the above statement all were pardoned and returned to their places.
Here is what Gus sent me to add to our John Dalton Rev. War record.
Some Information on John Dalton, a Revolutionary War Soldier:
“According to records of the Continental Army located in the Library of Congress, John Dalton (spelled “Dolton” in the records) served in the German Regiment from April, 1778 until August, 1780 at which time he deserted. (Desertion from the Continental Army was common and does not have the stigma it has today.) During his service he was a Private under Lieutenant Colonel Ludwick Weltner in General Sullivan’s division according to records in the Pennsylvania state archives. His pay records show that he was paid out of White Plains and Fishkill, New York so he was likely encamped in those places. It is also likely that he served in Sullivan’s campaign against the Iroquois, allies of the English in 1780. Since this campaign was waged in the general area of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, perhaps John liked the country he saw since he eventually settled in the nearby area of Wysox.”
Source: Gus Borgeson
The March begins:
On the last day of July, everything being in readiness so far as circumstances would allow, about one o clock in the afternoon, the army broke camp at Wyoming and began its forward march. Two captains, six Subalterns, and one hundred men were left as the garrison for Wyoming under command of Colonel Zebulon Butler, who was charged with forwarding such supplies as might be collected. The artillery consisted of eight brass pieces, viz.: two six-pounders, four three-pounders, two howitzers, carrying five and a half-inch shells, together with a light piece for carrying either shot or shell, called a co-horn. The artillery, ammunition, the salted provisions, flour, liqours, and heavy baggage were loaded on two hundred and fourteen boats, manned by four hundred and fifty enlisted boatmen, Colonel Proctor's Regiment, and two hundred and fifty soldiers; all under the command of Colonel Proctor. To General Hand and his light troops was assigned the post of honor, the front of the column, which was directed to march in three columns and keep about a mile in advance of the main body. Hubley's Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiment and Captain Spaldings Independent Company formed the center column and proceeded on the main road; the German Regiment and Captain Schott's Independent Corps formed the right column, the left being a detachment from the center. Colonel Armand had on the 30th of June been ordered with his troops to join the army of Washington. Advanced and flanking parties were kept out to guard against surprise from the enemy, and the brigade was so arranged as to be instantly effective in case of sudden attack. Then Maxwell's Brigade advancing by its left in files, sections or platoons according to the nature of the country, then Poor's Brigade advancing by the right in the same manner in the rear of Poor. Then followed the packhorses about twelve hundred in number and seven hundred beef cattle. A regiment taken alternately from Maxwell's and Poor's Brigades
We pick up the narrative at Wyalusing, Bradford County, near Wysox, Penn.
Sullivan’s army was on the way north fighting Indians along the way.
“On leaving the encampment at Wyalusing, the path crossed the creek nearly a mile above its mouth, then led over Vaughan and Lime Hills, coming to the river a half mile below the mouth of Rummerfield creek, then along the river bank to Standing Stone, a distance of ten miles from Wyalusing where the main body of the army encamped; Hand's Brigade went two miles farther to the Wysox where they pitched tents for the night.
On Monday, August 9th, it was ten o'clock before the main army came to Hand's encampment, and nearly a half hour later before the entire army was on the march. To avoid an almost impassable swamp, now the fertile fields of Messrs. Piollet, the path crossed the Wysox creek a half mile above its mouth then led along the side of the hill, up Franklin creek, through Echo Cannon, over to a small creek which empties into the river a little below Sugar creek, thence over Breakneck hill, where for more than a quarter of a mile, the narrow path lay along the crest of a precipitous ledge of rocks nearly two hundred feet in height, thence along the river flats to the place of encampment which was opposite the present village of Ulster. The day was very warm and the march tiresome and several of the men gave out. In passing Breakneck three head of cattle fell off and were killed. The numerous rifts and greater distance by the river compelled the fleet to anchor three miles below the encampment, after one boat loaded with flour had been wrecked and the lading lost. This day Captain Gifford burnt the Indian town of twenty-eight new houses called Newtycharming near the mouth of Sugar creek. The next morning was rainy, and the army continued in its encampment to rest, draw rations and wait for the arrival of the boats.”
We move forward to the end of the military expedition against the Indians - 1779.
From August 30th until the 26th of September, a period of twenty-seven days, the army voluntarily subsisted on a half ration of flour and meat the most of which they carried on their backs, supplementing their wants with the green corn and vegetables found in the fields, they devastated. This diet together with the exposure and early autumn weather occasioned considerable sickness, especially in the latter part of the campaign. Notwithstanding the severity of their marches and the dangers to which they were exposed, the entire loss since leaving Wyoming until the return, was only forty-one men, of whom four died from sickness, one was accidentally drowned and one accidentally shot in camp, or one per cent of his entire force.
On the 3d of October, Fort Sullivan was demolished, and the next day the army set out for Wyoming, part on foot but the greater number in boats, reaching that place on the 7th. In obedience to orders from general headquarters. General Sullivan left Wyoming, October 10th, and reached Easton the 15th, where a thanksgiving service was held, conducted by Rev. Mr. Hunter, and then the army hastened to join that of Washington. Congress passed a vote of thanks in which the officers and men were complimented in the highest terms, and which is made a record of, as follows:
In General Orders from West Point, October 17th, General Washington congratulated the army, on General Sullivan's success, and that The whole of the soldiery engaged in the expedition, merit and have the Commander-in-Chief's warmest acknowledgments, for their important services."
The expedition was more disastrous to the Indians than at first might appear. They returned to their blackened homes and wasted cornfields, and looked with despair upon the waste and ruin before them. They now began to feel the iron they had so ruthlessly thrust into the bosom of others. Mary Jemison says, there was nothing left, not enough to keep a child. Again they wended their way to Niagara, where huts were built for them around the fort. The winter following was the coldest ever known, and prevented the Indians going on their winter hunt. Cooped up in their little huts and obliged to subsist on salted provisions, the scurvy broke out amongst them, and hundreds of them died. Those the sword had spared, the pestilence destroyed.
The power of the Iroquois was broken. That great confederation, whose influence had once been so potent, crumbled under the iron heel of the invader, and the nation which had made so many tremble, itself quailed before the white man's steel. It is true, that as long as the war continued, they kept up their depredations, but it was in squads of five or six, seldom as many as twenty. We have no repetition of Wyoming or Cherry Valley. It was a terrible blow, but one which they brought upon themselves, by their own perfidy and treachery and cruelty. The sacking of so many homes, the destruction of so much that was valuable, awakens in every civilized heart, the sentiment of pity for their loss, but the act was as justifiable as that which slays the assassin at your door, or the man who is applying the torch to your dwelling.
Colonel Stone remarks: "With the exception of Newtown, the achievements of the army in battle were not great. But it had scoured a broad extent of country, and laid more towns in ashes than had ever been destroyed on the continent before. The red men were driven from their beautiful country—their habitations left in ruins, their fields laid waste, their orchards uprooted, and their altars and the tombs of their fathers overthrown."
Source:
Biographical Sketch of Major General John Sullivan.
by Rev. David Craft.
Here then is my summery of what I think is a time line for John Dalton and his duty in the Revolutionary War:
We know as a young boy, our John Dalton Sr. signed up to fight in the Revolutionary War at Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania about August 21st 1775. He was assigned to The First Associated Company of the Pennsylvania Second Vacant Co. also known as the “German Company” (See his Card on next page)
Sometimes during the winter of 1776/77 the Association disbanded and it was replaced with a Militia system. Our John Dalton was then in Philadelphia where he served with Lt. Col. Adam Hubley’s Pennsylvania Eleventh Regiment from Feb. 14, 1777 to March 22, 1780.
He was sent North under the command of General John Sullivan to fight in the Indian War. He was camped at Wyoming, Lucerne County while all the troops gathered an then the traveled up The Susquehanna River, either by boat or marching along the banks. This is where he must have had an idea where he would like to farm after the war, if he survived that is!
He probably saw the area around Wysox at this time, never knowing he would raise his family in Wysox later on in his life. He was at the final battle at Newtown, NY in late Sept. 1779, present day Elmira, NY. Somehow he survived all the battles with the Indian’s and British and returned back South with his friends.
It is my opinion that when he served with the German Company, he may have made some German friends and this is how he met his future wife, Elizabeth Cooker, who was German. Our Dalton history tells us they were married about 1784 in Bucks County, PA.
John Dalton is found in the Daughters of the American Revolutionary War book,
Under the listing of; DALTON, DAULTON, DOLTON.
1.David: b 1742 VA d a 6- - 1820 NC m (1) Susannah (Susan) Davis
(2) Mrs. Eleanor Martin Sol PS VA
2. Isaac: b 3-2-1761 MA d 8-13-1838 NH m Eleanor Merrill Pvt. NH
3.James: b a 1720 MA d 1783 MA m Mrs. Abigail (Roe) Alden CS PS MA
4. JOHN: b 1761/62 PA d 10-7-1835 PA m Elizabeth Cooker Pvt PA
5. John: b 10-3-1758 VA d 9-15-1838 TN m Lucy Simms Sgt. VA PNSR
6. John: b --- d p 1820 m X PS VA
7. Michael: b 11-13-1753 NH d 10-6-1846 NH m Mercy Philbrick Pvt. Fifth NH
8. Moses: b 8-12-1760 VA d 10-27-1819 KY m Mary Fristoe Sgt. VA PNSR
9. Reuben: b --- NC d p 1-27-1822 TN m Elizabeth --- Pvt. VA
10. Samuel: b 10-10-1728 MA d 3-12-1783 MA Hannah Evans CS MA
11. Samuel Sr: b c 1710 VA d p 11-24-1803 NC m Anne --- PS NC
12. Samuel: b 7-29-1757 NH d 1-31-1837 NH m (1) Polly Merrick (2) Mrs. Rachel
Gile Wadleigh Pvt. NH
13. Solomon: b 6-14-1760 VA d 11-20-1845 SC m Mary Terry Sol VA
14. Tristram: b 5-28-1738 MA d 5-10-1817 MA m Ruth Hooper CS PS MA
15. Valentine Thomas: b c 1754 VA d c 1806 LA m (1) X (2) Anna Burke
(3) Janae Catherine (Caty) Yarrow Lt VA WPNS
16. William: b c 1745 d a 8-23-1811 VA m Elizabeth --- Lt. VA
17. William: b c 1737 VA d a 5- -1819 TN m Rachel Harris Capt. VA
Notice that they have his birth date wrong and also he is shown to have died in
Pennsylvania. The birth date is proven to be wrong. As for John Dalton Sr. dying in Pennsylvania, according to this record, there maybe some substance to this!
John Dalton Sr. death theory:
Here is another theory about where and when our John Dalton Sr. died.
As you have already read about John Dalton in the Daughters of the American Revolutionary War book, you will notice that they have his birth as 1761 / 62, this must be wrong because we have always shown his born in Jan. of 1763. Also they show him as dying in Pennsylvania. This death date, 10-7-35 is an interesting item. Our Dalton history that was passed down tells us that John Dalton died in Washtenaw Co. Michigan some time in 1835-38."
I have decided that maybe the Daughters of the American Revolutionary War are right about the death date on our John Dalton. They didn't know anything about the history of John Dalton and could only have taken this record from their massive files.
Someone a long time ago put into John Dalton's file that he died on Oct. 7 1835 in Pennsylvania.
From the tax records I received from the Bradford County Courthouse that shows in the year of 1835, John Dalton didn't pay any taxes. It does show that a Betsy Dalton did however. What do you make of this? In most Town's across America, if the property owner dies, then usually the properly pass's onto his wife. Remember that John's sons, John Jr. & Simon Cooker sold their land to Zenas Thomas on Oct. 7 1835 before they all moved to Michigan. Was this land called "Dalton Hollow"?
Of note is that Leslie Dalton Crunk thinks the Betsy Dalton listed above is Betsy Green Dalton, widow of Henry Dalton.
Also the date, Oct 7th is listed in the "John Dalton Book of Genealogy"
Quote from book: "John Dalton, born 1763, and died, 7 Oct. 1835/38, in Preb or Prob, Freedom Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan".
Now I have learned that Mark Ardath Dalton was not sure of where John Dalton died, so he wrote “Preb or Prob”. He means probably Freedom Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Now this is quite a coincidence that the date of Oct. 7 1835 shows up in two different places and in another Oct. 7th is listed!
Further along in this chapter you will read an item that I copied from a magazine article by Sandra Niuman, Wysox, Pennsylvania about the Old Wysox Pennsylvania Presbyterian Church. In it is the statement that says;
“There’s a cemetery directly behind the church. It’s the final resting-place for soldiers from almost every American war.”
Now we know by records that John Dalton did serve in the Revolutionary War.
And by the statement I wrote above about the Wysox Church Cemetery, it is just possible that John Dalton did in fact die in Wysox in the year 1835. Did his family bury him on the Dalton farm or because they were good church members, did they bury him in the Old Wysox Pennsylvania Presbyterian Church Cemetery? Just maybe the reason we can’t find his gravestone is because there are no inscriptions remaining on the markers.
‘Quote” Death date of John Dalton Sr. as written down by John Luther Dalton in his records of proxy, baptisms & endowments notes: John Dalton – when died – 1835. “Unquote”
There is no date written as to when John Luther Dalton did the baptisms for his dead relations, but the following names are wrote on one page, including when born, where born, when died. There is no date of when & where baptized. He has signed his name on each one as Heir or Proxy.
Names: Thomas Dalton, John Dalton, James Dalton, Charles Dalton, George Odwalt, Simon Cooker, Henry Dalton, Steven Merithew, Peter Cooker, Henry Cooker, John Dalton, Simon Cooker Dalton, Charles Dalton, Luther Warner, William Warner, Stanton Warner.
So with so many sources of the death date of our John Dalton Sr. as being in 1835, I do believe because John Luther wrote his grandfathers death down in his records as far back as 1887 to 1891, it must be right. Why? Remember John Luther belonged to The Dalton Genealogy Society formed in 1889 to research their ancestors. The main reason for this was because they all were members of the LDS faith and believed in baptism for the dead. The names and dates had to be right as for as they could and the large group that belonged to this Society for sure knew the history of their father’s and grandfathers.
So therefor I am going on record that our John Dalton Sr. died in Wysox, before all his children moved to Michigan in October of 1835..
Lets pick up John Dalton’s story here:
As you can see John Dalton is now in Bucks County Penn. Sometimes after he was discharged in the spring of 1781, he met and married his wife Elizabeth Cooker where her family made home. Where this took place we are not sure of. All our Dalton family research tells us John and Elizabeth was married about 1784. Of note is I have much history on Elizabeth Cooker’s family in my FTM database.
What was it like for our John Dalton in Colonial times from 1763 to 1790; how did the Colonists live? They dressed, in general with a decent coat, vest, pants and some kind of a hat. Old men had a great coat, a good pair of boots and flannel pants. The boots were made of good leather and lasted for a lifetime. They were long and reached to the knee. In the summer they wore a pair of wide petticoat trousers, reaching half way from the knee to the ankle.
The women, old and young alike wore homemade flannel gowns in the winter; and in the summer, wrappers, or shepherdess that gathered around the neck. They were usually contented with one calico gown. The sleeves were short, and come only to the elbow. Also they had aprons made of checkered linen or cotton. They seldom wore caps, but only when they appeared in full dress. They wore thick and thin leather shoes, an inch and half high, with toes, which turned up. Acute fevers were more frequent than they are today.
Their dinners were generally the same every day, with something special on Sundays. First they had a dish of broth, called porridge, with a few beans in it. Then an Indian pudding with sauce, and then a dish of boiled pork and beef, with round turnips and a few potatoes. Those who had a cow had milk and had toasted bread in it. Or they drank cider with bread and cheese. Sometimes all they had was milk and bread for supper. In these times no family had a barrel of flour, the farmer broke up a piece of new ground and planted it with wheat and turnips. This wheat with the help of a sleeve was their flour. Then planted corn, which they called Indian grain. Their corn before they built mills to grind it, was pounded with a wooden or stone pallet in a large log, hollowed out at one end. They cultivated barley, much of which they made into malt for beer, which they drank instead of ardent spirits. They grew flax, which they rotted in water and then made into thread and cloth. Venison could be had in abundance for the killing, and brook trout for the catching. Deer and bear meat was made more appetizing by smoking it. Jerked venison was also a favorite. Raccoon, woodchuck and squirrel were to be had when larger game could not be found.
The first houses were very course structures. They had steep roofs, covered with thatch and straw laid one over the other. The fireplace was made of rough stones and the chimney of boards and shorts sticks, crossed over each other and then plastered inside with clay. In those days the young men and women did not consider it a hardship to walk every place, including going to church on Sunday. The men always had a good horse to ride. Everyone went to church and shared their horse and wagon with their neighbors.
The following is extracted from Clement F. Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families of Bradford County, 1770-1800, Vol. 1.
Pioneer Habits and Customs in Bradford County Pennsylvania:
Money was a very scarce article among the Pioneers, and they were required to dress in the plainest and least expensive manner. Their common clothing was pantaloons and dresses made from flax for summer wear and from wool for winter. "Buckskin trousers" were in fashion and were not infrequently worn by the men and boys. Roundabouts, or sailors' jackets, took the place of coats. Calico was less common than silk is now and cost 75 cents a yard. She, who could afford a dress made from seven yards of this material, wore "an extravagant garment." "The fashion was petticoats and short gowns." Shawls were made from pressed woolen cloth and the finest homemade linen was bleached and constructed into fine shirts for men and boys. A lady's common dress was copperas and white," as it was called; and copperas and blue, two and two," for nice. The women wore handkerchiefs as a covering for the bead, or bonnets of their own manufacture. It was not an uncommon occurrence to see a young lady, with her shoes and stockings, in her hand and a handkerchief about her head, while on her way to 'meeting in the log schoolhouse or at some neighbor's cabin. When upon nearing the place of worship, she would sit down by the roadside and dress her feet. Garments were made to wear the longest possible, as it was very uncertain when the next could be had. The boys had bats and caps made by their mothers from woolen cloth or straw and sometimes from raccoon skins. Some wore knit caps, also, until "sealskin" caps, as they were called, came in fashion. Garments were fastened together with buttons constructed out of thread.
Nearly every wife had her spinning wheel and loom and manufactured her own cloth. Each did her own coloring and the bark from a soft maple tree, hemlock, butternut or "witch-hazel" was used for dyeing purposes, also log wood and smart weed. Copperas, alum and sorrel were used to set the colors.
During the summer season, the boys, girls and women generally went barefooted, as did some of the men. Rattlesnakes and other venomous reptiles were numerous and a great dread to the boys when in search of the cows. In the winter, shoes with leggings were worn. Frequently it happened that some of the poorer families had no shoes, in which case the boys would beat large chips or pieces of boards to stand upon while chopping wood, or performing other outside duties. But a few of the men had a "dress-up suit." This consisted of knee breeches ornamented with buckles, long stockings made from cotton, wool or silk, and shoes with buckles. A lady's "dress-up" generally consisted of a linsey-woolsey suit, improved by pressing.
The food or the pioneers was coarse and consisted of corn and rye bread, sometimes wheat with potatoes. The last were generally baked in the fireplace by covering them with ashes and coals. Mush and milk was not an uncommon diet. Venison could be had in abundance for the killing and brook trout and shad for the catching. Deer and bear meat were made more appetizing by smoking. Jerked venison was also a favorite article on the bill of fare. The flesh of the raccoon, woodchuck and, squirrel was utilized when larger game could not be had.
Sometimes bread was made out of wheat and rye bran. Wheat heads cut before ripe, then dried and the kernels rubbed out, afforded material for an "extra" dish, which was prepared by boiling with a little sugar or milk added. Milk was the main dependence and was made a most palatable dish in many ways. Stoves with ovens had not been invented, and baking was done in fireplaces and stone bake ovens. The raw material for bread and cake was prepared and put in the bake kettle (a low kettle-shaped iron pot with a cover) which was then placed over coals on the hearthstone. Upon the cover of the kettle, coals were also placed, that the baking would be more evenly done. "Johnny-cakes" were baked in the long handled frying pans, which were heated over the fireplaces. The bake kettle remained in use for some years, when it was supplanted by the tin oven, which could be heated before the fireplace and every side read fly shifted against the blaze as the baking required.
Maple sugar was used for sweetening purposes, and corncobs were burned in the bake kettle cover to get a substitute for saleratus. Maple sugar and honey took the place of butter, and bear's fat was used for shortening. Fried cakes were baked in pots with bear and raccoon fat. Browned rye, peas, beechnuts, chestnuts and hickory were substituted for coffee, and sage, thyme peppermint, spearmint, Evans root, spice bush, sweet fern, tansy And hemlock bows for tea. Imported tea and coffee were too costly and could only be afforded when the good mothers had company. Herbs of all kinds were gathered and used for teas in sickness and each had its specific cure. For instance, elderblow, catnip and wormwood were used for children, and boneset, penny royal.
Greased paper hung over an opening in the wall afforded light for the cabins in the daytime. At night they were illuminated by the light given out from the huge fireplaces and pitch pine splinters stuck in the chimney jambs. This furnished sufficient light for the mothers to sew, spin and weave by; for the fathers to mend and make shoes, and the boys and girls to get their lessons. A supply of pitch pine knots was generally put in before winter. Deer fat and lard were sometimes used for illuminating purposes. Tallow lamps were finally introduced and were used when tallow could be bad or lard spared. They were a cup like construction to contain animal fats and could be hung against the wall. One end of a piece of cloth, answering as a wick, was dropped into the cup, and the other end, which hung out, was lighted. Tallow candles next followed and subsequently lamps for burning coal. The time of day was determined by "sun remarks or noon marks upon the door or window frame.
Finally, the old fashioned clocks, without cases and with long cords, were brought in and sold at fabulous prices. Matches had not yet been invented and fire was made by striking a piece of flint and steel (or the back of a jackknife) together, causing a spark, which was caught in a piece of punk (an inflammable substance, formed from decayed wood, which was always kept in supply). "Borrowing fire," as it was called, was not an infrequent occurrence. Wooden pails were substituted for tin and wooden plates (called "trenchers"), bowls, etc. for earthenware. Wooden spoons and forks, also pewter plates, spoons and other table pieces were in use. Sap troughs were substituted for cradles and brooms were made out of young birch and hickories.
Farming implements were very imperfect as compared with those, of modern invention. A plough was used with one handle and a wooden mold-board; a crotched sapling with holes bored through and supplied with wooden pins, answered as a harrow. Grain was sometimes "brushed in" by dragging a hemlock bush over the ground; pitchforks and hoes were manufactured by blacksmiths and were very clumsy articles. Reaping with the sickle or hand cradle was the slow and tedious method of cutting grain, which was threshed with flails and cleaned by shaking it with a hand-fan, a very laborious task.
Fanning mills were not introduced until about 1825. Corn was ground, or rather smashed by resorting to the Indian's invention- the stone mortar and pestle: or the Yankee's device of the hollowed stump with spring-pole and pounder. Hay was scarce and cattle fed upon browse the tender shoots of trees, especially of the maple and basswood. Cows roamed in the woods and were found by the tinkle of the bells, which they wore about their necks. Pigs were fattened upon hickory nuts or taken to the beechnut woods.
Modes of traveling and conveyance were in novel contrast with those of today. It was common to see the footman traveling with his knapsack on his back. Riding on horseback was the usual mode of conveyance from place to place and even of making long journeys. Sometimes a gentleman and lady, or a father and mother with two children might be seen pursuing their way in this style; and not infrequently parties to a hymeneal engagement betook themselves to the house of the minister or magistrate. Oxen took the place of horses, and in the ox-cart or sled families were conveyed to social gatherings or places of worship. As the country improved a chaise or gig was occasionally seen, and in due time wagons, stages and coaches were introduced in lieu of a wagon, long sleds were generally used in hauling hay and grain and in making trips to mill. Sometimes, however, hay was hauled to the stack by placing a, bunch or more upon a brush which formed a sort of sled; and not infrequently carried by two men for some distance by running two poles under a bunch with a man at each end. Logging and chopping bees were common, and the men and boys most cheerfully turned out with their ox teams, or came with their axes to assist their neighbors in getting a, start. "On such an occasion a sheep would be killed, and boiled mutton and pot-pie had in abundance for dinner and supper."
Spinning bees were also in fashion. The lady hosting the bee would distribute tow among her lady friends, and on a day set apart they would bring in their skeins and enjoy a visit and supper with her. The affair generally wound up in the evening by a dance, or "snap-and-wink-em," and other games. Another practice was for the gal of the neighborhood to go to the home of the lady, who was to be favored and procure a quantity of tow, which was distributed among their sweethearts. On an evening agreed on, each swain took his girl with her ski-in to the home of their friend, where several hours were enjoyed in merrymaking. Sometimes, however, the ladies would take their spinning wheels under their arms and go to the house of a, friend, do it day's work and enjoy a visit together at the same time. Quilting and sewing parties were common, and mothers alike came with needles to assist their friends in need. Husking bees, apple-cuts and spelling schools were more of modern date, and dancing was the chief entertainment of the young people. Every mother taught her daughter to spin, weave, make garments, bread, in fact everything required of a house-wife, and the young lady who showed herself the best skilled in these arts was the first to find a suitor.
Liquor was always in abundance at chopping, logging and mowing bees, raisings, shooting matches and weddings. It was a very common drink, even church members and preachers imbibing. The best could be had for six shillings a gallon, and when a tippler got boozy he was not a week in getting over it. "Spirits" were regarded as a necessity and every family kept a supply.
The greatest economy had to be practiced and the wife vied with her husband in trying to get along. She not only did the work pertaining to the house, but helped gather the hay and grain and not infrequently assisted in the fallow or sugar-bush. The people took great delight in visiting each other and would generally go on foot or with ox-sleds. A weal was always bad together, the hostess giving the best the house afforded, which was sometimes one thing and sometimes another, The guest never forgot her knitting work or sewing and would visit and work at the same time. The kitchen was the parlor, sitting room and all. There were no castes then and the old people say "these were the happiest days we ever saw." One neighbor envied not another, but, on the contrary, did all in his power to encourage and help along. Such was the true, Christian life of the pioneers.
The earliest elementary schools in the county, as established by the first settlers, were conducted in the most simple and primitive style. As the people began to improve their dwellings, old abandoned dwelling house served as the first school house. When a building was erected for the purpose of school, it was not much better. The people of the neighborhood assembled, put tip a house of logs, laid up "cob-house" fashion, so high that it would be about six feet between the floors. The desks were made by boring in the logs and putting in bins for the shelf to lie on, The seats were slabs with pegs put in for legs. The only furniture besides consisted of a cross-legged table and, perhaps, a borrowed chair. All the appliances of the school were in harmony with the rude character of the building.
Professional teaching was unknown. The best educated of the sons and daughters of the farmers, and mechanics were selected for this work, who enlisted in teaching only as a temporary employment, always leaving the school when a more lucrative business offered. The intellectual qualifications were not of a very high order. Reading, spelling, writing and arithmetic as far as Reduction, or at the most through the "Double rule of Three," was ample. Books were few and of the most indifferent character, often, three or four pupils using the same book. Goose-quills were used for pens, and making and mending them were a part of the teacher's work.
Ink was manufactured from the bark of the soft maple. Problems were sometimes worked out upon shingles. The only apparatus was obtained in the beech and hickory groves near by, and the ability to use the rod with frequency and effect was an essential qualification for the schoolmaster.
In the earliest schools, the teacher was paid by a voluntary subscription from the people, which consisted sometimes of grain, flax, wood, work or whatever could be given in remuneration for the services rendered. Schools were kept open six days in the week and from, three to six months in the year. The compensation for male teachers was from 88 cents to $12 per month and for female teachers from 75 cents to 81 vents per week, in each case, including board among the families in the neighborhood. The Duke Liancourt who passed through Old Sheshequin in 1795, says: "There are two schools in the neighboring country, which are both kept by women who teach needlework and reading. To learn to read is, therefore, the only instruction which boys can obtain here. These schools are maintained solely by the fee of five shillings a quarter paid by each scholar. "
Our John Dalton was a typical farmer and he survived many skirmishes with the Indians and later against the British Army in the Revolutionary War.
After the war John Dalton married Elizabeth Cooker, born Dec 24 1767 somewhere in Bucks Co. Pa. She was usually called Betsy and was of German decent, commonly called Pennsylvania Dutch.
In all our Dalton pedigrees it tells us that John and Elizabeth first child was a male, which we don’t know his name, and who was born somewhere in Philadelphia Co. Pa. We now think that this is a mistake that was first entered incorrectly in the “John Dalton Book”
The next problem we have is about the John Dalton that is listed in the Federal Census of 1790. (Below is this information)
In the first Federal Census of 1790 (Page 232) of Blockley Township, Philadelphia Co. Pa. Cresson's Alley: Fifth between Arch and Race Streets:
John Dalton (silversmith) - Heads of families: 1, Males under 16: 1, Free white females: 1
A interesting item that Leslie Dalton Crunk received in a letter from the Philadelphia Free Library that shows a listing in a 1791 directory about John Dalton in Philadelphia in 1791. (See below)
Individual publishers issued city directories of Philadelphia beginning as early as 1785. These were merely alphabetical listings of inhabitants, their occupations and address. The later directories included streets and other miscellaneous information. These directories continued through the 1935/36 edition and were then replaced with telephone directories (alphabetical by name) and reverse directories (beginning 1927 and alphabetical by street with name information). The 1791 directory has a listing for a John Dallon (no t), silversmith, at 33 Cresson's Alley. The two ll’s instead of T could be a mistake on their part but the street is certainly correct.”
Source: Rich Boardman; Head, Map Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia.
Blockley Township is on the West Bank of the Schuylkill River, north of Kingsessing Township. The name Blockley was applied to the almshouse erected on the West Bank of the Schuylkill River, which later became the Philadelphia General Hospital. Blockley was formed in 1705 and was a part of Philadelphia City in 1790. It was absorbed in 1861.
Note: I have an old map of Philadelphia County showing Brockley Township. I have
Also a 1987 map of inner-city Philadelphia which shows where fifth between Arch
And Race Streets is located.
“Brockley Township” A township mentioned in a Road Docket in 1705; in1844 the Borough of West Philadelphia was taken out of Brockley; more was taken out in 1850; in 1853 the Belmont District was taken out; consolidated in 1854 into the city of Philadelphia.
Found in the Pennsylvania Archives:
Philadelphia Co. PA Wills 1682-1819:
Will of John McKinley dated Feb. 3, 1790, proven Apr. 3, 1794 witnessed by John Dalton. Remember we have no proof that this is our John Dalton, so we will leave it as is.
John Dalton's first three children were born in Bucks County, (north of Philadelphia County).
These children were; Margaret, born in 1792. Sarah, born in 1796, and Henry, who was born in 1797.
John Dalton was in Lucerne County in 1801 where his namesake, John Dalton Jr. was born in the Township of Wyoming.
The little village of Wyoming is located about 7 miles south east of Wilkes-Barre on
the old road from Wilkes-Barre to Pittston.
We next find John Dalton has moved north again to Wilkes-Barre Township, Lucerne County where his next son, Simon Cooker Dalton was born. This was in 1806.
We know that our John Dalton would have a record of his land in every county he
lived in because of the following information:
The founders of Pennsylvania recognizing the importance and necessity of recording Deeds, adopted a provision at the first meeting of the legislature at Chester in 1682,
providing for the enrollment of deeds, grants and conveyances of land in a public office.
In 1715 legislation was passed requiring each county in the Commonwealth to maintain an office for the reporting of these deeds.
On the film # 0955112 at the LDS SLC FHL, I found the following:
“Recorder of Deeds – Lucerne County Court House – Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Mortgagor index Vol. 31 Years 1788-1924”
Listed under the “D” surname:
First page of record:
“Dalton” page 39
On file # 0959167
“Recorder of Deeds – Lucerne County Court House – Wilkes-Barre Pa.
Vol. 1 “D” surname – Years 1780-1907
Index to deeds – Grantors name
First page of record:
“Dalton” page 330
On film # 0959560
“Recorder of Deeds – Lucerne County Court House – Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Vol. 1 “D” surname – Years 1780-1907
“Index to Deeds” Grantees name
First page of record:
“Dalton” page 52
Wilkes-Barre Township was named after the celebrated John Wilkes and Colonel Barre who was members of the British Parliament during the Revolutionary War. Both men took a decided part in favor of America against the measures of the British Ministry. Accordingly to Dalton family legend, sometime around 1806, after his son, Simon Cooker was born, John Dalton Sr. was supposedly awarded a war grant of land in Wysox Township in upper Luzerne Co. Pa., later changed to Bradford Co. in 1812.
He was in the Wysox area with General Sullivan during the war with the Six Nation of Indians in 1779. John Dalton Sr. knew right where he wanted to buy his farm in Wysox.
John Dalton received or bought 100 acres of land from in Wysox, Bradford Co. from Joseph Atwood and settled on a stream named The Little Wysox, above the Schultz place. He called his farm, “Dalton Hollow”
The Little Wysox creek drains into the Susquehanna River and the name Wysox is from the Indian word "Wysauking". The town was first called New Baltimore before being re-named Wysox. The township of Wysox had an area of not more than fifteen square miles, with the bigger Wysox creek flowing through the town, receiving the principal affluent at Myersburg, which is the outlet of the lake on Pond Hill. Farther to the north is the Little Wysox Creek.
Note: Before we continue the history of our John Dalton Sr. lets look at a interesting
story of another “John Dalton” found in Bradford County even before our John Dalton.
Many Dalton family researchers have found this other John Dalton and are confused about who is who. This article will clear the record.
The History of Wyalusing Township, which is a little Southeast of Wysox.
There are two items in this history that all our Dalton Family will find of interest!
I will explain at the end of story.
Wyalusing was first organized in 1790, twenty years previous to the formation of Bradford County. It is located upon the east shore of the Susquehanna River, near the south-eastern limit of Bradford county, and is bounded on the north by Herrick; on the east by Tuscarora; on the south and west by the Susquehanna river. The lands of the township are extremely fertile and productive; none better can be found in the commonwealth. The township is historic ground, the former home of the red man, and the site of their ancient villages. Settlements were made by white men upon its fertile flats previous to the revolutionary war.
The early settlers were Thomas Brown, Joseph Elliott, Henry Elliott, Isaac Hancock, Wareham Kingsley, Nathan Kingsley, Robert Carr, Stephen Beckwith, Sherman Buck, Amos Bennett, Richard Benjamin, Benjamin Ackley, Gideon Baldwin, Humphrey Brown, Gideon Baldwin, Jr., Thomas Lewis, James Wells, Cyrus Wells, Reuben Wells, Amasa Wells, Guy Wells, Justus Lewis, Benjamin Stalford, Peter Stevens, Daniel Sterling, Justus Gaylord, Justus Gaylord, Jr., Abraham Bowman, Robert Lattimer, Ambrose Gaylord, David Shoemaker, Samuel Gordon, Joseph C. Town, John Hollenback, James Anderson, Isaac Hancock, Judah Benjamin, Thomas Brink, Daniel Turrell, David Lake, Zackariah Price, David Lake, Job Camp, Jonas Ingham, - WILLIAM DALTON. (This William Dalton is not of our line)
Events that occurred in Wyalusing, Bradford County Pennsylvania:
The early settlers of Wyalusing were driven from their homes in 1778 by the British
and Indians.
JOHN DALTON, murdered Amos Hurlburt in Wyalusing, in June, 1803.
As you have read in the above text that John Dalton murdered Amos Hurlburt in Wyalusing in June of 1803.
Here is the story behind this murder:
“In June of 1803, John Dalton murdered Amos Hurlburt on the low ground where Hiram Buck now lives. He was tried for his life in Wilks-Barre, Luzerne County, as we then belonged to that County, and through the obstinacy of one man, was brought in guilty of murder in the second degree and sentenced to eighteen year’s confinement in the penitentiary in Philadelphia.
Dalton however, was pardoned in 1808, while Thomas McKean was governor of Pennsylvania, but he never returned home. He died soon after in a hospital in Philadelphia”
Source: From the History of Bradford County.
At first this item shook me up, but as I researched this in the book by H. C. Bradsby, at the SLC LDS Library I found out this John Dalton is not ours! This John Dalton’s father was William Dalton who settled in Wyalusing before 1800.
The History of Bradford County:
by H. C. Bradsby.
By an act of the Legislature of the state of Pennsylvania, of February 21, 1810, it provided for the formation of a county from parts of Lucerne and Lycoming, to be known as the county of Ontario. By a subsequent act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, passed March 28, 1811, the commissioners were authorized to change the name of the new county from Ontario to Bradford, which name it still bears. Thus was the official machinery of the county set in motion.
Bradford County is situated on the east and west sides of the north branch of the Susquehanna river, and is bounded on the north by the state line and the counties of Chemung and Tioga in New York; east by the counties of Susquehanna and Wyoming in Pennsylvania; south by Sullivan, Wyoming and Lycoming; and west by the county of Tioga. According to the report of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania, it contains an area of one thousand one hundred and sixty-two, square miles or seven hundred and forty three thousand six hundred and eighty acres. It is divided into thirty-seven townships and twelve boroughs, with over one hundred post offices, and over four hundred schools, and about seven hundred teachers. The principal streams of the county is the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. It enters the county on the north line in the township of Athens, which is located centrally upon the northern boundary of the county; it then flows in a general south-east direction and passes out of the county in the township of Tuscarora, within five miles of the extreme south-eastern portion of Bradford County. It has numerous tributaries emptying into it from the west and east. The principal streams from the west are Towanda Creek, Sugar Creek, and from the east Wyalusing, Wysox, and many other smaller streams.
The surface is diversified with valleys, hills, plateaus and mountains affording some of the finest landscapes in Pennsylvania. Some of the points in western Bradford are over two thousand feet above sea level, and over twelve hundred feet above the valley of the north branch. These heights are reached by terraces or plateaus, which in the main are under a high state of cultivation to the elevated points, a view of the country is obtained for miles of elegant farm houses, well cultivated very highest points. The county was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber, and for many years the business of lumbering was carried on extensively, the surplus products finding a market via the North Branch of the Susquehanna river to Harrisburg, Port Deposit or by North Branch canal. Lumbering is not now carried on so extensively, the inhabitants devoting more attention to agricultural pursuits with a sure and steady increase in wealth and population.
Townships:
Albany, Asylum, Armenia, Athens, Barclay, Burlington, West Burlington, Canton, Columbia, Franklin, Granville, Herrick, LeRoy, Litchfield, Monroe, Orwell, Overton, Pike, Ridgebury, Rome, Smithfield, Springfield, South Creek, Sheshequin, Standing Stone, Terry, Towanda, North Towanda, Troy, Tuscarora, Ulster, Warren, Windham, Wyalusing, Wysox, Wells and Wilmot.
The Dalton’s married into the following families that were from some of the surrounding
Townships and Boroughs of Bradford County Pennsylvania:
The Merithew Family, the Varguson Family, the Cranmer Family, the Wakeman family and the Green family.
Source: History of Bradford County Pennsylvania; by L. H. Everts & Co.
Note: Bradford County is located in northeast Pennsylvania, in what they call the Endless Mountain region, which is a part of the Poconos Mountains.
Lets now tell about some notable occurrences of nature and other events that happened around the time our Dalton family was first living in “Dalton Hollow”
In 1806, a "Great Hunt" was called to rid the country of destructive wild beasts. This hunt took place in June, when 600 settlers, each armed with a flintlock, hatchet, hunting knife and provided with two days provisions, formed a circle 120 miles around for a "close in" on the marauders. As a result, the animals killed were 72 panthers, 90 wolves, 145 bears, 37 fox’s and 28 wildcats. The bounties of these amounted to $550 and the skins had a value of $2500. Besides, the bears yielded 35 pounds of a highly prized food to each hunter. But the benefit that resulted to the farmers in securing their pastures and barnyards from the wild beasts, overbalanced ten-fold all the other profits that there was in the hunt. The settlers made another hunt, which was very successful, in November of the same year.
In 1807 "The Dark Day", or total eclipse of the sun happened on June 6. It filled the people with awe. Birds sang their evening songs, disappeared and become silent; fowls went to roost; cattle sought the barnyard and candles were lighted in the houses. Many people, believing that the end of all things had come, betook themselves to religious devotions.
In 1808, "The Great Snow-Fall and Flood' happened. Beginning on March 31st, snow fell continuously for three days and was between four and five feet deep. For several days it was cold, blustery weather, then the sun come out and the snow melted rapidly, causing a great flood, one of the most notable in the Susquehanna River Flood history.
In 1809, "The Great July Flood" of the Susquehanna River caused extensive damage to crops and farmland.
In 1810, "Cold Friday" happened. On January 19th, the temperature was 20 degrees below zero.
In 1811, "The Nest of Counterfeiters” had a big effect on the people. At this time, much bad money was in circulation in the country, and it was found that the nefarious business was being conducted by an organized gang of counterfeiters, who had a retreat, under an overhanging rock up Millstone Run, Monroe township. Many honest people were caught in the "two for one" business as the deal was called, and ruined. In 1813, officers of the law made a general cleanup. The chief conspirators fled with good money into New York State, Ohio, and Canada and were never apprehended.
From the book “Pioneer and Patriot Families of Bradford County, Pennsylvania”
By Clement F. Heverly; in Two Volumes, 1913 & 1915.
Page 160
Dolton Family -- John Dolton came to Wysox with his family in or before 1811, settling on the Little Wysox above the Schultz place, his location being known as "Dolton Hollow." In the family there were Henry, John Jr., Charles, Simon, Elizabeth, Anna, Harriet, Peggy and Jemima. Three of the sisters, Elizabeth, Harriet and Jemima married respectively John, Hiram and Moses, sons of Isaac Vargason; Peggy married Stephen Merithew. Henry Dolton was drowned during a freshet in the spring of 1833, while crossing the creek near his home. The family removed West in 1835.
From the 1812 Tax Assessment of Wysox Township, we find in a document that John Dalton owned one house with a value of only 10 dollars. And from the same 1812 Tax
Assessment it shows the following statement:
“The names of children between the ages of five and twelve years whose parents are unable to pay for there schooling”
Polly Dalton age 11
John Dalton age 10
Betsey Dalton age 8
Simon C. Dalton age 6
Copies of pages of the original Tax Book that shows our Dalton family on the tax rolls of Wysox Township. There are separate pages for each year.
These taxes are listed under the heading of:
Real & Personal Property & Occupation;
All the Dalton names are spelled Dolton.
The years listed and what’s is listed are as follows:
Year: 1812.
This page shows across the heading at the top:
Names - Horses, Value - Improved land, value - Unimproved land, value - Homes, value - Oxen, value - Cows, value - Mills, value - Distilleries, value - Occupation, value –
Single freeman, value.
As you can see the people were taxed for their occupation and as well for being single!
Year: 1816.
John Dalton – 1 horse, value, $10
This page shows across the top: (Note that the heading has changed)
Inhabitants– John Dalton
Real & Personal Property & Occupation- 2 acres, unimproved,
1 house, value, $10
Acres- 7, value- $10
Amt.- Blank
Tax - 1.2
Year: 1817
Same heading:
John Dalton – 1 house, value, $10
1 horse, value, $5
1 cow, value, $10
Year: 1818
Same heading:
John Dalton – 1 house, value, $10 – Tax .05
Henry Dalton – Single freeman, value $100
2 oxen, value $30
1 cow, value $11
Amount $141
Tax .70
This is the first time Henry Dalton shows up in the tax records. He is about 21 years old
& single.
Now this is an interesting item about Henry Dalton. He is listed in the Wysox Township
Tax Rolls starting in 1818. Our history tells us he was married to Elizabeth Green about
1818. So he has gotten married after he paid his taxes to Wysox Township.
Year: 1819
Same heading.
John Dalton – 1 cow, value, $11 – Tax .05
Henry Dalton – 2 oxen, value, $$35
1 horse, value, $35
Amount $70
Tax .35
Year: 1820
Same heading.
John Dalton – 4 improvements, 7 acres, valve, $21
56 un-improvements, 1 acre, valve, $56
Amount $77
Tax .39
There is a notation wrote across this line for John Dalton as follows:
“Poor children, Jemima Dalton, 10 years old. Charles & Harriet, 6 years old”.
As you can see our Henry Dalton does not appear on this Tax Roll in 1820.
The explanation is as follows:
Henry Dalton has now moved into Conklin Township, Broome Co. NY. This County is just across the border from Bradford Co. Pennsylvania.
Our Henry Dalton is listed in the 1820 & 1825 Federal Census of Broome Co. NY.
His daughter, Lucy Jane Dalton was born on Oct. 7th, 1822 in Conklin Township.
Source: Susan Dalton Drew & and her son, Thomas Drew Lum.
The next we will find Henry Dalton is back in Wysox Township on the 1826
Tax rolls. Why did Henry Dalton move to New York from about 1819 to 1826,
We don’t know as yet!
Year: 1821
John Dalton – 4 improved, $7 per acre value, $28
56 unimproved, $1 per acre, value, $56
Amount, $84
Tax, 0
Notation wrote across the line of John Dalton as follows: “Deduct the whole”
Year: 1822
John Dalton - Line blank, except for this notation: “Order him out of town”
What do you make of this, did he get in some kind of trouble with the Wysox officials.
Maybe for not paying his taxes? I have seen this in other records of other surnames. Notice that he does not show up on the Wysox tax rolls again until 1825, but his son John Jr. is listed in the tax rolls for the year 1823. Did John Jr. now take over ownership of “Dalton Hollow” after 1822. Strange! Maybe someday we can find out.
Year: 1823
This is the first time John Jr. shows upon the tax records. He is 23 years old.
John Dalton Jr. – 1 cow, value $11
Tax .06
Notice that there is no John Dalton Sr. in this year.
Year: 1824
John Dalton Jr. – Line blank.
Also there is no John Dalton Sr. in this year.
Year: 1825
John Dalton – Line blank except for the notation: “See Joesph Atwood”
John Dalton Sr. is once again named on the tax roll.
Is our John Dalton Sr. working for this man? Is that where he has been for 3 years?
Just my speculation. This must be our John Dalton Sr. why? Because in all the other pages in this record, John Dalton Jr. has Jr. behind his name and they both are listed in the same year!
Year: 1826
John Dalton Jr. – 15 acres, improvements, value, $75
85 acres, un-improvements, value, $85
1 house, value, $10
2 oxen, value, $30
2 cows, value, $20
Tax, (Blank)
Henry Dalton – 2 cows, value, $24.
Tax, (Blank)
This is the year, 1826, that Henry Dalton is back in Wysox.
Year: 1828
John Dalton – Blacksmith, value $20.
1 cow, value, $10
Tax, (Blank)
Henry Dalton – 3 oxen, value, $40
1 cow, value, $10
Tax, (Blank)
Simon Dalton – This is the first year that Simon shows up on the tax records.
1 cow, value, $10
Tax, (Blank)
John Dalton Jr. – 15 acres, improvements, value, $75
85 acres, un-improvements, value, $85
1 house, value, $10
3 oxen, value, $40
1 cow, value, $10
Tax, (Blank)
Year: 1829
John Dalton Jr. – 40 acres, improvements, Value, $200
80 acres, un-improvements, value, $90
½ saw mill, value, $100
3 oxen, value, $50
1 cow, value, $9
Tax, (Blank)
Henry Dalton – 3 oxen, value, $45
1 cow, value, $12
Tax, (Blank)
Simon Dalton – 1 cow, value, $12
Tax, (Blank)
John Dalton – 1 cow, value, $12
Tax, (Blank)
This tax record of the year 1835 is from another record I received earlier from the Bradford County Courthouse.
1835 Tax Assessment of Wysox township: Listed under Taxable Names:
Year: 1835
Betsey Dalton – 2 cows, valve, $18. (This Betsey may be John Sr. wife or could be the widow of Henry Dalton who drowned in 1833)
John Dalton Jr. – ½ saw mill, value $35
Charles Dalton – ½ saw mill, value, $35
From viewing these tax records over the years the Dalton family lived in Wysox, John Dalton Sr. was a poor man and his son John Jr. was the one who prospered the most.
But I’m sure that all the John Dalton family was in fact living on the same large piece of ground that was given to him as a grant by the government for his service in the Rev. War, or so our Dalton legend tells us.
Source: The Bradford County Courthouse Tax Assessments of 1812 & 1835.
Note: I have a copy of these documents in my possession. (RD)
Early marriages, Justices and Ministers in Bradford County:
Records from 1812 to 1820.
"November 15 1812, in Sheshequin, by Justice Samuel Gore, Stephen Merrithew and Peggy Dalton, both of Claverack".
Note: The name, by which Wysox was known under the Connecticut title, was Claverack.
Claverack was one of the "original seventeen townships" of the Susquehanna Company, which came into existence as follows: "Rumors of the wondrous beauty and fertility of the Susquehanna valley were in circulation. A few prominent men of Connecticut, wishing to know more of the country, sent a party to explore this region. They were charmed with Wyoming. Its broad plains, its rich soil and beautiful situation made it a paradise beside the sterile, rockbound New England, and so favorable a report did they make that an association, styled the Susquehanna Company was formed July 8, 1753, for the purpose of securing the purchase and effecting a settlement of the Susquehanna lands with the ultimate design of being erected into a separate colony by royal charter." June 20, 1774, permission was given Jeremiah Hogaboom and Solomon Strong by the Susquehanna Company to locate and survey a township five miles square. The said township extending on both sides of the Susquehanna River, in or before 1778, was laid out and given the name, "Claverack." It embraced half of Wysox and the Towanda’s, Lower Sheshequin and a section of Macedonia. The name Claverack long clung to Towanda and the territory within its bounds, and the Claverack lines are still in evidence as landmarks.
The Susquehanna Land Company was formed in Connecticut, July 8, 1753, the object being to purchase and sell lands now in Bradford County.
In 1829, John Dalton's family now included Margaret, Henry, John Jr. Elizabeth, Simon, Jemima, Charles and Harriet and all but Sarah were still living in Wysox. Sarah had died in 1813.
Sarah was probably buried somewhere on the Dalton farm, but also could be buried at the Church Cemetery. This cemetery is located behind the Wysox Presbyterian Church. The first burials in Wysox were made on the slope toward the river. According to the Memorial Paper, written by Edward E. Hoagland for the Centennial of 1928. "When the railroad was put through this valley in 1869, it became necessary to remove the cemetery that was near Dr. Madill's, and many of the families who had ancestors buried there had them removed to the cemetery back of the church. There were few costly markers in those days, and most of the graves were marked by a stone of local origin that was not hard enough to withstand the erosion of the elements. Hence, it is to be lamented there is a section of this cemetery where it cannot be determined who is buried there, for there are no inscriptions remaining on the markers.
Our Dalton family is listed on page 054 of the 1830, Wysox, Bradford County Pennsylvania Census:
Other names listed on page 054 are the Dalton’s neighbors; Abner C. Annan; John Atwood; D. M. Bull; George Bulte; Peter Johnson; David H. Orsen; John R. Delony; Harvey Fox; Ebeneazer Fergason; Albert Hawkins; Harvey Pain; Hyram Pain; Phillip Sicker; Adaniyer Warren; Jabob Weckizer; Alvin Whitney and Eliza Whitney; John Vargison, who married our Elizabeth; Moses Vargison, who married our Jemima Dalton; Other names shown in the map of Wysox Township at the end of this chapter are;
W. K. King; P. Clancy; J. E. Piollet; V. E. Piollet; J. D. Allen; J. L. Morgan; G. W. Green; and W. S. Green.
In Rodney Dalton’s FTM database, Willard Green is listed as possibly being Elizabeth Green’s father. Elizabeth Green married our Henry Dalton; Harry Morgan, who officiated at the wedding of our Simon Cooker Dalton and Anna Wakeman.
In the 1812 “Early Taxpayers of Wysox Township” Willard Green and John Dolton are listed. John Dolton occupation is listed as a “Blacksmith”
Lodowick Greene and Willard Green, of Wysox fought in the Rev. War.
Willard Green was a private in the Continental Line, Captain John Franklin’s Co.
Troops at Wyoming in 1780 included, “...Capt. Simon Spauldings Independent Company, being the consolidation of Ransom and Durkee, was stationed at Wilks-barre Fort with Capt. John Paul Schotts Rifle Corps. and a detachment from the German Regiment under the command of Capt. Michael, make about 120 men. Militia consisted of one company under the command of Capt. John Franklin.”
Source: Appointments & Commands of Captain Antoni Selin and his Association with Affiliated Units and Officers during the Revolutionary War.
The Pennsylvania troops in Sullivan's army were under Gen. Hand, including the regiments of Col. Richard Butler, Col. Hubley and Col. Hartley and the German battalion; Capt. Spalding's independent company; Capt. Schott's riflemen; Capt. John Franklin's county militia, and several sharpshooters in Morgan's rifle corps. Lieut. John Jenkins was the chief guide of the expedition. The Eleventh [p.129] Pennsylvania and Capt. Spalding's company constituted the advance force that marched by land.
Note in the text that a Captain John Franklin is mentioned. This is the Capt. John Franklin's Militia that Willard Greene belonged to. Since he was also camped at Wyoming and fought in the battles that took place during the Sullivan invasion of the Indians wars to the north in New York, there is no reason not to believe he camped in The Wysox area, the same as our John Dalton Sr. Just maybe they knew each other?
So history tells us that both John Dalton Sr. and Willard Greene ended up in the same town of Wysox as the 1810 “Tax Records of Wysox Township” shows.
Below is some information about our Dalton family involvement in this Presbyterian Church.
Most of the Dalton family, including their sons and daughter-in- laws joined the First Presbyterian Church of Wysox. This Church was first organized on Nov. 29th, 1827 by those members of the Presbyterian Church of Wysox who preferred the Presbyterian form of government. The church only existed until Sept. 29th 1830 when it united with the Congregational Church, which in the meantime had adopted the Presbyterian format of government, so that the two Presbyterian Church’s become one under the name of the "Old Presbyterian Church of Wysox". The Church leaders decided they needed a bigger Church building, so they asked their members to "subscribe" to the building fund. Church records show:
Those members who subscribed amounts under the first column heading for the "Old Presbyterian Church" in 1831 is as follows:
John Dalton Jr. $25
Simon Cooker Dolton $10
Moses Varguson $10 (husband of Jemima Dalton)
Charles V Dalton $10 (the v in the name is not known)
Lloyd Merithew $10 (Family member of Stephen Potter Merithew, husband
of Margaret Dalton)
John Varguson $10 (Husband of Elizabeth Dalton)
Stephen Cranmer $10 (Family member of Rebecca Cranmer, wife of John Dalton Jr.)
The second column shows the names of members who agreed to transfer, and who paid supplementary subscriptions:
John Dalton
Henry Dalton, a "Methodist" who paid $10
Anna Dalton, the wife of Simon C. Dalton joined the church in 1831. On April 14th, 1831, John and Betsy Varguson joined. Charles Wakeman, George Simon and Sarah Elizabeth Dalton, children of Simon C. Dalton joined on Sept. 22nd, 1831. After the joining of the two church's, the reverend John Dorrance served as Minister of the united churches. During the time the new brick church was being completed, the reported membership increased from 83 to 139.
Source: The History of the Presbyterian Church of Wysox Pennsylvania 1791-1938; by Victor Charles Detty (974.857)
The 1830 Census of Wysox Township of Bradford County Pennsylvania Shows:
Heads of household:
Henry Dalton
John Dalton Jr.
Simon C. Dolton
John Dalton Sr.
In April of 1833, a tragedy over took the Dalton Family. One of John Dalton's son's, Henry Dalton drown attempting to cross Wysox Creek near its confluence with the Susquehanna River during the spring high water season. It would be several more years before the Dalton clan would understand that the Susquehanna River would forge their destiny. Looking back and knowing the fate of these men, one wonders whether they had already heard the rumors, or read the gossip, or had any inkling of the gospel storm swirling around them. Would John Dalton accept the gospel restored to earth when Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery baptized each other in the Susquehanna River, some 50-60 miles from their home on May 15 1829. After the organization of the L.D.S. church in 1830, one of the first branches was in Columbia, Bradford Co. Pennsylvania, which is less than 45 miles from the Wysox area.
Sometime after Oct. 7, 1835, the Dalton clan, sold out, packed up and moved to Michigan. I believe they had buried John Sr. somewhere in Wysox before they left. This large caravan would have almost 50 people in it, with wagons, stock, household goods and provisions. This trip would be made in the fall, probably the middle of October and must have caused great hardship to all.
For John Jr., Simon Cooker and Charles Dalton and their families this journey would be good training for the trek they would take in the yet unforeseeable future. After settling in Michigan and Wisconsin our Dalton Family joins the LDS Church and then prepares themselves for the long trip to Zion. (See the Michigan period of the Dalton Family in the next history)
Note the above date of Oct. 7, 1835. This date is taken from an original copy of a bill of sale or Indenture signed by John Dalton Jr. and Simon Cooker Dalton who together owned a large plat of land. They sold this land for $400, which was a great amount of money in those days. The buyer listed on the Indenture is, Zenaz Thomas from Towanda Township. John Dalton was 72 years old at this time and he must have been living with one of these sons, or was he?
As i said above I do believe that with all the above records and documents of our Dalton family in Wysox, John Dalton Sr. probably had died before his family moved to Michigan in 1835.
Why did they all move? I read somewhere that the timber in Bradford Co. was running out, and more and more people was moving in. There were massive virgin forests in Michigan and our Dalton’s were in the milling business at the time they left Wysox, so it seems reasonably that they wanted to start over.
There are various records found that not all of the Dalton family moved to Michigan in 1835 of note:
Harriet Dalton Varguson and her husband, Hiram may have left the area before 1830.
Elizabeth Dalton Varguson and her husband, John had a daughter baptized at the Wysox Church on Sept. 17 1836. They were in Michigan in 1838 when their son, John was born.
Betsey Green Dalton (widow of Henry Dalton) journeyed west with her son after she sold her farm in 1837.
Let us now read what our cousin Leslie Crunk has written about this Dalton family:
Please read the book of the descendants of John Luther Dalton Sr. and Amy Edgley 1843-2000 by Leslie Dalton Crunk. First edition - Nov. 1998. Second edition - Sept 2000. Leslie’s book is wonderfully written and tells the story of our Dalton family as a group in Bradford County Pennsylvania and on into Michigan, Wisconsin, Nauvoo and Utah. She writes about our Dalton family in Nauvoo and has many pictures and maps of the LDS people during this Nauvoo Period.
Here are some excerpts from Leslie's book:
“Whenever the entire clan finally arrived in the "west," they soon began to span out across the northern territory of the United States. Elizabeth Cooker-Dalton, widow/matriarch, is found living with her son, Simon Cooker Dalton on an 1840 Grass Lake, Jackson County, Michigan, census. By 1850, Betsy Cooker-Dalton is living with her daughter, Harriet Dalton-Varguson, in Wheatland, Kenosha, Wisconsin. According to that census, Betsy is 83 years old; according to Dalton family records she should be 90 years old.
Margaret Dalton-Merithew and family settled in Washtenaw County, Michigan, which is where she and her husband Stephan both died in 1875 and 1854, respectively.
John Dalton Jr. may have settled in Washtenaw County for a couple of years, but in the early half of 1838 he and his family moved to Walworth County, Wisconsin. John's younger brother, "our" Charles, went with him to Wisconsin.
Elizabeth Green-Dalton's eldest son, John Green Dalton either preceded, followed or joined John and Charles on this move to Wisconsin. As for Elizabeth Greene-Dalton, she eventually settled in Bloomfield, Wisconsin and then Howard County, Iowa, where she died on October 10th 1875.
Elizabeth Dalton-Varguson and her husband John settled in Napoleon, Jackson County, Michigan about 1837/38. By 1846 they had moved to Wisconsin and by 1850 had resettled in Washington, Buchanan County Iowa. The 1860 and 1870 census show them in Iowa. Elizabeth died on January 28 1892 in Hazelton Co. Iowa.
Jemima Dalton-Varguson and her husband Moses were also settled in Napoleon, Jackson County Michigan in 1840. By 1844 they moved to Wisconsin and are found in the 1850 census of Wheatland, Kenosha County. Jemima died in 1904.
At the ripe old age of 29 or 30, "our" Charles Dalton is still single. He appears to have
forgotten all about "us" waiting up there in heaven for "our turn or earth" It also appears
he moved westward along with his brother John Dalton (Jr.) in early 1838. The 1840 Walworth County, Wisconsin, census verifies John Dalton (Jr.) residency in that county and also indicates one male living in this household who is in Charles' age bracket (20-30). Other evidence will substantiate this as fact as his story unfolds.
I don't know where Harriet Dalton-Varguson and her family are in the 1830 / 1840 census. But they were settled in Wisconsin by 1845 and are found in Wheatland, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, on the 1850 census. Harriet's mother Elizabeth (Betsy) Cooker-Dalton is living with them at that time. Harriet and Hirum are found in Superior and Hazelton, Buchanan County, Iowa in 1860 and 1870, respectively. Harriet died in Iowa on August 23, 1896. Her mother, Betsy Cooker-Dalton died in about 1860, some records claim 1862/63; but it is believed that she at least reached the century mark.
"Our" Charles, along with his brother John Dalton (Jr.) and family are now living in Walworth County, Wisconsin. Their nephew John Greene Dalton (the oldest son of Henry who drowned) also lives in Walworth County at this time. One would imagine that Henry Simon Dalton (the second son of the drowned Henry) who was being raised by his Uncle John and Aunt Rebecca Dalton, was delighted that he had his older brother nearby.
It is important to note that John Dalton Jr. also had a son named Henry. John's Henry seems to have taken the nickname "Harry" to distinguish himself from his older cousin Henry Simon Dalton. Actually, the boys were less than a year apart in age. John Dalton Jr. purchased land in Walworth County in 1839." The soil was virgin and the roads mere Indian paths. John, Rebecca and their seven children had to cut and saw logs for a new home, till unbroken soil for planting, dig a new well, build another outhouse and put up new fencing - simply put- scratch out a new life for themselves and their children in this unsettled frontier. It appears that the Lord was going to prepare Grandpa Charles and Uncle John for a life still 1400 miles to the west one way or another.
It was probably about the same time the brothers were breaking ground for the spring crops that they were first approached about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. How Charles and John came in contact with Elders Aaron and Moses Smith is a tale I am anxious to hear. Suffice it to say, when the two brothers heard the "good news" of the restored gospel they embraced it wholeheartedly. Charles was the first to be baptized on June 3, 1838, by Aaron Smith in Walworth County, Wisconsin." John (Jr.) was baptized on July 15,1838 by Moses Smith. It is presumed that all members of John's family were baptized at this same time. Henry Simon Dalton, second son of Henry who drowned, whom John Jr. was raising, joined the church in May 1843 in Nauvoo.
Whether John Greene Dalton who was living in Walworth County at this time joined the Mormon Church is not known (but he bought the land his uncle John owned) John Greene Dalton did get married in Walworth County to Minerva J. Parmenion on December 12, 1842, however, according to family records, John Greene Dalton died in July of 1845.
How close John Jr. and Charles lived to other church members is unknown, so it was fortunate they had each other to discuss their new faith with. They could read the Book of Mormon together and discover its fascinating truths. Like all new converts, they must have been anxious to share the gospel with their mother and siblings. Letters must have been flying across the miles between them. Walworth County at this time was new territory with relatively few inhabitants, so it is interesting to note that the surnames of well-known Mormon authorities (Pratt, Rockwell and Cowdery) are found in the county at the same time the Dalton’s lived there.
Charles was ordained an elder in the Church on October 13, 1839, by Ed. D. Woolley.
In 1840 Charles was living with his brother in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
He was still single. Whether he decided to move back to Michigan or was called on a mission, we have not been able to determine.”
John Dalton Sr. was not to know that his sons were to be greatly involved in the settling of the Great State of Utah.
Sources:
Compiled from the files and records of Arthur Whittaker, Leslie Crunk and Rod Dalton of the Dalton Family Research Group and other interested parties.
From many hours of searching through the records at the LDS FHL in SLC Utah
From hundreds of hours searching the Internet Web.
From documents sent to Author by paid researchers in Bradford Co. Pennsylvania.
"History of the Presbyterian Church of Wysox, Pennsylvania 1791-1938, by: Victor C. Detty.
The “John Dalton Book of Genealogy”, by Mark A. Dalton.
- Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 14 2017, 21:42:39 UTC
GEDCOM Source
@R750458292@ Family Data Collection - Individual Records Edmund West, comp. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Birth year: 1763; Birth city: Connaco Chigue; Birth state: VA 1,4725::636551
GEDCOM Source
@R750458292@ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60525::118493668
GEDCOM Source
@R750458292@ 1810 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Third Census of the United States, 1810. (NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls). Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Nationa Year: 1810; Census Place: Wyasox, Luzerne, Pennsylvania; Roll: 49; Page: 704; Image: 00169; Family History Library Film: 0193675 1,7613::449873
GEDCOM Source
@R750458292@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Ancestry Family Trees http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=25569441&pid...
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John Dalton's Timeline
| 1763 |
January 2, 1763
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Conococheaque, Frederick County, Maryland
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| 1794 |
November 7, 1794
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Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States
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|
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November 9, 1794
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Pennsylvania, United States
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||
| 1799 |
1799
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Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
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|
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1799
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Luzerne, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States
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| 1800 |
1800
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Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States
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| 1801 |
July 10, 1801
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Wyoming, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
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| 1803 |
August 15, 1803
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Wyoming, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States
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| 1804 |
August 15, 1804
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Wyoming, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
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