John (Houghton) Dalton

• A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great ..., Volume 1 By John Burke
• https://books.google.com/books?id=U_CvyAF3ko4C&pg=PA523&lpg=PA523&d...
• https://archive.org/details/genealogicalheral01burk
• https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalheral01burk#page/523/mode/1up
• DALTON, OF THURNHAM.
• .... etc.
• Lineage.
• SIR JOHN DALTON, knt. son of Sir Robert de Dalton living in the reign of EDWARD III. died in 1369, seised of the manors of Bispham, Dalton Hall, and other lands in the county of Lancaster. He was direct ancestor of
• ROBERT DALTON, esq. of Bispham and Pilling, who acquired by purchase, in 1556, the manor and estate of THURNHAM. This gentleman d. s. p. in 1580, and was s. by (the son of his younger brother, Thomas Dalton, by Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, knt. of Sefton,) his nephew,
• ROBERT DALTON, esq. of Thurnham, who d. in 1626, and was s. by his only son,
• THOMAS DALTON, esq. of Thurnham. This gentleman, a most enterprising, gallant, and intrepid cavalier, on the breaking out of the civil wars raised, at his own expense, a regiment of horse, to support the cause of royalty ; to which he ever remained most faithfully attached. After rendering many very essential services to his ill-fated sovereign, he was at length so desperately wounded at the second battle of Newbury as to survive but for a very short period that unhappy conflict. He was s. by his son.
• ROBERT DALTON, esq. of Thurnham, who made some additions to the family mansion. He wedded Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Thomas Horner, esq. of Middleham, in Yorkshire, and had two daughters, his co-heirs, viz.
  • ELIZABETH,
  • Dorothy, who inherited the manor of Caton and Aldcliffe, in Lancashire.
• The elder daughter,
• ELIZABETH DALTON, succeeded to the estates of Thurnham, Cockersaund, &c in the county of Lancaster. She espoused WILLIAM HOGHTON, esq. of Park Hall, in the same shire, and was s. at her decease in 1710, by her eldest son,
• JOHN HOUGHTON, esq. who on inheriting Thurnham and other estates of the family of DALTON, assumed that surname. He wedded Frances, daughter of Sir piers Mostyn, bart. of Talacre, in the county of Flint, and was s. at his decease by his son,
• ROBERT DALTON, esq. of Thurnham, father of the present proprietor, JOHN DALTON, esq.
• .... etc. ______________________

The following was taken from Mrs. Frances Edith Dalton Leanings book.

Edited and added to by Rodney Dalton.

The Jacobite uprising of 1715:

On November 7th, 1715 the Jacobite forces marched into Lancaster with colors flying, drums beating and bagpipes playing. They were joined by five of the neighboring gentry, all of whom were Catholics and two townsmen. These gentlemen were, Albert Hodshom of Leighton, John Dalton of Thurnham Hall, John Tyldesley of Myerslough Lodge, Henry Butler of Rawcliffe and Thomas Walton of Cartmel.

This group met the next day, Tuesday, Nov. 8th, and a service was held in the parish

Church, to which an abundance of persons come. The next morning this force left for Preston, where they were joined by a great many gentleman, with their servants and attendants, all Papists.

The defeat at Preston:

The story of the defeat of the Papists is well known today. The king’s men were near at hand and the Jacobites were asked to surrender, which, they did without much fan fare,

On Nov. 14th the English Regiments marched in and took a large number of prisoners,

Including John Dalton of Thurnham Hall. Some of the prisoners were locked up in the Preston Church and for about a month the town’s people had to feed them. In the course

of 1715 and as long as 9 months afterwards, executions took place on Gallows Hill, north

of town. Luckily John Dalton was not one of them.

John Dalton was one of 400 prisoners brought to Lancaster Castle and church registers

records a number of deaths along the way. John Dalton was lucky again, for he was one of the “sixty-two most considerable” who were reserved to be carried to London as trophies. This group of prisoners reached London on Dec. 9th, 1715. The trial of John Dalton (read below) took place at the Court of the Admiralty in the Marshalsea before Lord Justice Parker. The evidence against John Dalton being positive as to the facts, the jury after a considerable stay, found him guilty.

How long John Dalton served in prison is not known, but it is known that he was eventually released. Tradition has it he walked the whole way home to Thurnham Hall, a

distance of approximately 230 miles. Naturally John Dalton’s family suffered all the while he was gone from Thurnham Hall, as his estate was forfeited to the King. The family had leased his lands to a favorite friend and when he returned he somehow gained control again.

Another source of this Jacobite Rebellion is as follows;

The Battle of Preston (9 November–14 November 1715), also referred to as the Preston Fight, was fought during the Jacobite Rising of 1715. (

The Jacobites moved south into England with little opposition, and by the time they reached Preston in Lancashire had grown to about 4,000 in number. Their horse troops entered Preston on the night of 9 November 1715, and as they approached two troops of dragoons and part of a militia regiment retreated to Wigan.

General Wills was ordered to halt their advance, and left Manchester on the 11th November with six regiments, arriving on the 12th. The Jacobite leader Thomas Forster, a Northumberland squire, had intended to move on that day, but learning of Wills' approach decided to stay and unfortunately withdrew troops from a strong defensive position at Ribble bridge, half a mile (1 km) outside Preston.

The Jacobites had barricaded the principal streets and Wills ordered an immediate attack which met with fire from the barricades and houses, resulting in the government attack being repulsed with heavy losses. Wills had houses set on fire with the aim of fires spreading along to the Jacobite positions, and the Jacobites tried to do the same to houses taken as government positions. At night Wills' order to light government held positions for identification helped Jacobite snipers, then overnight many Jacobites left the town.

On the morning of Sunday 13th November more government forces arrived and, finding that the town was insufficiently invested, Wills stationed troops to prevent the besieged Jacobite army from escaping. The Jacobites had also suffered losses in the fighting as well as losing defectors overnight, and though the Highlanders' full intention was to fight on and take the attack to the enemy, Forster agreed to his Colonel Oxburgh's offer to open negotiations with Wills for capitulation on favourable terms. This was done without informing the Highlanders, but Wills refused to treat with rebels. When the Highlanders learnt of this that night they were infuriated and paraded the streets threatening any Jacobites who might even allude to a surrender, and killing or wounding several people.

At 07:00 on Monday 14th November Forster offered unconditional surrender which was turned down unless it applied to the Highlanders, then returned with confirmation that the Scots noblemen would surrender on the same terms. When the government forces entered the town the Highlanders were drawn up under arms in the market-place ready to surrender.

1,468 Jacobites were taken prisoner, 463 of them English. George Seton, 5th Earl of Wintoun, William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale and James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater were among those captured and sentenced to be executed for treason under an act of attainder. Seton and Maxwell escaped from the Tower of London.

Another source states: "They were defeated at the Battle of Preston and many clansmen were transportated to the Americas". 17 Jacobites were killed and 25 wounded, and around 200 royalist troops killed or wounded.

LANCASHIRE IN THE JACOBITE REBELLION OF 1715:

THE WHOLE TRIAL AND EXAMINATION OF JOHN DALTON, ESQUIRE - AT THE MARSHIALEA IN LONDON ON WEDNESDAY THE 30TH OF MAY, l716.

AGAINST this Gentleman it was deposed, that he met the rebels at Lancaster, and was there seen with the Earl of Derwentwater, the Lord Widdrington and others; and that the said Earl, with a number of other rebels, came to Mr. Dalton's house on Tuesday, where they staid all day, and that he went away with them. One evidence said, in particular, that he saw him at Lancaster on the Monday, in the company before mentioned, and again on the Wednesday morning, when she heard him say, The business is now done, we have nothing to do but to march to Preston. Another said, that they heard on the Sunday, that the rebels were to be at Lancaster the next day, when it was clear, even by his own evidence, that the next morning he rode out but with one servant, and went to Lancaster, as the evidence had sworn, which was not at all disputed. He was likewise proved by several to have been with the rebels at Preston, particularly the hostler at the White-Bull-Inn, where he usually set up his horses when he came to that town, who said he ran to him to have taken his horses; but he told the said evidence, that he was going further. Another remarkable passage of his being (and confederating) with the rebels, was proved by the servant of one Chorley of Preston. This Chorley had some time before seized a horse of the prisoners, by virtue of the Act of Parliament, which directs, that no Papist shall keep horses of such a size; and when the rebels were Masters of Preston, Mr. Dalton came to the witness Chorley's man, and demanded the horse; the witness answering him, that his master was not at home (he being gone away with the Dragoons towards Wiggan, on the approach of the rebels, who he was in dread of) he then told the servant, that he would have the horse; who called out his master's sister to speak to the prisoner, whom with threats he obliged to deliver the horse; but the prisoner not thinking him so good as when he was seized, said they had spoiled the horse, and compelled her to pay him 10p for him, which she did. This was observed by the Court and King's Council, to shew the prisoner acted with alacrity in the rebellion, for the horse had been seized by law; but he had made use of violence and unlawful means to obtain him again, and made his demands good only by the advantage of the power of the rebels. The truth of his being at Preston, and constantly there in the company of the rebels, was confirmed by many other witnesses.

His council pleaded for him, that he was forced into rebellion, and called evidence to endeavor to prove it. One swore that the Earl of Derwentwater and others, came to his house on the Tuesday, and there lived at discretion, and. called for, and took whatever the house afforded. That they were got about the Prisoner, persuading him to go with them, and threatened him with death, and took away his arms; but he refused to go, and said, he had no inclination, and that he heard them at high words, but could not distinguish what was said. That afterwards the prisoner was brought out, and put on horseback, and went away with' them, but shew’d reluctance. He was likewise met at some distance from his house riding among the said company of rebels. By another witness, who said, he seemed to go unwillingly, that he looked melancholy, and he could perceive tears in his eyes, and his eyes to look red, but this witness could not but say, that he rode as at other times ; and it was pretty extraordinary, as was after observed by the Court, that this witness, at the distance of a street breadth, should see the tears in the prisoner's eyes; or indeed it might be very probable, that at parting with his wife, and going on such a dangerous affair, it might occasion some melancholy reflections.

He called several to his character, one of which was the Parson of the Parish Mr. Dalton lived in, who said, that some time before the rebellion, he was at a wedding with Mr. Dalton, who then read him a letter from London, which said, that they expected a rising in Scotland under the Earl of Mar, and that there would be other risings’ in England; that he told the prisoner, he hoped he would not meddle in the matter; who answered him, that he had neither intention nor inclination to do it; that he lived very happily, and would not endanger himself. This evidence declared farther, that he has at several other times had discourse with the prisoner, whom he never heard to express himself against the government, and so far unlikely to favor the pretender's cause, that he had sometimes expressed some scruples against the Roman Religion: Upon which occasion, he was asked by the Court, why he, being a Minister of the Church of England, did not endeavor to improve those notions in him, in order to convert him; who answered, that he had made some essay that way, but then found him altered in his judgment. Upon the whole, he gave him the character of a very peaceable Roman Catholic, as several others did, and one said, that he had heard him drink to King George's health; One in another particular, deposed, that when they heard of the rebellion in Northumberland, he said to the prisoner, perhaps they'll come into Lancashire, and then they'll be about your house; that the prisoner answered, he would have nothing to do with them: This, and other witnesses said, that he was the most peaceable of all the Roman Catholics, and never, at the time of elections, meddled in the least, as some did. One of the members for that County justified this, declaring, that asking his interest once, he told him, he would meddle of no side.

After a very long hearing. Mr. Dalton having nothing farther to say, the Court summed up the evidence, observing first the circumstances of law in cases of High-Treason: That if a man was seen among rebels, and continued with his presence to abet and comfort them, tho' he were not actually in arms, or committed hostilities, yet it was High-Treason; That the force mentioned, must be a continued force; that a man was not only forced away at first, but kept as a prisoner under close constraint all the time; which appeared by some witnesses examined, not to have been the case of the prisoner at Preston, where he was seen at full liberty, and whence he might have escaped often, if be had attempted it.

As to any favorable circumstances that might have been given in for the prisoner, as to his character or peaceable behavior, they were proper only in another place: That mercy belonged only to his Majesty, who was a just dispenser of it, it was his undoubted prerogative, and was robbing him of his right, to take the power of bestowing it out of his Royal Hands.

After the Court had impartially stated the case, the prisoner said, he had a witness to examine, who would prove, that he was at home all Wednesday, and not that day at Lancaster, as one of the evidence against him had sworn. He was told, That it was very unprecedented to hear witnesses after the charge had been given; but however they condescended to it, and his evidence, who was one Mrs. Dalton's woman, swore him at home all the day on Wednesday; so that it was left to the jury which witness they should believe, in respect to that point; but then neither of them affected his being afterwards at Preston, The jury went out, and after a very considerable stay, brought him in guilty of the indictment, and he received sentence accordingly.

When he was asked what he had to say, why sentence should not pass, he said, he begged the King's pardon, and desired the Court to intercede with him for mercy. Upon this occasion the Lord Chief Justice Parker observed, as he had done before, that the prisoner, as well as others, had so far abused his Majesty's clemency, by derogating from their former submission, and giving the Government all the trouble possible, even in standing it out and combating with the King to the very last, that they might very well expect to meet with some severity, were not his Royal Breast always open to the intercessions of mercy, when it has been requested: That there was one gentleman, who had retracted his plea, and owned the indictment, and upon recommendation, had a pardon already passing the seals for him : That it would have been very well for the prisoner to have made his request sooner, and, as his Lordship observed, they were not his friends who advised him to do otherwise; That recommending of prisoners to mercy was a part he much delighted in, and he wished to have had better grounds to have done it for the prisoner; but however, he would report his case in the most impartial manner to the King.

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• 'Dalton01'
• Sir Richard Dalton of Bypsam, Lancashire
  • 1. Sir Robert Dalton
  • m. _Latham (dau of Sir Thomas Latham)
    • A. Sir John Dalton
    • m. _ Hussey (dau of Sir Henry Hussey)
      • i. Sir John Dalton
      • m. _ Pilkington (dau of Sir Richard Pylkyngton)
        • a. .... etc.
        • b. Robert Dalton of Bispayne
        • m. Margaret
          • (1) Richard Dalton of Croston
          • m. _ Fleming (dau of Sir William Fleming of Wath, Yorkshire)
            • (A) Roger Dalton of Dalton Hall
            • m1. _ Ratclyff (dau of Sir John Ratclyff of Lancashire)
              • (i) William Dalton of Bispam
              • m1. Margaret Terboke (dau of Sir William Terboke of Terboke Hall)
                • (a) .... etc.
              • m2. Jane (natural daughter of Sir John Towneley of Lancashire)
                • (m) .... etc.
                • (n) Thomas Dalton
                • m. Anne Molyneux (dau of Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton)
                  • ((1)) Robert Dalton of Thurnham (d 1626)
                  • This is probably the Robert who married Elizabeth Hulton.
                    • ((A)) Thomas Dalton of Thurnham (d after Newbury 1643)
                      • ((i)) Robert Dalton of Thurnham
                      • m. Elizabeth Horner (dau of Thomas Horner of Middleham)
                        • ((a)) Elizabeth Dalton of Thurnham (d 1710)
                        • m. William Hoghton of Park Hall
                        • Their eldest son inherited Thurnham and took the name Dalton.
                        • ((b)) .... etc.
• Main source(s): Visitation (Yorkshire, 1563-4, Dalton), Commoners (vol i, Dalton of Thurnham)
• From: Stirnet.com
• http://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/dd/dalton01.php _________________