- CHAPTER 2 -

 

The DALTON FAMILY IN IRELAND:

 

Present day map of Ireland – Meath & West Meath were the main Dalton lands

 

There has been an ongoing search for our Dalton line in Ireland for many years. Many Dalton's in America have their roots in Ireland, including the famous Dalton Gang in Missouri. This search is a work in progress and further information will be published in the future as we research the many records available. There is a pedigree chart at the end of this chapter that I have put together with a few sources I found by searching the Internet and by going to the LDS FHL in SLC. There are a few books in the Irish section that lists some of our Dalton names. Also remember the name of Walter de Dalton is pure “Legend” or speculation if you will. Hundreds of researchers have been trying to connect this name to their pedigrees in Ireland, including the, “Alton” family to no success.

But as you read in the many early sources listed below, you can tell that the Dalton's of

Ireland was from Normandy, but probably not of Norman origins.

 

Be aware that the pedigrees in this chapter are only my opinion and more research is needed to verify the correct lines.

 

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sunshine warm upon your face

May the rains fall soft upon your fields

And when we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of his hand

 

- Irish blessing -

 

This is the story of Sir Walter de D'Aliton, thought to be one of the Marcher Lords of Wales. Dalton researchers tells us he was with the Earl of Strongbow when he invaded Ireland. It is also believed that the Sir Philip de D’Aliton, Knight, was a son of Walter de D'Aliton.

 

There are other sources in the below data that will tell us about how they think the Irish Dalton line started. These sources are probably where our own Dalton researchers have always quoted as “Dalton Family tradition” Also be aware that there is a few duplications of the story of Sir Walter de D’Aliton and how he came to Ireland.

 

I have highlighted the Dalton name in some of the longer articles.

 

Just where did the first story of Sir Walter come from? Probably from the archives of the Heralds office in Ireland.

 

John O’Hart gives a detail account of the Anglo-Norman invasions of Ireland, starting from 1169 and naming several Knights. In 1171, Henry II went to Ireland attended by Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, Hugh de Lacy, Humphrey de Boham and other Lords and Barons, including D’Aliton and D’Isney. The de Lacys had come over to England from Normandy with William the Conqueror and was Lords of Lincoln. According to Dan Dowling, so had the D’Alitons and according to a member of the Disney family, the Disneys also. Under a early “grant of dignity” as a Baron from Hugh de Lacy, Dalton and his descendants adopted and still retain the fleur de lis on their armorials, as in the right of the daughter of King Louis. Edward Lysagh, formerly chief Herald of Ireland, describes the coat of arms as “azure, a lion rampard, guardant, argant, charged on the shoulder with a cresent sable, between five fleur de lis. This moon indicates the second son of a family.

 

Source: Irish Pedigrees - The Origin of the Irish Nation, by John O’Hart.

 

The English Invasion:

 

King Henry II invaded Ireland in October 1171. His huge army of 500 knights and 4000 horsemen, foot soldiers and archers arrived in Waterford.

 

He received approval from the newly elected English Pope, Nicholas Breakspeare, Adrian the Fourth, on the grounds that morals in Ireland had become corrupt, and religion almost extinct, and his purpose was to bring the barbarous nation within the fold of the faith and under church discipline. But if we supposed Ireland to be irreligious then,

 

strange indeed would be the choice of an apostle in Henry, a man of vicious life, a supporter of anti-Popes, and reasonably suspected of, and all but excommunicated for, instigating the murder of the holy Thomas a Becket. Those who contend that the Bull was an English fabrication for impressing the irreligious Irish and making easy their conquest point to the fact that the most ancient copies of the document discovered lack both date and signature.

 

Two years earlier In May of 1169, with a small but efficient body of thirty knights in full armour, sixty horsemen in half armour and three hundred archers, Fitz Stephen landed at Bannow, Wexford - and another Knight Maurice de Prendergast with a company of about three hundred. On receiving the news of the landing, MacMurrough raised a body of five hundred from among his Leinster subjects and joined them. And, together they marched against the Danish city of Wexford, which, after repulsing two assaults, capitulated to the strange army with its armoured horses and horsemen and its wonderfully skilled and disciplined army. MacMurrough bestowed the city upon Fitz Stephen and settled near by lands upon de Prendergast and de Mont Maurice.

 

The Ard Righ and princes of the other provinces looked on inactive. Every prince, occupied as usual with his own problems was not much concerned about what did not immediately affect his own territory.

 

Strongbow followed in a few months with two hundred knights and a thousand men and immediately took over the city of Waterford. Then they marched into Meath and Breffni laying waste as they went. Henry hearing of Strongbows successes in Ireland grew jealous and summoned Strongbow and all his subjects to return to England. Eventually Strongbow went and laid his successes before Henry. As a result Henry himself went with five hundred knights and four thousand horse and foot soldiers, and landed at Waterford. Slowly the Irish chiefs submitted. When Henry left, the Irish began to wake up to what they had done and slowly began to rise up against the enemy. Now more familiar with the Norman discipline and equipment the Irish princes set strategy against skill and discovered that the Normans were not omnipotent. O’Brien of Thomond inflicted a big defeat upon them at Thurles. Every Norman chief warred on his own account, for purpose of extending his power and possessions and of course every Irish chief and prince, when opportunity offered, warred against the invader. But such demoralization set in, that in short time not only was Irish chief warring upon Norman baron, but Irish chief was warring with Irish chief, Norman baron warring with Norman baron, and a Norman-Irish alliance would be warring against Normans, or against Irish. Or against another combination of both. The Normans not only marked their progress by much slaughtering and many barbarities, but signalized themselves by robbing and burning churches and monasteries, and oftentimes slaughtering the inmates. They harried, robbed, ravished and destroyed where so ever they went. And against one another, in their own feuds, they oftentimes exercised as much barbarity as against the Irish. Fearfully true is the Four Masters’ word that MacMurrough’s treacherous act "made of Ireland a trembling sod".

Source: http://oldireland.com

 

The following have been the chief families since the English invasion in Kilkenny, King's, and Queen's Counties. In Kilkenny: Butler, Grace, Walsh, Fitzgerald, Roth, Archer, Cantwell, Shortall, Purcell, Power, Morris, Dalton or D'Alton, Stapleton, Wandesford, Lawless, Langrish, Bryan, Ponsonby, etc.

 

The Cistercian monastery of Kilbeggan was styled of the Blessed Virgin Mary de flumine

 

Dei. But the title of the earlier institution, that of St. Beccan, was also retained. Allemand (London 1720, P. 183) appears to be the sole authority for the statement that the Dalton's, barons of Pathconnire, English lords, were the founders.

Source: The Place Names of West Meath DA990 W4 W3 1957

 

According to "A Topographical and Historical Map of Ancient Ireland," compiled by Philip MacDermott, M.D., the following were the names of the principal families in Ireland, of Irish, Anglo-Norman, and Anglo-Irish origin.

 

Dalton, Baron, Meath

Dalton, Waterford

Source: Families in Ireland from the 11th to the end of the 16th Century.

 

In Westmeath the following families were located, together with those already enumerated Dalton, and Delamere obtained large possessions in Westmeath and Annaly. The chief seat of the Daltons was at Mount Dalton, in the barony of Rathconrath, of which they were lords; and some of them were distinguished in the service of foreign states.

Source: The Modern Nobility in Westmearth.

 

The record below was taken from Vol. 11 - No. 1 of "The Journal of the Dalton Genealogical Society.”

 

 

HISTORICAL MEMOIR OF THE FAMILY OF DALTON OF THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND:

 

Reference was made in MMQ 10.16 to a paper about Irish Dalton’s found amongst the possessions of the uncle of DGS member D.S. Dalton of Sheffield. D.S.D. writes that he has no idea if the document is authentic but that it makes interesting if somewhat difficult reading. This is because it is in manuscript form. It in reproduced below to the best of ability and members are invited to comment or better still add any further information that they may have - Ed.

 

The family of De Aliton, Dalton, D'Alton, Daton or Datoon (for so the name is variously written in the ancient Records of the Kingdom of Ireland) is of a Norman descent.

 

The tradition of this family, recorded in the Archives of the Heralds Office in Ireland, is that Sir Walter De Aliton, Knight having privately married Jane, daughter of Louis King of France and they fled to Ireland about the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion to avoid the resentment of the Prince; and joined the new invaders, to whom he had rendered such signal services by his great valour and conduct, that he was soon advanced to considerable employments, and made Governor of the borders of Meath, then the limit of the English conquests, where he acquired Large Estates and extensive possessions in that part of Meath now called the County of Westmeath.

 

 

It is certain that at the time of the first invasion of Ireland by the Anglo-Norman’s under the Earl of Strongbow, he was in the service of King Henry the second both in Normandy

 

and Aquitaine from whence he accompanied his Sovereign into England in the summer of the year 1172, and was one of the 500 Knights who passed with the King into Ireland in the month of October following.

 

Richard de Clare, "Strongbow", 2nd Earl of Pembroke, born 1130, led the Anglo-Norman

invasion of Ireland in the reign of Henry II.

Sir Hugh de Lacy who was likewise one of the said 500 Knights, and on the King's departure from Ireland on Easter Sunday 1173 appointed Governor of Dublin, and Lord Justice of the Kingdom, was empowered to plant with English subjects the Province of Meath, comprehending the two large Counties now called East and Westmeath, and a great part of Annaly, now the County of Longford. He distributed the aforesaid Province in large territories to his Brother Knights and gave them grants thereof.

 

Sir Walter De Aliton as a most valiant Knight was planted on the frontiers of the English conquests in that part of Westmeath called Teffia (part of the territories of the Families of the Foxes and Maegawbys) and made Governor thereof, being deemed the most capable of protecting these quarters from the incursions of the neighboring Irish Chiefs; the O'Farralle, Dynasts of Annaly, and the Macgeoghegans, Dynasts of Hy-Fiacha.

 

Sir Walter De Aliton had by his wife, Jane (who about the latter end of the 12th Century founded the nunnery of Tegh-Jane (the House of Jane) afterwards by corruption called Tegh-sinny for Chanoinosses of the Order of St. Augustine) an only son Sir Philip De Aliton who was also Governor of Westmeath, and from whose three sons, Sir Nicholas De Aliton, Governor of Westmeath, Philip the younger, and John, all the Dalton’s of Ireland are descended, as may be seen in the Genealogical table of the family in the Archives of said Herald's Office.

 

Sir Philip De Aliton, Knight founded in the year 1200 on the borders of his country, the Abbey of Kibbegain, alias De flumine Dei, under the patronage Beata Maria Virginia, for the Cistertian Monks, with an injunction to them to pray for ever for the soul of his father, his own, and those of his descendants, and erected a Monument there as the repository and burial place of the Family. He likewise erected a strong Fortress near Tegh Jane or Tegh-sinny, called to this day Mount Dalton, to protect his country from the incursions of the O'Farrall’s. The Dalton’s were from this period to the time of the reduction of the whole Kingdom on the accession of James Vl of Scotland to the Throne of England and Ireland c. 1602, the most formidable bulwark of the English Pale against the frequent attacks of the outward enemies.

 

The annals of Ireland are replete with their prowess and military achievements in repelling every attempt made by the old Irish against their possessions. The Chiefs of his family were frequently Governors of Westmeath, and constantly styled Lords and Rulers of their people. They were summoned to the early Parliaments held in Ireland as Barons by tenure, and on the division of Meath into two Counties, Meath and Westmeath, by Act of Parliament held in Dublin under Sir Anthony Sentleger, Lord Deputy on the 13th of June 1541 and 33rd year of Henry the Eighth the territory heretofore known by the name of the D'Alton Country was created into a Barony by the style and title of the Barony of Rathconrath.

 

When the Civil War broke out in England and Ireland in 1641, the Dalton’s ever faithful to their King and attached to the ancient religion of their ancestors, to support both joined in a league with the rest of the Roman Catholics of Ireland assembled at Kilkenny, and united their forces with the confederate army; but the Royalists being at length overcome by the Parliamentarians headed by the Usurper Oliver Cromwell, this family shared with fortitude and Christian resignation the calamities of the times, and were attacked and stripped of their respective estates. Their Chief though then a very young minor was condemned for no other crime, than that of his being an Irish Papist. Cromwell granted by warrant the greater part of his Signtories to his Soldiers, as a reward for their services; and gave him letters patent, containing a grant of lands in the wilds of the Province of Conaught; but he remained satisfied with that small part of his hereditary right, which still remains in the possession of his descendants, being preserved by Oliver D'Alton under the capitulation of Limerick in the year 1691, at which time the family raised at their own expense a considerable body of Horse, for the service of King James the Second. The family of Dalton always supported the luster and dignity of their name and origin, not only in the field of Battle and Senate of their Country, but also by the noble alliances.

 

The family of Dalton contracted with the first Houses of the Kingdom, such as the O'Reillys, Dynasts of East Brefny (now the County of Cavan); the O'Rourke Dynasts of West Brefny (now the County of Leitrim); the O'Farrals, Dynasts of Annaly; the Macgeoghegans, Dynasts of Hy-Fiacha; the Macgawbys Dynasts of Cabrigia; and the O'Brains Dynasts of Bregmania. (The three last houses were branches of the Hy-Nials South, and their principalities were situated in that part of Westmeath, anciently called Teffia)

 

Besides these alliances, contracted with the Old Irish Families, the Daltons likewise intermarried with the following illustrious families of the Anglo-Norman descent, viz. The Butlers, Earls, Marquises and Dukes of Ormond etc., the Fitzgeralds, Earls and Marquises of Kildare, and Duke of Leinater etc., the De Burgos, Earls and Marquises of Clanrickard; the Nugents, Barons of Delvin and Earle of Westmeath; the Dillons, Barons of Kilkenny West and Earle of Roscommon; the Wingfields, Viscounts Provenscourt; the De le Poers, Barons of Curraghmore in the County of Waterford; the Polits, Barons of Mullingar; the Tuits, Lords of Tuits Country, otherwise Barons of Moyguis in the County of Westmeath; the Purcells, Barons of Loughmoe; the Tyrells; Whites; Aylmess etc; and more by affinity allied to most of the ancient families of the Kingdom both Milesian and Anglo-Normans descent.

 

A branch of this noble military and knightly family of Daltons settled in the Counties of Kilkenny and Waterford, through an intermarriage with the houses of Ormond and De le Poer, in the latter end of the fourteenth Century; and there became so conspicuous for their valour, that their aid was courted by the Walshs, De le Poere and Grants, three powerful clans of the County of Waterford, to revenge some injuries they received from the Corporation of the City of Waterford. Where upon the said Corporation applied to the Parliament then held at Trim in Meath for redress. And it was enacted by said Parliament, (Henry the VI 1447 Chapter VIII) "That it shall and may be lawful for the Mayor and Citizens of Waterford and their successors to assemble to them what persons they please, and to side with them in manner of War with Banners displayed, against the Do le Poers, Walshs, Grants and Dalton’s etc."

 

This branch of Daltons exists still in both these counties, but forfeited their property in the Civil War of 1641. That part of it known to this day by the name of Kill-an-

 

Daltooning was granted to Ponsonby, created afterwards Earl of Besborough, to which he gave the name of his title; and the rest to other adherents of Cromwell. Another branch of the family settled in the County of Tipperary and Province of Munster, and preserved their Estate to this day. Christopher D'Alton of Grenanstown in the County of Tipperary, Count of the German Empire, Chamberlain and Colonel of the Guards to his Electoral Highness of Saxony, is the present representative of this branch; and by the late death of his elder brother without issue male, enjoys the Signtories of Grenanstown etc. His brother Edward Dalton, Count of the German Empire, is Chamberlain and Major General in his Imperial Majesty's service.

 

The stock of this ancient and illustrious family is at this time represented by Oliver Dalton, of Mount Dalton in the Brony of Rathoonrath, Count of the German Empire, and late Lieutenant of Infantry in his Imperial Majesty's service, but now retired and living on his Estate in the County of Westmeath.

END -

 

The following three articles are by Millicent Craig. Millicent is the America director of the Dalton Genealogy Society. In it she explains the possibility of a man by the name of Walter de D’Alton as starting the Irish branch of our Dalton family.

 

Dalton Irish History:

 

“As far as we have been able to determine, no one has made a definitive study of the English/Irish Dalton relationships. To understand the social structure of the Westmeath Daltons, one has to understand the history and culture from which they came. One set of memoirs which has been published in the Dalton Genealogical Society Journal, suggests that Knight Walter DeAliton (Dalton) took part in the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1173 and was rewarded by King Henry II by being made Governor of the borders of

Meath.

 

The education of the sons and daughters of the elite in Normandy was accomplished through the convent and monastery system of the land. The monasteries also provided the abbots for the monasteries of England and were not only symbols of education, but of wealth and power.

 

When Sir Walter DeAliton (Dalton) went to Meath, one of the first tasks of his family was to establish a convent and monastery, thus laying the groundwork for a social, religious, economic and power structure of his own.

 

This early group of Irish Daltons has been erroneously designated as an Irish clan. They never were. They were few in numbers and were careful to settle their disputes by political prowess. Conversely, the clans were headed by kings and chieftains and settled disputes among the clans by brute force. With typical Norman savoir faire, Dalton's made alliances with the Houses of the Kingdom - O'Reilleys, O'Rourkes, O'Farrals, etc. as well as with the nobles of illustrious families of Anglo-Norman descent - Butlers, Wingfields, De La Poers, Tyrells, etc. As the Dalton's increased in numbers, they took up arms to defend their properties against invaders.

 

The Norman Dalton family from England were also Lords of Rathconrath in County of Merth.

 

Westmeath is a County. Originally it was all one County, Meath, and the Dalton's were governors of it. Then the powers in England divided it into two parts with two governors, the Dalton's were swept into the western section, Westmeath. Most Daltons who had ancestors there always refer to it as Westmeath. It is just west of Dublin.

 

Second article by Millicent Craig:

 

The continuing search for Walter and Jane DeAliton:

Copied from Vol. 4, No. 3, March 2001 issue of the DGS web page.

 

“To try and give credence to the "legend" of Walter and Jane DeAliton, the alleged founders of the Irish Dalton line, your American editor spent time in August at the British Library in London examining manuscripts that might shed some light on this family.

 

We began with tracing the references in a manuscript that was found in the effects of a British gentleman and donated to the Dalton Genealogical Society. It was undated and the author was unknown. However there were a few annotations that seemed worthy of further study.

 

The manuscript states that Philip, son of Walter and Jane, had founded a Cistercian monastery at Kibbegain in Meath in the year 1150 and it was located in County Westmeath. It also stated that his mother, Jane, had founded a convent under the Augustinians. Both references were to be found in the works of Jacob Warrei Monasticon. Sir James Ware was born in Dublin and his father was Councillor General of Ireland. Sir James had collected bits of manuscripts dating from the 5th Century in Ireland and his collections are in the British Library and elsewhere.

 

A search of several pertinent documents of this period revealed no such reference. What did yield information was "Medieval Religious Houses, Ireland" by Aubrey Gwynn and R. Neville Hocock, Longman Group Ltd., London, 1976. This is an impressive compendium and the following is quoted from the reference. However Kilbeggan, rather than Kibbegain is the name given and one wonders whether this is the same monastery.

 

"Kilbeggan (Benedictio Dei). Ware and others have mistaken the Abbey Benedictio Dei for Abbeyshrule whereas papal letters prove that it was Kilbeggan. It was colonized in 1150 from Mellifont and thought to have been founded by the Mac Coghlans. In 1160 Catharneigh, great priest of Clonmacnois, died here in the novitiate of a monk Melaghlin Mac Coghlan, prince of Delvin, died in pilgrimage to the abbey in 1213. In 1217, the abbey received a penance for being involved in the 'riot of Jerpoint'. Abbot Mac Coghlan died in 1217 and in the same year Roderick and Melaghlen, sons of Mac Coghlan died in the abbey."

 

The description went on to list the abbots and political struggles for the land until the 16th Century when the abbey and church ruins were seized with its lands (over 800 acres) and became the King's property. There were no references to Dalton’s being involved in the history of the abbey. The site of this abbey can now be located through the grant of the lands to Robert Dillon in 1569.

 

The Augustinian convent, according to the manuscript in the DGS possession, was founded by Jane but cannot be substantiated from Augustinian records. Identified only as

 

Beata Maria, there are no Augustinian records that survived to support this claim. The establishment of Augustinian convents in Ireland was a brief lasting phenomenon. DGS member K. T. Mapstone made a separate query to the biographer of Augustinian priests, Father David Kelly. He found no evidence of a Beata Maria Convent in Westmeath.

 

Also in the document is the note that the story of Walter and Jane and their descendency is registered in the Herald's Office of Ireland and is founded on "tradition". This of course means that there is no documentation. Sagas may be the only sources and we have yet to uncover them.

 

Returning to the manuscript, there are some deductions to be made. Had Philip De Aliton founded the abbey in 1150, it would likely have meant that he was at the age of majority. That means he would have been born before 1129 and that his parents married before that date. It would place Walter's birth close to 1100.

 

It then becomes rather unlikely that Walter at 70 years of age was one of the knights who accompanied Henry II on his invasion of Ireland in 1172. Lucy Slater is checking the contingents that arrived in Ireland with Strongbow and if Walter appears in that roll, we will certainly inform you. So who was Walter De Aliton and from whence did he arrive in Ireland?”

 

Third article by Millicent Craig:

 

The Search for "Princess Jane"

The following is an article from Vol. 3 No. 6 of the online “Dalton Genealogy Society”

It gives more information about Walter de Aliton (Dalton). By Millicent V. Craig.

 

“A never ending search for the ancestry of "Princess Jane", wife of Walter de Aliton who was reportedly the first Dalton to arrive in Ireland (c.1172), always leads to the book stalls at antique shows. In January 2000, while browsing in such a stall, a two-volume set virtually leapt off the shelf. Pristine and ivory covered with gold lettering, the pages were uncut and never read. After a quick scan of the Index, I hastily placed $125 in the dealer's hands. The title of this out-of print set is "Memorials of Westminster Abbey" by Arthur Penryhn Stanley, Ph. D., Dean of Westminster Abbey. It was published in 1899. Here in these weighty tomes was the key to location of the DNA of the Royals, including that of the Plantagenet Kings. Could these books contain a clue to Jane?

Irish legend has always been that Walter de Aliton secretly wed the daughter of the King of France, incurred his wrath and sought refuge in England, but no documentation has ever surfaced. The search has centered around the time period when Louis VII was King of France and Henry II was King of England. The lives of these two men were politically intertwined, and Eleanor of Aquitane the divorced wife of Louis VII, married Henry II of England and bore him eight children.

 

The marriages of each of Henry's legitimate children are accounted for and are listed in No. 2, "Dalton’s in History" web page under the title "Who is Princess Jane?"

 

What was not listed in that article were the alleged ten children borne by four mistresses of Henry II as follows:

 

1. Rosalund Joan Clifford bore three sons: Geoffrey Plantagenet, Archbishop of York, b. about 1159; William of Salisbury, Earl of Salisbury, b. after 1160 (more on a possible Dalton connection later); and Peter.

2. Alisa Capet, sometimes referred to Alix Alisa. Four children are attributed to her; one daughter and three other children (unnamed) who supposedly died as infants. But what if the daughter had lived?

3. Nesta Bloet, mother of Morgan of Beverley, Provost of Beverley.

4. Alice de Porho had a child born about 1168, and Matilda of Barking, Abbess of Barking; Hugh of Wells, Bishop of Lincoln; and Richard.

 

For those familiar with French royalty you will immediately recognize the name, Capet, as being the surname of the family of French kings. The "unnamed daughter" gives rise to a possible scenario for the existence of Princess Jane. Assume for a moment that Alisa Capet was the daughter of Louis VII by one of his wives or the daughter of Louis' older brother, Philip. If so, wrath of the Capets could have been directed toward Henry II rather than to Walter de Aliton. Henry had conferred respectability and position on his two sons by Rosamund Clifford, on the son of Nesta Bloet, and the children of Alice de Porho. Why would he not confer position and title on a daughter, "Princess" Jane, the granddaughter of the King of France or of Philip Capet? In this scenario it was likely that Henry arranged the marriage of Jane and Walter and sent them off to Ireland with grants of land and money. It would have required ample funds to build a convent, castle and monastery. The latter was built by apparently their only son, Philip, whose name incidentally or coincidentally is a Capet family given name.

 

Several months ago, a search for the remains of Henry II of England, led to a discussion on the GOONS (Guild of One Name Studies) Forum. Henry's memorial is located at Fontevrault Abbey in France as are the memorials of his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and son, King John. One member of the GOONS had visited the site and offered the information that the remains were not at the Abbey, just memorials. During the French Revolution, the Abbey was sacked, the tombs were desecrated and the remains were scattered. Another seemingly dead end!

 

But months later, in his well-researched and documented book, Dr. Penrhyn puts to rest myths of earlier writers on the subject of internment. The following quotation concerning Henry II and his descendents is taken directly from a passage in the book. "Henry II was interred in the great Angevin Abbey of Fontevrault (the foundation of Robert Arbrissel, by the 'fountain of the robber Evrard'). His eldest son Henry was buried at Rouen.

 

According to Dr. Penryhn the exact locations of four samples of DNA belonging to three sons of Henry II are known. All of his sons, whether legitimate or illegitimate inherited the Y chromosome from their father. With the exception of one line of Irish Dalton's (who came from Yorkshire to Wales to County Waterford) virtually all Irish Dalton's are descended from Walter de Aliton and Jane who first settled in Meath. So theoretically, nearly all-Irish Dalton males carry the same Y chromosome of de Aliton. But what DNA has descended from their founder/mother, Jane, and her son, Philip?

 

After consulting with the experts, there is only one possible DNA scenario that could prove Jane's relationship to the King of France or to his brother Philip. First, the remains of either Jane or Philip must be found. Jane's mitochondrial DNA (mtdna) was passed to her son, Philip. Males do not pass their mother's mtdna to the next generation. So only the

 

mtdna of two people can be involved on the Irish side. Next it would have to be compared with the DNA of the Capets. In this case it would be from the matrilineal line of Alisa Capet. The chance of finding female direct line descendents are remote since it was not the custom to annotate the females. Even in the case of Queen Elizabeth, according to Arthur Camp in "Everyone Has Roots" published in 1978, the Queen's direct maternal line has not been taken back beyond Frances Webb of Oaksey, Wiltshire, who married Thomas Salisbury at Salisbury Cathedral in 1795.

 

So we are back to the beginning. Do we have any Irish cousins who can undertake a search in Meath/Westmeath for the burial place of Jane and Philip? Then the next step is to learn whether the Capet DNA has been preserved through descendents of Alisa. This is not a hopeful prospect. At the present state of science and technology, the above scenario appears to be the only hope of ever identifying "Princess Jane".

 

As reported earlier, all Irish Dalton's (except one branch that we are aware of) are descended from one man, Walter de Aliton and from his son, Philip. This family would be an exceptional sample not only to prove what percentage of Dalton’s is actually descended from the founder, but to establish the DNA Dalton sample for comparison with those of other already genetically identified surname groups. It could also be compared with the English Dalton lines. Eventually we will know exactly from whence we came. Is there an interest among our Irish Dalton's to pursue this? The 21st Century is one that will be marked by remarkable scientific discoveries. Let us be a part of it.

END

 

Source: Millicent Craig, American Secretary and the editor of the online Web Page of the Dalton Genealogy Society.

 

Notes and other information about The Norman Dalton family from England:

 

“The traditions of this family (the Dalton's), from France to Ireland, as preserved in the Office of the Arms, records Walter Dalton to have been its founder; that he secretly married a daughter of Louis VII, The King of France. And having incurred this Monarch's wrath, fled to England, whence he passed with Henry II, on the invasion of Ireland. He early acquired possessions in the western part of Meath, known as the district of Teffia, in which he and his descendants founded religious houses and built castles. His only son, Philip was father of 3 sons - Nicholas, John, and Philip Jr. from whom all of the Daltons have descended. From Nicholas came the Dalton's of Ballymore, Rowlandstown, Ballycarrow, Milltown, Molinmecham, Dalystown, and Dundonneli. From John sprang the Noughwell line and from Philip the Emporer line.”

Source: King James Irish Army List

 

Though this name is not Irish in origin it is on record in Dublin and Co. Meath as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century, the family having been established in Ireland following the Anglo-Norman invasion. Its Norman origin is more apparent in the alternative spelling, still sometimes used, viz. D'Alton i.e. of Alton, a place in England. According to family tradition the first Dalton to come to Ireland was one Walter, who had fled to England from France, having incurred the wrath of the French king by secretly marrying his daughter. The early settlers became powerful, having acquired lands in Teffia, Co. Meath, under Henry II. There and in Co. Westmeath (part of which subsequently became known as Daltons Country) they erected castles and founded

religious houses. In the fourteenth century they spread into Counties Tipperary and Cork, but it was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that a branch of the family went to Clare, with which county they were afterwards closely identified. The head of the family was known as Lord of Rathconrath (Co. Westmeath); but as territorial magnates they were broken by the Cromwellian and Williamite devastation’s, having in the course of time completely identified themselves with the native Irish. The humbler families of the name, however, remained in Westmeath and their descendants are there today. A number of Irish Dalton's distinguished themselves as Wild Geese in foreign service, particularly in that of Austria. Another Irish Dalton to become famous (or notorious) outside Ireland was Robert Dalton, whose short life terminated in 1892 when the band of desperate outlaws he led in Oklahoma and California was finally rounded up. At home the best known of the name in modern times have been John Dalton (1792-1867), the historian, and the recent Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal D'Alton.

Source: Irish Genealogy Society.

 

The above drawing and the below article were copied from Vol. 5, No. 12 of the Dalton Genealogical Society Journal, by Millicent V. Craig.

 

Only a sketch of a monument to a descendent of one of the most illustrious families of County Westmeath, Ireland has survived the Centuries. The monument was located on the grounds of Mount Dalton formerly known as Loughan. This was a portion of the lands that was saved by Christopher D'Alton of Miltown from the hands of the Attainder’s about 1691.

 

Recently DGS member, Cecelia H. Lange of Arvada, CO visited Mount Dalton. Cecilia is descended from Peter Dalton of Ardbraccan, Navan, Westmeath. (A short history of this family was printed in DGS Journal Volume no. 29, Nov. 1998). The main house on Mount Dalton was built in 1787. There is also a charming gatehouse. Behind the house is the remains of a castle and nearby is an overgrown graveyard. On a small hill the monument sketched below was erected.

 

Cecelia has sent a passage from "Memories of the Dead" Vol. IV that indicates the obelisk-like monument, about thirty feet in height, may have been erected at the time the house was built. It was adorned with the profiles of Empress Maria Theresa and the Emperor Joseph II of Austria, George III plus the arms of the family. The note at the bottom of the drawing reads "Dalton Monument, Rathconrath, Oct 20, 1900" and signed W.E. In 1899, the Rev F. A. O'Reilly, Order of Saint Francis of Dublin, translated from Latin the inscriptions on three sides of the monument as follows.

 

On the South Side:

"In memory of the Aliton Daton Family which six centuries since with Walter Alton came from France into Ireland and formed its residence in that part of Westmeath afterwards called by its name Aliton, and in the reign of Henry VIII in parliament raised to the title and honour of Baron of Rathconrath who flourished far and wide, and throughout all Westmeath erected at their own charge Abbeys, Churches, and Convents, or enriched those already in existence, (which family) after being afflicted in the Civil Wars, was through the indulgence of the best Princes preserved until the restoration of peace. Richard Dalton, son of Oliver and Catherine O'Reilly of the Cavan stock, Chamberlain and Privy Counillor of their August Majesties, Joseph and Theresa, Proprietor of the Army, Legate of the Augustan Legion, Knight of the Order of Theresa, and on 14 April

 

1777 raised to be Count of all the hereditary German Kingdoms, of the Lands of the Sacred Caesar, and of the Royal Apostolic Majesty, to the Honour and worth of (that) Most Noble Family.

 

On the West Side:

"To the Emperor, Caesar, Joseph II Son of Francis Duke of Lorain, nephew of Charles Duke of Hapsburg, grand-nephew of Duke Leopold the Great, (as to) the Excellent, August, Kind, Fortunate, Unconquered Father of His Country, Father of His Army, the Augmenter and Preserver of Public Happiness, Born for Perpretating the Name of Austria, and who hath deserved most highly the Roman Empire, of the ancient Kings of Hungaria and Bohemia, and of every condition of Men. Richard Dalton, son of Oliver Dalton. Devoted to His Majesty on account of the Exceeding benefits conferred upon him and his by the Best and Greatest of Princes (inscribed this monument)

 

On the East Side:

"Richard Dalton, the son of Oliver, and the whole Dalton family, fostered and favoured by every manner of indulgence and liberality, to their Prince, Prince George III, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Victor both by sea and land, Preserver of Public Freedom, Defender of Ireland, the Kind, Fortunate, Unconquerable, the Father of His County, Born for the Good of the State.

 

Dispositon of the Monument:

When visiting Mount Dalton, Cecelia learned that in 1906, a person named Plunkett took the monument apart stone by numbered stone to erect as a monument to his dead son. Plunkett failed to pay the railroad for hauling the stones and the rail company used the stones for building walls.

An ignominious end to a part of Irish Dalton family history!

 

Note: According to "The Irish D'Alton Family" printed in DGS Journal, Vol. 29, 1998, Oliver D'Alton married Catherine O'Reilly in 1717. She was the daughter of James O'Reilly of Ballinlough and the mother of Richard.

 

WESTMEATH - A Brief History:

 

After the arrival of the Norman’s in the late twelfth century this area was given to Hugh de Lacy. Other Norman families who obtained lands and settled in the county were Nugent, Tyrrell, Petit, Tuite, Delamar, Dalton, Dillon, Fitzsimons, Hope, Ware, Ledwich, Dardis, and Gaynor

Source: "Irish Records Sources for Family & Local History" by James G. Ryan, Ph.D.

 

The Baronies of Ireland:

County Westmeath [12 baronies]

 

Rathconrath - Mac Aodha (MacGee) of Muintir Tlámáin is noted here and in Moyashel in the 12th century. It was later referred to as Daltons country. The Norman family of Dalton were Lords of Rathconrath following the 12th century. A Donegan Sept is cited here in the 17th century.

 

 

The Dalton's (Dalatun) came to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invasion, and were active in the Pale in early times, two of the family being members of the Dublin Guild-Merchant

 

in 1226. Later the Daltons appear as lords of Rothconrath in County Westmeath, but they lost their estates in the Cromwellian and Williamite confiscation’s of the seventeenth century.

 

The below information was copied from nurmurious books I found at the L D S Library in S. L .C. Utah early in my research of the Irish Dalton family. (RD)

 

Dalton names in the Annals of Ireland:

Sources:

I would like to thank Kate Mapstone of Clan Dalton for her research on some of the following article. She is the expert on the Dalton Clan in Ireland.

 

Copied from the “Annals of the Four Masters”

 

Source: A book in The LDS Family Library in SLC, Utah.

Book # 941.5 H2af V.4

Another source on the “Annals of the Four Masters” was found on the Internet.

 

M1328.26

The English sustained a great defeat from Mageoghegan, three thousand five hundred of them being slain in the contest, together with some of the Dalton’s, and the son of the Proud Knight.

 

M1373.3

William Dalton and the Sheriff of Meath were slain by the Kinel-Fiachach, and by O'Melaghlin.

 

Owen Sinnach Fox, Tanist of Muintir-Tadhgain, was slain by the Dalton’s.

Manus, the son of Hugh Mac Dermot, was also slain by the Dalton’s.

Heremon O'Melaghlin was slain by Magawley and the Dalton’s.

 

M1374.3

Cucogry Oge Mageoghegan, Chief of Kinel-Fiachach, was treacherously slain after he had gone to Athlone with the Bishop of Meath: it was the Sinnach Mac Mearain (one of William Dalton's people) that killed him, with one thrust of a lance; and he Mac Mearain himself was afterwards torn asunder, and his body was cut into small pieces, for this crime.

 

M1379.3

Philip, son of Nichol, i.e. the Dalton, Lord of Westmeath, died.

 

M1381.15

Owen Sinnach Fox, Tanist of Muintir-Tadhgain, was slain by the Daltons.

 

M1386.3

Niall, the son of Cucogry Oge Mageoghegan, materies of a lord of his tribe, was slain by William Dalton and his son.

 

 

 

M1386.4

Manus, the son of Hugh MacDermot, was also slain by the Daltons.

 

M1386.6

Heremon O'Melaghlin was slain by Magawley and the Daltons.

 

M1452.19

Farrell Roe Oge, the son of Farrell Roe, the son of Donough, son of Murtough More Mageoghegan, a captain of great repute and celebrity was killed and beheaded at Cruach-abhall, by the son of the Baron of Delvin , and the grandsons of Pierce Dalton. They carried his head to Trim and from thence to Dublin for exhibition; but it was (afterwards) brought back and buried along with the body in Durrow-Coluim-Chille

 

M1464.15

Ir, the son of Cathal Roe Mac Rannall, Tanist of his own territory, and worthy to become lord of it for his clemency and veracity died a week before Michaelmas; and in the same week Ir, the son of William MacRannall, was slain by Gilla-Glas Dillon, while he was with his mother's brother, William Dalton.

 

M1472.12

A great attack was made by O'Kelly upon Muine-Liath. The English of Westmeath, viz.,

the Tuites, Petits, Tyrrels, Darcys, and Dalton’s, came up with him. O'Kelly was defeated; Donough O'Kelly and many others were taken prisoners, and a party of their foot soldiers and kerns were slain.

 

M1544.2

Rory O'Melaghlin was slain at Clartha, by Richard Dalton and his kinsmen, in a nocturnal assault; and it was for the interests of Kedagh O'Melaghlin they committed this slaughter.

 

MacCarthaigh’s Book:

Source: Copied from the Internet.

 

MCB1392.2

Ambrose son of Walter son of Ristug Dalton was accidentally killed by Pierce Dalton's son.

 

MCB1392.3

A raid by Muiris son of Conchobhar [Ó Fearghail] on the son of William Dalton at Ceall Choinne.

 

MCB1393.18

The son of William Dalton, an excellent foreign youth, died of the same epidemic.

 

MCB1393.20

Edmund son of William Dalton was killed in Breaghmhuine, and Thomas son of John son of Filbug Dalton along with him—a sad event. Great raids were made by the Daltons on the Dillons because of this, and Druim Raithne and Dún na Móna were burned by them also.

 

MCB1394.2

Dillon, i.e. Maurice, was killed by the Daltons between his two castles, i.e. Dún na Móna and Druim Raithne—a sad event.

 

MCB1394.17

A joint attack was made by Ó Ceallaigh, i.e. Maol Sheachlainn, king of Uí Mhaine, together with a host of Connachtmen, Ó Conchobhair Failghe, Cormac Ó Maoil Sheachlainn, and the men of Midhe against Dalton. They all assembled at Baile Locha Seimhdille, and they set fire to the district, including houses and corn, but Dalton's granary at Ráith Sgiach was valiantly defended against them by himself and a few others.

 

MCB1395.5

A great raid was made by the son of Pierce Dalton at Coill Phérais on Dalton, and he took many cows. The Daltons overtook him and Cormac Ó Maoil Sheachlainn at Cairtann, and they fought a valorous, doughty, venomous battle, and Pierce's son and many of his people were wounded, and Dalton and Hubert Dalton received grievous wounds from their own kin in that battle.

 

MCB1395.6

Numerous raids were made by the son of Pierce Dalton on the Galls, and he burned Sonnach, including houses and churches, and destroyed a great part of Oirmhidhe.

 

MCB1401.4

A raid by the family of Hubert Dalton and by Nicholas Dalton on Calraighe.

 

MCB1401.7

Incursions by the Daltons and some of the people of Anghaile into Muinntear Thadhgáin against the family of Art Ó Maoil Sheachlainn, and a number of them were wounded, and they returned without gain.

 

MCB1401.9

The castle of Baile na Cloiche was built by the son of the son of Luke Dalton, i.e. Gerard.

 

MCB1402.6

The same Fearghal Ruadh conspired with the family of Maol Mórdha Ó Conchobhair Failghe on the border of Baile an Rátha, and they enticed the two sons of Dalton, i.e. Henry, into the conspiracy with them. They killed Filbín Dalton, the best youth of his age in Midhe for hospitality and power, and Nicholas [Dalton] was captured grievously wounded, after quarter was granted to him by Réigín son of Maol Mórdha.

 

MCB1402.7

Attacks by Ó Conchobhair Failghe and Cinéal Fiachach on the Daltons. They killed Mac an Réabaire, constable of Dalton's gallowglasses, and ten people along with him.

 

MCB1402.13

A treacherous foray by the son of the son of Éamann Ó Ceallaigh on the family of Hubert Dalton, and he took many cows.

 

 

MCB1402.15

A foray by the people of Anghaile and the Uí Ghiollagáin on Miles Dalton at Forgnaidhe.

 

MCB1402.16

A great foray by Dalton and Ó Fearghail on Cinéal Fiachach, and they took twenty score cows, or a few more, and eight score horses.

 

MCB1402.18

Peace between Cinéal Fiachach and the Daltons.

 

MCB1404.5

A great war by Brian Ó Conchobhair, An Calbhach Ó Conchobhair, and Cinéal Fiachach on the Daltons, and they did much destruction, and burned Ráith Sgiach, i.e. the most flourishing town in Ireland in its time, i.e. Henry Dalton's town.

 

MCB1405.7

The castle of Imper was built by Andrew son of Henry son of Nicholas Dalton.

 

MCB1406.4

A war between the Daltons themselves, i.e. between Dalton and Miles Dalton. Attacks were made by Dalton on Miles in the castle of Muileann Miadhacháin, and Miles Dalton was killed in the castle by a single arrow-shot, and the castle was captured by Dalton and handed over to Pierce son of Hubert Dalton. Loss of revenue and great weakness resulted to the descendants of Nicholas Dalton from this deed.

 

MCB1406.7

The church of Forgnaidhe was burned by the family of Robert Dalton, and Patrick's church at Imper was burned by the family of Miles Dalton, and it was after this that Miles Dalton was killed.

 

MCB1406.17

The same war continued between the Daltons, and the descendants of Nicholas Dalton left the country and went into Cinéal Fiachach mic Néill. Incursions were made by the Daltons and by Cathal son of Tomás Ó Fearghail into Cinéal Fiachach, and the Daltons and Cinéal Fiachach engaged each other. Cinéal Fiachach were defeated, Nicholas Cerr son of John Dalton was killed by the Daltons, and William son of John [Dalton] was captured by them. They went into the country after that and burned the house of Fearghal Ruadh Mac Eochagáin and Baile Í Bhraonáin, and attacked Baile Huiginn Í Bhraonáin. Cinéal Fiachach overtook them, but they defeated them, and three sons of Brian son of Domhnall Ó Fearghail were killed there, i.e. Maol Sheachlainn, Diarmaid, and Tomás Ruadh, and Cairbre son of Art Ó Maoil Sheachlainn was captured there.

 

MCB1406.18

Caisleán Nua was taken by the family of Conchobhar son of Cathal [Ó Fearghail] and the family of Tomás son of Cathal Ó Fearghail, and they divided Forgnaidhe between them with the consent of Dalton.

 

MCB1406.23

Incursions by Baron Hussey, i.e. the sheriff of Midhe, and the Daltons into Breaghmhuine, and Ó Maoil Sheachlainn, the [men of] Breaghmhuine, and Dillon overtook them in the territory. They inflicted a defeat on the Galls, and people were killed, and twelve or thirteen horses were taken from them. Edmund son of Hubert Dalton was captured by Domhnall Ó Braoin on that occasion.

 

The Annals of Ulster:

 

Source: Copied from the Internet.

Compiled by Marcos Balé and Emer Purcell

Funded by University College, Cork and

Professor Marianne McDonald via the CELT Project.

 

U1379.1

The Dalton 2 (namely, Philip) died.

 

U1386.3

Niall Mac Eochagain, namely, one who was to be chief of Cenel-Fiachaigh, was killed by the son of William Dalton.

 

U1386.4

Eirimon Ua Mail-Shechlainn was slain by the Daltons and by Mag Amhalgadha.

 

U1386.9

The castle of Miles Dalton was taken by the sons of Concobur, son of Cathal Ua Ferghail and given to Thomas, son of Cathal Ua Ferghail.

 

U1386.10

The Clan of John Ua Ferghail and Dalton made a joint war against the sons of Murchadh ua Ferghail. The stronghold of Ua Ferghail was attacked by the clan of John and the daughter of Mac William de Burgh, namely, the wife of Ua Ferghail, was taken prisoner therein.

 

U1452.5

Fergal the Red, son of Fergal Mag Eochagain, namely, an excellent leader, spirited, firm, truly hospitable, was slain by the baron of Delvin and by his son, namely, by James and by some of the Daltons, that is, on the 13th of the Kalends of January (Dec. 20), towards the end of a year of the Lord of which 9 was the Golden Number.

 

U1482.12

Maileachlainn, son of Brian, son of Edmund, son of Thomas Ua Ferghail, was slain by William the Rough, son of Maurice, grandson of Piers Dalton, and by Laisech, son of John Ua Ferghail, a month before Christmas, on Thursday, A.D. 1482.)

 

U1486.48

The Dalton, namely, Edmund, son of Piers Dalton, resigned his lord-ship to his own son, that is, to Thomas Dalton, this year.

 

U1487.45

The Dalton, namely, Edmund, son of Piers Dalton, died this year.

 

U1488.17

Margaret Dalton, daughter of Andrew Dalton, namely, wife of Ua Ferghail, that is, wife of Domnall the Tawny, son of Domnall, son of John, son of Domnall Ua Ferghail, died this year.

 

U1491.14

The wife of Dalton, namely, wife of Thomas, son of Edmund, grandson of Piers Dalton, went off with the son of Ua Mechair this year.

 

U1495.16

Nicholas Dalton, namely, son of Edmond, son of Piers Dalton, was slain by Fergus, son of Edmond, son of Laisech, son of Ros Ua Ferghail and by the descendants of Henry Dalton.

 

U1495.40

The Dalton, namely, Thomas, son of Edmond, son of Piers, son of another Piers Dalton, was taken and Henry, son of John, grandson of Piers Dalton, was slain about November Day by Conn, son of Art, son of Conn Ua Mael-Shechlainn and by Maelruanaigh, son of Ua Cerbaill.

 

U1496.14

The Dalton, namely, Thomas, son of Edmond, son of Piers Dalton, was liberated for 300 marks and for 14 score cows in pledge for the district of Baile na ngédh, by Conn, son of Art, son of Conn Ua Mail-Sheclainn and by the grandson of Ua Cerbaill.

 

Annals of Loch Ce:

 

Source: Copied from the Internet.

 

The "Annals of Loch Cé" (Key), from an island in Lough Key, Roscommon, are written in Irish, and treat chiefly of Ireland (1014 to 1636)

 

LC1373.2

William Dalton, the sheriff of Midhe, was slain by the Cenel-Fiachaidh, and by O'Maelechlainn.

 

LC1386.3

Niall, son of Cucocriche Og Mac Eochagain, was killed by the Daltons on the seventeenth of the kalends of May; and this man was well fitted to be chieftain over his own country.

 

LC1401.4

Muirchertach Og, son of Muirchertadh Mor MacEochagain, was killed on the third of the nones of October, in Belatha-Impir, with one cast of a spear, by Garrett son of Robert Dalton, in a nocturnal encounter, after he had sent away his people on an incursion into the Brenadh of Muinter-Gillgan.

 

LC1405.9

Miles Dalton was slain by the Daltons, and by the sons of Hubert Dalton.

 

LC1408.10

Miles Dalton occisus est a fratre suo; and his castle was afterwards broken down by the descendants of Cathal O'Ferghail.

 

LC1487.9

 

The Dalton, i.e. Edmond, son of Piers, died.

 

The "Annals of Connaught"

Source: Copied from the Internet.

 

From 1224 to 1562 are written in Irish, and are extant in manuscript copies in Trinity College, and in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin.

 

AC1398.8.

Maurice, son of Piers Dalton, was killed by Muirchertach og (young) Mach Eochacain and Brian, son of O'Connor Failgi.

 

AC1408.11

Miles Dalton was killed by his brother and afterwards his castle was destroyed by the descendents of Cathal O'Fergail

 

AC1422.26

The descendents of Thomas O Fergail were banished into Western Meath by Donnall O Fergail and Henry Dalton, Lord of Western Meath, sided with them.

 

AC1422.28

The Pass of Kilcoursey was cut and leveled by Dalton and the descendents of Tomas.

 

AC1439.5

William Dalton of Brawnie, son of Hubert, died

 

AC1452.3

Fergal Oc Mag Eochacain was killed on St. Nicholas Day at the crossroads in Croughool by the son of the Baron of Delvin and the Sons of Piers, son of Pers Dalton, who were the children of his mother's brother.

 

AC1464.46

Ir, son of Uilliam Mag Ragnaill was killed in Western Meath that same week with one javelin wound, by Gilla Glas Dillon in the presence of his mother's brother, William Dalton.

 

Ruaidhri O'Conor, the High King of Ireland lost all power as Árd-Rí within a few years after the Norman invasion, but he still remained master of Connacht.

 

However the Battle of Athenry ensured Norman supremacy in Connaught. Mentioned are; Hugh de Lacey and his barons, Nugent, Dalton, Preston, Plunkett, Tuite, Tyrell, Cusack.

 

The following was copied from The DGS web page and is credited with permission from Shirley Arabin to Kate Mapstone of Clan Dalton who wrote it:

 

The Dalton land in Moyvoughley was purchased by the ancestors of Shirley Arabin and is still in the Arabin family. Moyvoughley was in the heart of Dalton Country as was Moate. The following Dalton entries were extracted by Shirley from "Moate, Co.

 

Westmeath, A History of the Town and District" by Liam Cox and published in Athlone in 1981.

 

Extracts

p.14. "In 1401 the O'Farrells and the Daltons together attacked the people of Art O'Melaghin probably at Moyelly, but they failed to gain a victory"

p.18. "In 1544 Rory O'Melaghlin was killed by the Daltons, at the Dalton's castle on Clare Hill"

 

p.30. "Robert Plunket, Lord of Daunsany, granted a manor to Gerald Dalton, clerk"

 

p.37. "Many Catholic gentlemen of the Pale took no part in the 1641 rebellion (included Richard Dalton of Mullinmeehan) Murder of Christopher Magawly said to have been carried out by Edmond, son of Richard Dalton. - part of a family dispute as they were kinsmen".

 

p.38. "Richard became a Protestant and married Anne King daughter of the Bishop

of Elphin, which displeased his father. Richard with wife went to Athlone and joined the garrison there".

 

p.40. "Local Catholics transplanted to Roscommon in 1653 included Miles Dalton of Ballinlug, James Dalton of Mullinmeehan and John Dalton of Moyvoughley".

p.41. "Edmond Dalton of Mullinmeehan served the Commonwealth".

 

p.45. "After the Restoration some lost the lands given by Cromwell. This included Elizabeth Dalton, Margaret Dalton and her 5 orphans - all ended destitute".

 

p.50. "After the Battle of Ballymore in 1691 prisoners taken to Athlone included Walter Dalton, of Ballymore".

 

p.53. "Land belonging to Luke Dalton of Moyvoughley was attained and sold".

 

p.61. "The only Catholic shopkeeper noted in Moate was Christopher Dalton who

seems to have died unmarried. By his will, which was proved 12 October 1764, he left legacies to the sons and daughters of his brother, Tobias Dalton of Moyvore, Co. Westmeath"

 

p.135. "Charles John O'Donoghue, son of Daniel O'Donoghue and Mary Ennis born 1860 the second son married 20 September 1892 Rose Dalton of Ballynahown and died with issue 25 January 1903".

 

p.178. "Patrick Robins married Miss Dalton of Coolatore and had one son Laurence Dalton Robins. Laurence founded the Lake House family of Tullaghnegeerach and father of the late Lorcan Robins T.D. for Longford Westmeath. He was an undercover agent for Sinn Fein and worked under an alias - Richard Dalton".

 

p.179. "The original Richard Dalton was L. Robin's grandmother's brother from Coolature who before 1860 emigrated to the US took part in the Civil War as a Captain in the Confederates, only to jump the bounty afterwards".

 

Laurence was caught by the British and while in Mountjoy Gaol was re-elected for T.D. to the 2nd Dail.

 

p.193. "Irish Proprietors 1640 and Grantees under Settlement Acts in Moate and District.

Proprietor: Richard Dalton - Mollinmeeham, Rathin, and Ballinlug granted to Taunton Corporation, Foulke Rokeby, Robert Thornhill... Ummamore granted to Rokeby and Mary Dalton alias Hoare,

Proprietor: John Dalton - Ummamore granted to Taunton Corp.

Proprietor: Henry Dalton - Moyvoughly granted to Sir John Maynard, Foulke Rokeby, Mary Dalton and Ed.Geoghegan.

Proprietor: Walter Dalton - Dungolman granted to Kathleen & Pierce Dillon.

 

p.194. "Irish Jacobites in Moate District outlawed 1690 for high treason:

Richard Dalton, Dungolman

Luke Dalton, Moyvoughly

John & Edmund Dalton, Mullimeehan".

End.

 

In 1172, Henry the Second despoiled Murchard O'Melaghlin of his kingdom of Meath, and granted it to Hugh De Lacy, who was appointed Lord Palatinate of the territory. De Lacy divided it among his various chiefs, who were commonly called "De Lacy's Barons;" these were: Tyrrell, Baron of Castleknock; Nangle, Baron of Navan; De Misset, Baron of Lune; Phepoe, Baron of Skrine; FitzThomas, Baron of Kell; Hussey, Baron of Galtrim; Fleming, Baron of Slane; Dullard, or Dollard, of Dullenvarty; Nugent, Baron of Delvin and Earl of Westmeath; Tuite, Baron of Moyashell; Robert De Lacy's descendants, Barons of Rathwire; De Constantine, Baron of Kilbixey; Petit, Baron of Mullingar; FitzHenry of Magherneran, Rathkenin, and Ardnorcher. To some of these there succeeded the De Genevilles, Lords of Meath; Mortimer, Earl of March; the Plunkets, of Danish descent, Earls of Fingall, Barons of Dunsany, and Earls of Louth; the Prestons, Viscounts Gormanstown and Tara; the Barnewalls, Barons of Trimbleston and Viscounts Kingsland; the Nettervilles, Barons of Dowth; the Bellews, Barons of Duleck; the Dareys of Platten, Barons of Navan; the Cusacks, Barons of Culmullen; and the FitzEustaces, Barons of Portlester. Some of these again were succeeded by the De Baths of Athearn, the Dowdalls of Athlumny, the Cruises, the Drakes of Drake Rath, and numerous others including the Daltons - Lords of Rothconrath.

 

Source of above: The MacGeoghegan Family Society & Family History Website.

A little history about the Norman invasion of Ireland in which our Dalton family was involved:

 

Source: Copied and edited by Rodney Dalton from a few Internet web pages.

 

“In 1168, the King of Leinster, Diarmaid Mac Murchada, became embroiled in a political struggle relating to who would be elevated to the high kingship of all of Ireland. He supported a losing contender and had to flee. He crossed over to Wales and enlisted the support of a Norman nobleman, Richard Fitzgilbert de Clare (also known as “Strongbow”) to assist him in regaining his kingdom. Strongbow agreed, married Diarmaid Mac Murchada’s daughter Aoife and settled in Ireland. In 1169, Strongbow

 

invited other Norman adventurers to Ireland, successfully waging a war of conquest. The Norman’s built thousands of castles from which they continued in their efforts to subdue the Irish, essentially a military occupation of Ireland.

 

The native Irish lost the battles on the field but nonetheless conquered the hearts of the invaders, in a manner of speaking. The Norman’s / English had not brought with them any great number of women and took wives from among the Irish population. The Irish women raised the children and the heirs of the invaders soon were speaking the Irish language and wearing their clothes in the Irish manner. They, too, married Irish women, took to playing the Irish game of hurling and adopted the Irish manner of names.

 

The integration of the Norman’s / English into Irish culture was so extensive that the English Parliament passed statutes in 1366 that forbade Englishmen from speaking Irish, marrying into Irish families, dressing like Irishmen, adopting Irish laws and playing hurling. These laws, known as the Statutes of Kilkenny, were dismal failures. Indeed, the assimilation into Irish culture was so extensive that by 1500, the English crown ruled only a small area around Dublin that was demarcated by a semi-circular fortification surrounding Dublin made of earth and wood and known as “The Pale”. This gave rise to the English term, “beyond The Pale”, meaning something that is outside of what is acceptable to civilized society.

 

During the 1500s, the Protestant Reformation took hold across Europe. The English king, Henry VIII, broke with the Church in 1534 and established his own religious sect, the Church of England. When his daughter, Elizabeth, became queen, she sought to establish the Protestant religion more firmly in Ireland and wanted also to extend English rule farther into Ireland than The Pale. England had experienced difficulties with Scotland as well and the solution that was struck upon was to forcibly settle Presbyterian Scots in Ireland.

 

In 1601, thousands of Scottish families were evicted from their homes along the northern border of England and were taken to the northeastern portion of Ireland, in Ulster. The Irish living there were dispossessed of all of their belongings and forced to move out. Many went to Munster, in the southwestern quadrant of Ireland.

 

At about the same time, Irish noblemen had been organizing for a war against England and allied themselves with Spain, who had suffered a humiliating defeat a dozen years earlier with the destruction of the mighty Spanish Armada. Spain had managed to land troops in Ireland and a decisive battle occurred in 1601 at Kinsdale, with the English emerging victorious. The Irish noblemen escaped and went into exile in Europe, which became known as the Flight of the Earls.

 

Following the Battle of Kinsdale and the colonization of Ulster by the Scottish Presbyterians, England moved deliberately in a series of steps to establish its control over Ireland. This assertion of English rule in Ireland was bitterly resented.

 

Oliver Cromwell, an Englishman, who was a fundamental Protestant but an extremely cruel man, was given the title 'Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England', but he had been active in Ireland long before he undertook that role: The main reason for this was Cromwell's belief in fundamental Protestantism and hatred of Catholicism.

Cromwell faced a bitterly divided Ireland. Native Irish (Catholic), the "Old English" (the

 

descendants of the original Catholic English colonists), New English (Protestant) and Scottish (Protestant), the more recent settlers, all distrusted one another almost as much as they did Cromwell, sometimes more so.

 

In 1641, just prior to the Civil War, the Irish of Ulster had begun an uprising and attacked the planters who had been settled 30 years before. Between 10,000 and 15,000 Protestant planters were murdered by the Irish at places such as Portadown. Due to the war, the English did nothing about this and the death toll became heavily exaggerated over time. In 1649, after the Civil War had ended, Cromwell landed at Dublin with 12,000 men with the intention of punishing those who had uprisen. He first attacked Drogheda and captured it, killing over 3000 people. He then marched on Wexford town and massacred several hundred people there. The surrounding towns of Cork, Bandon, Kinsale and Youghal surrendered.

 

In 1641, a rebel assembly of Irishmen formed the Confederation of Kilkenny and became involved in the English civil war between the king and the Parliament. Oliver Cromwell, leading the parliamentarian army, brutally crushed the rebellion. Irish Catholics were driven off of eleven million acres of farmland, which was then given to the Scottish colonizers who would be loyal to the English king. Those Irish who refused to leave were immediately killed. In Drougheda, Cromwell slaughtered the town’s entire population - men, women and children alike, numbering in the hundreds.

 

A problem of equal concern to Cromwell after the Civil War, however, was the fact that most of the soldiers in the Roundhead army still needed paid for their time served in the Civil War, but Parliament had no money to give them. So Cromwell decided to pay them in land. He forcibly moved thousands of Irish from their homes in Munster and Leinster and resettled them in counties Clare, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. This was by far the poorest land in Ireland and, as well as this, they were not allowed to live within 3 miles of the coast. This strip, called the 'Mile Line' was given to Cromwell’s soldiers. In 1652 the newly cleared land in Munster and Leinster was given to Protestants in what was called the 'Cromwellian Settlement'. There was now no part of Ireland where Catholics owned more than ½ the land.

 

Of note here is that the Dalton family were solid Catholics and they had most if not all their lands confiscated or forfeited during this time. Read the deposition of these lands in the text below.

 

In 1685, James II, a Catholic, became king of England. Catholics in Ireland anticipated that their circumstances would ease but their hopes were put at risk when William of Orange, a Dutchman and a Protestant, raised a challenge to King James II for the throne of England. Irish Catholics felt bound to support James II, though they were not especially enthralled with him.

 

In 1695, the first of the Penal Laws was passed, restricting the right of Catholics to education, to possess arms and to own a horse valued at more than £5. This last provision essentially granted expropriation rights to Protestants: all that was needed was to offer a Catholic £5 for his horse, thereby automatically establishing that the horse could fetch a price of at least £5 and thereby automatically requiring the sale. These statutes were augmented in 1704 by new legislation specifically enacted “to prevent further growth of popery.” The new law restricted landholding rights for Catholics and established tests for

 

voting and for holding office. Not only were Catholics barred from voting, but also were Protestants who believed as Catholics did. The object of the laws was principally to coerce Catholics to convert to Protestantism. The method of coercion was political disenfranchisement, forced poverty and land confiscation. The economic - and thus political - impact of the Penal Laws can be seen by one simple statistic. In 1600, Catholics owned 90% of the land in Ireland. By 1776, they owned only 5% of the land, though they comprised 75% of the population.

 

Over the next several decades, many Irishmen immigrated to America and it is said that approximately one-half of the front-line soldiers during the American Revolution were Irish.

 

Our Dalton family in Ireland forfeited most of their lands during the “Great Rebellion of 1641.” Below is another explanation of this Rebellion:

 

“The Gaelic system which our early ancestors lived under from the earliest times, almost all were farmers/herders and as such had the right of common ownership of the soil. Their landlord was a chief or king elected by them. This was true from the earliest times until the twelfth century when Dermot MacMurrough invited Norman mercenaries to Ireland to help him with his local problems. From then on, things began to change. The newly arrived Norman’s seized large tracts of land from Irish chiefs they defeated in battle. Every time the Irish people revolted, and they did with habitual regularity, English soldiers were sent in to put down the rebellion. After the Irish were successfully subdued, the conquering soldiers were rewarded by grants of land--taken, of course, from the rebel Irish. By 1640, 35% of all the tillable land in Ireland was owned by invaders or English soldiers/settlers.

 

Throughout the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries there were numerous small uprisings by the native Irish, but in 1641 they mounted a nationwide war. Known as the "Great Rebellion" it dragged on for eleven years and caused wholesale death and destruction throughout the whole island. Finally, Oliver Cromwell came to Ireland to put this rebellion down "once and for all." He proceeded by marching on every Irish city, slaughtering any and all that resisted him. Typical was his march on Drogheda. When his army entered the town, in addition to the defending soldiers, there were also 3000 unarmed civilians there. Cromwell's soldiers began killing everyone in sight, and when the slaughter was over, only thirty Irish people remained.

 

When the war ended in 1652, one third of the Irish Catholic population had been killed and additional thousands had been transported to the West Indies to work as slaves. Cromwell's soldiers were granted generous grants of land as a result of their "excellent effort." To make room for his soldiers, Cromwell issued his famous order, "to hell or Connaught"--either move to the barren lands of western Ireland or be killed. By 1655, land owned by non-Irish had increased to 75%. In spite of all this, it was said, "an Irish nation still existed--separate, numerous, and hostile."

 

Because of the savagery with which this rebellion had been put down, the English authorities believed that Irish rebellions were a thing of the past. They soon found out that they were wrong. New trouble started in 1685 when Charles II, King of England, died and was succeeded by James II, a Catholic. The native Irish, almost 100% Catholic, rejoiced at this turn of events as they believed King James would restore their lands to

 

them. They therefore gave him their wholehearted support. The powerful nobles in England, who were predominantly Protestant, were not about to lose their power without a fight so they invited William of Orange to come to England to be their king. He happily accepted their offer.

 

In 1688 William defeated James, who promptly fled to France to set up plans for regaining his throne. His strategy was to first gain a beachhead in Ireland where he knew he had overwhelming support. He landed in Ireland in 1689 and won a quick series of battles. Shortly after, William and his army landed in Ireland and on July 1, 1690 they defeated James in the famous Battle of the Boyne.

 

Although the English had again been victorious over the Irish, they felt that something drastic had to be done so that they never again would be faced with a threat of a Catholic army on the island so close to them. The English government therefore enacted a series of laws whose aim was to reduce Irish Catholics to "insignificant status, fit for nothing but to hew wood and draw water." Called the PENAL LAWS, Irishmen were forbidden the following rights:

 

All forms of education (it even forbade sending children abroad for an education).

Serving in the military.

All professional vocations.

Civic responsibilities. (including voting and holding of public office)

Attending Catholic services. (Priests were expelled and if they returned to Ireland, they were drawn and quartered, a vicious form of death).

Purchase of land. (For those already in possession of land, the normal policy of the eldest son inheriting his father's land was voided. Instead, it was to be divided equally among all the sons--unless one of them renounced his Catholic faith and became a Protestant. He then inherited the entire property)

Owning a horse valued at $25 or more. (If a Protestant offered a Catholic that amount for his horse, he was obligated to sell it to him. One farmer caught in this situation shot his favorite horse rather than sell it.) One of the most hated provisions of these laws was the one that obligated all Catholics (but not Protestants) to tithe the Church of England. Since Ireland was more than 95% Catholic, the Protestant ministers received their income from people who never came to their church. As a result of this forced giving, the annual income of a minister in Ireland was usually three times that of one in England. The irony of this law is that the names of all the heads of households that paid their tithes were dutifully recorded and today these lists have proven to be an excellent source of genealogical information for people tracing their Irish roots”.

Source of above: From the Kinsella family Home Page; taken off the Internet.

 

Found in the film # 1279284, LDS FHL in SLC:

 

“The Book of Surveys and Distribution of the Estates of the County of Westmeath;

Forfeited in the years 1663 to 1668.

 

“In the County of Westmeath alone, upwards of 8000 acres of land were disposed to the Duke of York of which 1150 were the Nugent family confiscation’s, 730 were Petit, 840

Tyrrel, 2650 D’Alton and 1700 Dillon Estates. Others being Tuites, Lacys, Hopes, Coffys, Nangles, Fitzgeralds and Geoghegans.”

 

 

Dalton’s that forfeited their lands in Rathconrath Parish, Rathconrath Barony:

 

Note: There are over 49 pages that Dalton’s are mentioned in the index of this Film. (RD)

 

Proprietors in 1640; Disputations of land by the Date;

Down Survey;

Garrett Dalton (Irish Papist) Lianecasky by Cert. 9th, Oct. 1666.

Edmond Dalton (Irish Papist) Lianecasky by Cert. 1, Jan. 1668.

Garrett Dalton (Irish Papist) Skeaghmore by Cert. 1, Jan. 1668.

Richard Dalton (Irish Papist) Skeaghmore by Cert. 1, Jan. 1668.

Theobold Dalton (Irish Papist) Skeaghbeg by Cert. 17th, May 1667.

Miles Dalton by Cert. 19th, Oct. 1668.

Nicholas Dalton Ballynecarroe by Fee. 2nd, 1663

Oliver Dalton Milltowne by Cert. 1663, 66, 68.

Garrett Dalton Oldtowne by Cert. 10th, May 1667.

Henry Dalton Conry & Crossanstowne by Cert. 10th, May 1667.
Richard Dalton Rathnew by Decree 27th, Jun. 1663.

Nicholas Dalton Killbellandkard in

Ballrath. by Cert. 10th, May 1667.

Richard Dalton Ballrath by Cert. 10th, May 1667.

Henry Dalton Ballrath by Cert. 10th, May 1667.

Garrett Dalton Upper Milltowne by Cert. 1666, 1668.

 

The following pedigree of our Irish Dalton’s was put together from two main sources, Two books found in the L D S Family History Library in SLC in the British section.

These authors didn’t give their sources in these books, but both are genealogist’s well known in Ireland. The reader can only assume these two authors source’s was taken from proven records in Ireland. Much more research is needed to prove this Irish Dalton line.

 

This history of Irish Dalton’s and was copied from the book, KING JAMES IRISH ARMY LIST – 1659, written by a member of that family, John D’Alton.

This book is found in the British section of the LDS FHL in SLC, Utah. No. 941.5m 2d.

Below is a description of this book:

 

This work is a singular mass of information illustrating the lineage, honours and achievements of families connected with Ireland by birth, rank, title or alliance which took the author over 50 years to compile. Many of his sources are now lost to time, but his work survives. A body of 30.000 - 40,000 Irish, plundered of their estates left Ireland under different leaders, and entered the service of France, Spain, Austria and Venice. The 'Wild Geese' of Ireland are each documented here by name. For each family, D'Alton gives historical and genealogical illustrations. For Irish families he concentrates particularly on ancient locations. For families who came to Ireland from England and Scotland, he often gives the place from which they came and at what date. D'Alton dedicated his work to the ancient family history of each of the Wild Geese of Ireland.

 

 

 

This history deals with the D’Alton family from 1328:

 

The tradition of the introduction of this family from France to Ireland, as preserved in the

 

Office of Arms, records Walter D'Alton to have been its founder; that he secretly married a daughter of Louis, King of France, and having thereby incurred this Monarch's displeasure, fled to England where as he passed with Henry the Second on the invasion of Ireland. He early acquired possessions in the Western portion of Meath known as the district of Teffia, where he and his descendants founded religious houses and erected castles. His only son Philip (which is reported to actually be his third son, RD) was the father of three- Nicholas, John, and Philip, from whom respectively all the D'Altons of Ireland may be considered to have descended. From Nicholas came the D'Altons of Ballymore, Ballynecaxrow, Dundonnell, Miltown, Molinmechan, Dalystown, and Rowlandstown; from John sprung the Noughwell line, and from Philip the family of Emper.

 

In 1328 the English forces, including the D'Alton (who, from the time of their settling in Western Meith, were the chief bulwark of the pale in that direction), sustained a dreadful defeat near MulEngax; when, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, many, of their army, I together with the D'Altons,' were slain. In 1343 Thomas D'Alton brought sixty hobillers to a hosting at Trim; in two years after which he was commissioned to parley, treat with, and reform, the Irish of that Liberty. At the siege of Calais, in 1346, under the Royal Edward, Robert D'Alton was one of his knights. Previous to this the name had been introduced into Louth, and soon after into Kilkenny, Cork, and Tipperary. In the memorable Parliament of Westminster (1376) William D'Alton appears as one of the Representatives for the County of Cork. In 1382 Walter ‘Datoun (as the name was more generally called in Kilkenny), was constituted one of the guardians of the peace there, as was Hubert D'Alton of Lough-Suidy in Westmeath. In seven years after, Richard, son of William D'Alton, was appointed Constable of the Castle of Athlone. In 1403 William Dardith of Westmeath paid L20 for liberty to marry Matilda, the widow of Richard D'Alton, who had been by birth of the Irish nation. In 1425 Henry D'Alton, Knight, was interred with much solemnity at Mullingar. Redmond 'Daton' was at this time a Justice

in eyre in Kilkenny, with commission of army over that County. In 1447, however, at the

Parliament of Trim, in consequence of this branch taking part with the more native tribes of the Poers and Walshes in that vicinity, it was enacted that it should be lawful for the Mayor and citizens of Waterford to assemble forces and to ride with them in manner of war with banners displayed, against the Dela Poers, Walshes, Grants, D'Altons, etc; This branch held their estates in Kilkenny, until the attainder’s of 1641 swept them away, when the chief portion was granted to the ancestor of the Earls of Besborough. In the time of Henry the Eighth, the district where this name was first planted witnessed its extension so widely that when, in 1545, the western portion of Meath was separated and erected into a distinct County by the title of Westmeath a very large track, especially described as “the D'Alton's Country,” was, with that alias, constituted the Barony of Ratheoumth. The D'Alton had previously ranked as a Palatine Baron thereof, under an early grant of the dignity from Hugh de Lacy; and he and his descendants adopted and still retain the fieur-de-lis on their armorials as in right of the daughter of Louis. Throughout the centuries of this, their residence in Ireland, they supported their rank and influence by alliances not only with the noble native families, but also likewise with the most illustrious of Anglo-Norman descent. An inquisition of 1561 find Gerald, Andrew, Philpok, Walter, and Hubert D'Alton seized in fee of the Castle of Glasken, &c. and Milo, son of John D'Alton, seized of Ballnegal and other premises in Westmeath. In 1604 Hubert of Dundonell died, leaving John his son and heir hereinafter mentioned, then aged 26 and married; as did Gerald in 1608, seized of the castle and lands of Ballinecarrow, leaving William, his son and heir, then aged only three years, and on whose death, in

 

1614, Hubert, a brother of said Gerald, succeeded to the estate, being then aged 12. In 1606 died Hubert D'Alton, senior, of Noughwell, leaving Gerald his son and heir, then aged 40 and married; he died in 1612, when Nicholas, his son and heir, was aged about ten years. In 1612 Roger D'Alton had a grant of all the seignory, lordship, castle, manor, mansion house, and demesne lands of Knockmoane, containing 3,882 acres; the castles of Ballynacourt and Cappaghlnraes, with large additions of land in the County of Waterford, courts leet and baron, fairs and markets; the premises to be created the manor of Knockmoane, and the castle or capital messuage to be called Castle D'Alton.

 

In 1629 died Edward D'Alton, seized of the Castle of Miltown, & c., leaving Oliver his son and heir, then aged 28 and married; and, in 1631, Nicholas D'Alton died, seized of little Miltown, leaving Edward his son and heir, then aged 30 and unmarried. In 1639 the said Oliver of Miltown, being the head of this once powerful family in Westmeath, on the marriage of his son and heir, Christopher, with Margaret, daughter of Richard D'Alton of Molinmechan entailed the ancestral estates to the uses of the marriage, under which said Christopher died, seized in 1651, and as the inquisition expressly finds ‘not in the communion of the Church of England.' He had been attainted in the outlawry’s of 1641, and the whole extensive possessions of this house were thereby, regardless of the infant heir, Oliver, then aged only two years, subjected to confiscation, and doled out amongst the adherents of the usurping powers.

 

A Funeral Entry in the Office of Arms, Dublin, records the death, in July, 1636, of John, D'Alton of Dundonell, County of Westmeath, son and heir of the before-mentioned Hubert D'Alton, eldest son of Henry D'Alton, eldest son of Edmund, eldest son of Henry, eldest son of John, (all of Dundonell) eldest son of Pierce D'Alton of Ballymore in said County, whose death, as son of an elder Pierce, is attributed to the plague of 1467. The first named John had married Elinor, daughter of Gerald Dillon of Portlick in said County, by whom he had five sons; Ist, Garret, married to Margaret Plunket of Loughcrew, County of Meath; 2nd, Richard; 3rd, Robert; 4th, James; 5th, Thomas, unmarried. Said John, the defunct, was buried in Churchtown. None of this name appear on the official Roll of Outlawries of 1642, but many fell in the contests that immediately preceded, and estates were then forfeited in Westmeath by Oliver, Nicholas, Richard, Garret, Henry, Edmund, John, Geoffry, Walter, Theobald, and James Dalton respectively.

About this time branches of the D'Altons migrated westward, one settling at Ballycahan, in Limerick, the other at Deer Park, County Clare. The former was connected with the families of Hickman, Parkes, Furnell, and Leake, and became extinct in the direct male line in the last century. Of the latter was Michael D'Alton of Deer-park, who, by his first wife, Miss Fitzgerald, had one son, Edward, (It may be permitted to remark that this James, the fourth son of John D'Alton of Dundonnell, married Mary or Margaret Purdon, and was the great grandfather of the compiler of the present volume, as shown by family deeds. This single entry, therefore, suggests a retrospective pedigree of eleven generations for one whom is now the only D'Alton inheriting a fee-simple estate in the old barony) and three daughters. The son died without issue male; Marcella, the eldest daughter, married John Singleton, grand- father of the present Mr. Singleton of Quinville Abbey, in the county of Clare (one of the sisters of said John Singleton marrying Richard Copley of the County, Limerick, was the grandmother of the present Lord Lyndhurst:) Mary, the second daughter, became the wife of William Butler of Castle-crine; Jane Eyre D'Alton, the third daughter, married John Lysaght, by, whom she had Edward Lysaght, the barrister, and a daughter, Jane, both before alluded to. In 1662 Lieutenant Alexander

 

D'Alton received the Royal thanks in the Act of Settlement, and in 1666 Cornet Garrett D'Alton was one of the ' 1649 ' officers, an adjudication for whose services to King Charles is of record. In the same year Peter D'Alton had a confirmatory grant of 2,476 acres in Tipperary, as had John D'Alton in 1668 of 316 in Monaghan, and Garrett of 97 in Mayo.

 

At the eve of the war of 1689, this family, it is of tradition, raised, at their own expense,

a considerable body of Horse, for the service of King James; and besides the above Myles in this Regiment of Dragoons the name is found commissioned on the Infantry Regiments of the King, Colonels Henry Dillon, Richard Nugent, Walter Bourke, John Grace, Lord Galway, and Sir Michael Creagh. One of those Officers, a Captain D'Alton, was taken prisoner at the siege of Athlone.

 

The Attainder’s of 1691 include the above Captain Myles of Grangebeg, County of Westmeath, with John and Henry D'Alton of Doneele, Walter and Robert of Molinmechan, Richard and Tobias of Irishtown, James and Theobald of Shinglis and Roo, Christopher of Miltown and seven other proprietors in Westmeath; Richard and Andrew of Dublin, merchants; three in the County of Kilkenny and three in that of Wexford. Christopher of Miltown was adjudged within the Articles of Limerick, as were Major John D'Alton of Doneele and William, his son, each of whom thus saved some portions of their estates from the consequences of attainder’s. At the Court of Claimes James D'Alton, then a minor, by Walter Delamere, his guardian, claimed an estate in fee in lands forfeited by Garret D'Alton. Elizabeth D'Alton, widow, claimed dower of Doneele, forfeited by Major John D'Alton; Richard and Mary D'Alton, minors, by Bryan Kelly their prochein ami, claimed a mortgage affecting County of Roscommon estates, of Richard D'Alton; John Adams claimed an estate in fee in the lands of Irishtown and Raheenquin forfeited by ___ D'Alton; but his petition was disallowed.

 

The aforesaid Christopher D'Alton was the eldest son of Oliver of Miltown, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Edmund Dillon of Portlick; and he intermarried with Mary, daughter of Edmund D'Alton of Loughust, their marriage settlement bearing date the 15th of May, 1694. The lands which he was, by the construction of the Articles of Limerick, permitted to retain, descended to his son, Oliver, who, in 1717, married Catherine, daughter of James O'Reilly of Ballinlough, ancestor of Sir Hugh of Ballinlough, who afterwards took the name of Nugent, and also ancestor of the first Baroness Talbot de Malahide. This last Oliver changed his family mansion from Miltown to Longhan, which was thenceforth named Mount D'Alton. He had four sons, three of whom, Christopher, James, and Richard were necessitated, for their honour and independence, to enroll themselves in the Austrian army: the distinguished services of James and Richard are noticed hereafter. Thomas, the fourth son of Oliver, entered into Holy Orders; while Christopher, his eldest, married in 1748, Maria, only daughter of William Costello of Tullaghan, in Mayo, by his wife Catherine Mac Dermott Roe, of Knockranny. On his death he left Oliver, his only son, and three daughters.

 

This last Oliver married Clare French, and died in 1799 without issue, when the family estates were partitioned between his three sisters and co-heiresses: 1- Sophia-Josephina, who married Robert Dillon O'Reilly, Esq., of the County Cavan, by whom she has left issue. 2- Elizabeth Johanna, who became the wife of her cousin, Ignatius Dillon Beggg, by whom she had issue one son, Oliver, (who married in 1846 his relative Maria Theresa Nugent, and who died in 1848 without issue male) and one daughter Maria-Josephina,

 

who married Thomas Babington, Esq., and has issue an only son, William D'Alton Babington. 3- Catherine, who intermarried with John O'Connor, Esq., of the Offaley line, and has also left issue.

 

A patent of Maria Theresa, bearing date at Vienna, the 25th of April, 1777, after reciting that the aforesaid Richard, Chevalier D'Alton is descended from a very ancient stock in Ireland, and stands in connection with the most respectable families there, adds, “we are also pleased to take into consideration his extraordinary, faithful, and lasting services in the field of war, rendered through four and thirty years, with unimpeachable attachment to us and our ducal House; and inasmuch as he has insisted at the campaigns on the Rhine and in Italy, then in the last Prussian war, especially at Frankfort, at Landshut and by Lignitz, manifesting extraordinary proofs of his skill, prudence and valour; nor less afterwards, in times of peace, especially at the taking possession of the kingdom of Gallicia. We are, therefore, moved to confer upon him a Regiment of Infantry, with the dignity of a Privy Councilor, and the rank of a Count in all our hereditary Kingdoms and Principalities; and this not only on him but on his eldest brother, Christopher; his second brother, James; his cousin, Edward, (a Lieutenant-General in the Imperial service, afterwards of Grenanstown); his (Edward's) uterine brother Christopher, and their heirs both male and female; and his sister Elizabeth Nugent (who had, in 1741, married

Edmund Nugent of Ballinacor), to be raised alike to the dignity of Countship, as if they had been bred and born Counts and Countesses, with a grant of armorials therein fully specified. This patent was confirmed by the Emperor Joseph in the following year to Richard as Count ‘Von Alton,’ and the Imperial honour was recognized and confirmed within the British dominions by the warrant of the Duke of Rutland, when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1785, authorizing General and Field Marshal Richard D'Alton and his brother, of Mount D’Alton, to use the coats of arms of Counts of the Roman empire and to enjoy the same honours in Ireland, as were so conferred upon them by Maria Theresa; and directing that such title and arms should be registered in the Office of Arms of Ireland. Count Richard was afterwards, from 1787 to 1789, the too memorable agent of the Emperor Joseph’s oppressions in Brabant, as incontrovertibly evidenced by his Majesty’s letters printed off in 1790.

 

James D’Alton, the brother of this Richard, was appointed governor of Gratz; and of him, Michael Kelly, in his reminiscences (v. 1, p. 5), makes mention, as that he had met him at Gratz about the year 1780, with Generals Dillon and Kavanagh. He was there commandant, enthusiast about Ireland; and he agreed with me that the Irish language is sweeter and better adapted for musical accompaniment than any other, the Italian excepted. On Dumourier entering that country Major-General James removed thence to Brussels. His life was, it is supposed, afterwards terminated by shipwreck on the coast of Essex, in his attempted passage for Ireland. Of the Tipperary D'Alton’s, was the above-mentioned Christopher of Grenanstown, Chamberlain and Colonel of the Guards to his Electoral Highness of Saxony, and who died at Richmond, near Dublin, in 1793, Edward the uterine brother of said Christopher of Grenanstown, was also a Chamberlain and Major-General in Austria. He was killed in the trenches at Dunkirk, when, in 1793, that town was besieged by the Duke of York, and he was buried with great funeral honours by the Austrians.

End

There is a book in the library wrote by John O'Hart in 1878 called "Irish Pedigrees; or The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation"

 

Published in Dublin. It's book # 941.5 D2 in the British section on B-2.

In reading the preface of this book, the book is highly recommended by the press in England & Ireland at this time! (1878)

Here is the text as written:

 

THE DALTON FAMILY: (Of Ireland)

There is no certain account of the origin of this family, other than that which we have by tradition, namely: That Sir 'Walter DeAliton, a Frenchman, aspiring to gain the affections of his king's daughter (which he obtained), so incurred the displeasure of her father, that, to avoid the fury of an incensed monarch, Sir Walter, with his lady, privately retired into Ireland, which was then involved in great wars between the ancient natives and their invading English enemies; where, having signalized his great valour and good conduct on many occasions on the invader's side, he was soon advanced to considerable offices and employment’s, and made governor of the borders of Meath. then the limits of the English conquests. In that part the kingdom of Meath now called "Westmeath" Sir Walter acquired great estates and possessions, which his posterity enjoyed until they were dispossessed by the usurper Cromwall. This Sir Walter was the ancestor of all Dalton’s.

Sir Walter De Aliton, so far as we can find, had one son, who was named Philip De Aliton, from whose three sons:

 

1.Nicholas.

2.Philip the younger.

3.John, the families of - 1. Dalton, 2. Daton and Datoon, and 3. Delaton, are respectively descended.

 

Note: I wish to believe, hopely that this Philip is actually Sir Walters’s third son in our Dalton pedigree from Lancashire. Must be proven. (RD)

 

(Pedigree)

1. Sir Walter de Aliton.

2. Philip: his son.

3. Nicholas: his son; who was governor of Westmeath.

This Nicholas had two brothers - Philip, who was ancestor of the Dalton’s of

Emper, and John, the ancestor of the Dalton’s of Nochavall, etc.

4. Philbug: son of Nicholas.

5. Piers: his son.

6. Maurice Dalton; his son; first assumed this surname; had a brother named

Edmond, who was the ancestor of the Dalton’s of Ballynacarrow.

7. Piers: son of Maurice.

This Piers had two brothers, 1. Maurice; and 2. Philip. who was the ancestor

of the Dalton’s of Dungolman.

8. Edmond: his son; who had a brother named John, who was the ancestor

of the Dalton’s of Dundonell and of Molinecham.

9. Thomas: son of Edmond.

10. Gerrott: his son.

11. Richard: his son; who had thirteen sons.

12. Thomas: his son.

13. Edmond: his son.

14. Oliver: his son.

15. Christopher: his son.

16. Oliver: his son.

17. Christopher: his son; had two brothers; 1. Edmond. 2. Thomas.

18. Oliver Dalton: of Milltown, Westmeath.

 

Here is a genealogical type pedigree chart of this Dalton family taken from the above histories. We are searching for true dates and the correct lineage.

 

The descendants of Walter de D’Alton in Ireland:

From the database of Rodney Dalton.

 

Generation No. 2

 

1. Phillip DALTON was born Abt. 1159 In Lancashire. He married UNKNOWN.

           

Children of PHILLIP DALTON and UNKNOWN are:

            i.          NICHOLAS DALTON, b. Abt. 1180, Ireland.

            ii.         JOHN DALTON, b. Ireland.

            iii.        PHILLIP DALTON JR., b. Ireland.

 

Generation No. 3

 

2. NICHOLAS DALTON was born Abt. 1180 in Ireland. He married UNKNOWN.

           

Child of NICHOLAS DALTON and UNKNOWN is:

            i.          PHILLIP DALTON, b. Abt. 1201, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 4

 

3. PHILLIP DALTON was born Abt. 1201 in Ireland.

           

Child of PHILLIP DALTON is:

            i.          PIERS DALTON, b. Abt. 1225, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 5

 

4. PIERS DALTON was born Abt. 1225 in Ireland.

           

Children of PIERS DALTON are:

            i.          MAURICE DALTON, b. Abt. 1250, Ireland.

            ii.         EDMOND DALTON.

 

Generation No. 6

 

5. MAURICE DALTON was born Abt. 1250 in Ireland.

           

Children of MAURICE DALTON are:

i.      PIERS DALTON, b. Abt. 1271, Ireland.

 

            ii.         MAURICE DALTON.

            iii.        PHILIP DALTON.

 

Generation No. 7

 

6. PIERS DALTON was born Abt. 1271 in Ireland.

           

Children of PIERS DALTON are:

            i.          EDMOND DALTON, b. Abt. 1295, Ireland.

            ii.         JOHN DALTON.

 

Generation No. 8

 

7. EDMOND DALTON was born Abt. 1295 in Ireland.

           

Child of EDMOND DALTON is:

            i.          THOMAS DALTON, b. Abt. 1315, of Westmeath County, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 9

 

8. THOMAS DALTON was born Abt. 1315 in of Westmeath County, Ireland.

           

Child of THOMAS DALTON is:

            i.          GERROTT DALTON, b. Ireland.

 

Generation No. 10

 

9. GERROTT DALTON was born in Ireland.

           

Child of GERROTT DALTON is:

            i.          RICHARD DALTON, b. of Milltown, County Westmeath, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 11

 

10. RICHARD DALTON was born in of Milltown, County Westmeath, Ireland.

           

Children of RICHARD DALTON are:

            i.          THOMAS DALTON, b. Ireland.

            ii.         TIBBOT DALTON, b. Of Rowlandstown, County Westmeath, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 12

 

11. THOMAS DALTON was born in Ireland.

           

Child of THOMAS DALTON is:

            i.          EDMOND DALTON, b. Ireland.

 

12. TIBBOT DALTON was born in Of Rowlandstown, County Westmeath, Ireland.

           

Child of TIBBOT DALTON is:

 

            i.          JOHN DALTON, b. Of Dalystown, County Westmeath, Ireland; d. January 04, 1635/36, Baronrath, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 13

 

13. EDMOND DALTON was born in Ireland.

           

Child of EDMOND DALTON is:

            i.          OLIVER DALTON, b. of Miltown, Ireland.

 

14. JOHN DALTON was born in Of Dalystown, County Westmeath, Ireland, and died January 04, 1635/36 in Baronrath, Ireland. He married ELLICE DILLON.

           

Children of JOHN DALTON and ELLICE DILLON are:

            i.          RICHARD DALTON.

            ii.         WALTER DALTON.

            iii.        MAURICE DALTON, m. DORCUS TRAVERS.

            iv.         ANDREW DALTON.

            v.          WILLIAM DALTON.

            vi.        NICHOLAS DALTON.

 

Generation No. 14

 

15. OLIVER DALTON was born in of Miltown, Ireland. He married MARGARET DILLON.

           

Child of OLIVER DALTON and MARGARET DILLON is:

            i.          CHRISTOPHER DALTON, b. Ireland.

 

Generation No. 15

 

16. CHRISTOPHER DALTON was born in Ireland.

           

Child of CHRISTOPHER DALTON is:

            i.          OLIVER DALTON, b. of Mount Dalton, Ireland.

 

Generation No. 16

 

17.OLIVER DALTON was born in of Mount Dalton, Ireland. He married CATHERINE O'REILLY. Note: This was probably “Count D’Alton of Mount Dalton”       

Children of OLIVER DALTON and CATHERINE O'REILLY are:

            i.          CHRISTOPHER DALTON, b. Ireland.

            ii.         JAMES DALTON.

            iii.        RICHARD DALTON.

iv.    THOMAS DALTON.

v.      

 

Generation No. 17

 

18. CHRISTOPHER DALTON was born in Ireland. He married MARIA COSTELLO.

           

 

Children of CHRISTOPHER DALTON and MARIA COSTELLO are:

            i.          OLIVER DALTON, b. of Milltown, Westmeath, Ireland; m. CLARE FRENCH.

            ii.         EDMOND DALTON, b. Ireland.

            iii.        THOMAS DALTON, b. Ireland.

            iv.         SOPHIA JOSEPHINA DALTON, m. ROBERT DILLON O'REILLY.

            v.          ELIZABETH JOHANNA DALTON, m. IGNATIUS DILLON BEGG.

vi. CATHERINE DALTON.

 

The following articles are about Roger Dalton, his brother George and Rogers son, Roger of the Yorkshire Dalton line and tells us something about their life’s in England and Ireland.

 

THE JUNIOR DALTON LINE - THE MISSING LINK, CHAPTER III.

by R.N.D. Hamilton. Copied from Vol. 15. No. 2 - The Journal of the Dalton Genealogical Society.

 

Roger Dalton of Kirkby Misperton, Yorkshire and Ireland:

 

Roger Dalton of Kirkby Misperton was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in February 1573-4 and had, with Alison, his wife, conveyed the manor of Kirkby Misperton in 1594 to Thomas Phelippes. Our interest in Roger derived from the fact that he had an uncle Walter Dalton, who himself died without issue, and that therefore there seemed to be a possibility that the first Walter Dalton of the Junior Dalton Line might have descended from this Roger.

 

Rogers will was dated the 8th October 1595 and was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the 27th April 1597 (the Court copy is Crown copyright, Public Record Office reference PROB 11/89).

 

Now that I have read Rogers will, it seems to be quite clear that Walter of the Junior Dalton Line was not a son of Roger, and the dates -would not be right for him to have been a grandson of Roger. In the will, legacies are left to his sons Roger (who would seem to have been the eldest and was a minor under the age of 21 at the date of the will), Richard and John, but there is no Walter. He also had four daughters Anne, Kate, Avis and Allyson (named after his wife). Nevertheless, the will mentions Daltons hitherto unknown to me from the family trees and is interesting for expanding information on the family and for the picture it gives of the time.

 

The first point of interest is that the will shows that Roger, whether before or after he sold the Kirkby Misperton estate, had emigrated to county Waterford (Munster) in Ireland, where he seems to have had two castles, a parsonage, and other lands, tenements and lordships. County Waterford is on the south coast of Ireland. Roger may, however, have retained some lands in Yorkshire, see the reference to his leaving his assurance for his 'Landes in Yorke with Mr. William Allyn in whose name I have taken the same'.

 

 

Why Roger should have left a long held family estate in Yorkshire, and a Possible practice at the bar, for the uncertainties and troubles of Ireland is difficult to understand. That times were difficult is apparent from the will itself, since he leaves his wife Allison a legacy of E40 in ready money to spend if she was driven to any lawsuit or to remove herself to England, and also from his reference to his 'furniture for warre'. In 1597, the

 

year of Rogers death, the native Irish rose en masse and terrible atrocities took place. In Munster a new Earl of Desmond was proclaimed and the English planters were driven from their lands. I wonder what happened to Roger and his family.

 

The will also shows that Roger had a brother George and a brother Ralphe Dalton. Neither George nor Ralphe are shown in that tree, presumably because they were not born at the date of the 1563/64 Visitation of Yorkshire, which the tree illustrates.

Was Roger an English planter? Various attempts were made between 1568 and 1575 to colonize Ireland by English adventurers expropriating by armed force the native Irish; for several years intermittent war raged in Munster and Connaught. Later many thousands of acres of land in Munster passed to the Crown owing to the treason and death of the Earl of Desmond in 1583, and these lands were settled with English gentry and peasants in the following years until they were driven out by the Irish rebellion in 1597/98.

I do not know enough about the Irish troubles to be able to answer the question at the beginning of the previous paragraph; nor do I know whether Rogers family survived to provide an ancestry for any Irish Dalton’s of today. These are matters for further research. But Rogers principal castle and park of Knockmoan was granted by the Queen's letters patent to Sir Christpher Hatton from whom presumably Roger directly or indirectly acquired them. These lands may therefore have been part of the Irish estates, which were forfeited and settled.

 

So we have three pictures of Roger, first the Lord of the Manor of a family estate in the North Riding of Yorkshire, secondly the barrister of Lincoln's inn, and thirdly, the landed owner of castles in Ireland.

 

At Lincoln’s inn he would have been contemporary with James Dalton the Bencher, and, shortly, with Michael Dalton of the Countrey Justice and Cambridgeshire, and he must surely have known and visited Dorothy Dalton in Fleet Street. Was it through the Inns of Court that he met and married his wife Allyson, if, as appears, she was a relation of Sir Christopher Hatton in the Temple and at Hatton Garden not far away in Holborn? And one can see Roger attending the moots and noting them in the moot book mentioned in the will, and later appearing in court, assuming he practiced and walking out in Chancery Lane and the other neighbouring streets in his black barrister's gown with the velvet facings also mentioned in the will.

 

And then in Ireland one can picture him riding about his estate on his Irish hobby with his best hat, his best riding cloak and his worsted stockings, with his rapier, dagger and pistol. His cut satin doublets and velvet breeches, and also his best gown seem meant for inside social occasions. What, one wonders, was his furniture of warre. All the items referred to in this paragraph are mentioned in the will.

 

Roger had a library and obviously treasured particularly his moot book to give it to his eldest son Roger; and he must also have valued his Foxe's Book of Martyrs and his Tremellius Bible to give them, with his barrister's gown, to his brother Francis. His singling out of these two books for special mention would indicate that he was an ardent Protestant. One rather wonders why the gown was not left with the moot book to his son. But he seems to have had some doubt about Roger's academic inclinations since he left Roger the rest of his books 'if he will study'; if not, the rest of his books were to go to whichever of his sons was best disposed to books.

 

It seems a little odd that he left to his daughter Avis the jewel, which his daughter Anne was wearing. This might have caused some difficulty, but Anne received her jewel of gold set with two diamonds. This sounds much better, so Anne was probably older than Avis and had the better jewel, so that both would be contented.

 

This chapter started with Roger, the testator, and his wife Allyson having sold the manor of Kirkby Misperton to Thomas Phelippes in 1594. It looks from the reference at the end of the will to debts which Mr Phillippes owed to Roger that a part of the purchase money had not been paid in cash and was still owing in 1595.

 

George Dalton of Kirkby Misperton, Yorkshire, and Cornwall:

 

The will of George Dalton, Rogers brother, is dated the 10th August 1607, and it was proved on the 20th December 1613. In it he describes himself as the fourth and youngest son of Roger Dalton of Kirkby Misperton.

 

George asks to be buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Clement Danes without Temple Lane in London so near as possible to the body of his late dear wife Elizabeth if he died in London or within thirty miles of it, or, if he died elsewhere, as his next of kin present might decide. He asked to be buried without pomp, trusting in Jesus Christ as his steadfast belief that, although his earthly and sinful body should be put into the grave as a body of corruption, yet that it should be raised again at the sound of the heavenly trumpet and be made a glorious body.

 

He seems, like his brother, to have been a man of strong religious belief and also to have been the head of a happy family, for, at the end of the will, he gives 'to my twoe sonnes my blessing even from the bothom of my harte trusting gods mercy that although oure bodyes be here separated for a while yet that at the latter Daye they and I togeather with theire good and vertuous mother gone before shall all meete together in the heavenlie mansion there to raigne everlastinglie with the holie and blessed Trinitie To whom be ascribed all honour and glorye for ever and ever Amen'.

 

George had two sons, Maximilian and Thomas. He had an estate in Cornwall, Barton Farm and messuages and lands at St Caricke or St Garrocke, all in the Parish of St Vipe. St Veep, as it is shown on a modern map, is about four miles inland from the south coast of the county and a mile or two to the east of the River Fowey.

 

It may be that the reason for his move to Cornwall was that his wife was of a Cornish family, for his brother-in-law, Henry Pollard, is described as 'of Trelawne'. Trelawne lies some two miles northeast of Polperro and four or five miles east of St Veep.

 

George left his interest in the Cornish estate to Maximilian. All the residue of his goods, chattels and monies due to him, after payment of his funeral debts and other legacies, he divided equally between his two sons, and he made them executors, any disputes between them to be determined by Henry Pollard. George's two sons were minors at the date of the will, and he committed their education during their minorities to Henry Pollard, or, if he should die, to his sister's son, Roger Wyvell then of Lincoln's.

(In his will Roger Dalton made his nephew, George Wyvell, an overseer of his will and gave him the custody of his moot book until his son Roger should come of age. Presumably George Wyvell and Roger Wyvell were brothers, and it may be that George

 

was of Lincoln's Inn also as he was given temporary custody of the moot book)

 

As to specific legacies, George gave to his brother Francis an old Angell, to his brother Raphe a silver spoon, to his sister Francis Beilbye an old Angell, to his sister Anne Rudd (or perhaps Ludd) an old Angell, to his sister Dorothie Clarke an old Angell, to his sister Tubman an old Angell, to Henry Pollard his best horse and its furniture, to Henry Pollard's wife his great ring called a white sapphire, to his nephew Roger Wivell three and a half yards of black satin to make him a doublet. These legacies are all expressed to be made in token of George I s love, and in the case of that of the ring to his sister-in-law, also with thanks for the care of his children. To his godson John Pollard he left a 20s piece of gold.

 

George's two sons were still minors when he died, and administration of the will during their minority was granted to Henry Pollard on the 21st December 1613. On the 15th November 1631 probate was granted to Thomas the younger son, who had then presumably come of age. The note of the grant of probate contains the words 'Maximilian) Dalton filio et alter executor demortuo'. So Maximilian died young. And, although this little family seems to have been a happy one, there must have been sadness too with the early deaths of mother, father and elder son. One wonders whether Thomas survived to found his own family of Cornish Dalton’s.

 

Conclusion:

 

So, at the end of chapter III, we have expanded our knowledge of the Dalton family and discovered their spread from North Yorkshire to Ireland and Cornwall, but we are no nearer finding the missing link for the Junior Dalton Line, save that certain possibilities seem to have been eliminated. But the research will go on. There are still the second and third lines of research mentioned in chapter I to be followed up. It rather looks as though the next effort to seek a solution should centre on Oxfordshire. Another chapter can then be written, and it is to be hoped that the final chapter, whenever it comes to be written, will produce the missing link.

 

Postscript: The tribulations of Alison and her son Roger.

 

Since the foregoing paragraphs of this chapter were written I have consulted the published volumes, held in the City of London Guildhall Library, of the Calendar of State Papers - Ireland, in case they threw any light on what happened to Rogers family in Ireland. I found entries, which threw light on the initial purchase of the estate and gave details of subsequent tribulations of Alison his widow and Roger his eldest son.

 

In the volume for 1596 and 1597 page 305 there is a note of a letter dated 2 June 1597 from Greenwich from Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Deputy Burgh directing him to reposses Alison Dalton, widow of Roger Dalton, of certain lands in Munster, whereof Garrett Fitzjames, otherwise called Lord Decies, had dispossessed her and her son, the Queen's ward.

 

Then at page 327 there is a note of a warrant from Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Deputy Burgh and Council, to take order for the relief and satisfaction of Allison Dalton, widow, and her son Roger.

 

Most interestingly, in the volume for 1601 - 1603 with Addenda 1565 - 1654 there is an abstract at page 603 of the petition of Alison which led to the foregoing letter and warrant. She is described as Alison Dalton of Cappoquin [which is not far from the estate] and the daughter of Avis Erisie. The circumstances of the initial purchase and the dispossession are described in the abstract as follows:

 

Petitioner is the widow of Roger Dalton, Esq., who lately died in Ireland. Six years ago her husband purchased of Sir William Hatton of Holdenby, co. Northampton, for 1600’. his whole seignory in the co. Waterford, containing divers castles, manors, lands &c. to the number of 12,000 acres, which descended to Sir William as cousin and heir of Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor of England, and had further been assured to the said Chancellor, as one of the principal undertakers in that country for your Majesty, your Majesty reserving a rent of 601. a year. All these castles, lands, &c. were lawfully found to come to your Majesty by the attainder of the Earl of Desmond and his accomplices; and Anthony Poher, the High Sheriff of co. Waterford, has since given peaceable possession thereof to one John Knight of London, agent for the said Sir Christopher Hatton, to the use of the said Sir Christopher.

 

Before petitioner's husband could go over to take possession "Garrett Fitzjames of Dromaninge [Dromenal, who calleth himself Lord of the Deeses [Decies] country, and divers others of the Irish by his evil example" intruded into more than 6,000 acres of the lands comprised in the Lord Chancellor's patents (and of which his officers were in quiet possession) and still detain the same. Petitioner's husband during his life paid the full crown rent of 601. for the lands, but scarcely enjoyed more than one third thereof. Petitioner still pays it to her great impoverishment, "having eight small children left her in that wild and rude country."

 

Prays for an order repossessing her and her eldest son Roger in all the lands set out in the letters patents until Garrett Fitzjames or any other Irish claimants shall have proved a title thereto before the Barons of the Exchequer in Ireland, and for remission of rent pro rata in respect of any of the said lands, which any such claimant may establish his right to deduct from future payments whatever may have already overpaid in rent in respect of such lands.

 

I stated earlier in the chapter that it appeared that Alison was a Hatton. However, in his will Roger, her husband, gives a legacy to 'my mother Erisie' and the endorsement to the petition makes it clear that Alison was the daughter of Avis Erisie. Quite what the relationship of Roger or his wife was to the Hattons is therefore in doubt.

 

"Unfortunately, Lord Deputy Burgh died in October 1597 before Alison could get the benefit of the order made on this petition, and she had to make a second petition, a short note of which is endorsed on the first. In the second petition, the date of which is not given, she prayed for a new letter and stated that since the last rebellion she had maintained two castles for the Queen and had lost more than 1,000 p on them since June 1597.

 

 

What order was made in response to the second petition is not stated, but, as will appear later, it would seem that possession was not regained but that an abatement in rent was granted.

 

In the volume for 1598 and 1599 starting on page 319 there are portions of some manuscript history of the time. On page 323 this states that in the beginning of October 1598 "the unfortunate news of rebellion in Munster, and the general combination of the Irish throughout the land against the English, came to Dublin;

 

At page 324 the history says:

 

"The misery of the English was great. The wealthier sort, leaving their castles and dwelling-houses, and their victual and furniture, made haste into walled towns, where there was no enemy within ten miles. The meaner sort (the rebellion having overtaken them), were slain, man, woman, and child; and such as escaped came all naked to the towns."

 

Later there follow details of those who forsook their castles in Limerick, Kerry and Cork, some with critical comments on this action, and then there is a paragraph as follows partly on co. Waterford.

 

"In the county of Waterford, Mistress Dalton, an English gentlewoman and a widow, forsook her castle of Knockmone. Mr. Hayles forsook his castle of Capperquin, and fled away. Captain Fitton played the coward, hearing of rebels coming to the country, forsook his castle at Kylmabanyn, in the county of Tipperary, and ran away."

 

At least Alison seems to have behaved honourably; although she forsook her castle, she is not recorded as fleeing or running.

 

Unfortunately not all Daltons were loyal to the Queen, for in the volume for 1599 and 1600 at page 252, I noticed a postscript to a letter (dated Nov 17 1599 from Dublin from the Lords Justices Loftus and Carey, the Earl of Ormonde, and the rest of the Council, to the Privy Council) stating" At the signing of this letter we received advertisements that eight or ten gentlemen of the Darcys, and as many of the Daltons of Westmeath, all Gentlemen of English nation, are gone into rebellion, and we cannot but think that sundry others within the Pale and borders thereof will run the same course."

 

However, that is a digression from the story of Alison and Roger. In May 1600 Alison presented a third petition. An abstract of this is set out in the Calendar of State Papers - Carew for 1589 - 1600 at page 396. The volumes of the Calendar of State Papers - Carew are a separate series from the volumes of the Calendar of State Papers - Ireland. Sir George Carew was a member of an old family of Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, who had large interests in Ireland. He held various offices of state and was appointed Lord President of Munster in March 1600. He collected the various papers calendared in the Carew volumes.

 

Alison's petition is headed "The lamentable and humble Supplication of Alyson Dalton, a poor widow, and eight orphans, driven out of Ireland by the rebels, to the Queen."

 

 

 

The abstract reads:

 

“As she has for two years defended her castle of Knockmoan, co. Waterford, at her own charge, and is not able to do so any longer, she prays to be allowed 20 warders and four horsemen in the Queen's pay, as Henry Pyne, Edmund Colthurst, William Southwell, and

 

others thereabouts have.

 

All her living, to the value of 3,000p, being wasted by the rebels, she prays that her-parsonage at Dongarvan, which she holds of your Majesty at 30p. rent per annum, may not be forfeited for non-payment thereof. She hopes you will not suffer her to be dis-planted by her adversaries, the cunning Irish, out of that which her late husband dearly bought of Sir William Hatton.

 

Garrett FitzJames, her spiteful neighbour, was bound in ??? for the loyalty of his base brother, Thomas FitzJames, to whom was committed her castle of Cappoquinne, to keep from the spoil of the rebels, but he treacherously razed and burnt the castle and divers her goods, whereby the said bond was forfeited, which she desires to be granted to her.

 

The petition went to Lord Deputy Mountjoy, who referred it to Mr. Treasurer (Sir George Carey) and Sir Francis Stafforde and after receiving their reply, obviously sent it to the Queen or the Privy Council in England, for there is a letter from the Privy Council to the Lord Deputy dated 31 May 1600 from Greenwich, reading 'We send you a petition preferred to the Queen by Allson Dalton, widow. You are to place a ward in her castle of Knockmore, near Waterford, if necessary and to respite the rent of the parsonage of Dungarvan; the lands being wasted. Her demand concerning the forfeiture of a bond of Garrett FitzJames may be granted when the country is reduced to obedience.' This was "Signed by the Lord Keeper, Lord Treasurer, Lord Admiral, Mr. Controller, Mr. Secretary, Cecill, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Chief Justice".

 

Then on August 10th the Lord Deputy wrote to Sir George Carew as Lord President of Munster, “1 send you the petition of a poor widow (Alyson Dalton) to Her Majesty, recommended to me by the Lords. Mr. Treasurer (Sir G. Carey) and Sir Francis Stafford have thought her suit not unmeet to be granted. I have given her a warrant for the ward. Let her own warders be allowed. Sir Edward Stafford and his Lady, Sir Nicholas Parker, and others have been earnest in her behalf.”

 

So, after the petition had gone the rounds of Government in reasonably quick time, Alison obtained much of the relief she prayed for, except possibly in respect of the FitzJames bond. Why her castle should have been committed to the care of a FitzJames when that family had already previously seized a large part of the estate is rather a mystery. Perhaps there was no option.

 

There is no further word of Alison, but in the volume for 1606 and 1607 of the Calendar of State Papers - Ireland (now in the reign of James 1) there starts on page 55 a long list of Crown Lands and Tithes in care from the King in Ireland. This includes on page 71 "Roger Dalton, for the rectory of Dungarvan, Ringwonagh and Eggly and a few lines further on Roger Dalton, the friary of St. Augustine of Dungarvane".

 

Then in the volume for 1611 - 1614 on page 218 (also in the last volume of the Carew Papers page 253 with details of the Muster on page 121) there starts an Abstract of the Inquisitions taken in 1611 concerning the present state of the lands undertaken in Munster, with details of breaches of the Articles of Plantation found by inquisition. The Abstract is in tabular form in four columns, the first two describing the properties, the third the breaches of the Articles of Plantation, and the fourth the musters of horse and foot on the seigniories taken by Sir Richard Morrison, Vice President of Munster, in

 

1611.

 

The first column of the Abstract on page 222 shows Roger to be the tenant of the seigniory of Knockmoane granted to Sir Christpher Hatton, of which the second column shows demesnes, 500 acres; 3 leases, 1500 acres; small tenures, 17; and the lands of Croshe and other parcel detained. The rent reserved is shown as 601. 7s. 9d., rent abated 391. 5s. 3d. and rent payable 211. 2s. 6d. The third column shows a breach of the Articles of Plantation as 'Irish under-tenants in this seigniory'. The fourth column shows that Roger's seigniory mustered 8 horse and 26 foot.

 

It would seem from this that neither Alison nor Roger recovered possession of the lands taken by Lord Decies but that they did get a reduction in rent and through the troubles managed to keep their castle of Knockmoan and other lands.

 

Next, at page 341 of the last volume of the Carew Papers, there starts a document headed 'The Names and Findings of the Jurors at Blackfriars, in the County of Waterford, upon Friday the fifth of September 1617, touching the Liberties of Waterford'. Roger Dalton, of Knockmoan, is recorded as the fifth of 17 jurors. This jury was concerned with the difficulty in making appointments to the offices of mayor, recorder and sheriffs of the city of Waterford, due to the refusals of persons to take the oath of supremacy, and other matters, and the want of, or defects in, justice resulting from these.

 

The last relevant entry is on page 356 of the volume of the Calendar of State Papers - Ireland for 1625 - 1632 (now in the reign of Charles 1) and is rather sad, for it records Roger's death, leaving a widow; whether he had any children is not, however, stated.

 

The entry is an abstract of a Report of the Irish Commissioners in the case of Richard Osborne, Esq., of Cappagh, co. Waterford. It is dated July 1628. It says that about nine years ago he [Richard Osborne] lent to Roger Dalton, of Knockmone, in the same county, esq., 600p. For part of this debt he was secured by a mortgage of Knockmone Castle, 'but the rest was never secured before Dalton died'. It continues that Roger's wife subsequently admitted that E639 were due to Osborne 'at the husband's death in 1621'. Since then Osborne had had neither principal nor interest, and the report advised that orders be at once sent to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, or to the Commissioners of the Court in his absence, ordering that the petitioner [Osborne] should get justice either through common law or the Chancery. The report ends by saying 'He should have full justice, but we submit the case to your lordships.'

 

Here my research on this particular Dalton family ends, and I must leave research on any descendants to others. - END

 

The below article was copied from a book found on the Internet:

Here is a few excerpts that mentions the Dalton name.

 

 

THE STORY OF IRELAND by William Magan;

A History of an Ancient Family and their Country.

 

1588 was the year of the Armada. About then, Humphry Magan was born. He was the first bearer of the Magan name, descending from the old O'CONOR and MACDERMOT Celtic Connaught clan, whose identity is firmly established, although the family had

 

separated from the House of MacDermot-Roe a century earlier.

 

His family home was Emoe in the parish of Ballymore, a very small town in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. Emoe was anciently known as Umma-More.

 

Humphry MAGAN was a man of substance. Living in a rural, pastoral area of Ireland, that means that he owned large herds of those small black Irish cattle, flocks of long-haired sheep, and herds of the Irish horses. He also had access to enough pasture for grazing, as well as additional land for corn growing.

 

Apart from his lineage, we can deduce from marriage details that he was a man of consequence. He married Anne, daughter of Sir Richard OWEN of Anglesey in Wales, a knight. That he could not have done had he not been of the same social status. Wealth was inseparable from knighthood.

 

Page 62: The marriages of his children confirm that status. Of the three children whose records have survived, the eldest son, Richard MAGAN the Elder, who later succeeded his father at Umma-More, married Catherine, daughter of Oliver D'Alton of Westmeath. The D'Alton family was descended from Walter D'Alton, a knight who joined Earl STRONGBOW in the invasion of Ireland, and whose only son, Philip D'alton, acquired large possessions and built castles in Westmeath. The D'Alton, at the time of which I am writing, were still a local leading family, and lived at Mullaghmeehan, a mile north-east of Umma-More.

 

Humphry MAGAN'S second child, Anne, married Henry WHITE. He was also of Ballymore. And he, too, can be assumed to have been a landowner, for he was transplanted by CROMWELL, a penalty particularly applicable to those who had lands of which they could be dispossessed. Furthermore, when Anne died, Henry WHITE also married a D'Alton as his second wife, confirming that that was his social stratum.

 

THE UMMA-MORE ESTATE: Page 79:

 

Long ago, Ballymore was named in Irish 'great town', but if ever it was great, it had ceased to be by the seventeenth century...An abbey is said to have been founded at Ballymore about 700 AD. Nothing remains of it. A later monastery was founded there in 1218, with separate quarters for monks and nuns. It was dissolved by Henry VIII. The D'Altons built a castle in about 1200. It was destroyed by their enemies not long afterwards. The de LACYS built another about 1309. Part of it has survived.

 

Page 81: Beyond and around the village, the forest and open country were divided between a number of landowning families, holding the land according, in the main, to the old Celtic aristocratic custom of common land with grazing and cultivating rights for themselves and their retainers, rather than any formal title. Three of those families we have already encountered. The MAGANS, of ancient Celtic origin, the WHITES, clearly of old English settler origin 'gone native'. The D'Altons, a Welsh-Norman family, also long since 'gone native'.

 

CROMWELL - AND THE SONS OF HUMPHRY MAGAN: Page 111:

 

The war [Rebellion] dragged on the following year, 1651, but the aftermath was even

more calamitous for Ireland than anything that had been feared, and far exceeded even the Ulster Plantation.

 

CROMWELL'S edict was that Ireland was to be divided into three parts. First, from the whole of the south-east quarter of the country, comprising Dublin, the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, Kildare and Carlow, all Irish of all classes, every man, woman and child, were to be deported, and the whole area was to be re-settled with English settlers. It was truly monstrous treatment of a people in their homeland.

 

Secondly, the whole remainder of Ireland, except for Connaught and County Clare to the far west of the River Shannon, was to be a mixed area of English and Irish, but within it the Irish were to be Anglicized and Protestantized. They must give up their distinctive Irish names and customs. Any who could not prove that they had actively assisted CROMWELL'S Commonwealth were liable to forfeiture of property, or even the death penalty. The penalty of death also hung over any who might be sentenced to transportation and who failed to evacuate their homes and land by the appointed date. Henceforth Ireland was to be a Protestant country. The Roman Catholic faith was proscribed. The penalty for harbouring a priest was death.

 

Page 124: Yet another cousin became involved in the fighting [Jacobite, or Revolutionary, war]. I know him only as 'Young D'Alton' of Mullaghmeehan, a mile from Umma, where his father 'Old D'Alton' lived.

 

Page 129: And here I must recount the dreadful story of the MAGAN'S cousin 'Young D'Alton'. Like his other cousin, the gallant Captain Thomas WHITE, he, too, joined the Catholic Jacobite army. But her deserted and enlisted in Athlone in the Protestant forces of the Lord President of Connaught. He turned Protestant and married the daughter of the Protestant Bishop of Elphin. He then made a grave mistake. He returned to Ballymore.

 

It was one thing for the mature Thomas MAGAN, having no doubt ground-baited the countryside judiciously, to throw in his lot with William III, surely on a local and clandestine understanding that he would ameliorate the lot of the Catholics, while at the same time probably remaining a secret Catholic, and hearing mass surreptitiously, and quite another for Young D'Alton to desert to the enemy on the field of battle, and shamelessly and openly turn Protestant, and confirm and compound traitorousness, and his apostasy, by marrying a Protestant prelate's daughter. It was during a truce in the war that Young D'Alton decided to go and see some of his Ballymore Catholic friends. They received him with open arms, made him welcome, threw a party for him and placed him with drink. They detained him beyond the time of the truce, and then made him their prisoner. Then they sent him to his father, 'Old D'Alton', and asked what they should do with him. He sent back a reply, and it is not known whether it was meant literally, or as a figure of speech, asking why they had not already hanged the rascal, whereupon they promptly did so.

 

 

Page 130: Some of the land he [Thomas MAGAN] purchased had belonged to his cousins the D'Alton family. That may have been the only way to keep their lands within the family.

 

Page 208: As a minor episode in Irish social history, the eighteenth century record of the Catholic branch of the MAGAN family is not without interest because of the extent to

 

which the family successfully evaded, or avoided, the worst rigours of the Penal Laws.

 

They made no bones about their Catholicism. Richard MAGAN the Elder had received a caution under the Treaty of Limerick. His son, Richard the Younger, had made a spectacular Catholic marriage to a girl who was the daughter of one prominent Catholic chief, the Lord of Owney, and granddaughter of another, the O'Conor Don. And Richard the Elder himself married at a D'Alton whose Catholic family had suffered suppression and dispossession of their lands.

 

Strongly and defiantly as the family continued to be, it was nevertheless not molested. It was not transplanted to Connaught. It maintained its gentry status. It remained in its old home Umma-More, and its estates intact - some of Ireland's prime lands.

 

It is as certain as can be that no one ever dared to try to steal a horse from a Catholic Magan for 5 pounds. Members of the family continued to make advantageous marriages. Some even improved their status as landowners. And in defiance of the Penal Laws they succeeded to substantial lands under the will of their own Protestant cousin, Thomas MAGAN.

 

Summary Histories for selected County Kilkenny Surnames:

 

Daton, or Dalton - Recorded in early Kilkenny records as Daton, Datun and D'Alton. Though this name is not Irish in origin it is on record in Dublin and Co. Meath as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century, the family having been established in Ireland following the Anglo-Norman invasion. Its Norman origin is more apparent in the alternative spelling, still sometimes used, viz D'Alton I.e. of Alton, a place in England. According to family tradition the first Dalton to come to Ireland was one Walter, who had fled to England from France, having incurred the wrath of the French king by secretly marrying his daughter. The early settlers became powerful, having acquired lands in Teffia, Co. Meath, under Henry II. There and in Co. Westmeath (part of which subsequently became known as Dalton's Country) they erected castles and founded religious houses. In the fourteenth century they spread into Counties Tipperary and Cork, but it was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that a branch of the family went to Clare, with which county they were afterwards closely identified. In County Kilkenny they gave their name to Kildalton, Daton's or Dalton's church, a townland (now named Bessborough) in the parish of Fiddown. In the mid-19th century the name Dalton is noteworthy in the counties of Kilkenny and Waterford, among other places (including Westmeath and Limerick). The name is very scarce in County Clare reviewing Griffiths Valuation, perhaps a fault of that record. (See the Daton Family below)

 

The Daton Family - Early Documented History:

 

In the Calendar of Ormond Deeds, the first mention of Daton, with a County Kilkenny connection, appears as a witness of a release and quitclaim to Sir Edmund le Botiller [Butler] in the manor and barony of Cnoketothyr [Knocktopher]. Hugh Datoun, knight, was among the witnesses of this grant, dated February 28, 1314, and given at Dublin.

 

The Ormond Deeds mention a number of Datouns in records recorded about 1359, including the following names Richard Datoun, knight; Peter Datoun and John Dauton; Richard Dalton and John Roth Dalton; Richard son of John Dalton; and Richard son of

 

James Datoun.

 

A Walter son of Richard Dantoun, knight, is recorded as a witness, on September 6, 1375, of lands in the lordship of Overk [Iverk], Co. Kilkenny. A Richard Dantoun is cited in an earlier deed, dated November, 1352, at an undisclosed place.

 

Another entry in this work records that "Walter Datoun quit-claims to James, Earl of Ormond, all his right in all lands, tenements, rents, etc., in the lordships of Kildras, Correstoun and Metlagh in county Kilkenny." This grant was given at Waterford, dated December 24, 1379, and indicates the Datons had possessed a number of properties in south central County Kilkenny.

 

In the Court roll of the manor of Kilcrone [Co. Kilkenny], circa 1400, listed among the suitors of the court of Kilcrone is a Raymond Daton for [rent of] Balikarrowill.

NOTE: Raymond and Redmund are often used as the same name.

 

In November, 1419, a Henry Datoun is listed among the jurors at an inquisition at Corbaliesford which outlined the parcels of royal service divided between the Barony of Knocktopher and the Newtown of Jerpoint (Co. Kilkenny).

 

On July 18, 1438, is recorded a deed of attorney by Raymond fitz Walter Datoun appointing Nocholas fitzElys Datoun his bailiff for placing Richard fitz Redmund de Valle and Joan his wife in full seisin of a townland called Atheny near of Lynnan in county Tipperary, to have and to hold to them and the heirs male between them begotten. Given at Castleton.

 

Dated August 31, 1446 is a deed of attorney of Anastasia Daton, daughter and heir of John Daton, appointing Nicholas MacElyot her bailiff for delivery to Geoffrey Vale (albeit, de Valle), chaplain, full seisin of all her lands, etc. in counties Kilkenny, Tipperary and elsewhere. Given at Henberyeston.

 

In a record dated about 1453, the estate of Redmund fitz Walter Daton is enumerated, as lands in: "Castletown, Whytchurch, Newtoune, Ballnemeale alias Kyllomory, Newgraige, two acres in Garrynerchy, Kylmedally, Ballyfoyle, Ballyen, Bremill, Rogeristown, Cloghistare, Twor Portenshe (?), Liclaman, Twor Dowlinge, Cowlerve, Ballybeataghe, Fencockstowne, Tomynstowne, and a plot (plac') from Kylteran which estate bears date xxo die Octobris anno regni Regis Henrici quarti post conquestum Anglie (blank)."

"In which estate the revercioun of the lands which Margaret the wife of said Walter had in dower was likewise past."

 

The record goes on to cite that "Redmund Daton had issue Robert and Redmund [fitz Redmund]. Robert past forty acres with their appurtenances called Mone Rothe in tenemento de Owning to his second brother Patrick and his heirs." The record appears to show the descent of Richard fitz Redmund to his son, Patrick fitz Richard Daton, and then to his grandson Walter fitz Patrick Daton, and finally that Walter [fitz Patrick] Daton had issue John Daton fitz Walter. In the mix, it cites an estate in tayle from Richard fitzPatricke Daton to his son Patrick fitzRichard Daton of the land of Moynroo (presumably Mone Rothe above), dated February 1533, and that the heir of this Patricke fitz Richard is to be sought out.

 

On January 16, 1453, the grant from Robert son of Redmund Datoun to Patrick son of Redmund Datoun is recorded. He granted Patrick firty acres of land which are called "Monrothe" in the tenement of Unynge. Among the witnesses were Richard Datoun and Redmund fitzJohn.

 

In an indenture dated September 12, 1457, it cites Robert Datown, William Datown, Patrick Datown and Richard Datown, the sons of Redmund Datown, late lord of the Datowns. It goes on to describe Robert as lord and heir of the Datowns.

 

On December 21, 1492, Redmund (Redmundus) Datoun, lord of Cillmogulla, Cillcrispine and Athena, in the counties Kilkenny and Tipperary, gives and grants to John son of Peter Butler his tenements of Cillcrispyne and Athene on the west side of Lyucan and Sliabhdile in the county Tipperary with all its tenements, lands, woods, plains, mills, etc., and all free liberties pertaining thereto, to him and his heirs forever. In the accompanying quit-claim of this transaction, Redmund Datoun is described as captain of his nation.

 

The Datons of Kildaton:

 

The following passage comes from Carrigan's History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory and entitled "The Datons of Kildaton."

 

The name Daton, or D'Autun, now incorrectly written Dalton, appears in Kilkenny records as early as 1382, in which year Walter Daton and others were appointed Keepers of the Peace in said County (source: Patent Rolls). John fitz Redmund Daton was appointed to the same office in 1425. On the 20th Dec. 1516, McRedmond Daton, chief of his nation, and lord of Cyllecyspine and Athene (Kilclispeen and Ahenny), in the Co. Tipperary, granted John fitz Peter le Botiller all right, &c., which he had in his (Daton's) demesne of Cillcrispyne and Athene, on the west side of the Lyneam (i.e. Lingaun river), in the Co. Tipperary (source: Graves's MSS.). About 1565 "Daton and his kinsmen's landes houlden of the mannour of the Grannagh" were estimated at 100 marks (l66 13s. 4d.).

 

What date the family settled at Kilmodalla, or Kildaton, now Bessborough, is unknown. In a document of 1592, the townland is called "Daton's Kill," which shows that in that year, at least, the Datons were well established here. In the same year died William Daton of Kildaton, chief of his nation. His will, dated Nov. 15th, 1592, and proved the 6th of January, 1592-93, is as follows:

 

"In Dei nomine. Amen. In the yere of out Lord 1592 and the 15 of November, I, William Daten being sicke in body and whole in minde and in full memory, dith make my last will and testament in presence of God and holy church. Item. I bequeath my soul to Almightie God and to all the holy company of heaven, and my body to the earth to be buried in the chapple of Kilmoygall. And I make my wife Margaret Butler and my sonne Edmund Daton mu executors of this my last will and testament. Itm. more I will and ordayne all my goodss moveable and unmoveable in iii equal porcions that is to saie one parte to my wife, the seconf parte to my children and the third part to my soule. Itm. all my goods moveable is 6 cables and one kowe and 8 and 20 shepe and the valewe of xvteen. sh[illings] of iron and brasse."

 

Edmund Daton, son and heir of William, was 25 years old at the time of his father's

 

death, and was, therefore, born in 1567. He died Aug. 1st. 1629, and was buried with his ancestors "in the chapel of Kilmadalie." By his wife, Margaret, daughter of GErald Blanchville of Blanchvillestown, whom he had married before Nov., 1592, he left issue: -- Walter, his heir, John, on whom he settled Whitechurch and New Graig; Edward; Oliver; William; Theobald; Margaret; Catherine; Elizabeth; and Allan.

 

Walter, the eldest son and heir, was of full age at his father's death, and married to Ellice, sister of Richard, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret. He was still living in 1641, but died within the next dozen years.

 

Edmund Daton, his successor and, presumably, his son, forfeited, in 1653, the faimly estates, which, according to the Down Survey Books, then comprised the townlands of Kildaton (a castle), Curloghan, Tubernabrone and Lisnagenny, Ballaghdowlin, Ballagh[na]metagh, Jamestown, Gorheen and Bannagher.

 

"William Daton, of Kildaton, Esq.," probably the representative of Edmund, was outlawed and attainted by the Williamites, Apr. 20th, 1691. Other members of the family outlawed in the same day were: Walter Daton, of Kilonasbog, Esq.: Walter Daton, of Garrynerehy, gent.; Redmond Daton, of Kilenasbog, gent.; and William Daton, of the City of Kilkenny, gent. (afterwards Bishop of Ossory)

 

Kildaton Castle stood on a low ridge or mound, about 250 yards, east of Bessborough House. It was taken down soon after the erection of the present mansion, which dates from 1744.

 

In Irish, Daton is pronounced Dhawthoon. The Irish of Kildaton or Bessborough is Kyle-a-Dhawthoona, i.e. Daton's Kill or Church.

 

Of note: Some articles above are attributed and quoted from the Dalton Genealogical Society and are copyrighted and can not be reproduced for commercial profit in any form unless prior permission is given. The above chapter is only meant to be about our Dalton history to be enjoyed for this and future generations.