From Ireland to Canada, “good old Dan Dale”[21] was a miller and a family man.
Daniel DALE was born 27 July 1785 in Carncastle, Antrim, Ireland (now Northern Ireland).[1] His parents were William DALE and Martha CALDWELL. Daniel was the sixth child and fifth son. Before him were twins William and Margaret (1778), Robert (1779), John (1781) and Samuel (1781). William and Martha continued having children and Daniel was joined by sisters Martha (1788), Mary (1790) Elizabeth (1792) Nancy (1794) and Ellen (1797). So Daniel was the last son as all the further children were girls.
Daniel’s father was a miller and farmer. He leased property at Ballyruther in Carncastle. Little is known about Daniel’s early life, but we can assume he was working and learning on his father’s farm.
At the age of 25, Daniel married Martha LOUGH (pronounced “lock”).[2] They shortly had two girls: Martha (1811) and Esther (1812), followed by a boy Samuel (1815),[3] all born in Carncastle.
As the fifth son, it was very unlikely that Daniel would be taking over the lease of the farm, and it was likely that this was one of the reasons for their move to Canada between 1815 and 1821. According to Earle’s Family Chronicles (Earle’s),[4] the family moved in 1816, according to The History of Argenteuill and Prescott (The History)[5]the move took place in 1818. The 1818 date would agree with the number of years in the province provided in the 1842 census.[6] It is also possible he moved first to Ontario, then to Quebec as three of his sister’s settled in Cumberland, Ontario.
We know for sure that the family had moved to Quebec prior to the birth of their fourth child and third daughter Margaret in 1821. We also know that Daniel’s older brother Samuel also moved with them.
In 1816, we see articles such as this one in the Belfast Commercial Chronicle encouraging the move to Canada and extolling the virtues of the land in Quebec.[7]
Records for immigrants to Canada and the US during that time period are scarce. There is some documentation that may be why some have them moving in 1816. In the Belfast Commercial Chronicle on 08 April 1816, there was a notice for the Schooner William (master William H. Brown) advertising for passengers in her cabin for a “low price” if immediate application was made.[8] However, there were also ships directly to Quebec such as the The Susan in the second entry below.
According to the passenger list for the Schooner William, the ship arrived in New York on 15 June 1816 and included in the passengers were Daniel DALE, Samuel DALE and William DALE.[10]
That record indicates a child named William, not Samuel (Daniel’s son), and does not include Martha or the daughters. See my argument here on why I believe this William is the son of Samuel and would agree with the listing, and why I don’t believe that Daniel has a son named William.
From The Families[31] we know that Daniel and Samuel and William first went to Little Falls, New York. Samuel and Daniel were general mechanics there and Daniel Dale was one of the workmen who worked on the famous Octagon Church there.[32] In The History it states that Daniel first moved to Point Fortune. That would mean he may have worked on the building of the Point Fortune Lock, or perhaps, more likely, had a hand in building the sawmill and grist mill that were built there.[11]
On 14 August 1827, we have Daniel DALE applying for a land grant and receiving a ticket of occupation in township of Buckingham, Lower Canada.[12] Daniel is listed on the quarterly return made on 20 August[13] of that year on Lot 9 Range 6.
He is listed as having a family of six children. This would then include Ellen (1822)[14] and Rose Mary (1827).[15] Unfortunately, another daughter Mary Jean born (possibly in 1824) lived only a short time and died as an infant.[16]
Two interesting things about the quarterly return. One is that Daniel is right next door to Samuel Lough and I wonder if that is perhaps a brother or other relation of Martha’s. The second is that Samuel and Daniel, as well as another Irishman Neil McGinagle and an American Benjamin Brown, are listed as “earning wages and will being working on their properties within 30 days”.
In November of that year, the quarterly report indicates that Daniel is working the property and has a family of the same size. However, there is no house on the property and the land is not occupied.[17]
In 1830, Daniel, along with a number of other settlers (including Samuel Lough and Patrick McFaul), signed a petition complaining that they had been told that their 200 acres in the township of Buckingham would be reduced to 100 acres. Understandably, they were not happy and protested that the land was of such a quality that 200 acres were needed in order to support family.
This may have been what led to Daniel’s move to Chatham township. The History notes that Daniel moved to Dalesville in about 1829 or 1830. In 1830, there is a record of Daniel on the Steam Boat Chambly from Montreal to Quebec.[18] Perhaps bringing supplies to build the grist mill and sawmill that he would build there. These mills were considered a “great blessing”[21] to the settlers.
In 1831, the census finds Daniel and his family, with a family of five living there.
By this time, Daniel and Martha had added one more daughter Elizabeth (1830)[19] to the family. The two oldest daughters had married in 1827 – Martha to Patrick MCFAUL, the first marriage in Buckingham;[20] and Esther married Daniel SMITH, from Chatham. The ages of the children are slightly off on this schedule and we seem to be missing one daughter. One person is listed as under 5 (although both Elizabeth and Rose Mary would have been in this category) and two are listed as being from ages 5-14 (which would be Ellen and Margaret). Perhaps as Elizabeth was only a baby she was missed from the census. Daniel would be the married male 30-60 and Martha the married female 14-45.
All five are listed as the Church of Scotland. He had 200 acres, five acres of which were cleared and occupied. The family had one neat cattle. Neat cattle are oxen or heifers, thereby excluding any milk cattle.
Although living in Chatham, and having 200 acres there,[21] Daniel continued to deal with his land in Buckingham. On 11 December 1832, Daniel is one of eight farmers petitioning the Governor General to grant the certificates for Buckingham.[22] However, the Montreal Gazette notes on 16 October 1834 that his land in Buckingham is considered to be abandoned.[23]
In 1837 and 1841, Daniel is noted again in the Montreal Gazette and the Government Gazette respectively. This time with a large number of other farmers who are considered to be in arrears for Quit Rents.[24] Daniel was in arrears for his property in Chatham (Dalesville). Quit rents were amounts that were supposed to be paid to England yearly for the property of settlors. They were hugely unpopular and often were not paid.
Daniel was loyal to Britain and he and his son Samuel served in the Loyal Chatham Volunteers during the Lower Canada Rebellion.[25] [26] (It was most likely his son Samuel, but may have been his brother – though that is unlikely as his brother’s children were loyal to the US). They would have been part of the second rebellion as they were serving in November 1838 and part of the local volunteers who were successful in putting down the rebel uprising.
The 1842 census[27] gives us more information about their life in Dalesville. Daniel is listed as a Miller with eight people living on the property. One was from England, four were from Ireland and two born in Canada. The two born in Canada were most likely the youngest daughters. By this time, Samuel had married Mary Jean McFARLANE[28] and Margaret had married John SMITH.[29] The youngest two girls were living at home. There was a single male 18-21, a single male 21-30, a married male 21-30, a married female 14-45 as well as Daniel and Martha who were both over 45. The married couple could be Samuel and his wife, or could be someone not related. There is no indication of farm servants, so perhaps the other adults were employees, or could have been visitors. Two of the people in the house were Church of Scotland and three were Baptists. As Daniel and Martha were listed as Church of Scotland on the 1831 census, we can assume they are the same on the 1842 census.
At that time, Daniel improved and occupied 19 of the 200 acres, an increase of 14 acres from the 1831 census. They had raised approximately three bushels of barley, 20 of oats, four of Indian corn and 300 of potatoes. They had six neat cattle, two horses, five sheep and five hogs. There were 13 yards of fulled cloth and 20 yards of linen cotton for thin cloth manufactured and 10 pounds of wool procured in the last year. There is now an Oatmeal Mill and a Saw Mill listed on the property. The History indicates that Daniel built a Grist Mill in about 1838, so it is likely that the Oatmeal Mill noted on the census was actually the Grist Mill.
The 1851 census information for the Chatham area of Quebec is missing according to Library and Archives Canada. Therefore we have no information for that year.
On the 1861 census, Daniel and Martha are living in Chatham and Daniel’s brother Samuel is living with them. Daniel is listed as a miller. It is noted on this census that they are living in a log house that is one story and that two families are living in the house. That would include Daniel and Martha as one family and Samuel as the other family. On this census, they are listed as Wesleyan Methodist. However, they are included in a long list of W.M. by the census taker, so this may not be correct. By 1861 the area was named Dalesville in honour of Daniel’s mills.
Daniel lived until the age of 79. He died at Dalesville, where he is buried in the Dalesville cemetery.[30]
Link to Daniel Dale in genealogy.
[1] Earls Family Chronicles, Appendix 7A. Dale Families. http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/apdx7a.htm : accessed 13 January 2019.
[2] Earls Family Chronicles, Chapter 7. Dale Families. http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/apdx7a.htm : accessed 13 January 2019.
[3] Earls Family Chronicles, Appendix 7A. Dale Families. http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/apdx7a.htm : accessed 13 January 2019.
[4] Brennan, Christopher Earls, (n.d.) Earls Family Chronicles (2nd Edition) ISBN 0-9667409-3-0. Dankat Publishing. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/532424/download?file=FL4567146_2390167.pdf&type=pdf : accessed 23 November 2023.
[5] Thomas, Cyrus (2010). History of the Counties of Argenteuil, Quebec and Prescott, Ontario. Montreal: John Lovell & Son. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.25162/6 : accessed 25 November 2023.
[6] Census Records, 1842. Canada. Chatham, Deux-Montagnes, Lower Canada. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939D-VD4G-Y?cc=1834340 : accessed 28 March 2019.
[7] Belfast Commercial Chronicle (1816) British Provinces in North America. Belfast Commercial Chronicle. 12 June. https://www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 25 November 2023.
[8] Belfast Commercial Chronicle. (1816) For Amboy and New York. 08 April. http://www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 30 October 2023.
[9] The Evening Post. (1816) Vessels advertised in Taggart’s (Belfast) Mercantile Journal May 2. 12 June. http://www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 30 October 2023.
[10] Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research 2012. http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed February 2019.
[11] Lafreniere, Normand (1984). The Ottawa River Canal System. National Historic Parks and Sites Branch Parks Canada. http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/saah/ottawarivercanalsystem.pdf : accessed 25 November 2023.
[12] Province of Lower Canada, Buckingham. Land Grant. 14 August 1827. DALE, Daniel. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/338c01c5-13ba-4044-89fb-89997be63856 : accessed 20 November 2023.
[13] Census. Canada. Township of Buckingham, Upper Canada. 20 August 1827. DALE, Daniel. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/e7beb9de-28c1-40fc-9db9-970a9bdb377d : accessed 13 November 2023.
[14] Baptisms. Canada, St Andrews Christ Church Cathedral. Chatham, Argenteuil, Quebec. 13 July 1823. DALE, Ellen. https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/4439202?docref=FLAJyQGOG1RWyaTfTmKdIg : accessed 31 October 2023.
[15] Earls Family Chronicles, Appendix 7A. Dale Families. http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/apdx7a.htm : accessed 13 January 2019.
[16] Monumental Inscriptions, Canada. Dalesville Public Cemetery, Dalesville, Laurentides Region, Quebec. DALE. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65329974 : accessed 18 January 2019.
[17] Census. Canada. Township of Buckingham, Upper Canada. 21 November 1827. DALE, Daniel. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/e7beb9de-28c1-40fc-9db9-970a9bdb377d : accessed 13 November 2023.
[18] Passenger list for Chambly 22 November 1830, departing Montreal, Lower Canada to Quebec Lower Canada on Chambly. DALE, Daniel.
[19] Earls Family Chronicles, Appendix 7A. Dale Families. http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/apdx7a.htm : accessed 13 January 2019.
[20] Newspaper clipping “Buckingham’s first marriage”. date unknown. Ottawa Journal. submitted to Ancestry by Don Marx.
[21] Thomas, Cyrus (2010). History of the Counties of Argenteuil, Quebec and Prescott, Ontario. Montreal: John Lovell & Son. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.25162/6 : accessed 25 November 2023.
[22] Public Archives Canada, Buckingham, Lower Canada. 11 December 1832. DALE, Daniel. Petition regarding land. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/4f515941-9b5d-49b4-b22e-8769bf344022 : accessed 20 November 2023.
[23] Montreal Gazette, 1834. Legal notice. Draughts of Letters Patent of Lands considered to be abandoned. 16 October. https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 November 2023.
[24] Montreal Gazette, 1837. Government Notices. List of persons in arrears for Quit Rents. 13 April. https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 November 2023.
[25] Department of National Defence (Canada), 31 December 1838. DALE, Daniel. Chatham Volunteers. Collection: British Army and Canadian Militia Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, 1798-1850. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 20 November 2023.
[26] Department of National Defence (Canada), 31 January 1839. DALE, Daniel. Chatham Volunteers. Collection: British Army and Canadian Militia Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, 1798-1850. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 20 November 2023.
[27] Census Records, 1842. Canada. Chatham, Deux-Montagnes, Lower Canada. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939D-VD4G-Y?cc=1834340 : accessed 28 March 2019.
[28] Marriages. Canada, Chatham, Argentuil, Quebec. 2 April 1839. DALE, Samuel and MCFARLANE, Mary. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-YSVT-FGH?i=54&wc=M6X7-1ZW%3A224520601%2C224516602%2C224520602&cc=1929561 : accessed 17 February 2021.
[29] Marriages. Canada, Grenville, Quebec. 29 September 1840. SMITH, John and DALE, Margaret. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 16 November 2023.
[30] Monumental Inscriptions, Canada. Dalesville Public Cemetery, Dalesville, Laurentides Region, Quebec. DALE. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65329974 : accessed 18 January 2019.
[31] Schuman, Bernard K. and Schuman Dale Hood, (1986). The Families : a genealogical study of the families Abbott, Jenks, Estes, Klock, Wilcox, Weber, Schuman, Dale, Brown, White. Publisher unknown.
[32] https://littlefallshistoricalsociety.org/cooney-archives/1881-condemned-catholic-church-on-petrie-street-being-torn-down/
