A Wonderful Discovery in the Concord Library

While in Concord MA to find my 6 G'grandfather's tombstone, I spent the morning in the special collections at the Concord Public Library with another DAKIN family researcher.  The Librarian was very helpful even though they didn't have early Concord First Church records in the Library as we had hoped.

We did find one gem from Rhode Island vital records:

"Vol. VII from private record of Rev. Stephen Gano, M.D., pastor of 1st Baptist Church in Providence
Paul Dakin & Lucy Gifford m. 23 Nov. 1786"

This was in the folder with genealogical notes by an unnamed researcher, donated by Mrs.H. B. Yamagata of Lakewood NJ.  She is the person who published Albert Dakin's book on the DAKIN family after the author died.

Now, this was surprising since the marriage date for them was known, it is in Albert Dakin's book, Descendants of THOMAS DAKIN of Concord Mass. (1948) but no place was given in the book.  Others have published they were married in Hudson NY where they raised their family.  Well, now we know they were married in Rhode Island by a Baptish pastor, six years after Paul have been disowned by the Quakers in the Oblong which I wrote about in this blog.

As one question is answered, another one is raised:  who were her parents?
Were they John GIFFORD and Lucianna HATCH as had been presumed but not proven?
How did Paul and Lucy end up getting married in Rhode Island?  The potential parents of Lucy were from Sandwich and Falmouth MA.  Paul was born in Pawling NY.

I need to see if I can get a copy of this record from Rhode Island Vital Records.  It  might contain some clues!