Oh, There was an Earlier DAKIN Family History Book... Marion Needed to Get It! Questions Answered?

In Family History Research before FamilySearch, Ancestry and other popular websites, I wrote about the tedious process family historians used to track down all the descendants in published family histories.  I told of Albert H Dakin working on his DAKIN family for years and finally after he died his niece Mrs. H B Yamagata published his 716-page work.

It turns out that this was not the first book on the Dakin family that Albert worked on.  The undated 79-page book: Descendants of 1 Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass. and 4 Rev. Simon Dakin of North East, N.Y. 1624-1920, collected and arranged by Albert H Dakin and Emily L Reed.

In 1938, Marion Evans Dakin had an interest in her late husband's family and had inquired about the Dakins from Evelyn West who in March sent her a couple of hand written pages on the early Dakin Family based on this book.



My dear Mrs Dakin -
     Here are the jumbled 
notes I have in the Dakins --
     Sorry I didn't copy more -- but
am sure you will find it Easily
in a good library --
     Am so glad to know you
are interested -- It helps
so to fill out records --
     Sincerely
            Evelyn West

Then in April, Marion receives a copy of the book from Emily L Reed's son.
Marion Evans Dakin
                       Storrs, Conn.
My dear Mrs. Dakin --
                I am sending you
a copy of Dakin Genealogy
which my mother Emily L.
(Clark) Reed complied
some years ago -- A Mr A. H.
Dakin of N.Y. City has an 
immense lot of Data of the
Dakin Family which he is
getting together but I don't know
whether he will ever have it
in book form as it will cost
a good sum of money to have
printed in book form --
He is a man over 70 and I
don't think he feels financially
able to have it printed as there
is so much of it.  The Dakins
are scattered all over the U. S.
I haven't seen or heard from 
him in a number of years
and I don't know whether he
is living yet.
      Thank you for the order.
               Truly yours.
                J. Marvin Reed
                Lakeville Conn.
4/18 -- 1938.

Yes, Albert Dakin did have an immense amount of data.  When he finally published his 716-page book, it chronicled 6,843 descendants of Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass.






Marvin Reed is writing to Marion Evans Dakin in April of 1938.  His mother, Emily Leora Clark Reed, died twelve years earlier on 1 June 1926 [Descendants of Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass. Albert H Dakin, 1948, page 205].  Marvin's mother researched the Dakin family and was the co-author with Albert Dakin on this first Dakin family book.  Marvin had not heard from Albert for a while, and wasn't sure if Albert was still alive and working on his manuscript. However, we know that he was, since Albert wrote my grandmother in January of 1943, trying to verify and update our family history.
He ended his letter with "I will greatly appreciate receiving an answer from you as I am anxious to complete my records while I have the ability."  He died on 14 March 1945 at the age of 79 [Descendants of Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass. Albert H Dakin, 1948, page 188].

The first Dakin family book, followed one line of descent from the original family settler Thomas Dakin, continuing through that of Thomas' great grandson, the Rev. Simon Dakin. Beginning with the 4th generation [that is why the title includes "... 4 Rev. Simon Dakin of North East, N.Y."], only the descendants of this one great grandson were included.  Marion ordered this earlier book in 1938, and unfortunately the book didn't include her husband Rob's ancestor, Timothy who went west to New York and joined the Quakers in Oblong, New York. Timothy was a brother of the Rev. Simon Dakin who also went west to New York but was pastoring in another eastern New York town and it was his descendants who are in this book.

Marion shared the first Dakin book with her son Ted, even though he wouldn't have found his family in it.  I remember he loved quoting the Dakin motto:

Strike Dakyn the Devils in the hemp.

I have no idea what that means, but it is in both Dakin books.

So, when Albert H Dakin's niece, Mrs. H B Yamagata, finally published the Descendants of Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass. in 1948, did Marion purchase the family history book that included her husband?

Unfortunately not.  I don't know if she even knew about it.  Many years after she died, I purchased it from a used book store.  A friend of the family called me to say that he heard that "if you were a Dakin in the U.S. then your family should be in this book because every Dakin was descended from one family in Concord."  Willie Hills had met another person named "Dakin" and he commented that he knew only one other Dakin.  She said that my family ought to be in that book too, so our dear friend Willie called me to tell me about it.

The link to this page is http://genea-adventures.blogspot.com/2017/02/oh-there-was-earlier-dakin-family.html
©2017, Erica Dakin Voolich

Oh, What a Difference a Couple Hundred Years Make!

As a member of the Religious Society of Friends in the 21st century, the expectations sound very similar, but not exactly the same as in the 18th century.

My Meeting for Worship does not have any paid clergy, and so all the responsibilities of running the church need to be taken on by everyone in the church community.  Members of unprogrammed Friends Meetings often say "we didn't get rid of the ministers, we got rid of the laity."  Individuals need to take care of all of the jobs, or parts of jobs, that a staff at a church would provide.

For example, last year a young couple in our meeting wrote a letter to the Meeting requesting to be married under the care of our Meeting.  Their letter was read at a monthly meeting for worship to conduct business.  A committee was appointed to meet with the couple to see if they were clear for marriage.

...
Rewind a few years, back to the 18th century:
I was reading about members of Oblong Monthly Meeting in the series of books by Frank J Doherty, The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York, An Historical and Genealogical Study of all the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent, (volumes I -X, 1990 - 2010).  It included examples couples coming to business meeting and requesting marriage under the care of the meeting and a committee of clearness was appointed.

For example:
  “The minutes of the Oblong Friend’s 
Meeting held 14th 6th month 1775 include:  “At this meeting Stephen Osborn,

son of John Osborn and Mary Osborn, deceased, and Sarah Boorn, Daughter of
Nathaniel Boorn and Freelove, his wife, appeared and offered perposals (sic)
with each other and consent of parents Being produced here this meeting
appoints Timothy Dakin and David Hoag to Inquire into the young man’s
clearness from all others in that respect and make a report next meeting.”
[volume IX, page 748]

note:  You might wonder why there wasn't a committee appointed to inquire about the woman's clearness.
Actually, that would have been done by the woman's meeting [there were separate meetings for business back then] and these were the notes from the men's meeting.

But then came the report, a big OOPS:

The 
minutes for the meeting held at Oblong 20th 3rd month 1776 include:  “Stephen
Osborn produced to this (sic) an acknowledgment for his conduct in keeping 
Company with the woman which is now his wife, both living in one house, also
being unchast with her[,] is considered and excepted (sic) and Nathaniel
Stevenson and Reed Ferris are appointed to read it at the close of a first day
meeting at Oblong and New Milford.”
[volume IX, page 748]

...
Fast forward to the 21st century:
That couple in our meeting was found clear for marriage, and another committee was appointed.  This new committee was responsible to help the couple with the planning of the wedding "in the manner of Friends," taking care of the details before, during and after the wedding to make it legal in the eyes of the state, as well as, meeting the religious expectations of our Friends meeting.

A called meeting for worship was held.  The couple married each other surrounded by their family, friends and Friends in the meeting.  At the end of the meeting for worship for marriage, everyone present [all ages] signed the marriage certificate.  At the next meeting for business, the committee "shepherding" the wedding reported back to the meeting that the wedding was held and the marriage was accomplished in the manner of Friends.
That completed the jobs of the committee appointed to help with their wedding -- in the 21st century.

BUT, not so in the 18th century:


  “Ebenezer Peaslee was very active in the Oblong Friends Meeting and is noted
on 51 pages of the minutes from 1757 through 1780.  The first record was when 
he testified to the successful marriage of Joshua Sherman and Mary Soule at the 
meeting held 18th of 8th month 1757. ... Ebenezer Peaslee and Timothy Dakin
were often appointed to verify that a marriage had been consummated properly.” 

[Volume X, page 266]


and

“'Reuben Macy, late from Nantucket & Ruth Howard the daughter
of Edward Howard and Phebe Howard of this place came before
this (Oblong) Meeting (held 18th 8th month 1774) and proposed 
marriage to each other.'  The minutes of the meeting held 20th 10th
month 1774 show that Wing Kelly and Timothy Dakin reported 
that the marriage of Ruth Howard and Reuben Macy was decently
consummated."
[Volume VI, page 720]

...
No one at my Meeting was appointed to investigate and report on the consummation of our young couple's marriage!

What a difference a couple of centuries makes!
I definitely have not been asked to take on the role that my GGGG'grandfather Timothy Dakin had in his Meeting.

©2012 Erica Dakin Voolich
The link to this page is http://genea-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/07/oh-what-difference-couple-hundred-years.html

Amanuensis Monday: Paul Dakin's Disownment in 1780

I have written about Edward DAKIN (1836 Hudson NY - 1914 Gaylordsville CT) and his son Robert Edward DAKIN.  We have many unanswered questions about Edward and going back to his parents and grandparents might lead to clues.  So today, I want to mention Paul DAKIN, Edward's grandfather.

Paul Dakin (1761 in Pawling NY - 1829 in Hudson NY) was the son of Timothy Dakin and Lydia Fish.  Timothy had moved as a child from Concord MA to the Quaker community in Oblong NY and Lydia had likewise moved from Dartmouth MA to Oblong.  Timothy and Lydia raised their twelve children as part of Oblong Monthly Meeting.

In searching the list of Quaker records online in the James Hazard index for the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, I found two references to Paul Dakin, his birth and his disownment.  So I sent for the records.  The xerox of the microfilm of the disownment was not completely readable, so I ordered a scan of the original documents.  I can not reproduce the scan here since it is for personal use only.  But, I will provide the transcription.  I couldn't read a couple of words, and a wonderful person at the library, Patricia Chapin O'Donnell translated them for me.

Oblong Monthly Meeting Men’s Minutes 1757 -1781, Box NY - 105 Page 519 Paul Dakin Acknowledgement, 18th day 10th month 1780

The acknowledgements of Paul Dakin Ferris Doly Daniel Akin & James Akin Condeming their going to frollicks and Places of Diversion Is Left for the Consideration of Next M^o Meeting

______________________________________________________________________

Oblong Monthly Meeting Men’s Minutes 1781 - 1788 Box NY - 105 pages 50, 51, Paul Dakin Disowned, 15th day 11th month 1780

 One of the Friends appointed on Paul Dakins account Report that he has answered his appointment and as there to Nothing appears to alter Conclusion of Last Meeting Concerning him there after Due Consideration this Meeting Doth Testifie against his Mis Conduct and Disownes him from Being any Longer a Member of our Society untill he by his Conduct Manifest Sincere Repentance and amendment of Life and Make Satisfaction to this Meeting which that he may to own Desire and Testification being prepared against him was Read approved and Signed and the following Friends are appointed to give him a copy of his Denial if he Desires it and acquaint him of his Rite to an appeal and if he Shews No Intention of appealing Read it at the Close of a first Day Meeting at at Oblong and Report at Next Meeting That is Wing  Killey & Benjamin Ferris Jr ------------

As you can tell by reading the documents, he had the option of "reforming his ways" and returning to Meeting.  I have no evidence that Paul ever did that.  I find him ten years later in the 1790 Census, living in Hudson NY.  By 1794 I find him in newspapers articles in Hudson.  By now he is listed as one of the newly elected town Assistants in Hudson NY (15 May 1794, Albany Gazette).  In New England at that time, running for public office would get you disowned from Meeting, so I suspect he was no longer a Quaker.