Daniel

1801 in Connecticut, Daniel Dickinson was born to Joseph and Elizabeth (Brooks) Dickinson. 22 March 1828 in Haddam, Middlesex county Connecticut he married Sarah Lewis, who died in 1841 leaving him to raise at least two children. Two years later in Huron county, Ohio, on 14 July 1843, Daniel married again, to Sybil Searl. I last find them in the 1880 census in Monclova, Lucas county, Ohio, Daniel and Sybil living with their son James and his wife, Emma.

Daniel is my husband’s third great-grandfather, a sixth great-grandfather for our new Saraiah.

Filling in these slots on the pedigree charts is a pleasurable research for me. Each time I find someone, I find another piece of history, for I must learn what caused a family to leave their home in Connecticut and move to Ohio. Then, I must continue back to find why a family would leave Europe for America.

The Bible mentions genealogies six times in the Old Testament – citing genealogies for specific men. Paul in the New Testament, however, cautions against making them too important:

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (1 Timothy 1:4)

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. (Titus 3:9)

There are plenty of books written on how to track one’s ancestors. In one of them, “The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy” published in the 1990’s by Ancestry, Inc., page 200 includes a sample reference – for one of my husband’s ancestors. The original spellings are retained:

Mary Bayly Enters a Compl[ain]t against her husband Nathan baly by Mr. Antill her Atturney by petition.

[next is crossed out] the Court hears the Complt and orders that Nathan Baly shall be sent for by a special warr[an]tt & that he appear on ye 17th Instant to Answer ye above said Complt directed to ye Sherrif or his Deputy And if he doth not appeare at the time appointed at westchester Court the matter is deferred for further Examination unto Justice pell & Justice Theale. (19)

19. "Records of the Court of Sessions of Westchester County (New York)," Westchester Historical Society Publications 1 (1924): 33, 44 ff.

This all happened before 1700. You would think after three hundred years there wouldn’t be any record of such a minor legal item. Yet Nathan’s mother’s trial transcript still exists, too, from 1649. "Ancient Town Records Vol. I; New Haven Town Records 1649-1662". So, we also know why that good wife Bayley was convicted as a witch.

Why then do we doubt that from one century to the next biblical records remain open to mankind? What we call the Dead Sea Scrolls brought confirmation that across two thousand years, they had done so. Confirmed the writings at the time where God said:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Jesus’ commitment regarding the word is just as firm:

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

Let us promise Him, as did David: With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalms 119:10-11)