126. Hiram Dayton, first Dayton pioneer, baptized Feb. 18, 1832 -- earliest ancestor baptism!

I told about Hiram Miles Dayton and his wife Anne Chamberlain in blog # 117.  But somehow I have neglected telling about the life of his father, Hiram Dayton, and his wife Permelia Bundy, who were the original pioneers in our Dayton line.  For those who have read more of our family stories, Wayne's mother was Gladys Tregenna Dayton -- who married Roy Waldamer Eckman.  This history is about Gladys' great grandparents, Hiram and Permelia Dayton.

The Dayton ancestral line is especially interesting, because we have brief records of each Dayton ancestor clear back to Robert de Deighton, a yeoman, who was born in Yorkshire, in the late 1200's, and became a freeman in 1305.  I will tell the Deighton/Dayton history very soon, down to Ralph Dayton (Deighton) who changed his name to Dayton, the immigrant ancestor.   He was a cordwainer, (or shoemaker) and had arrived in New England in 1636, and was living in the New Haven colony in 1639 -- more about that later.

In England where the Dayton Family lived, prior to their coming to America, their names are found with the prominent people of the Country. In 1531 Henry de Deighton was made Lord Mayor of York, England. The Dayton name has several different spellings; de Deighton, Deighton, Dyghton and Dyghton, as well as Dicton and Dictona.

I have written about some of those ancestors -- Henwoods in # 68 and # 69, Chamberlains # 116 and #117.  Kirks are told about in # 61, and Hiram Miles Dayton in # 117.  I'll write stories about the Bundy's and Herrington's (interesting!) in blogs to come.  Wayne's father's ancestors all came from Sweden, but his mother's ancestors came from England, except for the Dayton line who were here since the 1600's.

From the time Ralph Dayton, (Deighton) and his two sons, Samuel and Robert came to Boston Harbor, in America in 1636, the Dayton Family became great colonizers, and took a very active part in the development of the townships, Soon many of them were elected to government positions. They also enrolled in the newly established Universities. Their native abilities and education, prepared them to serve their country and fellowmen with distinction and honor. William L. Dayton became American Counsel to France. Charles Willoughby Dayton was an International Lawyer, and later became Postmaster of New York City, N.Y. Elias B Dayton was a Captain in the Army during the Revolutionary War. Many other members of the family distinguished themselves in the war. And still others found their life's activities in the Ministry in the Church of their choice. Jonathan Dayton, a distant cousin, won a high place as a statesman, in the early days of the United States. He graduated from Princeton University in 1776; he was a member of the New Jersey delegation to the Constitutional Convention; was a member of Congress from 1791-1799 and was Speaker of the House during the Fourth and Fifth Congress, and served one term in the Senate. He was one of the signers of the Constitution of the United States.

Much of this information came from "History of Hiram and Permelia Dayton, from the Dayton Book," compiled in 1961 by Alta A. and Leland M. Dayton.

HIRAM DAYTON was a Great and Courageous Pioneer, a dedicated and loving Father, and a devoted and faithful Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was the son of Friend & Ann Harrington Dayton, born 1 Nov 1798, at Herkimer, Herkimer Co., New York, a small town in central New York State. During the Revolutionary War, many battles were fought in this community. Two small stockades were built here, Fort Dayton and Fort Herkimer. In these places of safety, many white settlers, often sought refuge from the British Soldiers and savage Indians. 

HIRAM DAYTON with his wife Permelia Bundy Dayton established a residence at Parkman, Ohio.  He was an energetic worker and a substantial citizen of the community. Here he built a fine home for his family, had large peach and apple orchards, and a productive, profitable farm, He owned many fine horses, stables and established a horse market. 

               This is the only known photo of Hiram and Permelia Dayton.

During this time of prosperity, Joseph Smith the Mormon Prophet came to Parkman and taught him the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and gave witness to him that it was the true Church of the Master. Hiram and his wife were converted and were baptized by the Prophet Joseph Smith on Feb 18 1832. After this event, former friends and neighbors heaped persecutions upon Hiram and his family and consequently he determined to cast his lot and future with the Latter Days Saints at Kirtland, Ohio, and moved there in 1834. He immediately set about to establish himself in the community. Here too they suffered many hardships. In Mar 1838 it was agreed that the Quorum of Seventy, of which Hiram was a member, would travel in a body to Missouri, the new gathering place for the Saints. Hiram and his family of twelve were part of this group.

An interesting incident is recorded in the Journal History. Nauvoo, Ill. Feb 20, 1843. Joseph Smith records, "About seventy of the brethren came together according to previous notice and drawed, sawed, chopped, split, moved and piled up a large lot of wood in my yard. The day was spent by them in much pleasantry, good humor and feeling. A white oak log measuring five feet four inches in diameter was cut through with a cross cut saw in four and one half minutes by Hiram Dayton and John Tidwell." In a conference held in Nauvoo, Ill on April 15, 1844, Hiram Dayton and his son Lysander Dayton were called on a Mission to Ohio.

SUFFERINGS AND LOSS OF PROPERTY OF HIRAM DAYTON AND FAMILY

                                              From his diary --

"I received the Gospel of the Latter Day Saints in the year 1832. Myself and wife were baptized by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I was at that time living at Parkman, Ohio. My persecutions were so heavy that I could not live there long. My friends and neighbors destroyed my property, and twice laid plans to take my life. When I left Parkman with my wife and nine children, I was forced to sell my farm for $500, It was sold three years later for $5,000.

Then I moved to Kirtland, Ohio where I opened up a farm and put it under cultivation. I broke up sixty acres and put a double ditch around the whole farm. My farm was valued at $1,000. I built a good house and set out a good orchard. I then built me a house in the city of Kirtland costing $800. also built a good frame barn, clap boarded and finished off in the best style, valued at $300. I then set out an orchard of all kinds of fruit. I took a job on Public Works to cut down the hills. The grade to run opposite the Temple, and I contracted to dig a canal to turn the Chignan River in. This canal was for running steamboats up to Kirtland. I expended on the above work $2,000 in cash and worked my whole family for a year. Will put our labor at $500.

 We were driven from Kirtland and I could not accomplish all my works -- this was in 1836. Then we settled in Daviess County Missouri. We bought out the settlers there. I turned over my part, one pair of good horses, one new wagon and one set of new harnesses, worth in all $600. We were driven from Daviess County in 1838, losing everything.

We then went to Far West, Mo. where we suffered considerably. When we were forced to leave here by order of the mob. I was sick and also my family of ten, except one daughter. I had to leave my three children in the hands of the mob. It was in February and extremely cold weather. I drove the distance of thirty miles when I stopped to bait my team. Three of my children begged me to throw them out of the wagon to die, for they would soon freeze to death. Next day I could not stand to think of my children in the hands of the mob, so I drove back for them. 

The army numbering 1,400 was at that time in Far West. They had destroyed all the stock they could get hold of, and even took the hogs out of their pens. Before leaving Far West we had just completed a horse mill, and I had soy corn in a field. While gathering the corn from the field, two men were killed by the mobbers, and I had to flee for my life. (My son Lysander gathered the corn.) I shelled out two bushels and put one of my horses on the mill and ground it out in the night. There being nothing to eat in Far West, we hid hogs about the mill. I being so sick and not being able to do anything myself, and the soldiers still being there, I asked one of them to shoot a hog for me. He said he would shoot it for a bit. (12 1/2 cents) I had no money, not even a bit, and while pleading with him to kill the hog, I saw one of the Brethren coming toward us. I asked him if he had a bit to let me have. He gave me all the money he had which was 25 cents. The soldier shot the pig but did not kill it. I wanted him to shoot it again but he would not do it unless I paid him another bit, which I did.

He then shot and killed the pig. I then asked him if he would please help me get the hog in my wagon, and he utterly refused to help me. I was not able to lift fifty pounds. My son Lysander drove my team into a deep hollow, got a couple of poles and put them in the back of the wagon. We then snoked the hog to them and rolled it in on them. We had cleaned the hog before putting it in the wagon. I then started back to Far West, crossed the river where my children were. Two of them were sick and I had nothing to give them but some frozen corn bread.  
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Tomorrow I will continue the story of Hiram and Permelia Dayton.  Hiram was such a hard worker!  And I'm sure Permelia was also.  It is hard to realize that there were people who would persecute them, with a family of 9 children!