Capt. Thomas Carter’s prayer book & the Chronology of Edward and Diana Dale
Here’s a transcription and image of Capt. Thomas Carter’s panegyric (epitaph) of Major Edward Dale in Carter’s prayer book.
“Mr. Edw: Dale Departd this life on ye 2d Day Feb: 1695 and Mrs. Diana Dale on ye last day of July.
Hic Depositum Spe Certe Resurgendi in christo quicquid habuit Mortale EDWARDUS DALE, ARMIGER. Tandem honorum et Dierum Obiit 2d Febry: Anno Dom: 1695. He descended from an Ancient Family in England & came into ye Colly of Virga after the death of his Unhappy Master Charles ffirst. For above 30 years he enjoyed various Employments of Public Trust in ye Coty of Lancaster wch he Dischargd with great Fidelity & Satisfacn. to the Governor & People. As Neighbor-father-Husband he Ex celled and in early yeares Crownd his other Accomplishments by a Felicitous Marriage wth Diana ye daughter of Sr Henry Skypwith of Preswold in ye coty of Leicester Bart. who is left a little while to Mourn Him.”
This is the image of the “epitaph”:
I see no discrepancy in the death dates for Edward Dale in the two sections; that is, as 2 Feb in the preamble, and 20 Feb in the body of the panegyric, as is often supposed.
The “0″ in “30″ is written as a full character, so what’s been interpreted as “20 Febry:” is really ”2d Febry:”, as only the bottom half of the “d” is visible. The image in that section is faded, and it’s unlikely Carter erred in the space of a few sentences. That makes Capt. Carter’s death date for Edward Dale as 2 Feb 1695.
Diana (Skipwith) Dale died the following 31 Jul. Though the year of her death is not explicitly stated, undoubtedly that’s the meaning.
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Book Of Common-Prayer And Administration Of The Sacraments, And Other Rites & Ceremonies Of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England; Together with the Psalter or Psalmes Of David, Pointed as they are to be Sung or Said in Churches. And the Form and Manner Of Making, Ordaining, And Consecrating, Of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. London, Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. MDCLXII. [1662] Cum Privilegio.
Thos: Carter Rappahanke Virga
The 16 pages containing genealogical information in the Thomas Carter prayer book have been microfilmed. Order copies from:
Virginia Historical Society
PO Box 7311
Richmond, VA 23221-0311
or online at:
Manuscript Call Number: Mss6:4 C245:11
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Genealogists working with colonial records will often see dates such as ”March 24, 1672/3.” “March 24, 1672″ is the date in the Julian calendar, while “March 24, 1673″ is the date in the Gregorian calendar. This applies to dates of 1 Jan to 24 Mar in the years 1582 to 1752. 25 Mar was considered the first day of the new year.
“Before 1752, England and its colonies followed the Julian (Old Style) calendar.” [Sturtz/p.183] Use of double-dating which accompanied the Gregorian calendar wasn’t uniformly followed in the British colonies such as in Lancaster Co., VA court records.
According to Edward Dale’s will, it was written 24 Aug 1694 and proved 11 Mar 1695. 11 Mar falls within the double-date parameter.
Price gives a transcription of the inventory of Edward Dale’s estate made 30 Mar 1696, and exhibited 8 Apr 1696. 30 Mar and 8 Apr don’t fall within the double-date parameter, so the dates of the record actually are 30 Mar 1696 and 8 Apr 1696.
Of the deaths of Edward and Diana (Skipwith) Dale, the Thomas Carter prayer book says: “Mr. Edw: Dale Departd this life on ye 2d Day Feb: 1695 and Mrs. Diana Dale died ye last day of July.” No year is given for her death, but Carter goes on to say: “who is left a little while to Mourn Him.” So we know she died the 31 Jul following the death of her husband, but 31 Jul is not within the double-date parameter. If Edward Dale died on 2 Feb 1694/5, then his wife died on 31 Jul 1695. The prayer book itself doesn’t provide the answer.
The inventory could have been made 19 days after probate, or a year later. We have a death date for Edward Dale, but we do not know when he died.
Fortunately, Sparacio: Orders 1695-1699, p. 4 clarifies the matter:
“Lancaster County Court 11th of March 1695/96 p. 334. A Probate of the Last Will and Testament of Major EDWARD DALE [deced] is granted to EDWARD CARTER, his grandone, KATHERINE CARTER his Daughter and ELIZABETH CARTER his Grand Daughter according to the tenor of the Will and THOMAS BUCKLEY, JOHN CHILTON, JOHN MULLIS and JOHN DAVIS are ordered to appraise the Decedent’s estate and to bee sworne by the next justice, an inventory to bee exhibited to the next Court”
That’s the only entry pertaining to Edward Dale’s estate. According to the inventory, it was exhibited on 8 Apr 1696, but there’s no court entry of it. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the inventory was taken within weeks after probate of the will. But did Edward Dale die on 2 Feb 1694/5, or 2 Feb 1695/6?
If Thomas Carter meant that Dale died on 2 Feb 1694/5, then Carter’s note in the prayer book records the date as it would fall under the Gregorian calendar. Since the county clerk’s practice was to give the date under the Julian calendar if only a single date was indicated, Thomas Carter meant Edward Dale died on 2 Feb 1695/6, conforming to the way official records were dated in Lancaster County and British colonies generally.
We can now construct a chronology of the last months of Edward and Diana (Skipwith) Dale:
{1} Edward Dale wrote his will on 24 Aug 1694.
{2} Edward Dale died on 2 Feb 1695/6. He survived about 17 months after writing his will.
{3} Edward Dale’s will was proved on 11 Mar 1695/6.
{4} Edward Dale’s will was recorded on 17 Mar 1695/6.
{5} The inventory of Edward Dale’s estate was taken 30 Mar 1696.
{6} The inventory of Edward Dale’s estate was exhibited in court 8 Apr 1696.
{7} Diana (Skipwith) Dale died on 31 Jul 1696. She survived Edward Dale nearly 6 months.
If you see a double-date given for a year in which it didn’t apply, it’s the compiler’s error, so check the date against other records.
