Edward Dale

Edward Dale was born about 1620 in England and many of the details of his early life there are difficult to confirm. He may have been the son of a London grocer, William Dale. Edward used the same arms as William, but because he was probably not yet born when William Dale confirmed the arms in 1613, Edward was not listed. Whatever his parentage Edward became a well educated and well connected man. He eventually married to Diana Skipwith, daughter of Sir Henry '2nd Baronet' Skipwith. The couple was thought to have three daughters, but some researchers question if Edward's two oldest daughters were born to an earlier, unknown wife. The date of Edward and Diana's marriage is not recorded, and they appear not have been married in England since on November 17th 1655 in Lancaster County, Virginia, Diana witnessed a document as "Diana Skipwith." After Parliament took control of England and beheaded King Charles I many royalists left the England and came to Virginia. Edward and Diana traveled to Virginia with Diana's brother, Sir Grey '3rd Baronet' Skipwith - the timing of their arrival is unknown, but some have put the date as early as 1642, the first year of the English Civil War, but that date seems unlikely. Sir Grey settled in Middlesex and Edward in Lancaster.

In Lancaster Edward held many positions, he served as clerk for 19 years from 1655 to 1674. He served as sheriff in 1670, 71, 79 and 80. He was a Burgess for Lancaster County in 1676/1677 and 1682/1683. He also served as a Major in the Lancaster County Militia. In addition to his work in Lancaster County Edward is also credited as being the first clerk of Westmoreland County from 1652 to 1662 and running that office through the help of a deputy clerk.

Edward acquired thousands of acres of land in Lancaster County. On May 6, 1663, Richard Merryman assigned 500 acres to him, and on the same date, Richard Perrott assigned 750 acres to him. Other grants were made on February 2, 1664, 350 acres from Edward Lunsford, and 700 acres from William Chappan.

During the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676 Edward represented Lancaster County "Att a Committy (by Order of Ye Grand Assembly) for Laying a Levy in the Northern Neck for ye charge in Raisinge ye forces thereof for suppressing ye late rebellion." During his life in Virginia Edward remained a staunch loyalist to the crown. According to an article in William and Mary Quarterly he once asked a visiting stranger to leave because he had offered up a prayer for Oliver Cromwell. Edward is also credited as owning the first copy of a book by William Shakespeare in America. At the time of Edward's death an inventory of his library was recorded that included "Shakespeare's Second Folio (1632)."

Edward died February 2nd, 1696. His death was recorded in the Prayer Book of his son-in-law, Thomas Carter along with an epitaph.

Mr. Edw: Dale Departd this life on ye 2d Day Feb: 1695 and Mrs Diana Dale on ye last day of July.

Hic Despositum
Spe Certe Resurgendi in christo
quicquid habuit Mortale
EDWARDUS DALE, ARMIGER.
Tandem hornorum et Dierum Obiit
20 Feby: 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 First.
For above 30 years he enjoyed various Employments of Public Trust in ye Coty of Lancaster wch he Dischred wth great Fidelity & Satisfacn. to the Governor & People.
As neighbor-Father-Husband he Excelled and in early yeares Crownd his other Accomplishments by a Felicitous Marriagewth Diana ye daughter of sr Henry Skypwith of Preswold in ye Coty of Leicester Bart who is left a little while to Mourn him.

Edward made his will on August 24th, 1694. He asked that his body be "decently interred without any wione drinking." He left his entire estate to Diana. After Diana's death he gave his home plantation and slaves to be divided among his grandsons, Peter and Joseph Carter - sons of Thomas Carter. The rest of his estate was to be divided between Elizabeth, Catherine, Joseph and Peter Carter - all minors at the time, with their mother Catherine controlling the estate until they became of age. Daughter Elizabeth Rogers received only twelve pounds. The will was probated March 16th, 1696 in Lancaster County Court.

In the Name of God Amen the twenty fourth day of Augt 1694 I Edward Dale of the County of Lancastr in Rappk River in Virga Gente being of sound & p'fect memory God bee praised doe make and ordaine this my last Will & Testamt in manner and forme following ffirst I commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator and Reedeemer my body to the earth from whence it Came to bee decently interred without any wione drinking as for such wordly Estate as it is please God to blesse mee wth I dispose of in manner and forme following, Imps if it shall soe please God that my now wife shall happen to overliev mee I give unto her for her maintenance dureing her life the whole p'ffit of my Estate whatsoever some respect always had to her as an honest woman a Gentle woman and many years my wife and after her decease I give the plantacon whereon I bnow live to my two Grand Children Peter and Joseph Carter to have and to holde to them their heirs and assignes forever to bee equally divided betweene them and In Case the mortality of either of them before they come to the age of one and twenty years then the whole to the survivor and in Case of the mortality of both of them then to my Grand Son Jno Carter Item I give unto my two Grand sons Peter and Joseph Carter all my instrumts of husbandry upon or belonging to the sd plantacon Item I give unto my Grand daughter Elizabeth Carter my best bed and the trunck Item I give unto my two Grandsons Peter and Joseph Carter and to my two grand daughters Elizabeth and Katherine Carter all my P'sonall Estate whatsoever to bee equally divided betweene them and in Case either of the Girls happen to dpart this life before their day of marriage or eighteene years of age I give her part to the survivor Item I give to my Grandson Peter Carter my Negro boy James & to my Grandson Joseph Carter my mollato boy Robin Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth now wife of William Rogers twelve pence in full of all claimes whatsoever Item it is my desire for the better improveing of my Estate for the uses aforesaide that my Estate bee continued together upon the saide plantacon and after my wife bee supplied with necessairies and the plantacon likewise yearly I give unto my daughter Katherine Carter during her life the p'ffit of all the Estate whatsoever. Item I doe nominate and appoint my Grandsone Edward Carter and my daughter Katherine Carter and my Granddaughter Elizabeth Carter when she arrives to the age of sixteene yeares of age to bee my Executors In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale Dated the day and yeare above written. Edward Dale ye seale