CENTRE LINES

The DALE Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on DALE. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Three books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal with the Dale family. They are: Clement Dale's History of the Dale Family (1909); G. S. Dale's Dale Family History: Christian Dale and His Descendants (1963); and, John Mitchell Dale's Christian Diehl/Dale and One Branch of His Descendants up to Aaron Christian Dale, Carolyn Anna Dale, Tyson Michael Dale, John David Dale (Mico, Texas, 1994).

There are 35 different first-name entries for Dale in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' DALE neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

A. A., 41, attorney-- 9 E. High Clement Sr., 39, attorney-- 14 E. Willowbank Sarah D. Clement Jr. 8 mos. John M., 26, attorney-- 17 W. High Florence

In BENNER Township:

Christian, 55, farmer--Pleasant Gap Catharine M. Ada B. Gertie M.--Pleasant Gap John, 62, farmer--Houserville Catharine John W. 27 Alice J. Ella M. Carrie L. Lucian G. 2 Martin, 32, laborer--Bellefonte Olive K. Beulah V. Guy A. 2 Jerome R. 3 mos. Samuel J., 31, teacher--Houserville Ella B. Mary E. William H., 37, laborer--Houserville Emma L. Edith T. William O. 5 Edward H. 3 Bertha J. 3 mos.

In CENTRE HALL Borough:

Kate C. Kate Josiah C., 42 Peter H. 12

In COLLEGE Township:

Austin, farmer--Oak Hall Rachel Luther Clement 18 Ellen E. Catharine Catharine--Houserville Annie M. Sylvester 20 Alice Winfield 2 Cornelius, 51, farmer--Lemont Georgianna Emma Cornelius 20 Mary Ethel Helen Mary B. George, 59, farmer--Lemont Hellena M. John S. 25 Chorlotta Lillie Willard 22 Henry, 61, farmer--Lemont Henrietta Charles M. 24 Mary R. Annie M. Jarret Y., 49, physician--Lemont Matilda A. Frederick 18 Catharine David 13 Edith Mary M.--Lemont Philip, 64, retired--Oak Hall Jennie R. Philip S., 48--Oak Hall Sarah C. Mary R.

In RUSH Township:

Elisha, 50, farmer--Retort Frederick H., 61, farmer--Osceola Margaret Howard 26 Samuel D. 22 Laura Annetta Eva Rose Bessie

In SPRING Township:

Nathan L., 32 farmer--Bellefonte Emeline Grace William J., 57, farmer--Bellefonte Mary M.

In UNIONVILLE Borough:

Elizabeth M. Thomas J. 25