As a genealogist I run in to interesting names in my research all the time. Some are old-fashioned, hard to pronounce, unattractive (Myrtle, ugh) but often there are names that are funny.
This is the story of one of those funny names and one of my ancestors:
Preserved Fish Dakin
1749-1835
Preserved Fish Dakin was born to Timothy Dakin and Lydia Fish in Oblong, Dutchess, NY in 1749.
Preserved was born in to a Quaker family. Quakers used the male first name of "Preserved"commonly-meaning "to keep" or "preserved in grace". Preserved's mother was a Fish by birth. Putting the first and middle name together must have been very humorous and I am quite sure that his parents must have known the pairing of those names is funny. They had to have known because Preserved Fish Dakin was not the first Preserved Fish in the family tree. His GGGrandfather was also name Preserved Fish (1679-1745). And guess what he did for an occupation? He was a sea going FISH-erman and whale-oil merchant out of Newport, R.I.! The joke was really on him!
So it is obvious then, at least to me, that the Fish/Dakin branch of Quakers had a sense of humor- but what else is known about Preserved? Preserved Fish Dakin's life began as a child in New York. His parents, Lydia Fish and Timothy Dakin, were both originally from Massachusetts but relocated together to Oblong, Dutchess, New York. Preserved married twice and had a total of 14 children. My lineage descends from his first wife Deborah Akin. Preserved Fish Dakin served in the Revolutionary War in the Westchester County, New York Militia, 3rd Regiment. Preserved's military activity conflicted with his Quaker beliefs and upon his military enlistment he was "read out" of the Quaker meetings (similar to shunning or ex-communication). With the land bounty of 2,000 acres Preserved earned from his military service he relocated to Clinton County, Ohio where he started a farm a bit to the east of the Little Miami River.
Excerpt:
"History of Clinton County, Ohio" - CHESTER TOWNSHIP PG 656
Preserved Dakin came from New York State in 1806, and purchased, it is said, for the colony he represented 2,000 acres, or the eastern half of survey No. 1,994. He took 1,000 acres for himself and four children by a former wife. He then sub-divided his tract as follows: To William, the eldest son, 200 acres where James. Mussetter now owns and resides; to James, 200 acres off the southwest corner of his tract, or where the Dakin corner now is; to Elias, 200 acres where Elias D. Harlan now owns and lives; to Lydia, 200 acres where Harrison Mullen owns, and to himself 200 acres where Mr. Collins owns. At his death, this farm went to his second wife and her children.
Later in life Preserved was accepted back into the Quaker fold. Preserved died in his 86th year. He is buried in the Quaker burial ground at the Springfield Meeting House in Clinton County, Ohio.
Grave of Preserved Fish Dakin 1749-1835
Preserved Fish Dakin is my Maternal 5th Great Grandfather
