The Dillingham family, an old and honored one in England, was transplanted to America at an early date in the history of Massachusetts. From that state many worthy sons and daughters have gone forth and won distinction in other states. Governors, United States senators, representatives, professional and business men of more than local fame have added lustre to the family name.
(I) Edward Dillingham, American progenitor, came from Bilteswell in Leicestershire, England, to Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1636. In 1637 he was one of ten residents of that town to receive a grant of land from the general court. The tract was located in Sandwich, and the pioneer ten were soon joined by many others from Lynn, Duxbury and Plymouth, Edward Dillingham was appointed April 16, 1641, to divide the meadow land in Sandwich, of which eight acres were awarded to him. On September 27 of the following year he was chosen deputy from Sandwich to the general court at Plymouth, and in 1643 was on the list of those liable to bear arms in Sandwich. In 1647-48 he was one of those who made an inventory of the estate of James Holloway and George Knot. He was appointed in 1654 an associate of Richard Bourne to act in behalf of the town in a contract with Thomas Dexter for building a mill. At the same time he was appointed a committee to frame a petition to the general court for a grant and assistance in the purchase of Mohamet. On May 18 of the next year he, with Thomas Dexter, were appointed to make a rate that would suffice to bring the town out of debt. He was one of those who signed an invitation to a clergyman to settle at Sandwich, and in 1658 he was a member of a committee to determine the true boundary of the land of every inhabitant in Sandwich. In that year he was sued by an Indian because of injury to the latter, caused by Dillingham's horse. He died in 1667. His will was made the previous year and probated on June 1, immediately succeeding his death. It would appear from matters mentioned in his will, that he had taken cattle and horses from several former neighbors to be kept for a portion of their increase. He married Dusilla ————, who died February 6, 1656. Children of record: Henry, John, and a daughter, Osiah.
(II) Henry, eldest son of Edward and Dusilla Dillingham, was born in 1627, in England. His life from 1630 (the date of the family immigration) was spent in the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts. His name is on a list of those able to bear arms in 1643, and in 1652 he was one of those appointed to lay out the most convenient road from Sandwich to Plymouth. In 1659 he was fined two pounds ten shillings for refusing to serve as constable, and three years later was fined fifteen shillings for refusing to assist the marshal in prosecuting the Quakers. In the same year, October 2, he was fined ten shillings for attending a Quaker meeting. He is recorded in Sandwich, February 23, 1675, as having a just right to the privileges of the town. From this it would appear that his leaning toward the Quakers had been condoned. In the same year he was made one of the council of war. On a list made July 15, 1678, he is recorded as one of those who had taken the oath of fidelity, and June 25, 1702, he is listed as one of the freemen of the town of Sandwich. This shows that he was a member of the Orthodox church. He married, June 24, 1652, Hannah Perry, who died June, 1673. Children: Mary, Edward (2), John and Dorcas.
(III) Edward (2), son of Henry and Hannah (Perry) Dillingham, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he passed his life and died March 29, 1739. He married, September 26, 1695, Abigail Nye. Children:
- Hannah, born July 12, 1696;
- Abigail, February 26, 1699;
- Simeon, September 24, 1700;
- Edward (3), see forward;
- Mary, October 22, 1705;
- Experience, March 9, 1708;
- John, November 14, 1710;
- Deborah, June 7, 1716.
(IV) Edward (3), second son of Edward (2) and Abigail (Nye) Dillingham, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, and resided there all his life. He married Elizabeth ————. Children:
- Cornelius, born May 25, 1724;
- Sylvanus, November 17, 1725;
- Stephen, April 23, 1727;
- Remember, December 17, 1730;
- Ignatius, see forward;
- John, June 11, 1738.
(V) Ignatius, fourth son of Edward (3) and Elizabeth Dillingham, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, April 16, 1732, and resided in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He married Deborah Gifford. Children: Samuel, Remember, Content, Lydia, Stephen, Edward, Ruth, William, Joseph, see forward.
(VI) Joseph, youngest son and child of Ignatius and Deborah (Gifford) Dillingham, married and had son, Aaron, see forward.
(VII) Aaron, son of Joseph Dillingham, was born in Saratoga county, New York, where he died in 1862. He was a farmer, and at the breaking out of the rebellion was in his sixteenth year. He was intensely patriotic and waiving his rights to exemption from military duty on account of years, enlisted and went to the front. In the army he contracted the disease that ended his life. He was one of the garrison at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, when that important post was surrendered. He had just received a box of clothing from home containing a white shirt, which much to his disgust was used for the white flag of surrender, being the only really white garment within the works. He was deeply chagrined at the surrender of the strong position and in a letter home expressed himself in bitter words about the commander, saying there was no necessity for giving it up without a fight. He did not long survive his return from the war. He married Susan Duell, born in the northern part of Saratoga county, New York. She survived her husband. Children: Charles E., see forward; there were several others all of whom are deceased leaving no descendants. The children and grandchildren of Charles E. Dillingham are the last of this branch of the family.
(VIII) Charles E., son of Aaron and Susan (Duell) Dillingham, was born in Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, in 1830, died in February, 1884. He was a farmer all his days, and a man of influence in the church and town. He was a devoted Methodist and had a deep concern in spiritual matters. He was a Republican in politics and served for several years as justice of the peace. He married Mary Holmes, born at Wappingers Falls, Dutchess county, New York, in 1832, died in 1903, daughter of Allen Holmes, who died in 1870. Children: Edwin A. and Allen Joseph (twins), see forward.
(IX) Edwin A., son of Charles E. and Mary (Holmes) Dillingham, was born in Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, September 27, 1862. He was educated in the town schools and at Ames Academy, Mechanicville, New York, and after finishing his education in 1886 entered the employ of the General Electric Company at Schenectady, where he became assistant foreman in the armature department. In 1891 the company sent him to Portland, Oregon, where he was in charge of their shops in that city for four years. He resigned his position with the General Electric Company and going into the mining country became connected with the Coeur d'Alene Mining Company and had charge of all the electrical work at their mines in Burke, Idaho, where he remained eight years. In 1903 he returned to Schenectady and re-entered the employ of the General Electric Company, where he still remains. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of State Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Schenectady. He married, October 2, 1889, Lillian Gibbs, born February 7, 1869, died March 2, 1903. Children:
- Mildred L., born February 10, 1891;
- Charles Allen, October 25, 1892;
- Clarence Edward, May 5, 1896;
- Dorothy, December 13, 1903.
(IX) Allen Joseph, twin of Edwin A., the only children of Charles E. and Mary (Holmes) Dillingham, was born at Half Moon, Saratoga county, New York, September 27, 1862. He attended the public schools and prepared for college at Ames Academy, Mechanicville, New York. He entered Union College, where he was graduated in class of 1888 with the degree of Bachelor of Science, receiving from the same college in 1891 that of Master of Arts. He entered the legal profession, for which he prepared in the office of Judge Arnold P. Strong. He was admitted to the New York bar in 1890, and at once located in Schenectady, where he has since practiced his profession, occupying the same offices in which he began his professional career. He is a Republican in politics, and in 1903 was elected city recorder. He is a friend of the citizen soldiery and served three years in the New York National Guard. He is a member of the State Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Free and Accepted Masons, Beta Theta Phi, the Mohawk and Schenectady Republican clubs. He married, February 26, 1889, in Schenectady, Elizabeth Freeman, born in that city, daughter of Robert Freeman, born 1826, and Elizabeth (Pieling) Freeman, and granddaughter of Major Aaron Freeman. Mrs. Dillingham has a brother Edward. Children of Allen J. and Elizabeth Dillingham: Robert Edward and Helen Elizabeth. The Dillinghams of Schenectady are relatives of ex-Governor Paul Dillingham, of Vermont, and his son, William Paul Dillingham, now United States Senator from Vermont, and also ex-governor of that state. The Vermont family descend through John Dillingham, a lineal descendant of Edward Dillingham, the founder of the American family, and who has many descendants.