Dolton.org

When William Dolton was born in 1860 in Missouri, his father, Richmond, was 45 and his mother, Priscilla, was 37. His mother Priscilla passed away on March 6, 1861, when William was only one year old.

By the age of five on 26 Jul 1865 the family had moved to Jefferson, Jefferson County, Kansas.

In the 1870 US Federal Census for Jefferson, Jefferson County, Kansas, was the family of Richmond Dalton. Richmond Dalton was a 55 year old, male, white, farmer, born about 1815 in Kentucky. Edward Dalton was a fifteen year old male, white, born abt 1854 in Illinois. He had attended school within the year. Kate Dalton was a 12 year old, female, white, born abt 1857 in Missouri. She had attended school within the year. William Dalton was a ten year old, male, white born abt 1860 in Missouri. He had not had attended school within the year. Naham Dalton was a 22 year old, male, white, born abt 1848 in Illinois.

On 7 Sep 1881, in Jefferson County, Kansas, William (Willis) Dalton married Emma Todd. Emma Todd's parents were Leander and Martha (Campbell) Todd. William and Emma for sure had at least one child together: Cora May Dalton was born 1894 in Enid, Oklahoma. Some researchers claim they had a couple of more children and they may have direct knowledge not available to me, but I can find no on-line documentation to show they had more than one child. William and Emma were together for twenty-four years when something happened and Emma died at the age of 45 years. A tragicly young death. But, if the records are right William seems to have been not too broken up about it or to have some reason to have had to remarry quickly. Emma died in 1905 and William married Mary Blair on 05 Jan 1905 in Oklahoma City. Maybe Emma was taken with a mortal illness and was expected to die. But, if that is what happened, a couple of days is hardly a decent interval to wait before getting remarried.

William married Mary Viola Blair on January 15, 1905, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This was William's second marriage. He had a daughter, Cora M. Dalton, by his first wife. William was 45 years old and Mary was twenty. William and Mary had five children in 25 years.

By 1910 William and Mary had moved to Verden, Grady County, Oklahoma. In the 1910 US Federal Census for Verden is a record of the William and Mary Dalton household. William Dalton was the head of household, male, white, age 49 years, married twice, married this time for five years. He was born abt 1859 in MIssouri. His father was born in Virginia [this is wrong; his father was born in Kentucky] and his mother was born in Indiana. William was working as a plasterer of houses on his own account. The family owned their own home which was mortgaged. Mary V. Dalton was William's wife, female, white, age 25 years, married once for five years. The had three children and all were living. She and her parents were born in Indiana. Cora M. Dalton was William's daughter, female, white, age sixteen years, single, born in Oklahoma. Cecil R. Dalton, son, male, white, age 3 years, single, born in Oklahoma. Jaunita B. Dalton, daughter, female, white, age 2 years, single, born in Oklahoma. Theron E. Dalton, son, male, white, age 7 months, born in Oklahoma.

In 1914, Germany used the assassination of a distant member of the royal family in Austria as the excuse to start a major war in Europe. Until World War II this war was called The World War or the Great War. The Great War (now called World War I) began in 1914. America entered the war by declaring war on Germany April 6, 1917. William was 57 years old when America entered World War I. The war ended 11 November 1918. The war lasted four years and America supplied the good guys throughout the war. America was involved in the fighting for the last eighteen months of the war.

In 1920 William (60 years old) and Mary lived in Cimarron, Kingfisher County, Oklahoma. The 1920 US Federal Census has a record of the Wm and Mary Dalton household enumerated 17 January 1920 by J. J. Belout. Wm Dalton was the head of household, male, white 58 years of age married, born abt 1862 in Missouri. His father was born in Kentucky and his mother in Indiana. He was working as a moanie Mary V. Dalton was Wm's wife, female, white, age 35 years, married, born abt 1885 in Indiana. Her parents were also born in Indiana. Cecil R Dalton was Wm's son, male, white, age 13 years, single, born abt 1907 in Oklahoma. Jaunita B. Dalton was Wm's daughter, female, white, age 11 years, single, born abt 1909 in Oklahoma. Eugene T. Dalton was Wm's son, male, white, age 10 years, single, born abt 1910 in Oklahoma. Burton Dalton was Wm's son, male, white, age 7 years, single, born abt 1913 in Oklahoma. Willis D. Dalton was Wm's son, male, white, age 9 months, single, born abt 1919 in Oklahoma. They owned their own home which was mortgaged.

In the nineteen twenties. (1) Women could vote: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution had guaranteed that right in 1920. (2) By 1923 there were more than 500 radio stations in the nation. By the end of the 1920s, there were five national radio networks and radios in more than 12 million households. (3) About 1924 permanent plumbing and running water in the house was becoming increasingly affordable and therefore available. (4) The most important consumer product of the 1920s was the automobile. The Ford Model T cost just $260 in 1924.

By 1925 William and Mary had moved to Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma. They would live here the rest of their lives. In 1929, "The Depression" originated in the U.S., after the fall in stock prices that began around September 4, 1929, and became worldwide news with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday). Unemployment in the U.S. rose to 25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33%.

The 1930 US Federal Census for Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma, enumerated 03 April 1930 by Mrs. Etta Scott has a record of the William and Mary Dolton household. They owned their own home at 2124 Independence Street. William Dolton was a male, white, age 66 years, born abt 1864 in Missouri, married. He said he was first married at the age of 21 years of age. William was employed as an hourly worker as a plasterer of buildings. Whoever gave the information to the enumerator said that both William's parents were born in Illinois (neither were born in Illinois). Mary Dolton was William's wife, female, white, age 45 years, married for 20 years, born about 1884 in Indiana as were her parents. Willis Dolton was William's son, male, white, 11 years of age, single, born about 1918 in Oklahoma, he was attending school.

The first "New Deal" brought economic relief to many Americans in 1933 through programs that addressed banking, farming, and unemployment. By the spring of 1933, working class and rural Americans were tightly in the grip of the Great Depression. Forty percent of the nation's banks failed between 1929 and 1933, and almost 4-million manufacturing jobs were lost as consumption and production became locked in a downward spiral. The first "New Deal" created by President Franklin Roosevelt and his cabinet was aimed at providing relief and recovery to those hit hardest by the depressed economy. A farmer wrote in her diary in 1933 about the impact of the "New Deal" in rural areas: "Well, the national farm strike ... set for May 13 has been postponed, for which we are all thankful. They came to that decision after Roosevelt signed the farm bill, which makes it possible for the loan companies to refinance mortgages. ... Well, it gives us more courage to go on. We had about given up ever trying to keep up anymore." The National Recovery Administration was established to bring industry, labor, and government leaders together to solve the nation's economic problems. The Civilian Conservation Corp provided young men with jobs in natural resource development projects. Despite the efforts of the first "New Deal," long lines outside of soup kitchens persisted in cities across the nation.

America entered World War II with the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. America declared war on Japan and then on their allies; the Germans and Italiens. The war ended in Europe on May 8, 1945, and in the Pacific against Japan September 2, 1945.

He died in 1945 at the age of 85, and was buried in Enid Cemetery, Enid, Oklahoma. Mary died in 1960 at the age of 75 years and was buried alongside her husband of forty years.