Parowan - 14-02-06
The History Of EDWARD MEEKS DALTON 1852 - 1886
Born 25 Aug. 1852, the eldest son of Edward Dalton and Mary Elizabeth Meek s. He was a handsome man, 6 feet tall, weight 190 pounds, brown eyes a nd black hair. He married Emily Stevens, 10 April, 1871 and later Helen D elila Clark. He was the father of ten children. They bought and liv ed in the Bishop Dame house on Main Street, Parowan, Utah. He was left-han ded. During his teenage years, by accident the fingers of his right ha nd were partially cut off while cutting the tails off of young sheep wi th a knife. The Indians named him "Mat-tome" which meant man without fing ers. In spite of partial loss of his fingers he learned to play the ban jo quite well and was known in Parowan and Cedar City as the jolly singi ng caller for the old-time square dances. Edward M. Dalton hauled salt fr om Salina, Utah, to the Silver Reef Mine.The ore was crushed, then mixed w ith salt and water to extract the ore. Thousands
of tons of salt were hauled from Salina to supply the three big Stamp Mill s. Edward Meeks was a counselor to President Thomas J. Jones of the Par owan Stake in Utah. In October 1881 Edward Meeks Dalton and James J. Ada ms left Parowan on a L.D.S. mission to the Southern States Mission. The re he labored in North Carolina. Edward Meeks Dalton while laboring in Ta rboro, Edgecomb County, North Carolina, converted Martha Harrell Warre n, a widow, and her eighteen year old daughter, Lizzina Elizabeth Warre n. When he came home from his mission, they came with him. Edward Dalton f ather of Edward Meeks Dalton, married Lizzina Elizabeth Warren.
In 1884 Edwards Meeks Dalton and others were indicted by a Federal Grand J ury for a misdemeanor under the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Law. About 1884 t he U.S. marshals arrested Edward M. Dalton at Parowan, Utah. They left h im unguarded in front of the old Co-op store, while they went into the sto re to buy tobacco. While the U.S. marshals were in the store, Edward M. Da lton by the use of his toes, slipped off his boots and ran barefooted a nd hid behind some big cottonwood trees. Waiting his chance, he ma de it to his father's home, got on a fast race horse and left town. He ma de his way to Gila Valley, Arizona. In Arizona he found work on a big cat tle farm. Emily, his wife, visited him in Arozona. He remained in Arizo na almost two years. Edward M. Dalton had a mail contract in the Hela Vall ey, Arizona, but after so long an absence he became very tired and loneso me to be with his family once again. About December 8, 1886 he returned u nexpectedly to Parowan, Utah to enjoy the holidays with his family. D uring the night of December 15, 1886 Deputy U. S. Marshal William Thompso n, Jr., and Bill Orton, rode into Parowan and hid their horses and buggy b ehind a big straw stack on a lot owned by William Rowley. They proceed ed to spend the remainder of the night at the home of Daniel Page, an apos tate Mormon. On December 16, 1886 Robert Dalton, Edward Dalton's you ng son, brought two bareback horses for them to drive their cattle to t he winter pastures. Before leaving Edward brought out his banjo, sat on t he fence and played and sang two songs for the delight of his family and f riends. Then he got on the bareback of his favorite horse, Red Man. As E dward and his 15 year old son Robert talked and leisurely drove their catt le in the middle of the street they passed Daniel Page's home. Bill Ort on was seen by the neighbors looking around the corner of the house. Willi am Thompson, Jr., came out of the home with a gun and said, "halt." Not wa iting for a sign of halt he instantly shot Edward Meeks Dalton in the bac k. Edward fell to the ground mortally wounded. Colley and Edgar Clark s aw the shooting and rode through the streets calling to the neighbors th at Edward Dalton had been shot. Morgan Richards who was at his mother's ho use heard what Collie Clark said and ran as fast as he could down the stre et, for he knew that he would be needed. As he came to Page's house th ey were just going to carry Edward M. Dalton into the house on a cot. Edw ard straightened out, looked up and said, "Morgan, don't let them ta ke me into Dan Page's home." Morgan did not allow him to be taken into Pa ge's residence, but laid him on the porch. In forty minutes Edward die d. Young men, George W. Decker, Warren Tye, Harm Bayles, Jess Ward a nd a large group gathered at the scene of the murder intending to string M arshal Thompson up if they could find him. Morgan Richards had nearly work ed his head off trying to persuade them not to do anything they would be s orry for all the rest of their lives. Morgan said, "This is the governmne nt's job. Thompson is a U.S. Marshal and while we are all so very sorry a nd feel so badly about it, let the officers do their work. You must not t ake the law in your hands. Leave the punishment to the government." T he crowd quieted down. Sheriff Hugh L. Adams was soon on the job and to ok Thompson into custody. He could see the attitude of Edward's friend s, so he swore them all in as deputies to help guard the prisoner. The pr isoner and accomplice were taken to the sheriff's home for supper, but th ey could hardly eat anything. Again threats of lynching and retaliation we re stopped by pleas from Sheriff Adams, Bishop Morgan Richans and Edward 's father, who said "two wrongs won't mend one" After dark they took Thom pson to Beaver to await trial. The trial of William Thompson, Jr., was he ld in the second district court at Beaver, Utah. The jurors all being ant i-Mormon. On January 7, 1887 after a two day trial the jury accepted the p lea that Edward Meeks Dalton had endeavored to escape arrest by the U.S. M arshal, and gave a verdict in favor of the murderer, with the reason bei ng that Thompson had the right to shoot when arresting someone indicted f or cohabitation! Residents in Beaver often remarked that William Thompso n, Jr., acted like a hunted man all his life. He would never walk on t he side-walks, but always in the middle of the street. If he had to ta ke water on his lot at night he took his lantern, after he had opened t he head gate for the water, and would run for dear life until he got ba ck into his house.
Edward Dalton's funeral on Dec. 18 1886 was attended by two-thirds of t he population of Parowan,
including a number of his indain friends who protected him during his flig hts from the marshals. He remains a hero and a martyr to many in Parowa n. The people of Parowan freely contributed means for the erecti on of a beautiful stone monument for the grave of Edward Meeks Dalton in t he Parowan, Utah, cemetery.
SOURCE:
Ancestral File (TM) Author: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ints Publication Information: July 1996 (c), data as of 2 January 1996 Rep ository Name: Family History Library Address: 35 N West Temple Stre et Salt Lake City, UT 84150 USA
The John Dalton Book Of Genealogy Author: Mark Ardath Dalton Publicati on Information: Deseret News Press Repository
A History Of Iron County - Author: Janet Burton Seegmiller
Publication Information: 1998 Utah State Historical Society, Iron Coun ty Commission.
1852 - 1886 (34 år)
