Valentine T. Dalton
Researched, complied & edited by Rodney G. Dalton
Valentine Thomas Dalton, was born in Ireland in 1756 and lived in Augusta Co., Va. before the Revolutionary War. Valentine T. Dalton served during the Revolutionary War, and he was a Captain of artillery who served with George Rogers Clark during the Conquest of the Illinois. He was Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the United States in the Illinois.
Captain Valentine Dalton by John Moseley:
(Also known as Valentine T. Dalton)
I have been researching the family line of Valentine Dalton for several years. The first documentation that we have is in the Catholic Church records in Natchez, Mississippi. He was a witness at a marriage in 1776, where he gave his age as 40 years old and born in Ireland. In 1779, he was an attorney in Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), where he arranged probate on a will for a man named Muchmore.
He next appears with General George Roger Clark's Virginians in the conquest of the Illinois Country, during the Revolutionary War. He was a Lieutenant and General Clark put him in charge at Vincennes. The British commander at Detroit placed a bounty on him, offering the Indian tribes a nice reward for taking him alive. They made several attempts and on the night of August 1st 1782, he was "surprised in my bed" and was taken prisoner along with his wife Hannah Burke Dalton, his adopted daughterNancy Ward Dalton, his two children by Hannah, and several other people. He did not go "down the Mississippi" at that time. (What does this phrase mean?) The Indians took him to Fort Opost where he was confined until he was placed on an armed vessel and taken to Fort Erie. From there he was marched to Quebec, where he was put into a prisoner of war camp. This is documented in the book "Rebel Prisoners at Quebec 1778-1783" by Chris McHerry, published 1981. Also captured with Captain Dalton (as he was listed on the prisoner roll) was a Captain Fred Dalton and a Mrs. Dalton. If Fred's age (33) is correct as it is listed on the prison rolls, he could be Valentine's brother. We think that Valentine had a brother who had children. These branched out from Vincennes in Indiana, as the first man to be murdered in Knox County, Illinois, in 1838 was a Dr. Valentine Thomas Dalton. Now that name is too unusual not to be someone of our kin.
As soon as possible on October 29th 1782, our Valentine wrote a long letter to General Clark explaining his absence. His sudden unexplained disappearance from his post at Vincennes caused some speculation that he had gone over to the enemy. There were several letters written to Clark by a couple of would-be replacement officers. He was exchanged after several months and went immediately to Philadelphia where he was interviewed by the Pennsylvania Gazette in the edition of August 13th, 1783. In a very long article, he was praised as a great man and he gave a list of Americans left behind in the prison. During his captivity, he was allowed to see his family a few times. From Philadelphia he went back to Vincennes and back to duty under General Clark. As for him being a double agent, deserting his country and his family, I can find no evidence of it.
General Clark put Lieutenant Dalton right back into harness, calling on him to do some very unpleasant tasks, some of which were not "politically with Clark's Virginian bosses. Clark's conquest along with our Valentine doubled the size of the United States. But due to this disagreement with the powers that be Clark was never rewarded with wealth or glory in his lifetime, even though General Lafayette called him second only to General Washington as the greatest officer in the Revolution.
After the war, Valentine stayed on with his wife Hannah in the Vincennes area for several years, earning his living by selling land grants. They baptized two children in the Catholic church there.
He then "goes down the Mississippi". He appeared in Natchez, Mississippi and became a close friend of his Excellency Don Carlos de Grand-Pre. He signed a contract to dwell in the Grand-Pre's house for three years and teach his children. Valentine was fluent in Spanish and French, as well as English, having learnt these languages in Vincennes, so he also served as an interpreter. Something better must have come along, so he did not fulfill his contract. However, he and the Grand-Pre remained the best of friends. We have not found out where or when his first wife Hannah died. But I do not believe that he deserted his family, because his daughter Margaret and his adopted daughter Nancy Ward Dalton were both living with him at the time of his death in Natchez. Both girls married in the Catholic church there.
In 1792, he married for the second time to a 16 year old girl Jane Catherine Yarrow. They had two children.
After years of serving as an Indian fighter, attorney, interpreter, tavern owner, plantation owner and owner of many slaves, he died a very wealthy man.
Valentine T. Dalton, a War of 1812 veteran, is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, 2506 65th Street in Galveston, he was 103 years old.
Among those mentioned in the settlement after probate of his will was Margaret his daughter by his first wife, Hannah Burke. She got a large settlement of many thousands of dollars. She married a Jewish merchant from New Orleans, called Asher Moses Nathan. They had no children.
Marie Elizabeth, his second daughter by his first marriage, was not mentioned in his will. She married Harvey Norton in 1811 and she it was who started the story that Valentine had deserted his family. Also not in the will was his stepdaughter Nancy Ward Dalton Ross. She and her husband James Ross had taken Valentine through a long drawn out court battle over a slave girl whom they claimed they owned but Valentine possessed. They won the slave but were out of the will.
His second wife Kathy and her two children were well taken care of financially. Julia Dalton was placed in a teaching convent to receive a good education. She married John McGill. They had no children that we have found. Later, they separated and she lived the last twenty five years or so with her mother in New Orleans, dying there on September 13th, 1864. But alas, she was not allowed to rest in peace. She was buried in the Girod Street Episcopal Cemetery that was moved in an urban renewal project some years ago. I believe that the big Super dome baseball field was built in the area. Aunt Julia was removed from her grave on the 50 yard line and placed in a box sitting on a shelf in a storeroom. Valentine junior had a private tutor to ensure his education. These people all received huge sums of money under the will.
The widowed Kathy quickly married a man named Andrew Shaw, who disappeared within a year with all her money. She never saw him again. Later, she received a widow's pension from Valentine's revolutionary war service. She could not prove her marriage to Valentine, so she tore the page from the family Bible and sent it in, thank God, for what a windfall of genealogical data was in her file as a result.
Valentine Dalton Junior married Lavinia Deylon Dally, daughter of George and Rachel Faith Dally, who were owners of a large plantation at Baton Rouge near the Dalton plantation. They had a large family. Lavinia died about 1838 leaving a large estate in her own right, which she had inherited from her parents. One of their children was Valentine III who has a son Valentine IV, so there are lots of Valentines in my early Dalton line. Valentine junior moved to Texas and became a land speculator. He also made a fortune. I have a newspaper clipping that tells of his arrival in Galveston from a trip to Houston with his wife, two children and ten servants!
He was in the battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 in which he was a Captain under General Andrew Jackson. Later he gave an affidavit to the effect that he fired the shot that killed the British General Packingham. He states "I cannot resist the temptation of saying that on the morning of January 8th, 1815, 1 had command of part of our company at the breastwork and Sir, I have always claimed the honour, if there be any honour in killing a man, but it's considered honour in war, that the ball from my rifle killed General Packingham, (the cannon balls notwithstanding) at the crack of my rifle he fell, as the word had passed a short time previously "shoot the officers ". Not a cannon had been fired before he fell."
Valentine junior married Bridget Campbell Corbin in 1850 at Galveston. They had no children but they raised his youngest son Hero John Dalton and also several of the children of my great grandfather, Oscar Harvey Dalton. He also was quite a colorful character. He started the first newspaper in Crockett, Houston County, Texas, but was killed in a wild west shoot-out with a rival newspaper editor over editorial policy.
While fighting in the war of 1812, in the Canadian campaign, Valentine T. Dalton was captured by the Indians and held for many years before being freed. Capt. Dalton moved to Natchez where married Sarah Choate Martin in Houston in 1844. He taught school, and served as interpreter of the English language to the Spanish Government under the reign of Governor Don Carlos de Grand-Pre. He practiced law in Natchez, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. Dalton Junior died on February 6, 1885 in Baton Rouge.
Captives of British and Indians-Detroit - 1782
Captain Valentine T. Dalton
1782 -- August, a band of Wea and English broke in Vincennes and captured Commander Captain Valentine J. Dalton. In ex- changed for the WeaÕs help the English supplied them with goods.
Captain Dalton says, that on their way home, through Canada, they experienced the most polite treatment from the English officers, but were more than once abused by different parties of those wretches who had fled to Canada from the back parts of the United States, to avoid the vengeance of their countrymen, for the many horrid murders and burnings committed by them in conjunction with the English and Indians. As Captain Dalton has been among the savages for many years, has now given his friends and the public an estimation of the different savage nations they had to encounter with, the number of warriors annexed to each nation that were employed by the British, and have stained their tomahawks with the blood of Americans.
Canada, 18 June 1812 -- 17 February 1815
This campaign includes all operations in the Canadian-American border region except the battle of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. The invasion and conquest of western Canada was a major objective of the United States in the War of 1812. Among the significant causes of the war were the continuing clash of British and American interests in the Northwest Territory and the desire of frontier expansionists to seize Canada as a bargaining chip while Great Britain was preoccupied with the Napoleonic Wars.
In the first phase of the war along the border in 1812, the United States suffered a series of reverses. Fort Mackinac fell (6 August), Fort Dearborn was evacuated (15 August), and Fort Detroit surrendered without a fight (16 August). American attempts to invade Canada across the Niagara Peninsula (October) and toward Montreal (November) failed completely.
Brig. Gen. William Henry Harrison's move to recapture Detroit was repulsed (January 1813), but he checked British efforts to penetrate deeper into the region at the west end of Lake Erie, during the summer of 1813. Meanwhile, in April 1813, Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn's expedition captured Fort Toronto and partially burned York, capital of Upper Canada. On 27 May, Brig. Gen. Jacob Brown repelled a British assault on Sackett's Harbor, New York.
Valentine Thomas Dalton was with George Rogers Clark during the Illinois campaign.
George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 – February 13, 1818) was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war, Clark is best-known for his celebrated capture of Kaskaskia (1778) and Vincennes (1779), which greatly weakened British influence in the Northwest Territory. Because the British ceded the entire Northwest Territory to the United States in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, Clark has often been hailed as the "Conqueror of the Old Northwest."
Clark's
military achievements all came before his 30th birthday. Afterwards he led militia
in the opening engagements of the Northwest Indian War, but was accused of
being drunken on duty. Despite his demand for a formal investigation into the
accusations, he was disgraced and forced to resign causing him to leave
Kentucky to live on the Indiana frontier. Never fully reimbursed by Virginia
for his wartime expenditures, he spent the final decades of his life evading
creditors, living in increasing poverty and obscurity. He was also involved in
two failed conspiracies to open the Spanish controlled Mississippi River to
American traffic. After suffering a stroke and losing his leg, he was aided in
his final years by family members, including his younger brother William, one
of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Clark died of a stroke on
February 13, 1818 during the Illinois campaign.
In 1777, the American Revolutionary War intensified in Kentucky. Native Americans, armed and
encouraged by British lieutenant governor Henry Hamilton at Fort Detroit, waged war and raided the Kentucky settlers in hopes of reclaiming the region as their hunting ground. The Continental Army could spare no men for an invasion of the Northwest or the defense of distant Kentucky. Defense was left entirely to the local men. Clark participated in several skirmishes against the Native American raiders. As a leader of the defense of Kentucky, Clark believed that the best way to end these raids was to seize British outposts north of the Ohio River, thereby destroying British influence with the Indians. Clark asked Governor Henry for permission to lead a secret expedition to capture the nearest British posts, which were located in the Illinois country. Governor Henry commissioned Clark as a lieutenant colonel in the Virginia militia and authorized him to raise troops for the expedition.
In July 1778, Clark and about 175 men crossed the Ohio River at Fort Massac and marched to Kaskaskia, taking it on the night of July 4. Cahokia, Vincennes, and several other villages and forts in British territory were subsequently captured without firing a shot, because most of the French-speaking and American Indian inhabitants were unwilling to take up arms on behalf of the British. To counter Clark's advance, Henry Hamilton reoccupied Vincennes with a small force. In February 1779, Clark returned to Vincennes in a surprise winter expedition and retook the town, capturing Hamilton in the process. The winter expedition was Clark's most significant military achievement and became the source of his reputation as an early American military hero. When news of his victory reached General George Washington, his victory was celebrated and was used to encourage the alliance with France. Washington considered his victory a great success, especially considering he had received nearly no support from the regular army in men or funds. Virginia also capitalized on Clark's success and laid claim to the whole of the Northwest by establishing the region as Illinois County, Virginia.
The city of Vincennes is the county seat of Knox County, Indiana. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state.
The oldest European town in Indiana, Vincennes was officially established in 1732 as a French fur trading post.
Vincennes has been a part of the French colony of Louisiana, the British colony of Canada, and the Illinois Country of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. It was then part of Knox County in the Northwest Territory, later the Indiana Territory. Vincennes served as capital of the Indiana Territory from 1800 until 1813, when it was moved to Corydon.
More about the Illinois campaign:
The transfer of Illinois country from British to American control occurred in 1778, as a result of the expedition of Colonel George Rogers Clark. Described as having Òred hair, and a black, penetrating, sparkling eye,Ó Clark had descended from 17th century English planters in Virginia. The second of ten children, he was born on a farm along the Rivanna River, East of Charlottsville. At the age of five, his family moved to Carolina Country north of Richmond, where they owned a modest plantation with a small number of slaves. His grandfather, John Rogers, taught him surveying and after he turned nineteen, he learned much about the frontier by experience. ÒWith a chain and compass, axe and rifle, he had in the employ of land speculators wandered far and wide through the border region, learning its trails, its fords, its mountain passes, and its aborigines, better than his books.Ó At the age of 21, he fought in Lord DunmoreÕs War. Clark was only 25 when he made his expedition to Illinois country.
The impetus for the expedition began with ClarkÕs proposal to Virginia Governor Patrick Henry in 1777 to take Illinois country from British power and secure it as part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. VirginiaÕs territory included most of the present states of West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Clark resided in Kentucky, and wanted to protect his home from Indian attacks promoted by General Hamilton, Commander of Detroit, known as the Òhair-buying general,Ó who was attempting to clear the Mississippi Valley for the British fur trade. Clark wanted to cut off the British supply route to raiding Indians and secure the channels along the Ohio and Mississippi River for the Americans. Clark was confident he could win over the French in the villages along the Wabash and Mississippi Rivers. The western Indians, loyal to the French and angry about British policy, would follow.
On January 2, 1778 Governor Henry made Clark a lieutenant colonel and issued the order to raise 350 men in seven companies to attack Kaskaskia. He was to enjoin Òas little delay and as much secrecy as possible.Ó Clark succeeded in enlisting only four companies, commanded by Captains Montgomery, Bowman, Helm, and Harrod, but he would collect more along the way. His officers were elected by open vote, as was the custom with the militia. By May 1778, he collected 150 borderers from Òthe clearings and huntersÕ camps of the Alleghany foot-hills, both east and west of the range.Ó
ClarkÕs volunteers were settlers, like himself, who joined his militia to protect their homes from Indian attacks. They were common men of the frontier and had no standard uniform or equipment.
Perhaps the majority of the corps had loose, thin trousers of homespun or buckskin, with a fringe of leather thongs down each outer seam of the legs; but many wore only leggings of leather, and were as bare of knee and thigh as a Highland clansman; indeed many of the pioneers were Scotch-Irish, some of whom had been accustomed to this airy costume in the mother-land. Common to all were fringed hunting shirts or smocks, generally of buckskin - a picturesque, flowing garment reaching from neck to knees, and girded about the waist by a leather belt, from which dangled the tomahawk and scalping-knife. On one hip hung the carefully scraped powder-horn; on the other, a leather sack, serving both as game bag and provision pouch, although often the folds of the shirt, full and ample above the belt, were the depository for food and ammunitions. A broad-brimmed felt hat, or a cap of fox-skin or squirrel-skin, with the tail dangling behind, crowned the often tall and always sinewy frontiersman. His constant companion was his home-made flint-lock rifle - a clumsy, heavy weapon, so long that it reached to the chin of the tallest man, but unerring in the hands of an expert marksman, such as was each of these backwoods-men.
On May 12 Clark began his float down the Ohio on the flatboats used for trading and stopped at Pittsburgh and Wheeling to obtain supplies. They reached the ÒFalls of the OhioÓ early in June, and built and island camp near present-day Louisville, which commanded the portage path around the falls. A fort was built and a crop of Indian corn was planted. On June 24, 1778 ClarkÕs force Òmanned its boats, shot the falls, and started down the Ohio.Ó He had only his small army of 175 men, but he figured a smaller force would enable him to move swiftly, carry fewer supplies and control soldiers on the march and in fighting. Within four days, the soldiers, rowing day and night, reached the mouth of the Tennessee River. There they came upon a party of hunters who had recently visited Kaskaskia. They joined ClarkÕs party and provided information about the British and the fort. On June 26 the flotilla moved towards Kaskaskia, the principal military post in Illinois Country.
On the evening of July 4 ClarkÕs men reached the Kaskaskia River . The men were so tired and hungry that they were ready to take the fort Òor die in the attempt.Ó They came upon an isolated farmhouse, whose occupants became ClarkÕs hostages. The army crossed the Kaskaskia River to the unguarded fort. Rocheblave, French commander for the British, was taken hostage in his bed while soldiers ran through the streets warning the approximately 500 citizens and 500 black and Indian slaves to remain inside. Clark was instructed to give the French inhabitants of the fort full citizenship for their loyalty, but the reputation of the Virginian ÒLong-KnivesÓ made them fearful.
Their mercurial spirits soon rose, however, when they learned during the day that instead of being made the slaves of the bloodthirsty Virginians, they were, upon taking the oath of allegiance to the Republic, to be allowed to come and go at their pleasure, and meet in their little Catholic church as of old.
The next day, Captain Joseph Bowman was sent by Clark to take over the remaining villages. Within three days all had surrendered and Bowman established his own garrison at Cahokia. Clark was able to pull of this feat by telling the inhabitants of the villages that he held a much larger force at the Falls. He also let the inhabitants know that all who surrendered and pledged loyalty to the ÒRepublic of VirginiaÓ would have full freedom under his rule. ÒThe relieved people set the church bell ringing, strewed the streets with flowers, and sang in joy.Ó Clark took Prairie du Rocher and Saint Phillipe without force as well, and persuaded French residents to join his campaign. The flag was hoisted at Fort Sackville at Vincennes by July 20, which was almost completely deserted by the British to take up duty in Canada. The half-dozen remaining British soldiers withdrew from the fort. Clark had taken control of all principal settlements in Illinois country and he quickly established civil law after designating the area as the Illinois County of Virginia. Military garrisons were established at Kaskaskia and Cahokia under the arms of local militia forces and ClarkÕs militiamen.
By fall, VirginiaÕs new frontier was running smoothly. The supplies obtained from New Orleans were essential to ClarkÕs ability to keep hold on his territory. On their march, the soldiers ate dried meat, or jerky, and parched corn, but while on duty in Illinois country, they ate a great deal of flour, corn or cornmeal, beef or wild game, and other locally available food and drink. The trade routes along the Mississippi and its tributaries made available the coats, shirts, trousers, stockings, underclothing, blankets, and skins for moccasins to keep the soldiers warm throughout the fall and winter. They had no standard uniform, but their clothing and shoes had worn out during the long march into Illinois country. There was also a continual need for knives, muskets, rifles and gunpowder.
All went well for a time, until General Hamilton sent his army to regain Fort Sackville on December 17. Clark had left only a few soldiers to defend the fort, and when the British arrived, the fearful French militia deserted, leaving only two American soldiers. The British spent the winter at Vincennes planning war Òagainst the IllinoisÓ and to sweep Kentucky. In January 1779, Hamilton attempted to ambush Clark on his way to Cahokia, but news of the ambush and British plan to take back Illinois country was brought to his attention. On February 5 Clark marched with 170 American and French soldiers out of Kaskaskia. The 230-mile journey was cold, and the ground had been flooded, making the march difficult and driving all game away. There was Òno dry land on any side form many leaguesÓ on approaching Vincennes at the east side of the Wabash Òthe water often up to their chins, the strongest waded, the canoes carrying the weak and famished.Ó When ClarkÕs men reached Vincennes, half the soldiers surrounded the town and half Òpushed through the fort.Ó The British had cannons while the Americans had none, but ClarkÕs expert gunmen
Post Vincennes:
The Deposition of Daniel Neeves being first sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith. That he this Deponent was enlisted by a Capt. Thomas Mason as a Soldier in the Wabash Regiment, that he was summoned as one of a Guard by a Capt. Valentine T. Dalton and was by him marched to a Store; and he the said Dalton by an Interpreter demanded of a Spanish Merchant to admit him the said Dalton into his Cellar. The Spaniard asked what he wanted? the said Dalton answered he was sent by the Commanding Officer to search his Cellar; it being at a late hour in the night the Spaniard lighted a Candle and opened his doors and went and opened his cellar door; the said Dalton with several others entered the Cellar, after some time he came out and placed this Deponent as a Guard over the Cellar, and took the rest of the Guard to another Store; that on the succeeding day the said Dalton came with a number of others and plundered the cellar of a large quantity of peltry, Wine, Taffy, Honey, Sugar, Tea, Coffee, Cordial, French Brandy, and sundry other Articles together with a quantity of dry goods the particular Articles this Deponent doth not at present recollect; that part of the goods was made use of to clothe the Troops, the remainder with the other articles was set up at public Auction and sold; that the sale was conducted by a certain John Rice Jones who, marched in the Militia Commanded by General Clarke as a Commissary General; And further this Deponent saith that he obtained a furlough dated the 24th. day of November 1786 signed Valentine Thos. Dalton Captain Commandant Ouabache Regiment of which the following, is a copy. "Daniel Neeves a Soldier in the 0uabache Regiment has liberty to go on furlough for two months from the date hereof at the expiration he is to return to his duty otherwise looked upon as a Deserter. November 24, 1786. Valentine Thos. Dalton Captain Commandant 0uabache Regiment. To all whom it may concern." And further this Deponent saith not.
Note. In a census taken at Post Vincennes in 1790, it was found that Thomas Dalton was the head of a family and had been and officer at Post Vincennes and was a land owner, and had left Post Vincennes in the year of 1790 or 91, and went to New Orleans to be a tavern keeper.
In the late summer of 1781, Point was apparently running a British trading post at Ouiatenon (Lafayette, Indiana). Lt. Valentine T. Dalton, the Virginia commander at Vincennes, was kidnapped from his home by Indians and taken to Quebec. In a letter to George Rogers Clark he describes his experiences and meeting "Jno Batise." At the forks of the Maumee River (Defiance, Ohio) he met Pierre TrogŽ ("Truchey") of Vincennes, who was running another trading post. Significantly, he mentions one of TrogŽÕs former employers, LeGras of Vincennes, but not Jean Baptiste Maillet, whom he must have encountered at Peoria or Cahokia.
Dalton, Valentine Thomas
Nos. 76, 104, 206, 247, C. 155.
September 25, 1781: Second document. George Rogers Clark order to issue a barge to Lieut. Valentine Thomas Dalton.
Valentine Thomas Dalton received 30 pounds of salt in exchange for tobacco for the Indian Council.
Fort Patrick Henry issued powder and lead for use of the Indians in council. Names: Valentine Thomas Dalton.
"Lieutenant Dalton is gone down the river with Colonel Montgomery, in order, if possible, to secure deserters. Captain Williams has arrived here with Colonel John Montgomery, and assumed the command, which I refused to give up, without further orders from you. Major Harlan is out hunting, but is at a loss for want of horses. I sent for all the state horses at Kaskaskia, but it appears there (are) but few. What's gone with them God knows, but I believe there will be a very disagreeable account rendered to you of them, as well as many other things, when called for. The poor, distressed remains of this little borough joins in prayers for your presence once more at this place."
The Pennsylvania Gazette, PHILADELPHIA, August 13, 1783
Captain Dalton, Superintendent of Indian affairs for the United States, arrived here last week from Canada, which he left about a month since, in company with 200 Americans, who are at length happily liberated from a cruel captivity with the savages. But he is sorry to inform us that there are a number of unfortunate fellow sufferers, who are still retained as prisoners by the Indians. The sufferings of Captain Dalton and his lady have been very great, both having been many years prisoners with the enemy, and forced to endure the most cruel treatment from their captors. For the satisfaction of their friends, Captain Dalton has given a list of the unhappy people who are confined chiefly among the six nations , viz. the Shawanese, Delaware, Munseys, Ouiactenaws, Putawawtawmaws.
The following was copied from the "John Dalton Book of Genealogy"
THOMAS VALENTINE DALTON OF VIRGINIA
For years I have tried to find some definite evidence of the birth date, place of residence and age at any time of Thomas Valentine Dalton of the Colony and State of Virginia. He is sometimes referred to as an old Revolutionary War soldier.
A private genealogist was hired to search the manuscripts in the Virginia State Library. She either failed to do this or was unable to find an age date for me.
Brumbaugh-Revolutionary Records of Virginia:
Page 425--Dalton, V. S. (V. T. Dalton and others) private No. 240. Virginia State
Library--List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia.
Dalton, Thomas.
Brumbaugh-Revolutionary Records of Virginia:
Page 543--Dalton, Valentine Thomas (A.G. 50,045), Lieut. in Capt. Robert George's Co., Va., Art. Comm. June 4, 1779. In August 1782, was captured by Indians and carried down Mississippi River. Died Feb. 6, 1807 in Baton Rouge, La. In his will, executed in1805, he refers to his wife and three children:
Margaret, Valentine and Julia Ann. In a paper dated in 1807 only two children were living, Margaret probably having died prior to that year. Julia Ann, who went into a convent died prior to 1835, and in that year Valentine was the only heir.
General Services Administration, National Archives and Records Service, Washington 25, D. C. State of Louisiana, City of New Orleans.
On this 30th day of May 1845, personally appears E (???) the Mayor of the city aforesaid in open Court Catherine Shaw, who on her solemn oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions of the act of Congress on the 7th of July 1838.
Despondent states that she is informed and verily believes that Valentine Thomas Dalton was a Lieutenant of the Illinois Regiment of Virginia State line and attached to the company of artillery of Capt. Robert George Station Co. at the falls of Ohio in the year 1780-81-82, that he continued to serve as such for some 3 years or more and was in service at or near the close of the War of the Revolution for which services she is informed that he is credited on the books at Richmond, Va. and Washington City and for
which land and half pay have been allowed by the United States under the act of the 5th of July 1832, to all of which she most respectfully refers, that in the month of seventeen hundred and ninety two or three this despondent was living in the city of New Orleans, whose maiden name was Caty Yarrows that she then was married to Capt. Valentine Thomas Dalton under the Spanish Government by a Catholic clergyman by the name of Welsh, a bishop, that she has made a search for the records of the church to establish her marriage with said Dalton but owing to the change of Government and from causes to
despondent unknown she can not find the records, that she moved to Baton Rouge shortly after her marriage with Capt. Dalton and by whom she had a son Valentine Thos. and a daughter Juliana. That she first moved to (???) and then to Baton Rouge. The said son now lives in Texas and the said Juliana a widow McGell now living with despondent in Layfayett adjoining Nerlean, and that said Valentine Dalton despondent husband departed this life about the year 1807 in Baton Rouge leaving this despondent his widow.
That shortly after the death of her first husband she again intermarried with Andrew Shaw, that said Shaw lived with her for about one year. I left him and that she has not heard of him for upward of thirty years, only that she had once heard of his death shortly after his departure from Baton Rouge parish, that she continued to live in Baton Rouge until about the year 1830, when she came to New Orleans to live in the city of Lafayett. She continued to live but is the identical person who was the widow of Capt. Valentine T. Dalton and who died in the parish of Baton Rouge and made his will in 1807.
She therefore states that she was very poor and has been forced often to move and has lost all her family records, that she now claims the benefits of the provisions of the acts of Congress on the 7th of July 1838 and that of the 23 of August 1842 and such others as have paid on the 17th of March 1843 and of the 17th June 1844 and the tenth of August. That she is now in the 70th year of her life age and continues the name of Caty Shaw, that her marriage with Capt. Valentine T. Dalton did not take place until after he left the
services, but prior to the 1st day of January 1794. In and to and subscribe this day and date shown despondent would further state from reflection she has found a record of the age of her oldest son and the widow of his family in which bible she herewith in the presence of the Judge she asks him to tear from the book when or where it was made at the time.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, New Orleans, 30th May 1845, Caty Shaw E. Monhege, Mayor
Page 677- Family Bible Record- Marriages
Valentine Thomas Dalton, Jr. was married to Swing or Leving Dalley on the 28th day of April 1816.
Valentine Thomas Dalton, Jun. was married to Drucellar Edwards at Mt. Vernon, Ala. on the 31st Dec. 1840.
Valentine Thomas Dalton, Jr. was born on the 15th day of March 1793, in the city of New Orleans, State of Louisiana.
Juliann Dalton was born on the 22 day of May 1795, in Natches, Mississippi.
Children of Valentine Thomas Dalton, Junior.
John Dalton was born on the 28 May 1817 at East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.
Juliana Dalton was born on the 25th December 1818 at East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.
Oscar H. Dalton was born on the 26th of February 1824 in the city of New Orleans, State of Louisiana.
Hero Dalton was born on the 2nd day of October 1836 in Baton Rouge, La.
THE END