The History of Edward Dalton
By Rodney G. Dalton who is Edward Dalton's first cousin, four times removed.
Edward Dalton was born March 23, 1827, on a farm called Dalton Hollow in the Township of Wysox, Bradford County Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Dalton, Jr., and Rebecca Cranmer. He had gray eyes and black hair. He stood five feet ten inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. He grew up in Wysox like his cousins, children of his four uncles and four Aunts. When the Dalton family pack up and moved, Edward traveled with his family to Michigan in Freedom, Washtenaw County. He moved to Wisconsin when his father, John Dalton Jr., decided that he had to move to a new location. He went with his family when they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois about 1842. Edward was 15 years of age when he was baptized on June 4th, 1843 in the Nauvoo Temple. He received his endowments in 1846 in Nauvoo.
Edward helped build the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois, and contributed and assisted in the erecting of every Temple up to the time of his death.
Edward owned two lots in Nauvoo. This was very good for a young single man. Track R8, Sec 1, NE, 160 acres and T4 R8, Sec 22, NE, 160 acres.
He helped pack his families belongings when the Saints was driven from Nauvoo in Feb. of 1846. He endured all the hardships the others did. After many stops on the road to Utah, he was camped in Council Bluffs, Iowa when the call came from the President of the United States for 500 able bodied Latter-day Saints to march across the country to California to defend the country from Mexico, Edward and his brother Harry, and his cousin Henry Simon Dalton enlisted in the Mormon Battalion. Edward and Harry belonged to Company "D", known as the Santa Fe detachment. The Captain was John Brown; Edward and Harry were both privates. Edward was taken sick along the way so he could only make part of the trip. There being a numerous Mexican population in the Territory of Colorado, this detachment along with sick members were sent to Pueblo, Colorado. He was joined by his older brother Harry who stayed with me to take care of him. Here they were joined by a small company of Saints from Mississippi and Illinois. They spent the winter of 1846-1847 in Pueblo.
A story about this winter trip to Pueblo:
On the 10th, it was decided that a detachment of fifty-five sick men, under command of Lieutenant W. W. Willis, be sent back to Pueblo, by way of Santa Fe, to winter. The Colonel ordered that they be furnished with twenty-six daysÕ rations, allowing ten ounces of flour per day-eighteen ounces being the usual soldierÕs ration. It appears though, that through some mistake, probably an oversight in loading the wagon, this amount was not taken.
Lieutenant Willis, writing from memory of the incidents of the Battalion, says:
"Active preparations now commenced to carry into effect the ColonelÕs orders, and by 4 oÕclock of the same day we had collected of invalids fifty-six, one big government wagon, four yoke of poor cattle, five daysÕ rations and two dressed sheep, as food for the sick. Our loading for the one wagon consisted of the clothing, blankets, cooking utensils, tents and tent poles, muskets, equipage, and provisions, and all invalids who were unable to walk. With some difficulty I obtained a spade or two and a shovel, but was provided with no medicines or other necessaries for the sick except the mutton before referred to, and only five daysÕ rations, to travel near three hundred miles.
"Thus armed and equipped we commenced our lonesome march, retracing our steps to Santa Fe. We marched the same day about two miles and were visited by Captain Hunt and others at night, who spoke words of comfort to us and blessed us, administering the Church ordinance to the sick, and bidding us God speed. They left us the next day.
"We resumed our march, camping in the evening near some springs. One yoke of our oxen got mired in the mud. We took off the yoke when one got out. The other we undertook to pull out with a rope and unfortunately broke his neck. Our team was now too weak for our load. In the night Brother John Green died, and we buried him by the side of Brother James Hampton.
"What to do for a team we did not know. This was a dark time, and many were the earnest petitions that went up to our God and Father for Divine aid.
"The next morning we found with our oxen a pair of splendid young steers, which was really cheering to us. We looked upon it as one of the providences of our Father in heaven. Thus provided for, we pursued our march. We traveled two days without further accident.
"During the night of the 25th of November, Elijah Freeman was taken very ill. We hauled him next day in our wagon and could distinctly hear his groans to the head of our little column. We lay by next day for his benefit. It was very cold and snowy. Next day we resumed our march, but were forced to stop the wagon for our afflicted comrade to die. After his death we resumed our march until the usual time of camping when we buried the corpse. Richard Carter also died the same night and we buried him by the side of Brother Freeman. Their graves are four miles south of Secora, on the Rio Grande.
"We continued our march to Albuquerque, where we presented our orders for assistance to Captain Burgwin, of KearneyÕs brigade. He gave me five dollars, cash, and the privilege of exchanging our heavy wagon for a lighter one. I had fuel and everything to buy, and spent $66.00 of my own private money before reaching Santa Fe, which was, as near as I can recollect, about the 25th of November.
"On my arrival at that place, General Price, commander of the post, ordered me to Pueblo, on the Arkansas river. He also ordered Quartermaster McKissock to furnish us with the necessary provisions, mules, etc. I obtained from the Quartermaster ten mules and pack-saddles, ropes and other fixtures necessary for packing. With this outfit we had to perform a journey of about three hundred miles, over the mountains, and in the winter.
"Packing was new business to us, and at first we were quite awkward. This was about the 5th of December. The first day we marched about ten miles. Here we gave Brother Brazier, who was too sick to travel, a mule, and left Thomas Burns to wait upon him and follow, when he got able, to a Mr. TurleyÕs, where I designed leaving those who were unable to cross the mountains.
"The next day we traveled about twenty miles and camped on a beautiful stream of water where we had to leave one broke-down mule. The day after, we marched about fifteen miles, and camped in a Spanish town. Here Alva Calkins, at his own request, remained to await the arrival of Brothers Brazier and Burns. About ten inches of snow fell that day, and the next day it snowed until about noon, after which we marched ten or twelve miles and hired quarters of a Spaniard. Here the men bought bread, onions, pork, etc., from their own private means. Brother William Coleman was seized with an unnatural appetite, and ate to excess. In the night we were all awakened by his groans. Dr. Rust gave him a little tincture of lobelia, the only medicine in camp, which gave him partial relief.
"Continuing our journey, we traveled within about ten miles of TurleyÕs, Brother Coleman riding on a mule with the aid of two men to help him on and off. The next morning, started early for Mr. TurleyÕs to make arrangements for the sick. I left my saddle mule for the sick man, with strict instructions to have him brought to that place. On my arrival I made the necessary arrangements, and about noon the company arrived, but to my surprise and regret without Brother Coleman. They said he refused to come. Mr. Turley, on hearing me express my regret and dissatisfaction at his being left, proffered to send his team and carriage to go back next day and bring him in, which offer I accepted, and agreed to pay him for his trouble. I left quite a number of sick with Mr. Turley, paying him out of my own private funds for their rations and quarters, and then traveled about ten miles. At night, strong fears were entertained that the snow was so deep we could not cross the mountains and some resolved not to attempt it, accusing me of rashness. I called the company together and stated the fact to them that I was unauthorized to draw rations except for the journey and other necessaries unless for the sick, and that I was expending my own private money. I also stated that I should carry out my instructions and march to Pueblo to winter, if I had to go alone. I then called for a show of right hands of all who would accompany me. All voted but one, and he fell in afterwards and begged pardon for his opposition.
"We continued our march from day to day, traveling through snow from two to four feet deep, with continued cold, piercing wind. The third day, about noon, we reached the summit of the mountain. Before reaching the top, however, I had to detail a rear guard of the most able-bodied men, to aid and encourage those who began to lag, and felt unable to proceed farther, whilst with others I marched at the head of the column to break the road through enormous snow banks. It was with the greatest exertion that we succeeded, and some were severely frost-bitten. When we got through the banks, to our inexpressible joy, we saw the valley of the Arkansas below, where the ground was bare. The drooping spirits of the men revived, and they soon descended to the plain below, where they were comparatively comfortable. From here the command had good weather and pleasant traveling to Pueblo, their destination for the remainder of the winter.
"We arrived on the 24th of December, and found the detachments of Captains Brown and Higgins as well as could be expected, and enjoying themselves with some comfortable quarters."
John G. Smith, of Captain BrownÕs detachment, gives December 20th as the day upon which the first portion of WillisÕ detachment arrived at Pueblo, instead of the 24th, as stated in the narrative of Lieutenant Willis. It is likely that Brother SmithÕs date is the correct one; as he kept a daily journal and was very accurate in regard to dates. He states that the men in WillisÕ command were haggard and emaciated on their arrival, from the sickness, hunger and fatigue which they had endured.
Lieutenant Willis got Gilbert, son of Captain Jefferson Hunt, who had accompanied the families to this point, to go back to Mr. TurleyÕs and bring up the sick he had left there. They started on the 27th, and the same day the Lieutenant started for BentÕs Fort, a distance of seventy-five miles. He arrived on the 2nd and was very kindly received by Captain Enos, commander of the post and acting Quartermaster, who furnished sixty daysÕ rations for the company and transportation to Pueblo with ox teams. On Lieutenant WillisÕ return, the detachment went to work, preparing their quarters, each mess to build a log cabin.
About the middle of January Corporal Gilbert Hunt and company returned with all the sick except Brother Coleman. Mr. Turley forwarded the Lieutenant a letter by Corporal Hunt to the effect that he sent his carriage as agreed upon, but on arriving at the place where Brother Coleman was left, he was not there. The Spaniard reported that after the company had left, in spite of entreaties to the contrary, Brother Coleman, followed on after the company, and it was supposed, after traveling a short distance, he expired, as he was afterwards found dead, by the road-side not far distant.
It was this group of Mormons who first established the Anglo- Saxon civilization there. They held the first religious service in English, taught the first school, and erected the first meeting house. The first white child born in Pueblo was a girl born to Mormon parents.
Three Mormon Battalion sick detachments of disabled men along with some women and children, after spending the winter in 1846-47 at Pueblo, Colorado. An advance party of 13 soldiers met Brigham Young's company on 4 July while trailing livestock. The remainder of the sick detachments left Pueblo on 24 May and in company with some Saints from Mississippi, arrived in Salt Lake City on 29 July 1847, five days after Brigham Young had entered the valley.
This group was led by Captain James Brown with Captains Nelson Higgins and Wm. W. Willis and 140 of the sick detachment of the Mormon Battalion arrived at the pioneer camp in Great Salt Lake Valley. President Bright Young and a number of the brethren went to meet them.
The yellow line on map is the sick detachment route to Pueblo, Colorado.
There were 140 of the Mormon Battalion and forty of the Mississippi Saints with them. They had 29 wagons, one carriage, 100 horses and mules and 300 head of cattle, which greatly added to the strength of the pioneer camp. The names of most of these are to be found in Journal History, July 29, 1847, pages 1-9. These should be designated as Pioneer companies of 1847, but not as part of the Original Pioneer company, which consisted only of the 143 men, three women and two children, known as the "Original Pioneers."
Edward and Harry Dalton both settled in Salt Lake City, probably in one of the forts. Edward was single and Harry was waiting for his wife to arrive from the east with his father.
Later Edward was assigned a lot where the other Dalton's would soon build on the same block.
Edward Dalton met a young lady in Salt Lake City whose name was Mary Elizabeth Meeks and they were was married on March 6, 1848 by Brigham Young. Edward was the son of John Dalton, longtime friends of the Meeks family. Elizabeth and Edward had known each other in Nauvoo.
Edward Dalton was called by Brigham Young to assist the surveyors in laying out Salt Lake City. His vocation being that of a farmer and lawyer.
In January 1852 Edward was called on a mission to southern Utah. He moved to Parowan, Utah, where he took an active part in the improvement of that community. He was a leader in governmental, church, and military affairs. Edward Dalton also married a second wife, Lizzina Elizabeth Warren.
The settlement of "Little Salt Lake" Valley - Parowan:
In December, 1850, a company which numbered 118 men, in which there were thirty families, with 101 wagons, left the Salt Lake colony for "Little Salt Lake Valley," to make a settlement. The "valley" takes its name from a small body of saline water on the east side of what is now Iron county, and just east of the Escalante wide, desert valley. This undertaking was in further fulfillment of the promise made to Walker, the Utah chief that settlers would be sent to his country. The party was under the leadership of George A. Smith, cousin of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and a very practical, sturdy character, henceforth active and prominent in nearly all the colonizing movements in southern Utah.
The company of settlers arrived in Little Salt Lake valley, over 200 miles south of Salt Lake City, on the 13th of January, 1851, and settled on a mountain stream "about three yards wide, one foot deep, with rapid current, and gravel bottom and banks;" afterwards called "Center Creek." The first site of the settlement, after thorough exploration of the surrounding country, was made permanent, and named Parowan, after a Utah Indian chief of the vicinity. The settlers were welcomed by Chief Peteeneet and his people, a miserable tribe known as "Piedes," who expressed themselves as pleased that the brethren were settling in their valley. Peteeneet said his tribes owned the country - a declaration afterwards confirmed by Chief Walker. The pipe of peace was smoked by the Indians and whites.
Canarrah, another Piede chief, having first sent in one of his braves to ascertain if it would be safe for him to venture into the settlers' camp, paid them a visit. "His apparel consisted of a pair of moccasins, short leggings, and a kind of small cloak made of rabbit-skins. He was tall and stately in appearance, though apparently suffering from hunger. His followers were not as well dressed, being really specimens of humanity in its most degraded form."
In March, Chiefs Walker and Peteeneet and about seventy braves visited the settlement and smoked the peace pipe with President George A. Smith. Walker was very friendly and expressed the desire to build a house and teach his children to work. He represented that he had visited all the Indian bands in the surrounding country and advised them to be friendly with the colonists, and not disturb even a brute belonging to them. The object of his visit was to exchange horses for cattle as his people were in need of beef. Walker made known his intention of making a raid into California, but President George A. Smith persuaded him not to go, warning him of the likelihood of coming in contact with United States troops.
In the first year the settlers built a fort, at Parowan, enclosing a stockade for their cattle and horses, and on the bastions of the fort placed their cannon in such manner as to command two sides of the fort. Later other settlements sprang up in Little Salt Lake valley, but Parowan marked the southern limits of the settlements founded during the actual existence of the "State of Deseret."
In May 1851 the settlement was visited by Brigham Young and a party of church leaders. They were met some distance from the Center Creek settlement by a large company of horsemen and escorted into the fort, amid the salute of cannons and the rejoicing of the people. Public meetings were held through three successive days, the 11th, 12th, and 13th, of May. The counsel of President Young to these settlers was of unusual interest, and is thus recorded by himself:
"I spoke upon the importance of the Iron county mission and the advantages of the brethren fulfilling it. I advised them to buy up the Lamanite children as fast as they could, and educate them, and teach them the gospel, so that not many generations would pass ere they would become a white and delightful people, and said that the Lord could not have devised a better plan than to have put us where we were, in order to accomplish that thing. I knew the Indians would dwindle away, but let a remnant of the seed of Joseph be saved. I told the brethren to have the logs or pickets of their fort so close that the Indians could not shoot arrows through. I recommended the adoption of the Indian name Parowan for the city."
The history of Elizabeth Meeks Dalton:
Mary Elizabeth Meeks life started out in July 02, 1823 in Spencer Co. Indiana, where her father, Priddy and her mother, Mary was living at the time. She had two brothers and one sister born before her.
Mary Elizabeth was only 7 months old when her Mother passed away on Jan. 2 4th, 1824. Mary Elizabeth was then raised by her step-mother, Sarah Mahurin, who her father married on Dec. 24th, 1826.
The Priddy Meeks family moved from Indiana to Illinois and settled on a farm on the River Embarras.
The family however did not stay for long, but next moved west to Morgan County and built a log cabin on the banks of the Illinois River. Again they did not stay for long, before moving west. In Priddy Meeks own words:
"I lived on the south side of the Illinois River (Morgan Co.) Shortly after this i bought land at the bluffs on the north side (Brown Co.) ha lf a mile from the river and moved over to it. Three miles west of us w as a new town was laid off, called "Versailles" right on the public road.. ..built a good log house under the bluffs and had a good sugar
orchard on the land"
Again it was time to move further west. This time to the city that the Mormon's were building on the Mississippi River. The Meeks family arrived in t he city in April of 1842.
The move to Nauvoo was the fourth that the family had made in Illinois. First were the farms on the Embarros River, then Morgan county, next across the Illinois River to brown county and now finally to Nauvoo in Hancock county with the Mormon's.
It was while living in Nauvoo that Mary Elizabeth, now about 18 years old had a harrying experience involving her father. It seems that her father h ad been arrested on a charge of Forgery. The explanation for this is copied from the book; "The life and times of Dr. Priddy Meeks and his Progenitors by Dalton R. & Lenora Meeks.
Meeks was one of the many involved in wagon making. He was trying very ha rd to be ready to move with the Saints on their projected departure in April. It was imperative for him to sell his real property in Brown County to have the cash to buy the supplies he would need. His son-in-law Ors on Adams had property to dispose of there as well. Orson had given Dr. Priddy his power of attorney to sell his land, Orson's non-L.D.S. brothers said that Priddy had forged Orson's name, so they went to Carthage and had him arrested and jailed in the same cell where Joseph and Hyrum Smith had been killed.
Dr. Priddy's oldest daughter Elizabeth often went to see her father in jail. One day she went with Sheriff Beckenstoes on horseback to Carthage. The Sheriff led a horse on which her father could ride home. Elizabeth w as left in the woods outside Carthage. She was holding the extra horse and the Sheriff went to the jail and talked with her father. The Sheriff told Priddy Meeks if the jail door should happen to be left open and he got out, for him to walk right into the woods and he would find a girl there on a horse, holding a horse for him. The Sheriff then went out leaving the door open. Priddy soon found his daughter with the extra horse and they rode quickly to Nauvoo.
Priddy's daughter Margaret Jane Hamilton reported on this event:
My father was imprisoned in Carthage jail, just after the bodies of Jose ph and Hyrum were taken away, their blood was still on the floor. We were not permitted to go into the building, but Mother and I went there and talked with Father thru the iron grating over
the window.
Priddy continued with his story:
"I then had to wheel and cut to the best advantage to get away from my persecutors and go across the river. I had been working with William McCleary, brother-in-law to the Prophet, making each of us a wagon to cross the plains in. Mine was only half done, but I had to drop everything to get aw ay and give a one-horse wagon two-horse wagon that looked like failing to pieces, having no iron about it but the tire. I wedged and wet it with water, then put a light load in it. It was thought I might go twenty mi les to a blacksmith shop, supposed that twenty dollars worth would f ix it so I could get to the buffs with it, having to leave part of my family in Nauvoo with my house and lot and furniture and stock and books, in fact, everything that I had, and never got anything for it"
So once again, Priddy Meeks uprooted his family from its home. This was one time he had done it for religious purposes. This time he was actually forced to leave his home and possessions. His family was compelled to travel in a flimsy wagon with few provisions.
Mary Elizabeth Meeks after a very long and hard trip across the plains with her family finely arrived in the "Valley of the Saints" on the first of Oct. 1847.
Upon arriving in the Valley most Saints, including Priddy settled in the 'Old Fort" built of adobe by the first group of Pioneers on the ten-acre site which is now Pioneer Park.
Romance did not wait for comfort to come to the Valley. Twenty-four year-o ld Elizabeth Meeks was married to Edward Dalton on March 6, 1848 by Brigham Young. Edward was the son of John Dalton, longtime friends of the Meeks family. Elizabeth and Edward had known each other in Nauvoo and Edward had served in the Mormon Battalion Company C.
In December, 1850, a company, which numbered 118 men, which included thirty families, with 101 wagons, left the Salt Lake colony for "Little Salt Lake Valley" The company of settlers arrived in Little Salt Lake valley, over 200 miles south of Salt Lake City, on the 13th of January, 1851. In this first Company there was Priddy Meeks and Edward Dalton and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Meeks Dalton. They named this new settlement, "Parowan"
It is believed that Mary Elizabeth never lived anywhere else by in Parowan, even after her husband married two other wife's in polygamy and he moved around to other towns in the Southwest. Mary Elizabeth Meeks Dalton raised eight children to maturity.
His first wife raised eight children to maturity.
One of Mary Elizabeth's sons, Edward Meeks Dalton was murdered by U.S. Mar shall William Thompson Jr. on Dec. 16 1886. This happened in Parowan, Iron Co. Utah.
After living a tough and hard life as a Pioneer women in a era of polygamy, Mary Elizabeth Meeks Dalton died on October 04, 1892 and is buried in t he Parowan City Cemetery. This Cemetery has a rock wall around it and is one of the most beautiful and well-kept cemeteries in the West.
Edward Dalton and his family settled in Parowan, Iron County Utah after being called to the Iron County Mission by Brigham Young in 1851. Here their children Edward Meeks, Joseph Priddy, John Cranmer, Franklin Stephens, Ida Mary, and Ada Elizabeth Dalton were born. His family bore all the hardships of pioneer life without murmur, always keeping an open house and never turning anyone away. The visiting authorities from the north and most of the people that come up from Dixie to sell fruit stayed at his home. He was a man of great faith and a student of history. Edward surveyed and laid out the city of Parowan and took a prominent part in helping to divide the water of Center Creek, both for city and field purposes. He also surveyed the City of Panguitch. He was one of the first Mayors of Parowan and his name is attached to many original deeds for lots in the city.
Ranching in the Early Days in Iron County:
ÒOne of the first ranches was owned by Edward Dalton and Robert Miller, north and a little east of the Cheney meadow. They milked cows, made cheese and butter all summer, spring, and fall for many years. John West owned a ranch and dairy a little south of the Dalton Ranch. William Adams ran a dairy on his land east of the Dalton Ranch, right next to the Paragoonah fields. Zach Decker owned a pasture a little south and west of the Cheney Meadow, but did not do much ranching.
In Parowan, Edward took a leading role in all the labors for the improvement of the country, serving as alderman, mayor, probate judge, and being a representative in the legislature. He was a leader in the military operations in the Mormon War, 1857, and the Black hawk wars with the Indians. In June 1866 Indian raiders plundered Beaver of a herd of cattle. Edward Dalton's Militia Company routed the Indians and saved the cattle. Edward Dalton was Captain of the Militia for the protection of the people. He was noted for his fearlessness and was afraid of nothing, yet he would not go blindly into a trail.
On New Year's day, 1870, the men were called out of a dance as the alarm was given that the Navajos had rounded up about 500 head of horses. Among the men who started up Parowan Canyon were the following:
Capt. Edward Dalton, Sydney Burton, Horace Smith, Samuel Orton, Peter Wimmer, Johnathan Prethro, Hugh L. Adams, Charles Adams, James J. Adams, Ed Clark, Ed Ward, Nels Holingshead, Wm. C. Mitchell, Henry Harrop, Oscar Lyman, Hy Paramore, Bill Lister, John Butler, Heber Benson, Tom Butler, Allen Miller and Tom Yardley.
There was so much snow in Parowan Canyon that after attempting to traverse it, they ascended Little Creek Canyon. The men did not overtake the Indians because of the deep snow. They went over to the East Fork of the Sevier River, with no success, so Captain Dalton gave the order to go home. Some of the men wanted to proceed further, but their captain was impressed to go home and all the men followed him. It was learned from scouting parties that they had avoided annihilation from hordes of ambushing redmen.
Source: Luella Adams Dalton.
Note: Muster roll of the Company C, 1st Battalion, 10th Regiment of the Legion of Nauvoo, Commanded by Captain Jesse N. Smith mustarded in the Iron County Military District, Parowan, 10th day of Oct. 1857; Edward Dalton.
ÒOnce when Daniel Clark was sheriff, they got onto the trail of a bunch of cattle rustlers, who had driven off a large bunch of cattle from the north of the valley. William West and Edward Dalton offered to help Sheriff Clark. They rode hard to get on their trail, and the second day out spotted the cattle, just before sundown. They planned to camp for the night and surprise them early in the morning. They made camp in an old shack close by. Shortly after making camp William West became violently ill with a pain in his side. The men talked over what was best to do, and decided to send one of the men over to St. George for a doctor. With the snow completely covering all traces of the trail in the darkness, they decided to wait until daylight to go. Before morning Mr. West became so bad, that he passed away with what was most likely a ruptured appendix. When morning came they rolled him in a quilt, packing snow around him and bound him on his horse, and started home with him on his horse. He was a fine man. He left a wife and three children, one boy and two little girls to mourn his early death.Ó
Source: Luella A. Dalton.
While in Parowan Edward served on the High Council. On Feb. 15, 1865, Erastus Snow stopped in Parowan on his way to St. George and organized the 9th Quorum of Seventies. He ordained seven Presidents, one of whom was Edward Dalton.
Parowan Stake House is one of the old-time structures erected less than fifteen years after the arrival of the first pioneers. It was built in 1862 of stone at a cost of $10,000, and, strange to say, has never been dedicated. The height of the building is 28 feet with 45 by 50 feet outside measurement. It has a seating capacity of 800, and has seven rooms. The architects were Ebenezer Hanks, Edward Dalton, and William A. Warren. The house stands in the center of an eight-acre block. An entrance to the building leads from each side of the block. On either side of the paths leading from the gates, are avenues of trees, some ornamental and some fruit. A man is paid to take care of the grounds and do the janitor work in the building. Part of the grounds is used for raising crops. The President of the stake, Lucius N. Marsden, in giving a description of the building, says: "If the people would now build a meeting house according to their means, as the people did in 1862, we would have a most magnificent building."
Edward Dalton was gifted in dramatics. He was the President and Director of the Parowan Dramatic Association for many years. They tell the story that Edward and James Adams were fighting a duel in the early plays, but they both were so stubborn that neither one gave up so they had to roll the curtain down.
As Mayor of Parowan City in 1874, Edward Dalton was a delegate to the Territorial Legislature, and while in this capacity, he entered a large tract of 760 acres for the first deeds to land in the valley, farms and city lots. After Fort Cameron was established at Beaver, there was some trouble about land rights. The settlers had held their farms and homes only by squatters rights. Now all the land they held had deeds. One of the first ranches was owned by Edward Dalton and Robert Miller. It was to the North an a little east of the Chimney Meadow, where they milked cows and made cheese and butter, all summer, spring and fall for many years.
A Mayor's Deed from Iron County:
THAT I, Edward Dalton, Mayor of Parowan City, in Iron County, Utah Territory, by an Act of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, approved February 17, 1869, entitled, "An Act prescribing Rules and Regulations for the execution of the Trust arising under an Act of Congress, entitled, 'An Act for the relief of the Inhabitants of Cities and Towns Upon the Public Lands,' approved March 2, 1867," and in consideration of the sum of Two ($2.00) Dollars paid by John Wardell, of Parowan City, County of Iron, Territory of Utah, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the said John Wardell, on the Ninth day of May, A. D. 1872, having been adjudged by the Probate Court of Iron County, Territory aforesaid, to be the rightful owner and possessor of the following described Lots or Parcel of land, viz: The east part of Lots eleven (11) twelve (12) and thirteen (13) each part of Lot two (2) by eight and eleven-sixteenths (8 11/16) rods, and the east part of Lots fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) each part of lot two (2) by eight (8) rods.
(Signed) EDWARD DALTON
Note: One of Edward's son Edward Meeks Dalton was murdered by U.S. Marshall William Thompson Jr. on Dec. 16 1886. (His story is told in another chapter of my Dalton book))
His first wife raised eight children to maturity. His eldest son Edward Meeks Dalton went on a Mission to North Carolina, where he converted Martha Harrell Warren and her daughter Lizzina Elizabeth. They came back to Parowan with him. Edward Dalton took Lizzina Elizabeth Warren for a plural wife on the 14th of June 1882 in the St. George Temple. They left Parowan to live in Manassa, Conejos County Colorado. On March 7, 1886, he was set apart as first counselor to President Silas Sanford Smith in the San Luis stake presidency. While in Colorado, EdwardÕs first wife died and he had four more children by his second wife. He remained until 1892, and he then returned to Parowan. He was a Patriarch at the time of his death, April 6, 1896, of stomach cancer.
Dalton, Edward, first counselor of the San Luis Stake presidency, Colo., from 1886 to 1892, was born March 23, 1827, in Bradford, Penn., the son of John Dalton and Rebecca Cranmer. He was baptized June 4, 1843. He was appointed first counselor March 7, 1886, and was set apart to that position June 27, 1886, by John Henry Smith. He died April 6, 1896.
The headstone of Edward & Elizabeth Meeks Dalton in the Parowan, Iron
Co., Cemetery.
The Official LDS Church records of Edward Dalton:
Source: From the CD: LDS Family Suite 2, by Ancestry Inc. Orem Utah.
Dalton, Edward.
Birth: Dalton, Edward - Date: March 3, 1827 - Place: Wysox, Bradford, PA.
Parents: Dalton, Edward - Father: Dalton, John - Mother: Cranmer, Rebecca Turner.
Death: Dalton, Edward - Date: April 6, 1896 - Place: Parowan, Iron, UT.
Buried: Parowan, Iron, UT.
Marriage Information: Dalton, Edward - Spouse: Meeks, Elizabeth -Date: May 13, 1852
Children: Dalton, Edward.
1. Dalton, Hulda Amanda, December 6, 1848.
2. Dalton, Sarah Cedenia, September 8, 1850.
3. Dalton, Edward Meeks, August 25, 1852.
4. Dalton, Joseph Priddy, September 17, 1854.
5. Dalton, John Cranmer, January 9, 1857.
6. Dalton, Franklin Stephen, February 26, 1859.
Marriage Number 2 Dalton, Edward - Spouse: Warren, Lizzina Elizabeth - Place: St. George, Washington, UT. - Date: June 14, 1882.
Marriage 2 Children:
1. Dalton, Randall Warren, June 9, 1883.
2. Dalton, James Edward, February 16, 1885.
3. Dalton, Martha Rebecca, October 3, 1886.
4. Dalton, Ida, February 13, 1888.
5. Dalton, Francis Marion, November 26, 1891.
6. Dalton, Harrell Warren, July 19, 1894.
7.Dalton, Harley Warren, July 19, 1894.
8.Church Ordinance Data: Dalton, Edward – Baptism: Date - June 4, 1843.
Temple Ordinance Data: Dalton, Edward – Baptism: Date - March 31, 1964 - Temple: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT.
Endowment - Date: January 21, 1846 - Temple: Nauvoo, Hancock, IL.
Sealed to Parents - Date: March 31, 1951 - Temple: Manti, Sanpete Co., UT.
Sealed to Spouse - Date: May 13, 1852 - Temple: Endowment House in Salt Lake City
Sealed to Spouse - Date: June 14, 1882
Places of Residence: Dalton, Edward-Montpelier, Iron Co., UT. 1860, Parowan, Iron, UT. August 25, 1852.
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT. December 6, 1848.
Mill Creek, Salt Lake, UT. September 8, 1850.
San Luis, Costilla, Co. 1886-1892.
Vocations: Dalton, Edward-Farmer.
Comments: Dalton, Edward. Edward was a Private in Company C of the Mormon Battalion.
Comments: #21. Edward was listed on the Daily Log of Persons in Nauvoo.
Comments: #31. In 1860, Edward had a household of 8 with $400 in real wealth and $700 in personal wealth.
On the day that Edward Dalton received his Endowments in the Nauvoo Temple:
The City of Joseph, Wednesday, January 21, 1846, Nauvoo, Illinois:
There were snowdrifts three to four feet high. It was warmer during the day but below freezing at night. A record two hundred eight people received their temple ordinances.
Brigham Young received a letter from Judge James H. Ralston of Quincy containing, "I have long known many of the Mormons, who I have always thought good citizens, let them now show that they can suffer and forgive, and that amidst oppression their patriotism grows the brighter."
At 8:00 p.m., a report came to Hosea Stout that some men had come into town under suspicious circumstances and that some writs had been sent in by two strangers, one for Hosea Stout and the other for Elder Orson Hyde. Hosea Stout immediately went to the temple. It proved to be a false alarm.
The Old Rock Church in Parowan, built in Edward Dalton's time
Parowan Cemetery - one of the best well kept secrets in Utah.
THE END