The Dalton Family was a very strong and good family. Henry and Mary (known as Polly) Dalton had 9 children that were taught early on that fighting and teasing were not permitted!! They never saw their parents being unkind to each other or to others around them. It was simply not permitted.

Henry and Mary met in 1883 and courted for 3 years. Mary loved when Henry came around because he was so kind and good. He would help her with her work and then take her on a stroll down the road. Henry fell deeply in love with Mary and they were married on December 2, 1886. They both enjoyed dancing the polka, schottische, varsovienne and quadrilles. Henry worked for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad for $1.50 a day. He took every extra job he could find. When he could afford a second horse he bought a scraper and worked on the construction of roads throughout the area. He helped on the Ogden and Weber canyon roads and on the canal and railroads.

Mary’s father gave them two acres of land in Roy. They bought lumber and hired the Arave boys to build them a two room house. Their first child, Elizabeth was born there. Later on they bought a twenty-acre farm on the hill at 5323 South 1900 West. Every kind of fruit and vegetable seemed to grow and flourish, even peanuts. The whole family worked together.

The children usually walked to school every day but on wintery days Henry would hitch up his horses to a sleigh and stop for other children along the way. By the time they reached the school house, the sleigh was filled with happy, chattering children. The older boys loved standing on the runners and hanging onto the sides of the sleigh.

Admonitions that were taught by their father were: Be good to your mother. Be honest. Never tell a lie. Never be late. Do not swear. Pay your full tithing. If you do not look for faults in anyone, you won’t find them. Never take a drink of liquor nor use tobacco. Always keep trying to improve yourselves. When you cut a slice of bread, cut the next slice better.

Two years after Henry and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, Henry passed away. He was 72 years old and Mary lived until she was 91. She kept busy by serving others, gardening, creating beautiful needlework and traveling a little bit. What an amazing couple and family from Roy!