On June 9, 1899 William Filmore Dalton was born in Circleville, Ohio to Edward M Dalton and Mary Frances Valentine. William Filmore Dalton was the second child, first son of Edward and Mary Frances, and one of six children. He was the only son to survive childhood.
Bill proved to be quite a character at an early age.
WWICircleville Herald 1914: Will Dalton son of Edward Dalton colored who was recently sentenced by Judge Osborn of Columbus to 30 days and $25.00 fine in the Columbus workhouse on the charge of vagrancy was released Friday on request of Judge Brown and was brought to this city by his father. In probate court (Circleville) was given a suspended sentence to the boys’ industrial school. He gave his age as 18. He is barely 16.
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Its not known whether Bill volunteered freely to enlist for World War I or if his father demanded he enlist. But he did serve admirably!
William Filmore Dalton enlisted in the National Guard from July 24, 1917 until he was honorably discharged March 5, 1919. He fought in WWI, serving in Company F 372 Infantry as a private during the Meuse-Argonne Defensive Sector of the American Expeditionary Forces from 03/30/1918 to 02/11/1919.
Bill and MargaretThe American Expeditionary Forces consisted of the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside French and British allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces. Some of the troops fought alongside Italian forces in that same year, against Austro-Hungarian forces. The AEF helped the French Army on the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive in June 1918, and fought its major actions in the Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives in late 1918.
After returning from WWI, Bill married Margaret Elizabeth Seward in August of 1919. She was a lovely lady. Slightly older than Bill, she was at first lured in by his charm, but soon recognized his womanizing ways. They parted company by 1922 and she met and married a very nice gentleman.
Bill and Emily
Bill at age twenty-two married Emma Lee Cooper (better known a Emily) age sixteen.on March 6, 1922. Emma Lee Cooper was the oldest child born in (Roxabel) Twin, Ohio to Edward Lee Cooper and Ella Young. Bill and Emily had four children: on October 5, 1922 William Filmore Dalton, Jr was born in Circleville; on November 25, 1923 Edward Wayne was born in Cleveland; on January 3, 1926 Emma Jane was born in Chillicothe; nn October 25, 1928 Dennis Leon was born in Chillicothe. Bill was a cement finisher and a plasterer, and worked in building construction..
In 1926 the family was living at 29 W 7th Street, Chillicothe. In 1928 they were living at 570 Linn Street, Chillicothe, Ohio. In 1930 the family was living at 1137 Medill Street in Columbus. By 1932 they were back living in Circleville.
Bill's Escapades
Urban legend has it that Bill Dalton was a bootlegger, occasionally driving a hearse to transport liquor from Canada to southern Ohio. He even took his children on at least one run! Needless to say, Emily was not thrilled about him putting their children in danger.
Prohibition in the United States was a nationwide constitutional ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcoholic beverages that remained in place from 1920 to 1933. It stimulated a vast underground of criminal activity. Bootlegging was a very risky, dangerous business.Bill's Troubles
Bill was arrested and jailed for writing bad checks.
Circleville Herald April 29, 1932, Circleville, Ohio (front page): NEGRO FACING CHECK CHARGE William Dalton, Colored, Held Under $500 Bond; Chillicothe Wants Him, Too. Rubber checks were rebounding at William Dalton, colored, from all angles Friday following his arrest on a charge of issuing the paper with no money in the bank.He was arrested this week on complaint of O. E. Peterson, local used car dealer, who charged that Dalton gave him a bad check for $30. Dalton was bound over to the grand jury under $500 bond when he pleaded not guilty and waived examination before Squire E. C. Friece. He was unable to furnish bond.Dalton gives his home as three cities: Circleville, Chillicothe or Columbus, he cares not which. But from present indications his home after a short while will be neither of the three named with the first two letters of his new residence being O. P.As soon as it was learned he was being held here Dalton was made the target for at least five 'retainers' from Chillicothe where that many and probably more bad check charges await him. His checks in the latter city have all been of the $2, $3, and $5 variety. The May grand jury, convening Monday, will study his case.(Grand jury continued case September 21, 1932. Grand jury disposition September 22, 1932).
From Jail to HospitalCircleville Herald May 6, 1932: Dalton Taken to Chillicothe Jail William Dalton, 32, colored, of this city was being held at police headquarters in Chillicothe Friday on a charge of forgery filed by Bank Detective George Hamm who claims that the prisoner victimized at least six merchants of that city to the tune of $40.95.Dalton has been held here waiting grand jury action, but when his case was continued he was turned over to Chillicothe.
Bill thought if he drank a cleaning agent found in the jail he would be taken to the hospital thus getting out of jail. But the cleaning agent contained lye which did serious damage to his throat and digestive system resulting in his death after several very painful days.
Circleville Herald September 27, 1932, Circleville, Ohio (front page): WM. DALTON DIES: William Dalton, aged 35, colored, son of Edward Dalton of Corwin St, died at Chillicothe hospital at midnight Monday, following an operation and two weeks' illness of complication. He was a native of this city, a son of Edward and Mary Valentine Dalton, born in 1897. He is survived by his father, his wife, three sons and a daughter and two sisters. Funeral arrangements in charge of Mader & Ebert have not been completed.
Circleville Herald September 28, 1932, Circleville, Ohio (front page): DALTON FUNERAL Funeral services were held at 2.30 p. m at the African Methodist Episcopal church, Rev. M. R.Johnston and Rev. J. Reynolds officiating, for William Dalton, 35 colored, who died in the Chillicothe hospital at midnight Monday. Interment will be in the soldier’s lot in Forest cemetery by Mader & Ebert. Mr. Dalton served in the Ninth Battalion, 372nd Regiment in the World War. He was born here and leaves his widow, his father and two sisters.
Bill's Legacy
I personally believe that William Filmore Dalton Sr. did not intend to commit suicide; I think he was too egotistical to commit suicide. He really thought he could make his life easier if he were in a hospital rather than a jail. So he ingested a caustic cleanser to get himself moved from the jail to the hospital. But his limited knowledge of such cleaners resulted in him tragically underestimating the consequences of ingesting such a caustic cleaner and ended up slowly and painfully killing himself and leaving a young wife with four small children to fend for themselves.
While he was in the hospital Emma Lee Cooper moved with her children to Chillicothe with the support of her parents during that stressful period. In 1937 she relinquished Bill's real estate in Circleville to his father and continued to live in Chillicothe.
From 1942 to 1955 all of Bill's sons served their country as he had done. William Jr. enlisted in the Army 02/20/1941 and was released 12/30/01945; reenlisted 11/07/1950 and released 05/02/1955. Edward enlisted in the Army 02/20/1941 and was released 5/05/1943. Dennis enlisted in the Navy 06/27/1946, began serving on the USS Boxer 07/01/1946.
