You wrote: John Watts wife, Lucy Dalton Watts, received the pension for her husband. On that form she claimed her two son's, Tyree and Thomas Watts, had died without children. Thomas Watts married Sarah Head, and moved to Tenn. and Kentucky with the head family. I beleive Tyree and Johnston moved to to North Carolina and Kentucky. Lucy Watts's mom was Rachel Harris. Lucy's father was William Dalton.   Also, I found a William Dalton as a Cherokee trader  in South Carolina extremely early. Do we know for sure how far back our Dalton line can be proven Response: I cannot answer your first paragraph. Here is a suggestion about your last paragraph: Have you searched the land grants (really, patents before the Revolution) on the Library of Virginia website? (I prefer the seven volumes of Cavaliers and Pioneers---because they are indexed by surname, by watercourse, by neighbor, etc.) A land patent in Virginia may give you a clue as to how early Daltons can be traced--at least in Virginia. Many Carolinians came from Virginia. Outside the lowlands of South Carolina, there was not much early settlement in upcountry South Carolina. Because North Carolina has no good seaports until you get to Wilmington (Cape Fear country), most early North Carolinians came from Virginia. Western NC is another matter entirely. Since land patents in Virginia (and later Kentucky) were a somewhat lengthy process, add approximately seven years (a guess) prior to that date which you find in the first Dalton land patent. First you got a warrant from the government (probably at Williamsburg), then you got a survey, and then you presented this to the Government again, and your land was patented. Dalton is NOT my line, so I do not collect them, unless a few are in the neighborhood where the Harrises were. Here are some notes, which I may have already sent you. Maybe you can pick up some clues from these notes: WILLIAM DALTON. (married by 1751, suggesting birth ca 1730 or earlier) The following deed shows Dalton's relationship to Robert Harris of Louisa Co. and sometimes of Albemarle Co.: 25 Nov 1751 I Robert Harris of the Parish of Fredericksville in County of Albemarle for divers good causes and considerations me thereunto moving but more especially for the natural love and affection I have and beareth my Son in Law William Dalton and to his heirs two negro slaves to wit Rhodo a girl and Sampson a Boy and their Increase.. Robert Harris Presence Thomas Walker, Mildred Walker (Deeds adapted from Ruth & Sam Sparacio, DEED ABSTRACTS OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA, DEED BOOK 3, 12 FEBRUARY 1761-9 AUGUST 1764 [McLean, VA: The Antient Press, 1988], p. 33) Immediately following the deed of Robert Harris is one executed by Samuel Dalton and his wife to their son William Dalton. 12 January 1762 between Samuel Dalton Senr. and heir Wife Anne of one part and their Son William Dalton, of the other part all that piece of land lying in the county of Albemarle and formerly Louisa and Fredericksville Parish on both sides of the North Branch of the North Fork of James River above the Little Mountains containing estimated 404 acres ... survey taken up and pattented by said Samuel Dalton.. Wolf Trap Branch.... together with one Negro man Slave named Joseph. Samuel Dalton Presence George Martin, Isaac Davis, Thomas Burrus, John Henslee (Ibid., p. 33) Dalton was in Albemarle Co. in 1762. His name appears in DB-? -p. 190, 8 Jul 1762 Jno. Mitchell, Great Britain, and Andrew Shepherd, Orange Co., factor, and merchant, to Wm. Dalton for 30 pds, 277 acres adj. Jno. Enniss. From subsequent deeds on the same date, recorded on adjoining pages, we learn that these same parties bought other lands in Albemarle Co., probably from Dalton's neighbors. The grantors were Gabriel Maupin, William Keaton, Jr. Other Daltons in Albemarle Co. One William Dalton was the son of Samuel Dalton. Samuel patented land in Louisa Co. on the same date, 12 Jan 1746/47, that Christopher Harris patented land in that same county. They were not near neighbors, it seems. Pat. Bk 28-19 Samuel Dalton, 404 acs. Louisa Co. on both sides of the North br. of the North fork of James Riv. beyond the Mountains, Beg. on Wolf Trap Br., on S. side of Jacobs Run; 12 Jan 1746/47 2 pds. (Adapted from Dennis Ray Hudgins, CAVALIERS & PIONEERS, V. V, p. 304) In Albemarle Co. Wills & Deeds 1748-1752 there is reference in a deed 1752 to "Robert Dalton's old field," north side of Rivanna by Lynch's Ford, line of Merriwether, John Clark's moiety. Some Louisa Co., VA deeds show deeds of Saml. Dalton of Fredericksville Par., Louisa Co., wherein his wife Anne relinquished her dower. (DB A-p. 279-280) At a Fredericksville vestry held probably in 1767, there is indication of the location of Dalton's land. "Order'd that Isaac Davis and David Spradlin do procession all the lands the upper side of the River between the Road Crossing at Wm. Daltons the Orange line and upward to Wm. Goldens." (Rosalie Edith Davis, FREDERICKSVILLE PARISH VESTRY BOOK, 1742-1787, Vol. I [Manchester, MO: privately printed, 1978], p 85) Several Daltons filed Revolutionary "Publick Claims." Those from Albemarle were David, Samuel, and William Dalton. Those from Pittsylvania were David and John. There was a William Dalton from Frederick Co. 1783 At a vestry held for Fredericksville Parish at Charlottesville on the first day of March 1783: Present Doctor Thomas Walker, Isaac Davis, Nicholas Lewis, William Sims, Doctor George Gilmer, James Minor, William Dalton & Robert Mechie, Vestrymen. (Davis, Fredericksville Par, p. 122) At that vestry meeting, William Dalton was one of those ordered to "possession" the lands between the river by William Carrs and up the road to Durrets lower line, thence a Cross to Isaac Davis's lower corner and so down to the beginning. (Davis, p. 126) The 1787 tax list for Albemarle Co., VA lists the following Dalton males: "Self" refers to person charged with tax. Col 1=No. of males above 16 and under 21 Col 2=Black above 16 Col 3=Black under 16 Col 4=Horses, mares. colts & mules Col 5=Cattle In this transcription the name is spelled Dolton, not Dalton; however, these are the only ones of this name in Albemarle Co. Dolton, William (Capt.) self 2-7-7-11-16 Dolton, Samuel William Dalton [person charged with tax] Dolton, William self 0-0-0-2-5 Dolton, Isham William Dalton [person charged with tax] ............ From Albemarle Co. Wills, there is another Dalton: Dolton, Timothy. 3 Oct 1755. 10 Feb 1767. Of county of Louisa. After decease of himself and wife Elizabeth all estate to son William. Exr: son William Dolton. Wit: Giles Rodgers and Beasley Meredith. (J. Estelle Stewart King, ABSTRACTS of WILLS, INVENTORIES, AND A DMINISTRATION ACCOUNTS OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA, 1748-1800) Migrations to Madison Co., Kentucky? We lack information on the extended Dalton family; however, it seems that some descendants may have migrated to Madison Co., KY as the names of Daltons appear in the early marriage records. One or two appear earlier in Caswell Co., NC deeds. Possible descendants in Madison Co., KY were: 1. Isham/Isom Dalton (wf. Elizabeth), Marriage records seem to indicate he was: a. Father of Caty Dalton (m. 1818 to James Lainhart; David Dalton, bm.) b. Father of Lucy Dalton (m. 1812 to Jesse Todd) c. Possible father of David Dalton (see a. above) d. Father of Sally Dalton (m. 1822 William F. Daughterty; Elizabeth Dalton, mother of bride gave consent, indicating Isham was probably deceased) 2. Polly Dalton, possibly a sister of David Dalton; he served as bm to her marriage Jeremiah Todd 1817. (Comment: A number of Dalton males are found in Deed Bk 1 of Pittsylvania Co. ca 1768-1769: John Dalton, Robert Dalton, Jr., David. Refer to Lucille C. Payne and Neil G. Payne, PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOKS 1, 2, AND 3 (SLC 975.5665 R2p)) Is there a Dalton rootsweb? You might try a <A HREF="www.google.com">www.google.com</A> serch for that surname, putting the name in quotation marks Example "dalton family" Hang in there! E.W.Wallace