Los Angeles County CA Archives Biographies.....Alton, Daniel 1843 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)

    DANIEL ALTON, a substantial citizen of Sawtelle, is a native of the State of
New York. He was born in Jefferson County, February 20, 1843. His father,
Christopher Alton, was a prosperous farmer and a native of County Limerick,
Ireland, who came to America about the year 1828 at thirteen years of age and
located in Canada where he spent his youth. At Kingston, Canada, he married Miss
Ann Montgomery, a native of County Mayo. They came to New York and located on a
farm near Watertown, the county seat of Jefferson County. They raised a family
of four sons and one daughter, the oldest of whom was Adam, who married and
located in Waudena County, Minn., and there died at about the age of fifty-nine
years. Elizabeth married Charles Bloss and lived in Munroe County, Wisconsin.
She is now deceased. Daniel, the subject of this sketch is the third born.
Michael, the fourth born, is now (1908) a resident of Clark County, Wisconsin,
and lives near Neelsville. Joseph, the youngest, lives at Watertown, Munroe
County, Wisconsin.

    Mr. Alton left home when a lad and went to Hartford, Washington County,
Wisconsin. Later he lived in Janeau County. There he enlisted in the Union Army
to fight the rebellion, June 21st, 1861, went forthwith to the front engaged in
the second Battle of Bull Run where he received a severe wound in the right
thigh. From the battlefield he was conveyed to the Military Hospital at West
Philadelphia where he was confined until April 14th, 1863, whereupon he was
honorably discharged from the army by reason of his disability and returned to
Wisconsin. In 1865 he went to Minnesota and located in the town of Tenhaussen,
Martin County, where for thirty-two years he engaged successfully in general
agriculture.

    On March 22nd, 1866, Mr. Alton married Miss Mary E. Dennett and they raised
and educated a family of six children all born on the old Minnesota homestead.
Lorenzo, the eldest, was born February 11th, 1867 and died in December, 1871.
Carrie, born October 29th, 1869, is now Mrs. Fred Rowland, of Serra Vista, Santa
Monica. Alfred D., born April 13th, 1871, lives on the old homestead. Josephine,
born February 25th, 1874, is now Mrs. Abraham Kyle, of Tenhaussen, Minnesota.
Alonzo E., born January 5th, 1877, .lives at the old home in Minnesota. Herbert
D., born May 22nd, 1883, now resident of Spokane Washington, and Lester Lee,
born August 26th, 1889, lives at Serra Vista, Santa Monica. The family was
reared under the best of social influences and all received a thorough High
School or college education.

    Mr. Alton has been twice married. The present Mrs. Alton was America Weaver
Lee, a member of a branch of the famous Lee family of Virginia. Mr. Alton's life
has been one of great industry and business activity. Leaving the parental roof
when a mere lad to make his own way in the world, he soon thereafter promptly
responded to the country's call to arms in defense and preservation of the
Union, and with shattered constitution returned to the responsibilities of
active civil citizenship. With meagre means he engaged in farming in a new and
frontier country, and by diligent endeavor, aggressive yet conservative
enterprise he became one of the most successful and influential farmers in his
county. He also, as a matter of civic duty, took an active part in shaping the
policies and conducting the public affairs of his county and was for seventeen
years Supervisor of Tenhaussen Township and chairman of the Board of Supervisors
of Martin County. Notwithstanding his manifold private responsibilities and his
public duties, Mr. Alton found time for extensive travel, having visited nearly
every state in the Union making, meantime, thirteen trips from the Mississippi
River to California, thoroughly prospecting the country for the most desirable
home location. Sawtelle may be congratulated upon the fact that Mr. Alton, after
so much deliberation, has finally taken up his home in its midst, where he has
invested many thousands of dollars in city realty and income property.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities: prefaced with a brief
history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County,
1542 to 1908: supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and
embellished with views of historic landmarks and portraits of representative
people.

Los Angeles: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)


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