Dr. Tobias Elect “Toney” Dalton was one of the early pharmacist and later physicians of Covington County and surrounding area. He owned a pharmacy in the Town of Opp and later returned to medical college to pursue his dream of becoming a physician. He began his first medical practice in the Curtis community of Coffee County, Ala.

Dr. Tobias Dalton was born on May 19, 1866, which would have been the year after the War for Southern Independence ended. He was the son of Perry Woodward Dalton and Nancy Maria Ann Jordan. Perry Woodward was the son of Bailey G. Dalton who was born in 1798 in Cumberland, N.C., and died in 1860 in Muscogee, Ga., and Celia Elizabeth Weatherby who was born in 1805 in Putnam, Ga., and died there in 1836. Celia Elizabeth was the daughter of Benjamin Weatherby, born 1784, and Mildred Bonner, born 1782.

Perry Woodward Dalton and his wife, Nancy Maria Ann, were married in 1858 in Muscogee, Ga. They migrated with his Nancy Maria Ann’s parents, Williamson Theophilus Jordan and Harriet Tiggie Chapman, from Muscogee County, Ga., to Pike County Alabama circa 1860. Perry W. and his Nancy Maria Ann had their first child in 1858 and their second, in 1860. Within the next year, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private in Company I, Swanson’s Volunteers, Alabama First Regiment. He survived the war and returned home to care for his family

Perry Woodard and Nancy Maria Ann Dalton were the parents of the following children: Dr. Christopher Columbus, b. 1858, d. 1921, m. 1880 Matilda Hill Snead; Lilla b. 1860, d. 1880; Tobias Elect “Toney,” b. 1866, d. 1936, m. 1902, Daisy L. Casey (1876-1940); Raleigh D., b. 1869, d. 1912; Nancy L., b. 1869, m. Alan Hill (b. 1852); Rossie, b.&d. 1869; William Theophilus Sr., b. 1871, d. 1937; Emma Ruhama, b. 1873, d. 1921; Tessora, b. 1875, d. 1947, m. John Irvin Johnson (1870-1941); Cora, b. 1875, d. 1947 (Could this be another name for Tessora?); Exa Beatrice, b. 1875, d. 1945, m. 1904 Lemuel A. Carroll; and Jep Paul, b. 1881, d. 1930, m. Manyte Hollis. On family tree on Ancestry.com listed two additional children: Hallie, 1887; and Frank, b. 1888. There are a few uncertainties in this data as three children were listed as being born in 1869, and some Dalton family trees vary in the number of children.

The oldest son, Christopher Columbus Dalton, was born in 1858 in Muscogee, Ga. He would have been an infant with his parents moved to Pike County, Ala., along with his mother’s family, Williamson Theophilus Jordan and Harriet Tiggie Chapman. He attended medical college and was trained to become a doctor. He became a leading physician in the Geneva County, Ala., and he was a leader in his community. He was always vitally interested in the field of education and supported it in any way possible.

In 1880, Dr. Christopher Columbus Dalton was married to Matilda Hill Snead (1855-1921), daughter of Homer M. Snead (1825-1904) and Serena Hill Ethridge (1824-1892). The Sneads were natives of Georgia and died in Pike County, Ala. According to Ancestry.com, Dr. Christopher Dalton and Matilda were the parents of the following children: Woodward Sneed, b. 1881 d. 1882; Warren Oliver, b. 1882, d. 1952, m. Eula D. Bracklin; George Grover, b. 1885, d. 1952; Thomas Treadwell, b. 1886, d. 1966; Clarence Columbus, b. 1887, d. 1953; Eula May, b. 1889, d. 1968; Annie Winthford, b.&d. 1890; Perry Earnest, b. 1891, d. 1918 WW I in France; Bayllye Wychlyffe “Wick,” b. 1893, d. 1965, m. Ida Viola Powell (1891-1988); Allen Joshua, b. 1896, d. 1971; and Charles Homer, b. 1897, d. 1963.

Another son, Tobias Elect “Toney” Dalton, also became a medical doctor. He was born in 1866 in Pike County where his parents had settled circa 1860. He grew up in Henderson, Ala., and attend Troy Teacher’s College (Troy University today). Upon graduation, he taught for several years in Pike County schools. Then he decided he wanted to be a physician, so he attended Emory University. Upon being graduated and licensed he began his medical practice in the Curtis community.

In 1902, Dr. Tobias Dalton was married to Daisy Casey, daughter of William Lemuel Casey and Molly Dowd (Another family tree has Melissa Knight.) of Dale County where Daisy was born in 1876. They eventually settled in Opp were Dr. Dalton purchased a pharmacy. He sold this business fairly early in the 1900s to J.A. Whaley Jr. who named it Whaley’s Drugs, a name that is well remembered by many of the area. The Daltons’ home was a large gabled white house, which stood on the site of the earlier Baptist pastorium on North College Street. Unfortunately, the house burned in 1930.

Dr. and Mrs. Dalton were quite involved in their Opp community. Daisy Dalton was a charter member of Opp’s First Baptist Church in 1902. She served as the first president of the “Ladies Aid Society” and as the first church organist, a role she played for many years. She is also credited with donating the second dollar toward the “Pastorium Building Fund.”

Dr. Tobias and Daisy Dalton were the parents of two children: William Casey, b. 1902, d. 1956, m. 1929 Janie Pearl Boone (1907-1974); and Sallie Mae “Seely,” b. 1904, d. 1972, m. Josh Reynolds. William Casey and Janie had a daughter, Diana, who married William M. Mayo. Sallie Mae was married to Josh Reynolds, but they later divorced. They were the parents of two children: Gloria who is single and Larry who married Elizabeth Bojar.

The sources for this story include Ancestry.com and a family story written by Dr. Tobias’s granddaughter, Diana Dalton Mayo, which was published in The Heritage History of Covington County, Alabama.

Anyone who might find an error in the above is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

 

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Wayne and Becky Miller will present a musical program. Guests and prospective members are encouraged to attend.