Dalton CabinOklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS
Posted on 01/31/2026 9:19:44 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Lawmen and outlaws Emmett Dalton (1871–1937), Frank Dalton (1859–87), Grattan "Grat" Dalton (1861–92), Robert Rennick "Bob" Dalton (1869–92), and Mason Frakes "William" "Bill" Dalton (1865–94), five sons of Adeline Younger and Lewis Dalton, came from a family of fifteen children who grew up in Kansas near Indian Territory. Their mother was an aunt of the Younger boys of James-Younger gang fame.
Frank Dalton served as a deputy U.S. marshal for the Federal District Court of Western Arkansas at Fort Smith from 1884 until horse thieves and whiskey peddlers killed him on November 27, 1887. He was a good, efficient officer and highly respected by other lawmen.
Grat and Bob Dalton pinned on badges shortly after Frank's death and served as deputy U.S. marshals for the federal courts at Wichita, Kansas, and Fort Smith. Emmett often rode as a guard or posseman for his brothers. In 1890 charges for stealing horses were lodged against Grat; however, after a hearing he was released. About the same time, Bob was charged with introducing whiskey into Indian Territory. A hearing resulted in a true bill against him.
Grat, Bob, and Emmett then left Oklahoma and joined older brothers living and working in California. In February 1891 Bill, Grat, Bob, and Emmett were accused of robbing a Southern Pacific train at Alila, California. Grat and Bill were arrested. Bob and Emmett returned to Oklahoma and formed the Dalton Gang.
(Excerpt) Read more at okhistory.org ...
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This one is less common — after four of the five gangsters were gunned down, they were stood up dead and photographed right in the street.
They don’t say much about the cabin. Five sons and the parents lived in that cabin, pretty tough times.
Back then it was not uncommon for men to ride both sides of the law.
Three of my cousins (1st, once removed) were born in the family log cabin that was on the next farm over. They came out fine. 😊 Nothin’ scared ‘em, either.
“Nothin’ scared ‘em, either.“
Shoot, little old ladies were tough back then.
It wasn’t unheard of, but no, it wasn’t common.
Like the modern FBI.
The men who defended the town of Coffeyville were very brave.
I had an opportunity to visit the site of the shoot-out and the jail.
Yes, they were. Perfectly appropriate!
Judge Parker didn’t mess around. Swift and sure punishment for those who broke the law.
dDalton mountain is just 5 miles up the road from me in Fresno county. They supposedly hid up there, and maybe buried some loot.
I think both gangs neglected to think about how most of the adult men in both towns were armed, and veterans of the Civil War and that being under fire didn’t scare them at all.
My favorite scene in the movie was when “the original Bad Bob” (played by Stacy Keach, I think) called out Parker and he shot him from behind, then went back to playing cards.
Wild West crooks weren’t great at stashing whatever they managed to steal. For one thing, they couldn’t trust one another. While looking up stuff for this topic, I found an example of some low-rent desperado who died in a gunfight with law enforcement, and a couple of his fellow gangsters claimed his body, then sold it to a carnival.
They had to be tough just to get old. I’d never have made it as a pioneer.
I think thesr guys today would have been anti-ICE protesters.
Lol
I found another one (I’d never seen it before) of the Daltons’ bodies locked in a jail cell overnight, laying in a pile.
Yes, but not for long. 😁🤠🎯
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