James Dalton, Inn-Keeper, and His First Wife Eleanor, Nee Ryan
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ames Dalton, (1834-1919),mer- chant and pastoralist, was born in 3Duntryleague, CO Limerick, son of James Dalton, inn-keeper, and his first wife Eleanor, nee Ryan. Because of the famine he went to New South Wales with his father in the late 1840s. In 1849 James senior opened a bark and slab flapor of @range an? store in Orange. In 1853 James junior set up as a store-keeper in Orange, where he married Margaret Mary Col- lins in 1858. In that year his brother Thomas joined him and the firm became known as Dalton Bros. James helped displaced miners and in 1857 scale and later built large wool stores in grounds, reputedly for £50,000.Aware promised to build a mill if they grew Orange, where in 1865 they built an that the coming of the railway, for wheat; his flour-mill was built in 1861. impressive retail store in Summer which James had turned the first sod in The firm's business expanded until it Street. By 1871 they had acquired three 1874,would mean the end ofwholesale became the largest wholesale dis- stations in the Lachlan district. distributors in the west, Dalton Bros. tributor west of the Blue Mountains. Dalton Bros continued to flourish in established an importing agency in They had great success producing the 1870s,and in I876 James built Dun- Sydney, managed by Thomas, and in roasted and ground coffee on a large tryleague, a mansion set in magnificent 1878 built Dalton House, Pitt Street. New GovernmentHouse, Sydney, c. 1845. They built stores in lower Fort Street and had a wharf and bond and free warehouses at Millers Point. In 1878 James bought Ammerdown, near Orange, and later, Kangaroobie. James Dalton provided funds and leadership for the lrish nationalist movement in New South Wales. In 1882 his presiding over an lrish Land League meeting was questioned in the Legislative Assembly. He was closely associated with the visit of the lrish nationalists, John and William Red- mond, to the colony in 1883. As presi- dent of the local branch of the lrish National League, Dalton with two other magistrates signed an address of wel- come to Redmond, which praised their 'resolute resistance to the oppressive proceedings of a foreign senate'. The address provoked a public outcry and a Government House, Sydney. demand for the removal of the 'sediti- ous' justices. The premier, Alexander Stuart, requested explanations from Ltd., covering his pastoral holdings, to Mary's Cathedral. He received a papal the three magistrates, but found them which he h@ added-B&owrainLhe knighthood in 1877. He died aged 85 on unacceptable. Dalton claimed that he 1880s, Gobala, Nevertire, in 1898, and 17th March, 1919, at Duntryleague, had done nothing incompatible with the Lookout at Mullion. Orange, Predeceased by his wife, he his 'oath of fealty as a magistrate'. The Dalton family was one of the col- was survived by four sons and four Asked to resign, he refused and was ony's richest and most influential daughters. His estate was worth dismissed on 28 April. The bond bet- Catholic families. Thomas, a papal £73,000. ween the Daltons and Redmonds was knight, became mayor of Orange in cemented when on 4 September John 1877, represented Orange in the &ource$ Redmond married Dalton's half-sister assembly in 1882-91 and was a H.N. Maitland (ed.) New South Wales, Johanna; later William Redmond mar- member of the Legislative Council in 1920-1923 (Syd, 1923); J. Jarvis et al, ried Dalton's daughter Eleanor. In 1892-1901. He died in Sydney on 26 Orange 1860-1960, 0. and A. Ziegler 1883-84 Dalton was in Britain and June 1901. His daughter Blanche mar- eds (Orange 1960); PD (LA NSW), 1883, America. ried Sir Mark Sheldon. James's second 848 1545-65; SMH, 9 Mar, 18Apr, 1883, Dalton was an active townsman, a son, James Joseph, became the first 19 Mar, 1919; Dubbo, Dispatch, l8Mar, member of such local bodies as the native-born Australian member of the 1919; G.M. Tobin, The sea-divided local council and mayor of Orange in House of Commons when he was Gael: a study of the lrish home rule 1869. In 1885 he built the Australian elected for West Donegal in 1890 in the movement in Victoria and New South Hall because the Redmonds had been Parnell interest. Despite exceptional Wales', 1880-1916 (M.A. thesis, ANU, obliged to lecture in a shop. In the early enterprise and business ability James 1970); Mahon papers (NL); printed cat. 1890s he dissolved the partnership was kindly, unassuming and ever under Dalton (ML); CO 2011598. with Thomas, sold his Sydney interests ready to help an Irishman in distress. Martha Rutledge and formed two family companies, Dal- He was a friend of Cardinal Moran and (Reprinted from the Australian Dictionary ton Bros in Orange and Dalton Estate Bishop Dunne and a benefactor of St of Biography) Moores Wharfand warehouses,Millers Point, Sydney. L 143 .