William R. (Bill) Dolton
Joseph Hahn Dolton (1840-1918)
William R Dolton was born April 1866 in Kansas to Joseph and Sarah (Thornton) Dolton. At the time of his birth his father, Joseph, was 25 and his mother, Sarah, was 27. When he got old enough to care William went by Bill.
In 1863 or 1864 Joseph packed up and moved his family to Kansas for a while. The American Indians had just ceded the last of their lands in Kansas to the US Government in 1854 and so this land was opened up to settlement. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 establishing the Kansas Territory that included the land from the Missouri border to the summit of the Rocky Mountain range (now in central Colorado). Once they got to Kansas Joseph bought a small farm and got back to work providing for his family.
Joseph fought in the American Civil War for the Confederacy. A couple of years after the War was over Joseph moved the family back to Missouri. In fact, the story goes, that having been a rebel, he was invited by his neighbors to leave. Joseph traded his farm in Jefferson County, Kansas, for his father's farm in DeKalb County, Missouri. Joseph's father Richmond moved his family to Kansas and took over Joseph's farm and Joseph moved back to where he grew up in Missouri.
The family was back in DeKalb County now and Bill was only three or four years old so his only responsibilities were to chase the dog and lick the icing bowl. As he grew older, however, he had to pay his debt to society and he started to school.
But, then the grim reaper, Death, cast his merciless sickle into the midst of this happy circle and at the age of twelve took the young William out of the bosom of his family. And sorrow and despondency descended on the family. William R. Dolton died 14 May 1878 and was buried in Thornton Cemetery, Clarksdale, DeKalb County, Missouri, where many of his cousins lay. Joseph and Sarah were comforted by the knowledge that Bill was with Jesus. "Those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4. "So then, those who suffer according to the will of God should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." 1 Peter 4:19
