John M. Dalton
{{short description|American politician}}
{{other people|John Dalton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image = Portrait of John M. Dalton.jpg
|name=John M. Dalton
|order=45th
|office=Governor of Missouri
|term_start=January 9, 1961
|term_end=January 11, 1965
|lieutenant=Hilary A. Bush
|predecessor=James T. Blair Jr.
|successor=Warren E. Hearnes
|birth_date={{birth date|1900|11|09}}
|birth_place=Vernon County, Missouri, U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1972|07|07|1900|11|09}}
|death_place=Jefferson City, Missouri, U.S.
|resting_place=Oak Ridge Cemetery
Kennett, Missouri
|party=Democratic
|spouse=Geraldine Hall
|profession=Lawyer
|order2= 34th
|office2= Attorney General of Missouri
|term_start2= 1953
|term_end2= 1961
|governor2= Phil M. Donnelly (1953–1957)
James T. Blair, Jr. (1957–1961)
|predecessor2=Jonathan E. "Buck" Taylor
|successor2= Thomas Eagleton
}}
John Montgomery Dalton (November 9, 1900 – July 7, 1972) was an American attorney and Democratic politician from the state of Missouri. He was the 45th Governor of Missouri and the state's 34th Attorney General.
Personal history
Dalton was born in rural Vernon County, Missouri, in 1900 to Frederick Alfred Dalton and Ida Jane Dunlap (née Poage) Dalton. He had three brothers and two sisters.{{cite web|url=http://daltondatabank.org/missouri.html|title=Missouri|website=daltondatabank.org}} One brother, Sidna P. Dalton, would serve as Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court. He received his secondary education at Columbia High School in Columbia, Missouri, and then attended the University of Missouri where he earned a law degree in 1923.[http://www.nndb.com/people/990/000122624/ John M. Dalton profile], Nndb.com; retrieved October 12, 2011.
After passing the Missouri Bar, he returned to southern Missouri, establishing a law practice in Kennett, where he also served as city attorney from 1944 to 1953.[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=3bd8deb697c4a010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134757/http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=3bd8deb697c4a010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD|date=June 29, 2011}} John Dalton and his wife Geraldine were the parents of two children. Dalton died July 7, 1972, in Jefferson City, Missouri, and is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Kennett.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
Political history
John Dalton first entered statewide politics in 1952, running for and winning the first of two consecutive terms as Missouri Attorney General. In November 1960, Dalton won election to be Missouri's 45th Governor, his term running from January 9, 1961, to January 11, 1965.
Governor Dalton signed legislation requiring all passenger vehicles in Missouri to have seat belts and established a drivers license points system for traffic violations.[http://www.dddnews.com/story/1107790.html Daily Dunklin Democrat: Local News: Part of US 412 now 'Gov. John M. Dalton Memorial Highway' (06/29/05)]. Dddnews.com (June 29, 2005). Retrieved on October 12, 2011. Other actions included securing funding for a new headquarters for the Missouri Highway Patrol, creation of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and furthering desegregation of Missouri schools.
Honors
- The Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri is named for Dalton.[http://umcspace.missouri.edu/historic/buildings/Dalton/ MU in Brick and Mortar - Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120716031056/http://umcspace.missouri.edu/historic/buildings/Dalton/ |date=July 16, 2012 }}. Umcspace.missouri.edu. Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
- A portion of U.S. Highway 412 in Dunklin County and Pemiscot County bears the name "Governor John M. Dalton Memorial Highway."[http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C200-299/2270000358.HTM Section 227-358 Governor John M. Dalton Memorial Highway] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826094535/http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C200-299/2270000358.HTM |date=August 26, 2011 }}. Moga.mo.gov (August 28, 2010). Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
- Gov. Dalton was a Master mason, serving as Grand Orator for the Grand Lodge of Missouri.{{citation|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/MO/masons.D-J.html|title=The Political Graveyard - Freemasons |access-date=2012-12-10}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Jonathan E. Taylor}}
{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Missouri Attorney General|years=1952, 1956}}
{{s-aft|after=Thomas Eagleton}}
{{s-bef|before=James T. Blair Jr.}}
{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri|years=1960}}
{{s-aft|after=Warren E. Hearnes}}
{{s-legal}}
{{succession box | before=Jonathan E. Taylor|Buck Taylor |title=Missouri State Attorney General | years=January 12, 1953–January 9, 1961| after=Thomas Eagleton}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box
|before=James T. Blair, Jr.
|title=Governor of Missouri
|after=Warren E. Hearnes
|years=January 9, 1961–January 11, 1965
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of Missouri}}
{{MOAttorneysGeneral}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalton, John M.}}
Category:Democratic Party governors of Missouri
Category:Missouri attorneys general
Category:Hickman High School alumni
Category:University of Missouri alumni
Category:American Presbyterians