Person:Reuben Dalton (2)

Reuben told his children stories about growing up on the farm in the household of Gilbert and Myrtle Dalton. He said they used everything a pig had to offer except the "squeal." He remembered being placed as a toddler in the middle of a bunch of "muskmellons" they were gathering. He fainted from the strong odor of the ripe melons. He never ate cantalope after that.

Another memory is of taking the train from Hamilton to Waco to attend a fair at the Cotton Palace. Later they had a car for the trip.

Reuben joined Polytechnic Baptist Church in January 1949 when his children were young. He became a teacher of a Men's Bible Class and was ordained a deacon in 1975. He was highly respected for his knowledge and study of the Bible and greatly loved by his class and many of their friends in the church. Reuben and Bess enjoyed many long-time friends in the church.

Reuben tried to enlist in the armed services during WW II, but was not eligible because of his eyesight. He was hired by Convair in the defense industry and assisted in that way to help the cause.

In the Fall of 1949, he and his family were sent to Los Angeles so that Reuben could work on a project between Convair and Northrop on "The Wing." The family joined with other Convair families for the holidays. A mild earthquake happened during the time the family was there. Also there was a day that the fog was so bad that we couldn't find the school where the eldest daughter, Barbara, was a third grader. During the time there, we attended the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day, 1950, arriving in the early, dark hours of the morning to get a space on the front row of the parade. It was a highlight of our time in California. (memories of Barbara Jones)

After his tenure at Convair (Later General Dynamics, then Lockheed), Reuben returned to a profession he had enjoyed briefly as a young man. He joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Motion Picture Machine Operators. He worked as a projectionist in many Fort Worth theaters gaining seniority and eventually working at the downtown theaters. This was in the time before multi-screen, more automated theaters. By the time they came on the scene, he was ready to retire. He enjoyed the union and his buddies in it. He served as Treasurer of the Fort Worth union several times. He always wanted work until he dropped he said.

Reuben retired at 65 and he and Bess traveled off and on even though she was still working. They bought a Volkswagen R. V. and made lots of friends as they checked out the Good Sam and other R. V. parks each way they went. They planned to do much more after mother retired. However, she waited until she was 67, retired on December 17, 1981. Daddy died unexpectedly of his second heart attack on December 21, 1981.

(Medical):In 1912 when Reuben was only 6 months old, his parents moved to Hamilton County. They lived in a covered wagon for some time during the winter. A woman they called Grandma Dansby took Reuben home with her for several weeks and took care of him until he was well.

Heart Disease and Emphysema

1.   Family Records: Barbara Jones descendant of William Lee Smith.

   Famly group sheet prepared by Barbara Jones