Mary Dalton is the sixth child of Joseph and Jane Dalton. She was born in 1842 in Pennsylvania and is the first of the Dalton children to be born in the United States. Her childhood years must have been very different in comparison to her older brothers and sisters. At 8 years of age she lived with her family in Upland and attended school. Eventually she also worked at the cotton mill.

In January 1868 the Delaware County Republican printed the marriage notice:
"Mary Dalton of Upland married William Howard Jan 19, 1868."

William was a carpenter by trade and made a very good living for the family. They settled in Upland near Mary's siblings, Elizabeth and William. Their home was also very near her parent's residence. Mary became pregnant very soon after her marriage and had a daughter they named Jane. Perhaps Jane was named after Mary's mother, Jane Whitman Dalton. Jane was born in 1868 followed by another daughter, Emma, born in February 1870. Jane presumably died sometime between 1870 and 1880 as evidenced by her disappearance in census records. Three more daughters were born: Annie in 1872, Mary in 1874 and Sallie in 1876. In 1880 Mary had a son, William Howard Jr.

It is noted in the Borough history of Upland that William Howard was the carpenter who helped construct the Upland Methodist Church in 1873. Census records indicate William Howard's parents were born in Pennsylvania. At this writing the death and burial dates are unknown for Mary and her husband William.