Daulton, Henry Clay

Henry Clay Daulton was born in Kentucky in 1829, was orphaned at age fourteen, and subsequently traveled across the plains by ox-team to reach California in 1850. After briefly mining in Placerville and a temporary return east, he drove livestock across the plains to establish a successful farming enterprise in the San Gabriel Valley and later near Madera. Accumulating massive real estate holdings through his industrious efforts, he ultimately amassed and managed an expansive 18,000-acre estate of Madera land.

Daulton became a prominent civic leader in central California, dedicating decades to public service as a long-serving supervisor for Fresno County from 1860 to 1875. In 1893, he spearheaded local political organization by helping to form Madera County and serving as the chairman of its first commission and board of supervisors. Alongside his public achievements, he raised a large family with his wife, Mary Jane, and maintained an elegant home in Oakland until his death in late 1893.