Excerpt
Introduction: Who Were the Daltons?
The Dalton brothers weren’t just a bunch of random guys who decided to rob trains. They were a real family. That’s right—a big group of brothers who grew up together, worked together, and, eventually, broke the law together. Their names? Bob, Grat, and Emmett were the main ones in the gang. But they weren’t the only Daltons around. In fact, there were a lot of Daltons.
Let’s start with Bob Dalton. He was the one who took charge. Bob wasn’t the oldest, but he acted like the boss. He had dark hair, sharp eyes, and a way of convincing people to follow him—even when it meant doing something dangerous. He could be brave, smart, and fast-thinking. But sometimes, he rushed into plans without thinking them through all the way. That kind of mix—clever but reckless—made him a strong leader and a risky one, too.
Next up is Grat, short for Gratton. Grat was bigger than Bob, more serious, and known for being tough. If Bob was the fast-talker, Grat was the quiet strength. He didn’t smile much, but he didn’t back down either. People who knew him said he had a stubborn streak a mile long. If he started something, he was going to finish it—even if that meant getting into trouble.
And then there was Emmett. He was the youngest of the three who joined the gang, and he looked up to his older brothers. Emmett was strong and loyal, and he stuck close to Bob and Grat. He didn’t argue much. He listened. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a mind of his own. Later in life, Emmett made choices the others never did. He had more than one side to him.
Those were the main Dalton brothers in the gang—but the Dalton family didn’t stop with just three. There were thirteen kids in all—ten boys and three girls. That’s a lot of brothers! Some of them stayed out of trouble, and one even tried to stop it.
That brother was Frank Dalton. He’s important to mention because, unlike Bob, Grat, and Emmett, Frank wore a badge. He was a U.S. Deputy Marshal, which means he worked for the government as a lawman. He chased bad guys, protected towns, and brought criminals to justice. He was known as brave and honest. Frank took the job seriously and was proud of what he did. He died young, shot during a fight with outlaws. That moment changed everything for his younger brothers.
After Frank died, Bob and Grat took jobs as lawmen too, maybe to follow in their big brother’s footsteps. But being a lawman in the West didn’t always pay much, and it definitely wasn’t easy. They saw how hard and dangerous it was. Some people think they got tired of the rules. Others believe they saw how much money criminals were making and decided they’d rather take it than stop it.
Still, it’s strange to think about. One brother worked to stop crime. Three others became outlaws. Same family, totally different paths.
There were even more Dalton brothers you might hear about, but not all of them were part of the action. Some helped behind the scenes. Some stayed far away from trouble. And then there were cousins like Bill Dalton, who would later go on to lead a different gang called the Doolin-Dalton Gang. It seems crime ran in the family—or maybe just the idea of doing things their own way.
The Daltons grew up in Missouri and later moved to Kansas and Oklahoma. Their family worked hard on farms and struggled to make ends meet. That kind of life—moving from place to place, working long days, and watching your parents stretch every dollar—shapes people. It can make them strong, but it can also make them angry at how unfair things seem. Maybe that’s part of why some of the Daltons chose a dangerous life.
But here’s something weird to think about: when the Dalton brothers started robbing trains and banks, they became famous. Not just in the towns they hit—but everywhere. Newspapers wrote about them. People told stories. Some even admired them. They were known for being fast, bold, and organized. Unlike some outlaws who were messy and wild, the Daltons planned things out (well, at least until they didn’t).
Still, being famous for robbing banks doesn’t make you a hero. And even if you’re famous, you can still get caught. Or worse.
Bob, Grat, and Emmett worked together like a machine. One would plan, one would scout, one would stand watch. They had horses ready and escape routes mapped out. They wore disguises and didn’t stay in one place too long. And yet, no matter how careful they were, each robbery made more people want to stop them. Sheriffs, marshals, and bounty hunters all had one goal: catch the Daltons.
Back home, their family had mixed feelings. Their mother didn’t like what they were doing, but she didn’t want to lose more sons, either. Some of their siblings kept quiet, not sure what to say. Others tried to talk them out of it. But when someone becomes an outlaw, it’s hard to walk away from that kind of life—especially when your name is already in the headlines.
The Dalton brothers weren’t just a bunch of random guys who decided to rob trains. They were a real family. That’s right—a big group of brothers who grew up together, worked together, and, eventually, broke the law together. Their names? Bob, Grat, and Emmett were the main ones in the gang. But they weren’t the only Daltons around. In fact, there were a lot of Daltons.
Let’s start with Bob Dalton. He was the one who took charge. Bob wasn’t the oldest, but he acted like the boss. He had dark hair, sharp eyes, and a way of convincing people to follow him—even when it meant doing something dangerous. He could be brave, smart, and fast-thinking. But sometimes, he rushed into plans without thinking them through all the way. That kind of mix—clever but reckless—made him a strong leader and a risky one, too.
Next up is Grat, short for Gratton. Grat was bigger than Bob, more serious, and known for being tough. If Bob was the fast-talker, Grat was the quiet strength. He didn’t smile much, but he didn’t back down either. People who knew him said he had a stubborn streak a mile long. If he started something, he was going to finish it—even if that meant getting into trouble.
And then there was Emmett. He was the youngest of the three who joined the gang, and he looked up to his older brothers. Emmett was strong and loyal, and he stuck close to Bob and Grat. He didn’t argue much. He listened. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a mind of his own. Later in life, Emmett made choices the others never did. He had more than one side to him.
Those were the main Dalton brothers in the gang—but the Dalton family didn’t stop with just three. There were thirteen kids in all—ten boys and three girls. That’s a lot of brothers! Some of them stayed out of trouble, and one even tried to stop it.
That brother was Frank Dalton. He’s important to mention because, unlike Bob, Grat, and Emmett, Frank wore a badge. He was a U.S. Deputy Marshal, which means he worked for the government as a lawman. He chased bad guys, protected towns, and brought criminals to justice. He was known as brave and honest. Frank took the job seriously and was proud of what he did. He died young, shot during a fight with outlaws. That moment changed everything for his younger brothers.
After Frank died, Bob and Grat took jobs as lawmen too, maybe to follow in their big brother’s footsteps. But being a lawman in the West didn’t always pay much, and it definitely wasn’t easy. They saw how hard and dangerous it was. Some people think they got tired of the rules. Others believe they saw how much money criminals were making and decided they’d rather take it than stop it.
Still, it’s strange to think about. One brother worked to stop crime. Three others became outlaws. Same family, totally different paths.
There were even more Dalton brothers you might hear about, but not all of them were part of the action. Some helped behind the scenes. Some stayed far away from trouble. And then there were cousins like Bill Dalton, who would later go on to lead a different gang called the Doolin-Dalton Gang. It seems crime ran in the family—or maybe just the idea of doing things their own way.
The Daltons grew up in Missouri and later moved to Kansas and Oklahoma. Their family worked hard on farms and struggled to make ends meet. That kind of life—moving from place to place, working long days, and watching your parents stretch every dollar—shapes people. It can make them strong, but it can also make them angry at how unfair things seem. Maybe that’s part of why some of the Daltons chose a dangerous life.
But here’s something weird to think about: when the Dalton brothers started robbing trains and banks, they became famous. Not just in the towns they hit—but everywhere. Newspapers wrote about them. People told stories. Some even admired them. They were known for being fast, bold, and organized. Unlike some outlaws who were messy and wild, the Daltons planned things out (well, at least until they didn’t).
Still, being famous for robbing banks doesn’t make you a hero. And even if you’re famous, you can still get caught. Or worse.
Bob, Grat, and Emmett worked together like a machine. One would plan, one would scout, one would stand watch. They had horses ready and escape routes mapped out. They wore disguises and didn’t stay in one place too long. And yet, no matter how careful they were, each robbery made more people want to stop them. Sheriffs, marshals, and bounty hunters all had one goal: catch the Daltons.
Back home, their family had mixed feelings. Their mother didn’t like what they were doing, but she didn’t want to lose more sons, either. Some of their siblings kept quiet, not sure what to say. Others tried to talk them out of it. But when someone becomes an outlaw, it’s hard to walk away from that kind of life—especially when your name is already in the headlines.