Margaret L. (Hughes) Dalton was born in Tuolumne, California to her Native American Mother, Tessie Jeff, and her non-Indian Father, Clyde Hughes. Margaret attended Calaveras High School in San Andreas.
After completing her ninth grade year, Margaret left school and married Earl Dalton, Sr. on April 6, 1956, when she was 16 years old. Margaret and Earl moved onto Jackson Rancheria the same year. Even at that time, their dream was to make their small Band of Miwuk Indians self-sufficient and not dependent on any state or government funding.
Margaret and Earl raised four sons, Earl Jr., Dennis, Robert, and Adam, on the Rancheria. They also raised Margaret’s three brothers and one sister, Irvin (Bo), Clarence, Gary, and Donna.
They had one steadfast rule in their household - all eight children must graduate from high school. And all eight did!
In 1979, Margaret knew her Tribe must form their own government to strengthen themselves in their dealings with local, state, and federal governments. The Tribe held a meeting and established a formal government. Margaret was elected Tribal Chairperson, a position she held until her death on May 24, 2009.
In 1980 Margaret lost her best friend, and husband. Earl Sr. was killed in a logging accident leaving Margaret to pursue their dreams on her own.
In 1984, Margaret read about the success of the Seminole Tribe in Florida opening their own Bingo Hall. Margaret began a search for private investors to help her Tribe open a Bingo Hall.
The Tribe opened their first Bingo Hall in 1985, but it was a rocky start on their road to self-reliance. The Bingo Hall opened and closed three different times. With Margaret’s incredible determination, she convinced her Tribal Government to let her try one more time.
In 1991, with honest investors backing her this time, Jackson Indian Bingo opened its doors. Today, Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel employs more than 1,700 people, and is the largest employer in Amador County.
The Rancheria has built new homes for its residents, a medical and dental clinic, a recreation center, water and sewage treatment plants, an auto mechanic shop, and a new access road.
The tribe has development projects off the Rancheria as well, including an apartment complex which allows people working in our beautiful foothill region a chance to be part of our community.
Margaret was honored as “Woman of Distinction” by the Nationwide Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Businesses and as “Business Person of the Year” (1998) by the Amador County Chamber of Commerce. She served as Vice-Chairperson of the Tribal Alliance of Northern California and on the Board of Directors of Mariposa-Amador-Calaveras-Tuolumne Health Board. She was active in fund-raising activities for youth programs both locally and nationally.
Margaret and Earl Daltons dream was the betterment of the Native American’s way of life. Their dream has, at long last, come true.
