 On May 22, 1976, Tom Dayton celebrated his 110th birthday at the Auburn Convalescent Hospital. Dayton was born in San Francisco in 1866, less than a year after the U.S. Civil War ended. He enlisted at the end of the Spanish-American War but saw no action. He worked in the government shipyards during World War I and it was there that he lost three sons, his only children, to the 1918 Flu epidemic. After the war, he became a coal miner in Pennsylvania.
The July 21, 1976 Auburn Journal reported that: “In the early 1920s, he contracted silicosis, the ‘black lung’ ailment common to the mining industry, and returned to California in the hope of spending what he believed to be his few remaining years in the Sierra Foothills.”
He moved to Colfax in 1928 and got a job with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. His few remaining years turned out to be almost five decades. He often said “there is nothing like nature for healing.”
Dayton played the piano and wrote many songs. At each of his birthdays after he hit the century mark, he played a few tunes on the piano, including his last birthday marking 110 years of life. He is one of the longest-living Placer County residents on record.
Tom Dayton died in his sleep on July 18, 1976, and is buried in the Colfax Cemetery. He outlived two wives and three sons but was survived by many “step-relatives.”
Photo: Detail of the March 21, 1973 Auburn Journal of Tom Dayton playing the piano ahead of his 107th birthday.
 Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply
Current recruitments include:
 Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville: 2025 Lineworkers’ Rodeo, 1st Saturday Drop in Activity Day for Families
Lincoln: American Red Cross Blood Drive
Auburn: Pie Party on the Preserve (Rescheduled), Farmers’ Market, Kids Fishing Derby
North Lake Tahoe: Toyota U.S. Mogul Freestyle Championships at Palisades Tahoe, March 28-30, Sierra Community House Food Distribution Kings Beach, Aprés in the Village at Northstar California
...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.
Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!
Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Tahoe Community Alliance
Tahoe City Downtown Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail
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