In the 1911 census for Calgary, he is shown living with his mom and brother (William) Dalton, along withe a female lodger from England named Kathleen Chanceler.

It appears that his step father Arthur Thorne had moved to Billings Montana between 1916 and 1921; Malcolm and his mom went down (via the port at Sweet Grass, Montana) to join him on May 3, 1921. The nearest relative is given to be Elizabeth Webber of Brooks, Alberta, shown to be his grandmother. He is listed as having brown hair and blue eyes.

In the 1930 census for Salinas, California, he is shown to be a building lather, living as a boarder with Louis Jorgensen. It also shows that he immigrated in 1922.

In the 1940 census for Salinas, California, he is shown to be a lather in building construction. By this time he is married and has a young son.