Albert Clinton Horton was born September 4, 1798 in Hancock County, Georgia, son of William and Mary Thomas Horton.
His father died when he was very young and later his mother married Colonel Samuel Dent, moving to LaGrange, Franklin County, Alabama in 1823.
Albert Horton married Eliza Holliday in 1829, daughter of General Thomas Holliday. Eliza was born in North Carolina in 1815, but was living in Alabama with her brother-in-law and guardian, W. J. Croom, father of Colonel John L. Croom of Matagorda, Texas.
Horton and his wife moved to Greensboro, Alabama where he served one term in the Alabama State Senate in 1832.
Albert Horton came to Matagorda County, Texas, April, 1835, when he purchased several leagues of land in the northern part of Matagorda County, which is now part of Wharton County.
In addition, he was granted a league and labor of land on January 19, 1838.