Born Samuel Tilden Daken, the artist never used the pseudonym Sidney Tilden Dakin as often quoted in literature. According to his granddaughter and her website tildendaken.com, his second daughter's name was Sydney.

Until about 1906, his signature was S.T.D. however many of these works were lost in the earthquake and fire of 1906. From c. 1906 to 1913, he signed S.T. Daken, from c. 1914 to 1917 he signed Tilden Daken, and from c. 1918 to his death he used the signature Tilden Dakin.

Known primarily as a California artist, he also painted in other parts of the United States and in Mexico, Baja California, Hawaii, and Alaska. He briefly painted in parts of Europe and Japan and possibly the South Sea Islands.&n...