John W. Daniel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Daniel
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| United States Senator from Virginia |
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| In office March 4, 1887 – June 29, 1910 |
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| Preceded by | William Mahone |
| Succeeded by | Claude A. Swanson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 6th district |
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| In office March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1887 |
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| Preceded by | John Tucker |
| Succeeded by | Samuel I. Hopkins |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from Campbell County and Lynchburg City From 1876-1880 only from Campbell County |
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| In office 1876-1882 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas J. Kirkpatrick |
| Succeeded by | J. Singleton Diggs |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Campbell County | |
| In office 1869-1872 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | September 5, 1842 Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 1910 (aged 67) Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Virginia, Charlottesville |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Branch/service |  Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War • Gettysburg Campaign • Battle of the Wilderness |
John Warwick Daniel (born September 5, 1842 – died June 29, 1910) was an American lawyer, writer, and Democratic politician from Lynchburg, Virginia. He strongly supported the Southern cause after the American Civil War. Daniel served in both parts of the Virginia General Assembly (the state legislature) and both parts of the United States Congress (the national legislature). He represented Virginia in the U.S. House from 1885 to 1887. Later, he served in the U.S. Senate from 1887 until his death in 1910.
People sometimes called Daniel the "Lame Lion of Lynchburg." This nickname came from a serious injury he got during the Battle of the Wilderness. He was serving as a major in the Confederate Army at the time. The injury caused a permanent disability, meaning he had to use a crutch to walk.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John W. Daniel was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. His father, William Daniel, was a judge on what is now called the Virginia Supreme Court. His mother, Sarah Ann Warwick Daniel, was the daughter of a rich tobacco merchant. John's mother passed away when he was three years old, after his sister Sarah was born.
Young John was raised by his grandparents. He went to private schools, including Dr. Gessner Harrison's University School. His father later remarried and built another large home nearby.
In 1869, John W. Daniel married Julia Elizabeth Murrell. They had two daughters and three sons. Their youngest son died in a riding accident. However, two of their sons, John Warwick Daniel and Edward Murrell Daniel, lived longer than their parents.
Serving in the Civil War
After Virginia left the Union during the American Civil War, Daniel joined a cavalry group in Lynchburg. Soon after, he became a second lieutenant in the 27th Virginia Infantry. He was injured during the First Battle of Bull Run.
While he was getting better, Daniel moved to the 11th Virginia Infantry. He was promoted to first lieutenant and then to adjutant. Daniel served in the Confederate Army until 1864, reaching the rank of major. In 1863, he became a staff officer for Major General Jubal A. Early. He served under Early in battles like the Gettysburg Campaign.
In May 1864, during the Battle of the Wilderness, a minie ball (a type of bullet) badly hurt Daniel's leg. This injury shattered his thigh bone. After that, he had to use a crutch to walk. He then left the army because of his injury.
After the War: Law and State Politics
After the war, Daniel studied law at the University of Virginia. He became a lawyer in 1866 and joined his father's law practice in Lynchburg.
Even with his war injury, Daniel was a great speaker. He often gave speeches remembering the Confederate war effort. He also spoke against the period known as Congressional Reconstruction and the Republicans.
He entered politics and was elected by voters in Campbell County. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1869 to 1872. He did not run for re-election after that.
Daniel tried to get nominated for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1872 and 1874 but was not successful. During this time, a big issue in Virginia politics was the state's debt from before the Civil War. Daniel supported paying off these debts fully. Others, called "Readjusters," wanted to reduce the payments.
In 1876, Daniel published an important book about law called "A Treatise on the Law of Negotiable Instruments." That same year, he was elected to the state senate and was re-elected once. He resigned from this part-time job in 1881.
In 1881, Daniel ran for Governor of Virginia as the Conservative Party's candidate. He lost to William E. Cameron, who was supported by a group of Republicans and Readjusters. The Readjusters argued that Daniel cared more about bondholders (people who owned the state's debt) than about public schools. Public schools were a new and important idea in Virginia at the time.
After the 1882 election, Virginia's Conservative Party became the state's Democratic Party. In 1883, Daniel gave a long speech at the dedication of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. This speech was published in many newspapers.
Daniel was nominated for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 6th congressional district. He also helped defend new voting district maps in the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Later, Daniel was a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901. He had wanted such a meeting since 1895. At the convention, he worked on the committee that dealt with voting rights. A compromise was reached that included a poll tax (a fee to vote) and a writing test. These rules made it harder for many African Americans and poor white people to vote.
Serving in the U.S. Congress
In 1884, voters in Virginia's 6th congressional district elected Daniel to the Forty-ninth Congress. He served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, from March 4, 1885, to March 4, 1887.
In 1887, Virginia's General Assembly elected Daniel to the United States Senate. He replaced William Mahone. Daniel was re-elected four times: in 1891, 1897, 1904, and 1910. He served as a U.S. Senator from March 4, 1887, until his death.
During his time in the Senate, Daniel was the chairman of the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States. He was also a member of other committees, including those dealing with corporations in Washington D.C., public health, and private land claims.
Daniel strongly supported the United States getting involved in Cuba in the 1890s. He often spoke about the harsh treatment of Cubans by Spain. He also campaigned for federal funding for schools, but this was not successful.
Senator Daniel was always interested in helping veterans. He was very involved in the early plans for the Virginia Memorial at the Gettysburg Battlefield. Years earlier, he had helped organize a memorial for General Robert E. Lee in Lynchburg after Lee's death.
Death and Lasting Impact
Daniel had a stroke in October 1909. He was re-elected to the Senate in January 1910. However, he had another stroke in March 1910, which paralyzed his left side.
John W. Daniel returned to Lynchburg to recover, but he died from a brain hemorrhage on June 29, 1910. His family declined an offer for a state funeral. He was buried in Lynchburg's Spring Hill Cemetery.
People raised money to create a large bronze statue of Daniel. The statue shows him in a Confederate uniform, sitting with a crutch nearby. The statue, made by Moses Ezekiel, has the words: "Foremost and best beloved Virginian of his time." It was dedicated in 1915 and stands in Lynchburg.
His father's home, Point of Honor, is now a museum in Lynchburg. His birthplace, the John Marshall Warwick House, is also a historic place.
Images for kids
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John Warwick Daniel's signature
