Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

Leonard is believed to have been a Primitive Baptist preacher, but there is no known proof at this time. He was baptized by Eld. M. Getes(?) the third Sunday in May 1838 into the fellowship of Friendship Church, Butler County, Alabama. (Note written by Diademia Daniel Shanks) In March 1839 he joined by letter Sweetwater Baptist Church, Butler County, Alabama, according to the church minutes. There was no wife mentioned in that record.

He moved his family from Alabama to LA to Texas.

In 1853 in Butler Co, Alabama he paid Personal Property Tax of 50 cents as a white male. He also paid taxes on 300 acres of land.

In 1859 he purchased 80 acres of land in Caddo Parish, LA for $600 (Conveyance Record Vol. N 1859-2, p. 209, microfilm - Positive F. A. T. 162-63, Caddo Parish, Shreveport, LA, Broadmoor Library, Shreveport, LA). The Notary record is 9 Dec. 1859, and it was recorded 14 Jan 1860. It was purchased from Wesley Johnson and wife. It is described as E1/2 SW Sec. 12 (19-16). I could find no record of its sale.

He and his family are shown in the 1860 census for Ward1, Caddo Parish, Louisiana (M653 Roll 409, p17, Dwelling # 113, Family #115). L. Daniel is 41 years old, a farmer, value of real estate (unclear but may be) $2300, value of personal property is $500 , born Alabama, married 1847. E. L. Daniel is 37, female, born Alabama, married 1847. D. Daniel, 21, female, born Alabama. Wm. Shanks, 24, male, farmer, born South Carolina, married 1856. S. J. Shanks, 18, male, born Alabama, married 1856 . F. Shanks, 3, female, born Alabama. Many of these listings are incorrect, but it seems to be the correct family. In the 1860 Census for Caddo Parish, La. Slave Schedule (p. 4, M653 Roll 427, Line 17) he is shown to have a female slave age 23 and one female slave age 3. He also appears to have one slave house.

On Oct 1, 1860 an Ephraim Daniel of Caddo Parish, Louisiana purchased land at Natchitoches. Who is this? Is he related to us? On September 1, 1846 a Francis Marion Daniel of Desoto, Louisiana purchased land at Natchitoches. There is also a Francis Marion Daniel of Livingston Parish, Louisiana who purchased land at Greensburg on May 1, 1861. Could he be related?

In August (refers to "brother Daniel") and September of 1862 (refers to "Leonard Daniel"), he is mentioned in the minutes of Bethel Primitive Baptist Church (organized in 1847) in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. In the record for August,the third item reads "Whereas brother attaway was Agreved with brother danel becaus he wold not say that him nor his had nothing to doy with som stoling meet nor now any thing about hit. brother attaway declard a non feler ship for him. the church taken the vote on the cas an decided brother Danel had not to express him self. don by the order of the church in conference." The next month the church "took up the case of Br. Ez. Attaway and Sister Attaway (his wife) for abruptly leaving our last conference, and we disapprove of their conduct, and it resulted in their exclusion from the fellowship of the Church." At the same meeting Leonard Daniel, together with John Lankford and John Shows, was appointed to the association for the next meeting (representing the church in the Primitive Baptist Association). (Records transcribed by Diana Ware from a microfilm located in the archives at the Noel Memorial Library on the campus of Louisiana State University at Shreveport)

He was involved in the start of Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church in Freestone County, TX on 14 May 1871. (Primitive Baptist Online, Copyright 2000-2001 Primitive Baptist Online, http://www.primitivebaptist.org/writers/newman5Fjs/history/regular.asp, accessed 9:11 AM, 23 Jul 2004)

He owned the first general store in Mexia which opened in 1872 (the year Mexia was founded). After the girls from his second marriage were old enough to go to school, he sold it to John Corley and moved to a farm which was a mile north of Mexia. (information from newspaper clipping apparently from Mexia newspaper, Mexia Resident tells Why She Has Managed to Live 86 years, 1968, provided by Robert Wells)

He is buried in Mexia Cemetery in Mexia, Texas. This is the cemetery near to the center of town, not the one with a sign pointing to it from Hwy. 14 as you enter the town from the north. It is located at the end of No. Kaufman Street in Mexia, Limestone Co, TX. Lots are in Section G, Lots 5 & 6.
Leonard Daniel's monument is tall:
L. Daniel/Born/Feb. 11, 1818/Died Mar. 6, 1902
There is also the following inscription:
Husband dear take / thy rest / The summer flower / will bloom / While you the purest / and best / Doth wither in the / tomb

Research:
1840; Census Place: Butler, Alabama; Roll: 1; Page: 144; Family History Library Film: 0002332
Males: 1 aged 20-30,
Females: 1 under age 5, 1 aged 20 - 30.
No slaves.
NOTE: His father-in-law, Joshua Barrett, is living next door to him.

1870 Census PO Eutaw,Limestone Co., TX, pg 209, Dist 48, Fam 839-911, Series: M593 Roll: 1596 Page: 209
Daniel, Leonard, 52, Grocer, AL
Louisa E., 48, Keeping house, SC
Shanks, Diado, 31, f, w, keeping house, AL
, Frances, 12, at home, MS
, Elizabeth, 8, at home, LA
His other daughter and her husband lived next door.

1880 Census Mexia, Limestone Co TX, Pg 446, Fam 189-197 Pg 19
Daniels, Leonard L. 62 Farmer AL, SC, SC
, Mary E. 32 Wife MS, TN, AL
, Maxine 6 Da TX, AL, MS
, Ruth 4 Da TX, AL, MS
, Ellen 6mo Da TX, AL, MS
Shanks, Diadema 37 Da AL, AL, AL (Seamstress)
1890Census Limestone Co TX, Uniquely reconstructed & annotated by Moody Library in Mexia TX.
Daniel, Leonard 82 GA
, Mary 58 GA SN 171B(3)

1900 Census Limestone Co, TX Precinct 4, Pg 24, Family 432-438
Daniels, Leonard Sep 1817 82 M40 GA, GA, MS
, Mary Nov 1841 58 M40 GA, AL, AL
Shanks, Allen Nov 1877 22 M-0 TX, AL, AL
, May Jun 1882 17 M-0 TX, TX, TX

NOTE: 1900 Census, Limestone Co, TX : whoever answered the census taker gave Leonard's dob as Sept 1817, born GA, age 82, married 40 yrs & parents born GA & MS. and Mary's as Nov 1841, b GA, parents born AL...both of which are in error. Also living with them in 1900 is their youngest dau. Mae & her husband Allen Shanks. The census also says that Mary Ellen was the mother of 8 children, 6 living!