Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

He was born in Mexia, and the family moved to West Texas when he was a baby. In 1894, when he was ten years of age, they moved to Dallas, Texas.

He lost one arm and a part of another falling from a freight car in 1905 at age 21. He had been working as a stenographer, and taking civil engineering courses by correspondence. He and several of his friends decided to try to get jobs on the Panama Canal. They started east where he planned to take the examination for an assistant engineers position. Although they had money for tickets, one of the young men suggested that they "bum their way on the freights." They were starting the last leg of the trip in Utica, New York, when he tried to grab the handirons on a boxcar. He knew he was falling, felt the jolt, and a terrible searing pain as the train passed over him. He did not lose consciousness, though, until he arrived at the hospital. He knew one hand was gone, but could see the right hand across his chest. The doctors were arguing about whether to try to operate or not, but he ordered them to "Get busy and do something!" They even called the coroner and told him that he should come by the next morning since they would probably have a body for him to look at! He passed out while the doctor cut his coat from his shoulder. Two days later he learned he had no hands, and that one arm and shoulder blade had been amputated. He said he had gotten himself into that situation and he would get himself out of it. He bought his train ticket from the same company on the way home.

He did not allow his handicap to stop him from doing what he wanted to do. He was very inventive in dealing with the problems. The Dallas Morning News included an article about him in 1913 which told of his adaptation of a car to meet his needs so he could drive. He had lost one arm and shoulder as well has part of his other arm (only having a stub below the elbow of his left hand) when he fell from a train in Utica, NY in November 1904. It was a year before he could use a hook on his remaining stub, but since it was not satisfactory, he developed a steel finger to add to the hook so he could hold a pencil. He learned to write using this device. He needed to support himself, so he worked as a straw boss and a helper to contractors, directing the building of several houses. In November 1906, realizing he needed a more suitable occupation, he began to study law in the office of J. C. Muse. While on an errand to a dentists office, he looked at devices the dentist had to hold a mouth open while he worked. He bought one from a dental supply house, and with a machinist's help, they adapted it into a device that could grab things. Over the next ten years he would gradually adapt it when he had a need. Once he forgot the special fork he would screw into the wooden block that held his hook. He went hungry that day, but when he got home he devised a clamp that fit on the side of his hand which would hold any kind of fork. He got his law license by November 1907. In November of 1908 he became a Justice of the Peace. In 1910 he patented a new hand device. It allowed him to do things such as writing, eating, button clothes, and tie his shoes. In Nov 1912 he qualified as County Judge. He also patented a device to that helped him to dress himself. It attached to the back of a chair, and it allowed him to button and adjust a stiff collar and to tie a necktie.when he decided to drive, he attached two straps to the crank, and that allowed him to crank the car more easily to start it. A steel hoop attached to the steering wheel helped him to steer the car. The car did not have an accelerator pedal, so he devised one. He also placed a button on the floor for an alarm. Becky Herring sent several newspaper clippings from an unknown newspapers. One says he was granted an automobile driver's license since he demonstrated his ability to drive with his aids, and after he showed that he had driven in almost every state. He had even taken a car up and down Pike's Peak! Another shows him sawing wood with his adapted mechanical arm and a saw. Another article mentions that he was the youngest man occupying a county bench in Texas, as well as the only man in Texas who could operate a car without a hand. It said he had driven over 15,000 miles, and was making a tour of the state, driving 2000 miles. The article mentions that he could comb his hair, brush his teeth, feed and dress himself, strike matches, spade his garden, and sign all warrants required by his job. Another article mentions that he was probate judge, and head of the Juvenile Court. He also worked hard to raise money for a state home for delinquent girls, since the state had none.

In the Dallas Morning News, 11 Apr 1949, there is an article about him, and it said that he was helping an engraving company get started. He had quit politics in 1918 and bought it with his brother-in-law who was an engraver, but the brother-in-law had died. He was not satisfied with the work his mechanical force produce. Finally, he moved into the back of the shop and started doing the intricate technical work of the fine engraving himself. After that the business did well. He operated the business for eighteen years. In 1935 he moved to a 700 acre farm in Big Sandy, Upshur County, Texas. There he pitched hay with his hired men, and he did shovel work on the dam. In later years he said that he could do just about anything but milk a cow! Starting in 1940, for five years he split his time between his farm and helping a friend start an engraving company. After that, he returned to his farm until a heart attack forced him to return to Dallas to live. During his lifetime he was able to meet with President Woodrow Wilson and King George V of England. In 1919 the British government paid his way to England so he could boost the morale of maimed soldiers. During this time he not only met George V, but he appeared with the Duke of York in a program. The Duke became George VI. During his career as a politician, he never had a campaign manager or accepted campaign contributions.

Two articles about his very successful life were published. One in "The Dallas Morning News," Sunday, Feb. 10, 1952 and another in the same paper, Saturday, Jan. 22, 1966. In 1952 he was a 68 year old rancher. He drove his mother Callie (Daniel) Corley to the 1931 Reunion in Honoraville. The 1966 article says "He just didn't know when he was licked, turned to law, politics, ranching." They, Corley & Hattie have two children & 3 grandchildren all living in Dallas, TX (1966).
The Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 12, col. 3, Oct. 7, 1911 tells of the Dallas Matrimonial Bureau which had been organized. It seemed to be a matchmaking service. At the end of the article, it mentions that Justice of the Peace Q. D. Corley and County Judge John L. Young would perform the marriage ceremonies for free. (Jim Wheat's Dallas County Archives, (http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/
jwheat/mardiv11.html).
His social security number was 467-58-0923 issued TX. (James Daniel)

He believed in working hard and being independent, overcoming obstacles with perseverance. He did not approve of government relief, believing that it destroyed the initiative of people. People in Dallas would say that someone "had the nerve of Quentin Corley" when someone showed courage in the face of adversity. He did not even believe in spoiling his grandchildren, since it might keep them from learning to do things for themselves!

Census:
1920, Dallas 31-Pct, Dallas, Texas, Series: T626 Roll: 1793 Page:74
832 N. Beckley, Justice prec. 7, voting precinct 31, city of Dallas
28/34, Corley, Quentin D., head, o, m, m, w, 35, m, TX FL, FL, engraver, engraving business
----, Hattie W., wife, f, w, 30, m, TN, AL, AL, none
----, Hattie Louise, daughter, f, w, 8, s, TX, TX, TX, none
----, Quentin D., son, m, w, 6, s, TX, TX, TN, none

1930, Dallas 7 J-Pct, Dallas, Dallas, TX, Series: T626 Roll: 2319 Page: 291
He was living at 782 Winston, city of Dallas, Texas.
Corley, Quintin D. (initial is hard to read), head, m, w, 46, m, 26, TX, AL, AL, owner, engraving

----, Hattie W., wife, f, w, 41, m, 21, TN, AL, AL, none
----, Hattie L., daughter, f, w, 18, s, TX, TX, TN, linotype op., news, paper
----, Quentin D. (initial is hard to read), son, m, w, 16, s, TX, TX, TN, none