Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

According to family tradition they had two or three children. He was killed by his brother-in-law Joseph Lelland Sorrels (Lee) during an argument over who could chop the most cotton. (See information for Joseph Lelland Sorrels)

His children are living with their mother and her second husband in the 1910 census.

(Medical):He was murdered by his brother-in-law Lee during an argument over who could chop the most cotton. The newspaper article said he died about sixty hours after he was wounded. Lee Sorrels had been working for his brother-in-law for about a week and living in their home. During the argument Lee demanded to be paid, and said he would then leave. Vardamon Ayers said he was not paying him anything. There was question over whether a knife was involved. One report said that Vardamon had a knife, another said that Dave, Lee's brother had found it on the floor and put it up somewhere. Apparently Lee had shoved Vardamon onto a trunk. Dave tried to push his brother Lee out the door. One report said that Lee picked up a gun in another room, Lee said it was by the door after being used for hunting. Lee fired, and the bullet went through his brother's sleeve. Lee claimed that the gun discharged accidentally when Dave shoved him to push him outside. The bullet hit Vardamon right of his breast bone, and exited under the base of the right armpit according to doctors testifying at the trial. Newspaper records said the respiratory nerve was partially paralyzed. He was found guilty of murder in the second degree and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary.