Daniel Webster Wallace (1860-1939)

January 28, 2007 
/ Contributed By: Michael N. Searles

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Daniel Webster (80 John) Wallace

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Daniel Webster (80 John) Wallace, born a slave in Victoria County, Texas, on September 15, 1860, did not like farm work, and ran away to become a cowboy.ย  Daniel worked for a number of ranchers in east-central Texas, but it was through his work as a wrangler and horse breaker for John Nunnโ€”whose brand on his cattle was a large number 80โ€”that โ€œ80 Johnโ€ eventually became Websterโ€™s nickname.ย  While Webster was a typical cowboy in some respects, he was atypical in others.ย  He saw a bigger future for himself than many of his peers who were contented to spend their lives following someone elseโ€™s cattle.ย  He realized that his lack of education was a handicap and traveled to Navarro County, Texas, where he learned to read and write.ย  He also married Laura Dee Owens, who by comparison was well-educated, on April 8, 1888.

By his mid-twenties, 80 John Wallace had made an arrangement with his boss, Clay Mann, to accept cattle as part of his pay.ย  He later acquired a 1,280 acre ranch, a reputation for fairness and hard work, and a savvy that allowed him to survive in the ranching business.ย  Daniel Webster โ€œ80 Johnโ€ Wallaceย died on March 28, 1939, leaving behind a legacy that included a wife, three daughters, and a son; a well earned respect from all who knew him; and an estate valued at more than $1 million.ย  He also received the admiration of Mitchell County and the state of Texas with an historical marker recognizing his achievements and a school named in his honor.

About the Author

Author Profile

Michael N. Searles is an assistant professor of history at Augusta State University, Augusta, Georgia. Professor Searles who is a contributor to the award winning Black Cowboy of Texas specializes in Black Cowboys, Buffalo Soldiers, and the American West. Searles is currently co-editing an anthology on the Buffalo Soldiers in the West scheduled for publication in 2006. A nationally recognized consultant and presenter, โ€œCowboy Mikeโ€ as Professor Searlesโ€™s is known to many, speaks to public school audiences, libraries, universities, and community groups.

CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

Searles, M. (2007, January 28). Daniel Webster Wallace (1860-1939). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/wallace-daniel-webster-1860-1939/

Source of the Author's Information:

Joyce Gibson Roach, โ€œDaniel Webster Wallace: A West Texas Cattleman,โ€ in Sara R. Massey, ed., Black Cowboys of Texas (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2000), pp. 180-191.

Further Reading