James McDaniel
Milford, Ellis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Served in the army of Texas in 1836, born in Alabama, September 10, 1810, died January 11, 1885. His wife Idabella Weir McDaniel, born in Alabama, March 8, 1818, died May 4, 1897.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
James McDaniel, born in Alabama in 1810, was among the men who served in the Texas army during the revolutionary year of 1836, when settlers won independence from Mexico. He and his wife Idabella lived out long lives on the Texas frontier, dying in the 1880s and 1890s. Their marker preserves the memory of an ordinary soldier-settler of the founding generation.
Why it matters
Markers like this one honor the rank-and-file participants of the Texas Revolution, the everyday men whose service turned a rebellion into an independent republic.
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Related people
- Β· James McDaniel
- Β· Idabella Weir McDaniel
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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