Daniel M. Daniels
(Enterprise files, June 23, 1938)
Daniel M. Daniels who died June 25, 1938, at
the age of 82, took a very prominent part in the development of this section of
Idaho. He was mayor of Malad for three terms, served as a commissioner of
Oneida county, was president of the Malad Valley Irrigating Company for six
years, and when the Malad Creamery Company was organized in 1918, he was made
its first president and held that position until about four years ago when he
resigned on account of ill health.
Mr. Daniels was a member of the Mormon church
and was a high counselor of the Malad stake for many years.
Mr. Daniels was born at Brigham City, Utah,
December 20, 1856, a son of Thomas and Mary Davis Daniels. The Daniels and
Davis families originated in South Wales; were early converts to the Mormon
religion and came to Salt Lake City in 1849.
Daniel Daniels came to Malad with his parents
in 1865, and he has been a resident of this valley since that time.
In his early years, he accompanied his father
on freighting trips from Corinne, Utah, to various Montana points. He learned
how to drive oxen and guide a wagon over the rough trails and roads, and in a
few years, he was a freighter on his own account. He kept up freighting to
Montana points until the railroad was built to Silver Bow in 1879. When he took
his last load to Silver Bow, he sold his outfit of wagons and oxen. Returning
south, he bought mules and another outfit and for several years, freighted
goods into the Challis district of Idaho, to the mining camps in that locality.
Mr. Daniels spent 28 years in the freighting business.
Mr. Daniels’ other occupations were farming
and cattle raising. He was the first person to homestead in the Daniels
section, and built the first house there in 1877.
Mr. Daniels was married to Miss Mary Evans
Jones, March 20, 1883, who died the following year. In 1885, he married Miss
Catherine E. Owens, who was born at Malad, December 27, 1868, daughter of John
E. and Mary Owens.
At the time of his death he was survived by
his wife and the following children: Dan Daniels, Leroy Daniels, Luther
Daniels, Russell Daniels, Mrs. Steve Stayner, of Malad; Mrs. D.L.Bush, Boise;
Mrs. T.G. Hone, Ogden; Mrs. Arnold Thomas, Los Angeles; also the following
brothers and sisters: Mrs. Jedd Jones, Sr., Mrs. Ren Reese, George Daniels,
Malad; John M. Daniels, Rupert; David M. Daniels, Pocatello; Henry Daniels,
Lava.
