Dan Daniel and the persistence of conservatism in Virginia

by J. I. Hayes

A national commander of the American Legion, state legislator, and United States congressman for twenty years before his death in 1988, Dan Daniel helped mold modern Virginia, exemplified Southern conservatism, and strengthened America's national defense. Wilbur Clarence (Dan) Daniel was born on 12 May 1914, near the Huntstown community of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, one mile west of the town of Chatham. He was the second child of Reuben Earl Daniel and Georgia Lee Grant Daniel. Born and raised in poverty, Daniel used his winsome personality, mental acuity, eloquence in speech, fondness for hard work, and loyalty to mentors to rise to prominence. By the time of his death on 23 January 1988, he had been Assistant to the Chairman of the Board of Dan River Mills, National Commander of the American Legion, member of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia, President of the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, and member of the House of representatives of the United States