Price Daniel Jr.

Price Daniel Jr.


Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
In office January 14, 1973 – January 14, 1975
Preceded by	Rayford Price
Succeeded by	Bill W. Clayton
Texas State Representative
In office January 14, 1969 – January 14, 1975
President Texas State Constitutional Convention
In office 1974–1974
Personal details
Born	Marion Price Daniel, Jr. (1941-06-08)June 8, 1941 Austin, Travis County, Texas, U.S.
Died	January 19, 1981(1981-01-19) (aged 39) Liberty County, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Diane Ford Wommack (1966–1975) Vickie Loretha Carroll Moore (1976–1981)
Children	Thomas Houston Campbell Daniel Franklin Baldwin Daniel Marion Price Daniel, IV
Profession	Attorney

Marion Price Daniel Jr. (properly Marion Price Daniel III) (June 8, 1941 – January 19, 1981) was a United States politician from Texas who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1975.

Early life

Daniel was a Texas state politician, born in Austin on June 8, 1941, into a political dynasty that dated back to his great-great-great grandparents Sam Houston and Margaret Lea Houston. At the time of his birth, his father Marion Price Daniel, Sr. was a state representative who eventually rose to the office of Governor of Texas. Daniel Sr. also served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, as United States Senator and Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. His mother Jean Houston Baldwin, a member of both the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Daughters of the American Revolution, was a direct descendant of Sam and Margaret Lea Houston.^[1] Daniel Sr.'s brother William Partlow Daniel,^[2] also served in the Texas House of Representatives and had been appointed Governor of the U.S. Territory of Guam by President John F. Kennedy.

He was raised in Austin and followed the political career of his father. By age twelve, he was making speeches on his father’s behalf. He graduated from Austin High School in 1959, Baylor University in 1964, and Baylor Law School in 1966. While still enrolled in the university, Daniel started a mail-order book business^[3] that specialized in rare books of Texas history.

Political career

After receiving his law degree, Daniel moved to Liberty, Texas, and began legal his practice there, where he was also elected Justice of the Peace for Liberty County.^[4] In 1968, at age 27, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from the same seat his father had held from 1939 to 1945.

After the fallout from the Sharpstown scandal, with those connected being voted out of office, there was a 50% turnover in both houses of the Texas Legislature. On January 9, 1973, Price Jr. was unanimously^[5] elected^[6] Speaker of the House.

Under Daniel’s leadership, the reform-minded Sixty-third Texas Legislature passed new ethics, financial disclosure, and open-records laws. The Legislature also updated and strengthened open-meetings, and lobbying laws. He believed that it should be illegal for the speaker to offer favors or make threats in order to get votes. Because of the great power of the office, Daniel believed that no speaker should be elected for more than one term, and consequently he did not seek reelection in 1974. There had been talk of Price Jr. running for Governor in 1974,^[7] but he was apparently not interested.

Price Jr served as president of the 1974 Texas Constitutional Convention, the first since the Constitution was established in 1876.^[8] He relented on a right-to-work compromise to appease the conservatives, and in doing so, lost his base of the liberal labor force. The 1974 convention to revise the state constitution was not a success. Further alienating his support base, Price Jr held a press conference blaming organized labor, and specifically what he saw as its manipulation of racial minority delegates, for the convention's failure.

In 1978, Daniel unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Texas Attorney General,^[9] losing to eventual general election winner Mark White.

Personal life and death

Daniel was married twice. He married politically connected Diane Ford Wommack on April 4, 1966.^[10] Diane was a descendant of Texas Governor (1907–1911) Thomas Mitchell Campbell. Diane gave birth to his son Thomas Houston Campbell Daniel. Their divorce was final November 26, 1975.^[11]

His second wife was Dairy Queen waitress Vickie Loretha Carroll Moore. Vickie and husband Larry Dale Moore were divorced on August 16, 1976. Price Jr. and Vickie were married November 1, 1976.^[12] Vickie gave birth to two sons by Price Jr., Franklin Baldwin Daniel and Marion Price Daniel IV. One month after Price Jr. declared his candidacy for Texas Attorney General, Vickie filed for divorce on October 22, 1977, but apparently withdrew the petition. In May 1980, Price Jr. re-wrote his will, cutting Vickie out. December 31 of that year, Vickie once again filed for divorce, even though she and Price Jr. continued to share a house with separate quarters. Price Jr. was served with divorce papers on January 15, 1981. On January 19, Price Jr. returned home where he was allegedly shot and killed by Vickie.^[13]

After a 10-hour session involving 22 people, the Liberty County grand jury returned an indictment of murder against Mrs. Daniel.^[14] At the time of her indictment, she had not yet been questioned by authorities about the events leading up to her husband's death, nor had she testified before the grand jury. Vickie was represented by flamboyant legal legend Richard "Racehorse" Haynes^[15] and was acquitted on October 30, 1981.^[16] The shooting and Vickie Daniel’s murder trial were the subject of a 1987 book, Deadly Blessings and a 1992 made-for-television film, Bed of Lies.

Price Daniel Jr's Houston family tree

Marion Price Daniel Jr. was a direct descendant of Sam Houston and his wife Margaret Lea Houston through his mother Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel, as noted by the family tree below.

Houston family tree

John Houston m. Margaret McClung (c.1650–1735) Ireland
- John Houston (1690–1755) m. Margaret Mary Cunningham (1694–1754), both born in Ireland and died in Virginia
  - James Houston died in Ireland
  - Robert H. Houston (1720–1760), born in Ireland, died in Virginia m.Margaret Dunlap Davidson (b. 1720)
    - John Huston m. Anna Logan
    - Samuel Davidson Houston (1745–1807) m. Elizabeth Blair Paxton (1757–1831)
      - Paxton Houston
      - Robert Houston
      - James Houston m. Rebecca G. Herndon
      - John Houston
      - Sam Houston (1793–1863)
        m. Eliza Allen (m. 1829 div. 1837)
        
        m. Tiana "Diana" (Rogers) Gentry (m. 1830) (died 1838)
        
        m. Margaret Moffette Lea (1819–1867)^{[lower-roman 1]} m. (May 9, 1840 - his death)
        Sam Houston Jr., MD (1843–1894)^{[lower-roman 2]} m. Lucy Anderson (1845–1886)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Henry Howard Houston (b. 1871)^{[lower-roman 4]}
        
        Margaret Bell Houston (1876–1966)^{[lower-roman 4]}
        
        Nellie Houston (1879–1882)^{[lower-roman 4]}
        
        John Houston (b. 1880)^{[lower-roman 4]}
        
        Harry Howard Houston (1883–1935)^{[lower-roman 4]}
        
        Nancy "Nannie" Elizabeth (1846–1920)^{[lower-roman 2]} m. Joseph Clay Stiles Morrow (1839–1925)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Margaret Houston Morrow (1867–1948) m. Robert Alexander John (1864–1933)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        Jean Houston John (b.1891) m. Franklin T. Baldwin (b.1889)
        Jean Houston Baldwin (1916–2002) m. Governor Price Daniel (1910–1988)^{[lower-roman 6]}
        Price Daniel Jr. (1941–1981) Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives 1973–1975^{[lower-roman 7]}
        
        Emily Preston Morrow (1869–1892)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        
        Jennie Belle Morrow (1871–1977)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        
        Preston Morrow (1875–1909)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        
        Temple Houston Morrow (1878–1966)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        
        Elizabeth Paxton Morrow (1886–1906)^{[lower-roman 5]}
        
        Margaret Lea Houston (1848–1906)^{[lower-roman 2]} m. Captain Weston Lafayette Williams (1835–1899)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Houston Williams (1869–1931)^{[lower-roman 8]}
        
        Margaret Madge Williams (1872–1955)^{[lower-roman 8]}
        
        Franklin W. Williams (b. 1874)^{[lower-roman 8]}
        
        James Royston Williams (1877–1953) ^{[lower-roman 8]}
        
        Marian Lee Williams (b. 1880)^{[lower-roman 8]}
        
        Mary William Houston (1850–1931)^{[lower-roman 2]} m. John Simeon Morrow (1840–1886) ^{[lower-roman 3]}
        John Houston Morrow (1871–1916)^{[lower-roman 9]}
        
        Andrew Morrow (1875–1881)^{[lower-roman 9]}
        
        Jesse Morrow (b.1876)^{[lower-roman 9]}
        
        Jessie Lea Morrow (1885–1975)^{[lower-roman 9]}
        
        Maude Louise Morrow (1883–1957)^{[lower-roman 9]}
        
        Antoinette Power Houston (1852–1932)^{[lower-roman 2]} m. Dr. William S. Lorraine Bringhurst (1844–1913)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Sam Houston Bringhurst (b.1874)^{[lower-roman 10]}
        
        C.M. Bringhurst (1880–1900)^{[lower-roman 10]}
        
        William Stuart Bringhurst (b.1885)^{[lower-roman 10]}
        
        Nettie Houston Bringhurst (1887–1935)^{[lower-roman 10]}
        
        Anna Katherine Bringhurst (1890–1895))^{[lower-roman 10]}
        
        Andrew Jackson Houston (1854–1941)^{[lower-roman 2]} United States Senator
        m. Carrie Glenn Purnell (1858–1884)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Ariadne T. Houston (1979–1969)^{[lower-roman 11]}
        
        Margaret Houston (1882–1943)^{[lower-roman 11]}
        
        Carrie Marie Houston (1883–1893)^{[lower-roman 11]}
        
        m. Elizabeth Hart Good (1864–1907)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Josephine Anna Houston (1889–1914)^{[lower-roman 12]}
        
        William Rogers Houston (1858–1920)^{[lower-roman 2]}
        
        Temple Lea Houston (1860–1905)^{[lower-roman 2]}, Texas state senator 1885–1888 m. Laura Cross (1863–1938)^{[lower-roman 3]}
        Temple Lea Houston Jr. (1884–1920)^{[lower-roman 13]}
        
        Louise Houston (1885–1887)^{[lower-roman 13]}
        
        Samuel Houston III (1892–1952)^{[lower-roman 13]}
        
        Richard Caldon Houston (1895–1974)^{[lower-roman 13]}
        
        Mary Houston (1898–1977)^{[lower-roman 13]}
      - William Houston m. Mary Ball
      - Isabella Houston
      - Mary Houston
        m. Col. Matthew Wallace
        
        m. Gen. William Wallace
      - Eliza Houston m. Samuel Moore
    - Bettie Houston m. James McClung
    - Margaret Houston
    - Esther Houston
    - Mary Houston
  - Isabelia Houston
  - Esther Houston
  - John Houston
  - Samuel Houston
  - Mathew Houston

Notes

↑ Married Samuel Houston (SR staff 2013, 1st gen).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Child of Samuel and Margaret Houston (SR staff 2013, 1st gen).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Married (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 4 5 Child of Sam and Lucy (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 4 5 6 Child of Nancy and Joseph (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
↑ "Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
↑ Daniel, Murph. "Marion Price Daniel, Jr.". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
1 2 3 4 5 Child of Margaret and Weston (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 4 5 Child of Mary and John (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 4 5 Child of Antoinette and William (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 Child of Andrew and Carrie (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
↑ Child of Andrew and Elizabeth (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).
1 2 3 4 5 Child of Temple and Laura (SR staff 2013, 2nd gen).

SOURCE: Genealogy of the Houston and Lea families, and descendants of Sam and Margaret Houston is documented here:

Roberts, Madge Thornall (1993). Star of Destiny: The Private Life of Sam and Margaret Houston. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press – via Questia (subscription required) . ISBN 0-929398-51-3.

Appendix B - DESCENDANTS OF SAM AND MARGARET HOUSTON (pp. 373-379)
Appendix C - GENEALOGY OF THE LEA AND HOUSTON FAMILIES (pp. 380-382)

References

SR staff (26 November 2013), "Samuel Houston Family Tree", Star of the Republic Museum, Blinn College, retrieved 21 April 2015 Generations: First and Second.

Bibliography

Seale, William (1992) [1970]. Sam Houston's Wife: A Biography of Margaret Lea Houston. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-2436-0.

References

↑ "Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
↑ Hunt, Alan (21 June 2006). "Baylor Mourns Death of Legendary Baylor Law Grad". Baylor University.
↑ Murph: Price Daniel Jr from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 6 June 2010. Texas State Historical Association
↑ "Price Daniel Jr. New Liberty JP". Baytown, Texas: The Baytown Sun. June 9, 1966. p. 19. Retrieved October 18, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required (help)).
↑ Cox, Patrick L; Phillips, Michael (2010). The House Will Come to Order: How the Texas Speaker Became a Power in State and National Politics. University of Texas Press. pp. 108–116. ISBN 978-0-292-72205-7.
↑ "Daniel Urges Strong Reform". The Victoria Advocate. 22 May 1973.
↑ "Daniel Getting Push To Run for Governor". The Victoria Advocate. 16 July 1973.
↑ Untermeyer, Chase (February 1975). "Give Me Liberty". Texas Monthly. Texas Monthly (1975 February). ; McCrory, James (October 4, 1975). "Foes of constitution attacked by Daniel". San Antonio, Texas: San Antonio Express. p. 3. Retrieved October 18, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required (help)).
↑ Kidd, Bill (8 May 1977). "Price Daniel Jr. Regrouping". The Victoria Advocate.
↑ "Miss Dianne Wommack Becomes Bride of Price Daniel Jr. in Austin Rites". Baytown, Texas: The Baytown Sun. April 19, 1966. p. 19. Retrieved October 18, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required (help)).
↑ "Divorce Suit Names Price Daniel Jr.". Harlingen, Texas: Valley Morning Star. November 23, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved October 18, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required (help)).
↑ Cochran, Mike (19 March 1981). "Unlikely Marriage as a Tragic Ending". The Free Lance Star.
↑ "Price Daniel Jr Shot Monday". The Tuscaloosa News. 20 January 1981.
↑ "Wife Indicted in Price Daniel's Death". The Bulletin. 29 January 1981.
↑ Vile, John R (2001). Great American Lawyers: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 350–356. ISBN 978-1-57607-202-8.
↑ "Vickie Daniel Found Innocent in Shooting of Husband". Ocala Star Banner. 1 November 1981.

External links

Marion Price Daniel Jr. from the Handbook of Texas Online
Sharpstown Stock Fraud Scandal from the Handbook of Texas Online
Bed of Lies at the Internet Movie Database

Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by David Crews	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 6 (Liberty) 1969–1973	Succeeded by Arthur "Buddy" Temple
Preceded by Rayford Price	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 16 (Liberty) 1973–1975	Succeeded by Perry A. Tanner Jr.
Political offices
Preceded by Rayford Price	Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives 1973–1975	Succeeded by Bill W. Clayton

Speakers of the Texas House of Representatives

Crump Brown Branch Crump Bourland Perkins Henderson Keenan Dickson Runnels Bee W. Taylor Locke M. Taylor Buckley Darnell Buckley M. Taylor Burford Evans Sinclair M. Taylor Bryan Bonner Cochran Reeves Gibson Foster Pendleton Alexander Milner Cochran Smith Dashiell Sherrill Prince Neff Seabury Love Kennedy Marshall Rayburn Terrell Woods Fuller Thomason Thomas Seagler Satterwhite Bobbitt Barron Minor Stevenson Calvert Morse Leonard Daniel Gilmer Reed Manford Senterfitt Lindsey Carr Turman Tunnell Barnes Mutscher Slider Price Daniel Jr. Clayton Lewis Laney Craddick Straus

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