Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center > The Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives (this page)
The Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives
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Jean and Price Daniel
The Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives
The exterior of the Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives is patterned after the Texas Governor's Mansion, a Greek Revival home, built by Abner Cook between 1854 and 1856. Although Cook's plans for the Austin mansion included wings on either side of the house, they were not added due to insufficient funds. The wings of the Daniel Home were constructed in the Greek Revival style, with the balustrades and Ionic columns of the house patterned after those built by Cook. Except for the entry hall and stairs, the interior of the Price Daniel House is unlike that of the Governor's Mansion.
Construction of the Daniel Home began in May 1982 and was completed in December 1983. The 7,318 square foot house was officially opened in April 1984. In 1985, the Daniels, reserving a life interest in the house, donated the home and ten acres surrounding it to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Full ownership passed to the State of Texas in October 1998. The house preserves and displays the library, archives, furniture and mementos that document the Daniels' lives and years of public service. Artifacts of interest in the home include two paintings by Porfirio Salinas; official portraits of Jean and Price Daniel; and many awards given to the Daniels.
Tours are available by appointment and must be arranged at least two weeks in advance.
Jean and Price Daniel
Price Daniel, the son of Marion Price and Nannie Partlow Daniel, was born October 10, 1910 in Dayton, Texas. He attended Baylor University, where he earned a BA in Journalism (1931) and a law degree (1932). Daniel practiced law until 1938 when he was elected a state representative. In this position (1939-1943), he fought against a state sales tax and was involved in the development of the Trinity River. He became speaker of the Texas House of Representatives in 1943; he later enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army. In 1944, Daniel enrolled in Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a 1st lieutenant.
While Texas Attorney General (1947-1953), Daniel fought against price fixing and organized gambling, and began his defense of the Texas tidelands. He continued the struggle into the U.S. Senate (1953-1957) and co-sponsored legislation that confirmed state ownership of the land. As senator, he fought against communism and drug trafficking. Daniel was governor of Texas from 1957 to 1963 and from 1967 to 1969 served as director of the U.S. Office of Emergency Preparedness under President Lyndon Johnson. Daniel was an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court from 1971 to 1978. For sixteen years, he was a member of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Daniel, who held more high elective and appointed state positions than any other Texan, died on August 25, 1988.
On June 28, 1940, Price Daniel married Jean Houston Baldwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Sam Houston. Born on February 13, 1916 to Franklin T. "Star" and Jean Houston John Baldwin, Jean Daniel attended Rice University and the University of Texas, where she graduated cum laude with a BA in English. As First Lady of Texas, Mrs. Daniel established the Texas Governor's Mansion Historical Collection in Austin and published the first comprehensive inventory of mansion furnishings. From 1988 to 1992, she served as a member of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Jean and Price Daniel had four children: Price Jr., Jean, Houston, and John.
The Daniels' contributions to historical preservation have been numerous. They co-authored two books, Executive Mansions and Capitols of America (1968) and The Texas Governor's Mansion (1985). In 1973, they donated over 100 acres to be used as the site for the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center.