Legendary Character
Forney’s Town Deliveryman Dies
Dallas Morning News
Sunday, 28 December 1947
Section 4, Page 11
Dent Daniel, the town delivery man of Forney, who for thirty years had never been late for work at the principal drugstore in the little Kaufman County town, died Saturday. He was sixty-two.
The white-haired deliveryman who walked ten to twelve miles a day delivering packages for a dime, had become one of the town’s best-known residents.
As a result all of its available population will turn out for services at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Forney Baptist Church.
Daniel was struck by a car on Highway 80 in Forney Friday afternoon and died Saturday morning in a Terrell hospital. His skull was fractured.
Refused to Attend School
Daniel became a legend in the only setting where such things are possible – a small town. He was born in Forney.
He refused to attend school after his teacher induced him to repeat after her a line in the first reader, “I see the cat.” Daniel couldn’t see any cat, nor could he see any sense in school.
But there were others who said he made up in a cheerful service to mankind whatever shortcomings he may have had in the way of education.
More than thirty years ago he voluntarily swept the floor of a drugstore operated by Walter D. Adams. Adams gave him a nickel and Daniel’s mute devotion was born. It never faltered, even when Adams fired him for losing his temper and shouting at some customers. They may have been teasing him.
Seniority Lost
It was a bitter blow. Daniel stood, a forlorn figure outside the drugstore, looking in. The kindly druggist could stand it no longer. He rehired his helper.
“But,” he warned Daniel, “you’ve lost your seniority.”
His clothes were clean. His hair, which finally grew snow-white, was well trimmed. Fore more than thirty years he made his delivery trips for a dime each, rain or shine, hot or cold. And he got a quarter a day for sweeping out. He was proud of his job.
When he had completed his twenty-fifth year, the druggist made him an honorary vice-president with a desk befitting his rank. The deliveryman’s cup of joy ran full.
Prepared for Death
Daniel, all smiles, greeted the great and near great who came to Adams’ drugstore, several of them Governors, including former Gov. Coke Stevenson. When Gov. Beauford Jester was campaigning for office, Ken McClure, radio broadcaster with Jester, mentioned Daniel on the broadcast. Daniel took it as a tribute to his prominence, which indeed it was.
Of late he had been preparing for the death which must come to all men. From the nickels and dimes and quarters he saved $100 for atombstone that will bear the names of his parents, to whose graves he made a weekly pilgrimage, and himself.
The telephone calls to the drugstore Saturday were numbered by the score. Adams said he expected the whole town to turn out for the funeral.
Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Royal of Forney and Mrs. Bell Burkes of Ennis. Rev. L.M. Joines officiating.
—
We are taking the liberty of reprinting a story from a recent issue of The Dallas Morning News, written by Kenneth Foree. It is a tribute to the life of Dent Daniel who was fatally injured Dec. 19. We have heard it said through the past few years of our residence in Forney, “I wish that I could fill a need in the town as well and as definitely as Dent does, and wish that I could believe that I would be missed as much by as many people when I am gone, as Dent will be…” How well Dent filled a need in the life of the town is becoming more and more evident as the days pass and we miss him increasingly…
