Goodspeed's Biographies Goodspeed's History of Greene County -- 1887

Joseph W. McDannel

Joseph W. McDannel, trustee, was born in Greeneville, Greene County, January 10, 1855, the son of Blackstone and Louisa (Britton) Mc Dannel, the former born in Knoxville, January 15, 1811, the son of John McDannel, of Pennsylvania, born in 1787, Marcus McDannel was the next ancestor.

John came to Tennessee in the early part of 1808 and settled in Knox County, and on the 12th of July, 1809, married Sarah Whitson. He served in the Creek Indian war, in Capt. Rufus Morgan's company and Capt. Brown's regiment, and returned to Knoxville in 1814 and died January 31, 1837. Blackstone, like his father, was a mechanic, reared in Knoxville, and resident of Greeneville, after 1829.

He was first assistant of Maj. Samuel Milligan, a commissary in the Mexican war, and afterward engaged in the pension and claim agency of the wars of 1812 and 1846. President Lincoln appointed him United States marshal for East Tennessee, both terms, and he was re-appointed by President Johnson, but, on account of the health of his family, be resigned, and engaged in his old agency business at Greeneville. He had become intimately acquainted with Andrew Johnson when both were working at their trades, and they frequently engaged in public debate on the Indian and other questions, and this was the beginning of the latter's career. The mother was born near Greeneville December 27, 1821, the daughter of James Britton, and granddaughter of Daniel Britton. She was married March 23, 1854, and died in Greeneville April 8, 1876.

Our subject was educated at what is now Grant Memorial University, Athens, Tenn. In 1878 he became deputy register of Greene County, and then became deputy clerk and master, deputy trustee and deputy county court clerk, holding all the positions at the same time. In 1886 he was elected as a Republican to his present office. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and is steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

August 6, 1872, he married Emma C., a daughter of William G. Horton Sr., clerk and master of McMinn County. He was born August 22, 1855, in the latter county. Two of their five children are living.

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