Edmund Daniel was likely a son of Elijah and Mary Hawes Daniel and grandson of William Daniel Sr. 1680-1765 and FNU Williams of Essex and Caroline County, VA. Mary Hawes was the daughter of Samuel and FNU Spencer Hawes. Edmund was likely born about 1740 in Caroline County and died in 1799 in Spotsylvania, County, VA. According to a Dallas County, TX history he died as a result of wounds sustained at the Battle of Brandywine in the Revolutionary War. Several primary records prove the connection of Edmund to Elijah and the names of the children of both men.

• Caroline County, VA Court Records 12 April 1764: Elijah Daniel and wife Mary, ackn deed of gift to their daughter Agnis Arnold (other records show she was the wife of James Arnold).
• Caroline County, VA Order Book; October Court 1784; page 461: Edmund Daniel appointed executor for the estate of Elijah Daniel.
• Caroline County, VA Land Book Alterations 1782-1789: 1785 Edmund Daniel, executor of Elijah Daniel, transfers 100 acres to Achillis Haskins
• Spotsylvania County, VA Deed Book L 1785-1788: March 20, 1786. Thomas Mastin and Priscilla, his wife, of Spots. Co. to Edmund Daniel of Caroline Co. 87 pounds curr. 100 a. in Spots. Co., etc., etc. Wm Cannon, Elizabeth Keith, Jno Mastin. Septr. 5, 1786. (Deed when Edmund moved from Caroline County, VA to Spotsylvania.)
• Spotsylvania County, VA Deed Book O. 4 January 1795 Edmund Daniel witnesses deed between John Arnold of Spots. Co., to his mother Mary Arnold and her children Sarah, Anthony, Mary Rice, William Arnold and Isabella Mastin. Relinquish his right to estate of his father Anthony Arnold, except the land, to his brothers and sisters. Mother conveys to him negro wench Nan. Witnesses Edmd Daniel, Jno Millbank, Elizabeth Salmon. Recorded Setpr 1, 1795
• Spotsylvania County, Virginia; Deed Book B; page 205: (dated May 1796): Edmund Daniel appointed his son, Reuben, as his attorney-in-fact in relation to the estate of "my loving Brother William Daniel late of the State of Georgia."
  
• Wilkes County, Georgia; Will Book C; page 53: Executed Feb. 1791: The will of William Daniel lists his brothers as Edmund, Samuel, and Jonathan (This will and other records show that Elijah and Mary Hawes Daniel had Agnis, Edmund, William, Samuel and Jonathan. There may have been another brother, Jacob, who died before William Daniel made his will.).
• Spotsylvania, VA Will Book F. 1798-1800: Daniel, Edmond, Spotsylvania Co., d. Oct 1, 1799, Executors Bond data Dec. 3, 1799. Wit. George Bronaugh, Anthony Arnold, Sarah Arnold. Ex. Son Reuben Daniel, James Robbins. Legatee, wife Peggy Daniel; sons Reuben and Tomson Daniel. Page 103). (There were minor children who were not named in the will.)
• Bill of complaint and answer, Daniel &c. vs. Daniel, Spotsylvania County Court of Chancery, Virginia, 1801: To the worshipful Court of Spotsylvania County now in Chancery sitting. Humbly complaining shew to your worships your Orators and Oratrixes, Thomson Daniel, Reuben Daniel, Elijah Curtis and Nancy his wife, formerly Nancy Daniel, John Cash & Milley his wife, formerly Milley Daniel, John Long and Sally his wife, formerly Sally Daniel, Thomas Massey & Betsy his wife, formerly Betsy Daniel, Dorsey Daniel and Edmond Daniel by Reuben Daniel his Guardian. which sd Thomson, Reuben, Nancy, Sally, Milly, Betsy, Dorsey & Edmund are Children, and Devises of Edmund Daniel deceased, that the sd Edmund late of Spotsylvania County deceased.... (This is a long record, a suit against the widow of Edmund Daniel by her children, so names all of them)
  

    Of the sons of Elijah and Mary Hawes Daniel (Edmund, William, Samuel and Jonathan), only Edmund has been traced. William Daniel's will suggests that he may have had two daughters who were grown and married when he made the will. There is only a brief mention of Jonathan in Spotsylvania County, VA records. It has not been possible to distinguish Samuel from the numerous other Samuel Daniels in records. A few researchers list him as Samuel Hawes Daniel, but no primary record evidence has been found to support this. He may be the Samuel Daniel who settled in Culpeper County and served in the Revolutionary War from the county. This Samuel named his eldest son Elijah. He died in Culpeper in 1828. The pension application of his wife gives details of his life and family.
    Of the sons of Edmund and Peggy Daniel, Reuben and Thomson appear to have remained in Virginia and those lines may have daughtered out, as no male Daniels from this line have been identified. An exhaustive search of these lines has not yet been undertaken, though.  Considerable research on the line of Reuben Daniel is made available by a descendant and is a source for some of the information presented here.
    Edmund Daniel Jr. 1784-1853 married Frances Sims Herndon, daughter of John Herndon and Elizabeth Wood, on 17  September 1818, probably in Spotsylvania County, VA. They moved to Kentucky and were in the 1820 Madison County and 1830 Garrard County censuses. They moved to Monroe County, MO and were in the 1840 and 1850 censuses there. Several of their children moved to Dallas County, TX where a history of that county incorrectly reports that Edmund Jr. 1784-1853 died in 1835, but census records clearly show that this is an error. Edmund and Frances had a large family: James H. b. 1819, Eliza Jane b. 1821, William b. 1822, Sally Ann b. 1824 , John Herndon b. 1826 d. 1911, Edmond b. 1827 d, 1870, Dudley Franklin b. 1829, Thompson W. b. 1832, Eliza Frances b. 1834, Henry George b. 1837 d. 1908 and Curtis B. b. 1839 d. 1905.
    A Y DNA test which was taken by a descendant of John Herndon Daniel, from his son John Herndon Daniel Jr., proves that Elijah Daniel was closely connected to William Daniel Jr. 1705-1782 of Caroline County, VA and probably a son of William Daniel Sr.1680-1765 of Caroline County, VA.