He was born into slavery. He died a millionaire.

And in the space between, Daniel Webster "80 John" Wallace became one of the greatest cowboys the West has ever known.

He came into the world on September 15, 1860, on a plantation in Victoria County, Texas, three months after his mother, Mary Barber, was sold to the O'Daniel family. He grew up on the same land where his parents had toiled.

As a child, Daniel watched the cowboys ride out in the early morning, the rhythm of hooves and the crack of leather branding themselves into his imagination. While other children played in the yard, he sat quietly; listening to stories, watching the men saddle up, dreaming of the day he might ride alongside them.

At fifteen, he ran away. He joined a cattle drive not as a drover, but as a spare hand and horse wrangler. A nobody. But he didn’t stay that way for long. He worked harder, rode faster, and proved himself on the trail, day after punishing day.

Over the years, Wallace worked for the biggest names in the business. He worked for C.C. Slaughter, Andrew B. Robertson, and Clay Mann, riding across Texas under sun and snow, through stampedes, swollen rivers, Comanche raids, and blistering sandstorms.

And as he worked, he earned something rarer than riches: respect.

It was Clay Mann who helped him take the next step. To not just to ride for a brand, but to build one. In 1885, they struck a deal: Wallace would save part of his wages, Mann would provide free pasture, and together they’d build something new. Mann’s cattle brand was an 80, and out on the range, they called him “80 Clay” Mann. Working his herd, Daniel earned his own trail name:

“80 John.”

That same year, Wallace bought his first land. He was just 25. He went back to school. And from then on, education became a core value of the brand he was building.

With his wife Laura by his side, 80 John carved out a ranching empire, installing the area’s first windmill, raising a family, and ensuring that each of his children and grandchildren had a path to college. His legacy was not just in cattle, but in classrooms and church halls, where the Wallace family gave back, quietly and generously.

Three of his four children became teachers. A local school was named in his honor. His ranch became not just a business, but a beacon.

By the time of his death on March 28, 1939, 80 John Wallace had amassed a net worth of over one million dollars, a staggering achievement for a man who began life as property.

But more than his wealth, it was his name that carried weight.

Integrity.

Wisdom.

Progress.

Respect.

He joined the Texas Cattle Raisers Association, attended meetings where few Black cowboys ever stepped foot, and built friendships that crossed color lines and cultural divides. He wasn’t just respected, he was admired, a man other cowboys looked up to.

His descendants still live on that land.

The buildings from the original Wallace homestead were moved to the National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech, now a monument to what he built, and how far he rode to build it.

On April 15, 2023, Daniel Webster “80 John” Wallace was inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners. I had the honor of meeting his family that day, and hearing firsthand the stories that shaped his legacy.

His was a story of resilience, grit, and uncommon vision.

A cowboy.

A rancher.

A leader.

A legend.

80 John Wallace didn’t just ride for the brand, he became the brand—a brand built on honor, grit, hard work, intelect, and perseverance, and a brand that is still riding strong.

https://80johnwallace.com/