O.L. “Mac” McDaniel
O.L. “Mac” McDaniel
Phoenix - Maricopa County
Inducted in 2018
A farmer, a rancher and a state politician, O.L. McDaniel served his state and his country through a very difficult period in its history.
Born into a farming family in San Saba, Texas in 1902. O.L. “Mac” McDaniel was the son of W. A. and Lou Tishie McDaniel. When he was 15 the family moved to Arizona because of his mother’s health. Upon reaching Phoenix, the family camped at the fairground and began looking for property on which to build their future.
O.L. attended Phoenix Union High School where he met his future wife, Audra Cartwright, when they became good friends. When Audra’s father bought her a car, O.L. would ride his horse to her house and then she would drive him and “the gang” to school. A generous man, Audra’s father presented the young couple with a large parcel of land at 43rd Avenue and Camelback Road and Grand Avenue when they married in 1922.
To accommodate his grain crop, O.L. built a silo on his property. He set aside approximately ten acres on which he planted cotton. Around that time the cattle market dropped to around two cents a pound. Manfred Cartwright brought all of his cattle over and gave them to O.L, who pastured them hoping the market would bounce back. It did.
He and his father-in-law formed a partnership that was beneficial to both. In the summer the cattle would graze on Cartwright’s CC Ranch in Seven Springs and then they would be fattened up at O.L’s feed lot on his Glendale ranch. O.L. would then drive the herd to Tovrea’s Stockyards down a dirt road that is now called Camelback Road.
There is an interesting story about Manfred Cartwright. He built a road into his ranch at Seven Springs, which is still in use today. Dynamite was used during the building process. At one point a rattlesnake pit was blown up. His niece, Mary Bell, reflected on what a sight that must have been with rattlesnakes flying in all directions. One of the snakes, the largest at that time, was skinned and eventually wound up at the Fair Grounds. It hung there until it was stolen.
In 1938, O.L. was urged to run for the Arizona House of Representatives from Glendale’s District 12. He was elected Speaker of the Arizona House by acclamation. As Speaker McDaniel successfully enabled passage of legislation that guaranteed Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River Water. He successfully pushed for legislation which included a pension fund for teachers. In his letter supporting O.L. McDaniel’s nomination to the Hall of Fame, Tom Chauncey II said, “His work continued as an Arizona senator who would receive a personal commendation from then President Truman, for his work to protect the nation’s economy against the impact of WWII.”
In his letter, President Harry S. Truman said, “I thank you for your selfless service in your country’s need as a volunteer worker for the OFFICE OF PRICE ADMINISTRATION. With your help, our Nation has been able to protect its economy against the impact of total war and to assure its consumers fair prices and a fair distribution of needed goods. As a patriotic citizen, you have demonstrated your loyalty and devotion in a period of great national danger. Your community and your country will not forget your contribution to victory over our enemies and look to you now for leadership and example in the continuing fight against inflation.”
In addition to his other work, O.L. became Arizona’s first Racing Commissioner.
O.L. McDaniel passed away in 1977.
Affiliations
1938 elected Arizona State House of Representatives - Speaker of the House 1943-44
Arizona State Senate
Arizona Cattle Feeders’ Association - President 1947-48
Past board member Arizona delegation – 1952 & 1956 Democratic National Convention – appointed door keeper
Presidential aide de camp - President Truman
Wartime Price & Rationing Board – Chairman 1943
Arizona’s first Racing Commissioner
