the john muir exhibit - geography - daniel muir headstone
Daniel Muir's Gravesite
In 1885, John Muir visited Kansas City, Missouri, to visit his father,
Daniel, who was on his deathbed. In late August of that year, while
living in California, John had "the
most powerful inner compulsion" he had ever known, sensing that he
must go east if he would see his father alive. Muir traveled east,
stopping at Shasta and Yellowstone on the way, and gathered up his
siblings in Portage, Wisconsin and nearby Nebraska, insisting that
they visit their father in Kansas City where he was visiting Muir's
sister Joanna and her family. Muir's brothers and sisters had several
days visiting with the 80 year-old Daniel, who died on October 6, 1885,
surrounded by 7 of his 8 children, including John Muir. Muir
shortly thereafter wrote an obituary item
about his father for the Portage Recorder newspaper.
Daniel is buried in the
historic Elmwood
Cemetery of Kansas City, Block N, Lot 57, long with 2 deceased infants
of Muir's sister Joanna and and her husband Walter Brown. The cemetery
has no record that there was ever a headstone originally for Daniel
Muir. In May, 2004, the Muir-Hanna Family Trust donated a headstone, shown
below, to commemorate him.
The headstone reads:
"Daniel Muir, 1804-1885, Father of Naturalist John
Muir, donated by the Muir-Hanna Family Trust."
Photo Courtesy of Elmwood
Cemetery.
See also: Daniel Muir - Bio and portrait.
Home | Alphabetical
Index | What's
New