1895-1964
1895 |
Born in Buffalo. Father: Julius N. - Disappeared shortly after Daniel was born. Mother: Amelia ("Molly") Daniel - Died shortly after Daniel was born. Brother: Adolph. Daniel and Adolph raised by maternal aunt Laney and her husband George Magrum in the German section of Buffalo. |
1908(?) |
Left school after 8th grade. As teenagers, he and brother Adolph opened printing business using home printing press |
1911 |
At age 16, employed as a junior engineer of the NY Central Railroad. |
1912 |
At age 17, employed as an assistant engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad. |
1914 |
Entered the military as second lieutenat in WWI; assigned as construction officer at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas. |
1919 | Employed as engineer of construction at John W. Cowper Construction Co. at National Aniline. |
1920 |
Married
Grace Eggert Miller. Moved into the house at 169 S. Cayuga Rd.,
Williamsville, that Daniel had built for his bride and future family. |
1922 |
Child Betty Jean born |
1926 |
Child Molly Grace born |
1929-30 |
Mayor of Village of Williamsville |
1944 |
Named president of the John W. Cowper Co. |
1947 |
Daniel
and and his wife buy and restore Williamsville Water Mills. The Mills were operated by his wife's family
from 1864-1908. |
1952 |
Chairman of the Building Committee for Calvary Episcopal Church in Williamsville |
1952 |
Gifts Calvary Episcopal Church in Williamsville a carillon, carillon tower, chapel reredos |
1952 |
One of the founders of the Williamsville Historical Society. Served as the only president until his death in 1964. |
1955 |
Daniel
and his wife present to the Williamsville Historical Society a large
painting made in 1894 of the Williamsville Water Mills. Painting currently (2012) hangs in the Amherst Museum. |
1956 |
Named Layman of the Year and received the Bishop's Cross from the Right Rev. Lauriston L. Scaife, Episcopal bishop. |
1958-1962 | On the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Board of Managers |
1963-1964 |
President of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. As President, he led the successful fight to preserve the 1833 "Chinaman's Lighthouse" at the Coast Guard Base on the Buffalo waterfront, and so the movement gained steam on the Niagara Frontier. Often referred to as the "father" of the historic preservation movement in Western New York. |
1963 | Named Chairman of the Board of John W. Cowper Co. |
1964 |
Dies. |
1975-present |
The Buffalo History Museum annually presents the Daniel B. Niederlander Award for outstanding programming by a local education, cultural or heritage organization. |
Source: Sue Miller Young, A History of the Town of Amherst NY. Pub. 1965, pp. 149-150 |
Source: Sue Miller Young, A History of the Town of Amherst NY. Pub. 1965, p. 178 |
Cowper-constructed buildings: |
From left: Frances Daniel Miller (wife of Edward B. Miller) and daughters: Grace (married Daniel B. Niederlander), Ruth, Sue. Photo courtesy of Betty Niederlander Murphy. |
Sons of Edward B. and Frances Daniel Miller: Edward, Warren (Barney) and Benjamin. Photo courtesy of Betty Niederlander Murphy. |
169 S. Cayuga Rd.,
Williamsville, the house that Daniel built for his bride and future family in 1919-20.
1982 photo courtesy of Betty Niederlander Murphy. |
Source: Joseph A. Grande, Glancing Back: A Pictorial History of Amherst, New York. Pub. 2000. |