William Daniel Julian was born at Center Hill, Houston Co., TX, August 28, 1892.  The first Julian came in 1850 and established a settlement named Julian in which a post office by that name was located.

Dan Julian graduated from Kennard High School in 1911.  Homer West and others tell of a teacher named Lollard who inspired many of the pupils of that day to attend institutions of higher learning.  Prof. Lollard did inspire Dan Julian who worked in the office of the Four C Mill between Kennard and Ratcliff for about a year, and then went to SMU Pharmacy School.  He received his degree in 1915, and was for many years the only graduate pharmacist in Houston County.  His first job after graduation was at Wharton.  With his father's death in December 1916, he returned to Houston County.  He entered service from Houston County during World War I, hoping to be sent to France but was held at San Antonio and spent the war as a medical corpsman.  He had at that time met Lois Miller, who later became his wife.

After the war, he worked at Bratton Drug, Palestine, TX.  He and Lois were married Dec. 20, 1920, and moved to Denison where he worked for Burtis Drug.  Their only son was born in Denison Sept. 15, 1921.  They returned to Crockett soon thereafter and he worked in Crockett Drug Company, located in the Pickwick Hotel.  This was the same drug company which had earlier been operated by Harry Beasley,  Mrs. Julian's uncle.  This business was sold to Tom Hariston and others and Dan Julian entered a partnership to form Goolsby-Julian Drug Store, the NE corner of the square, former location of Bishop's Drug Company.  This partnership was dissolved in 1935, and Julian operated at that location with Terry Van Pelt.  In 1938, he purchased the old Baker Drug Store and located on the SE corner of the square, re-opening as City Drug which ahe and wife operated until he suffered a crippling stroke.

Dan Julian was short, solid-plump and red headed, at least, more red-headed than haired.  In his youth he was a good baseball player and in and around Kennard and Ratcliff was known as a good hitter.  He played ball with such as Walter English who later served as captain of the University of Texas baseball team.

Julian's life was taken up with his profession.  Until he died, he went to work at eight each morning, Monday through Saturday, staying at work until nine each night.  On Sunday, he worked from nine till 11 in the morning, re-opening the store at three in the afternoon and staying until after four o'clock.  He was on call at all hours.

'Mr. Dan' loved boys and he loved sports.  He, Coach John Royal and W.L. Jordan, two Crockett coaches and teachers, were very instrumental in 'recruiting' athletes from surrounding communities and seeing that they came to Crockett to school and getting them places to live and eat.  For years, he obtained sporting equipment for the school at cost.

The Crockett Lion, issued a special citation to Dan and Lois Julian in 1953 regarding their life of community service.

By: W.D. Julian, III

Source: "History of Houston County, Texas 1687-1979" - copyright Eliza Bishop