Dan E. Kilgore

Dan E. Kilgore

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Daniel Edmond Kilgore was born eight miles north of downtown Dallas on May 16, 1921. He inherited a dedication to hard work and learning from his parents, and his self-discipline was reinforced by his experiences as a youngster during the Depression. His life was also affected by polio, which he contracted when he was eighteen months old.

Dan attended Dallas public schools and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1939. He received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1943 and returned for another year (1943–1944) to take advanced accounting courses.

In the fall of 1946, Dan moved to Corpus Christi, where he worked as a highly respected Certified Public Accountant until his retirement in 1986. In 1956, he married Carol Isensee of Clarkwood, a small community near Corpus Christi. They resided in Clarkwood, where they raised their three children.

In 1947, Dan began collecting books on Corpus Christi and Texas history while also pursuing history as an avocation. He became a founding member of both the Nueces County Historical Society and the Nueces County Historical Commission and was involved in many other groups dedicated to the local past. Early in his career as a collector, he joined the Texas State Historical Association and began attending its annual Texana auction. He formed friendships with Texana dealer William Morrison, Sr., and over the years cultivated relationships with many other sellers of Texas and Western books.

Dan became renowned as a Texas book collector, known for his meticulous eye for rare items at reasonable prices. His home library, lined with his carefully assembled collection, served as both a refuge and a creative outlet.

In 1976–1977, Dan served as president of the Texas State Historical Association. Upon his election, the Southwestern Historical Quarterly described him as “a demon collector.” Colleen Kain, who worked closely with him during his term, noted that he elevated the annual Texana auction by encouraging members of the book trade to donate significant items. As a result of his efforts, auction proceeds in 1977 more than tripled over the previous year, setting a precedent for future events.

A dedicated scholar, Dan not only collected Texas history literature but also contributed to it, authoring books, articles, and reviews. His works include A Ranger Legacy: 150 Years of Service to Texas (Madrona Press, Inc., 1973); How Did Davy Die? (Texas A&M University Press, 1978), which originated as his 1977 TSHA presidential address; “Two Sixshooters and a Sunbonnet: The Story of Sally Skull” (Texas Folklore Society, Number XLIII); “Corpus Christi: A Quarter Century of Development, 1900–1925,” The Southwestern Historical Quarterly (April 1972); and “Texas Cattle Origins,” The Cattleman (January 1983). Through his writings and presentations, he helped Corpus Christi residents better understand their city’s past. He was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas and an honorary member of the Former Texas Rangers Association.

In 1984, Dan transferred his collection to Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (then Corpus Christi State University). By that time, it included approximately eight thousand volumes and around forty-five cubic feet of manuscript materials related to local history. The Kilgore Collection became a centerpiece of the university’s Special Collections & Archives Department. Dan remained closely connected to the collection, continuing to donate materials and serving as Texana bibliographer ex officio until his death in 1995. He was always willing to share his extensive knowledge of Texas and local history.

Dan Kilgore was a practical man of conservative principles and regular habits. He bore his physical disabilities with stoicism and was known for his civility, thoughtful speech, and quiet wit. The Texas State Historical Association recognized his many contributions by inducting him as a Fellow in 1991, an honor he greatly treasured.

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Photo courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.