As a child Daniel was thought to be rather slow and hheshowed little initiative at school. During his later school years he lived with Francis Place, one of the leading radical reformers of the era and a friend of his father. On leaving school he was apprenticed to learn bookkeeping, conveyancing and practical farming. However he soon disgraced himself and it was decided to send him off to Amsterdam and put him in a merchant’s office. Place described him as lazy, sulky and disagreeable and probably dishonest but was determined to persevere with Daniel out of respect for his father. It seems that his brothers, Edward Gibbon and Arthur were not particularly impressed with him either, they describe him as a dull, ill mannered fellow most notable for his sloth and indolence.
However by 1824 he had discovered enough energy to elope with Selina Elizabeth de Burgh much to the dismay of her parents who were not impressed by Daniel. It seems possible that he was encouraged in this enterprise by his bother Edward Gibbon. Selina died four years later without issue. By this time Daniel’s career prospects had been severely set back by the very public trial, conviction and imprisonment of his brothers Edward Gibbon and William for the abduction of a young girl.
The widowed Daniel appears to have made serious effort to get his career on track, he studied law and was eventually admitted to the bar in 1832. He also developed political ambitions and was involved in parliamentary reform campaign. Eventually he stood for Parliament in the Borough of Lambeth but was unsuccessful, largely because of his brother’s reputations. It was following this that he joined what was becoming the family business, Colonization. Brother Edward Gibbon was involved in the South Australia Scheme and Daniel got dragged in too.. At one stage Daniel expected to be appointed South Australia’s first judge and on the strength of that he married a second time, in 1834, to Angela Attwood, apparently with her parent’s consent. However Daniel was not appointed judge and eventually all the Wakefields withdrew from the South Australia Scheme.
By 1843 Daniel had left his wife in disgrace when he infected her with an unpleasant social disease. He was also had gambling debts to the value of several thousand pounds. Edward Gibbon took over and organized his escape. Daniel was sent out to New Plymouth, New Zealand under a false name; later he went on to Wellington and joined his brother William doing legal work for New Zealand Company.
In 1847 he was appointed Crown Solicitor, a year later Standing Counsel for the Maori and then Attorney General for the province. At the same time his wife rejoined him after a separation of five years bringing with them their two children, Selina and Marcus. Tragically Selina died a few months later. However in October 1849 their third child, Alice was born.
In 1853 brother Edward Gibbon finally arrived in Wellington and immediately began a vigorous campaign against Governor George Grey. Unfortunately Daniel immediately got drawn into the fray and was manoeveured into a position when he had to resign as Attorney General. However two years later he was asked, temporarily to become an acting judge and was duly sworn in. He was first judge to be appointed in New Zealand from among those who had practiced law in New Zealand. He is also, so far, the only judge to have been appointed after entering the country under a false name. He continued in this position until October, 1857 when ill health forced him to resign.
He died in Wellington early in 1858.