NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG2985.AM: Daley Family
Papers: 1840-1866
Size: 1 reel of microfilm
BACKGROUND NOTE
Samuel William Thomas Daley was born February 28, 1818 in Queen Anne County, Maryland, the son of Samuel M. and Nancy Price Daley. As a young man, he was a cabinet maker in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Later he became a building and home contractor in Baltimore. He came to Nebraska Territory, Sarpy County, at the age of 37 shortly after his father’s death in early 1855. He made the trip out west to make arrangements for land, returning later for his wife, Frances E. (Rowles) Daley; and children, John D., age 11; Lucretia E., age 9; Samuel W. T., Jr., age 3; and Frances P., age 1. Mrs. Harriet Rowles, his wife’s mother, 57; Mrs. Rowles’ mother, Mrs. Pricilla Donaldson, 82; and a young man who had made his home with the Daley’s, Richard Cain, also came with them. Mr. Daley died in 1857 at the age of 39.
The Wm. D. Rowles mentioned in the letters was Samuel Daley, Sr.’s brother-in-law, and Mrs. John Seaton was a sister to Mrs. Daley. William Rowles and John Seaton had the “Seaton and Rowles” general merchandise store in Bellevue, Neb. Both served in the Nebraska Territorial legislature for a number of years. Mr. Rowles also held many Sarpy County offices.
Mr. Joseph Dyson, a cousin of Mrs. Frances Daley, had a lime kiln west of LaPlatte, Sarpy County, Nebraska.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of approximately 100 items on one reel of microfilm arranged in six series: 1) Correspondence of S.W.T. Daley, 1855; 2) Correspondence of Chas. Bodensick, 1858; 3) Correspondence of Wm. D. Rowles, 1863; 4) Correspondence of John D. Daley, 1865-1866; 5) Diaries of S.W.T. Daley, 1840-1841, 1845-1847, & 1855-1857; and 6) Miscellany. The bulk of this collection consists of correspondence received by Frances Daley, wife of Samuel Daley. The correspondence from Samuel relates to his trip from Baltimore, Maryland to Neb. Territory in 1855. These letters are very detailed in their narrative of the journey. The letters of John Daley relate to his experiences in Co. E, 1st Nebraska Cavalry, stationed at Post Cottonwood (later Fort McPherson). These letters make no revealing statements about army life. The diaries of Samuel William Thomas Daley contain daily routine notes on weather and work accomplished. Also included are miscellaneous deeds, clippings, certificates, and obituaries of Daley Family members.
DESCRIPTION
Reel 1
Series 1 – Correspondence of Samuel William Thomas Daley, 1855
Series 2 – Correspondence of Charles Bodensick, 1858
Series 3 – Correspondence of William D. Rowles, 1863
Series 4 – Correspondence of John D. Daley, 1865-1866
Series 5 – Diaries of Samuel William Thomas Daley, 1840-1857
Series 6 – Miscellany (family mementos)
ADDED ENTRIES:
Bellevue (Neb.) — History
Bodensick, Charles
Daley family
Daley, John D.
Daley, Samuel William Thomas, 1818-1857
Fort McPherson (Neb.)
Overland journeys — Personal narratives
Post Cottonwood (Nebraska Territory)
Rowles, William D.
Sarpy County (Neb.) — History
United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Personal narratives
JEP/DDS/pmc 03-21-1972
Revised KFK/dco 2000
Encoded TMM 03-24-2010
