Americus C. Daily
 

AMERICUS C. DAILY Americus C. Daily, for years a prominent business man of Lebanon, Boone county, Indiana, and a well-known politician whose reputation was state wide, was the descendant of an old and well-known family of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and sprung from the sterling Scotch-Irish stock which added so much character to the early history of the Keystone state. His great-grandfather, David Daily, a native of the north of Ireland, came to America in company with two brothers in the time of the colonies. He was a patriot in the war of Independence, throughout which he served with distinction. One of his brothers settled in Virginia, the other in Montreal, Canada, and both became widely and favorably known in their respective localities. David Daily, grandfather of Americus C., was for some years a farmer of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in which state he married Elizabeth Overfield, a member of a distinguished family, and reared ten children. He was a pioneer of Ohio, moving to Miami county, that state, as early as 1816, and resided there until 1833, at which time he came to Boone county, Indiana, locating near Thorntown, where his death occurred in 1860, at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. Charles Daily, son of the above and father of Americus C., was born December 23, 1810, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and by occupation was a harness maker, which calling he followed at various places for a period of twenty-five years. He married in Clark county, Ohio, Mary Hay, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Johnson) Hay, and became the father of six children, the following being their names: Benjamin O., who was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana; Americus C., Henry H., Samuel R., Charles O. and David H., who were born in New Carlisle, Ohio. It is a fact worthy of note that no death occurred in the family of Mr. Daily or in any of the families of his children until he had been married over sixty years. Charles Daily became a resident of Boone county, Indiana, in 1880 and retired from active life about the same year in very comfortable circumstances. Financially, he met with most encouraging success, was for many years a class leader in the Methodist church and died ripe in years and full of honors at Lebanon, November 2, 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-three. The chief characteristics of this most excellent man were strict integrity, a high sense of honor and a retiring disposition, and he is remembered as a great lover of his home and family. Mrs. Daily was in every respect a fit companion and helpmate of such a husband and followed in his footsteps a few years later.

Americus C. Daily, the principal facts of whose life are herewith set forth, was born March 10, 1835, in New Carlisle, Ohio, in the schools of which place he received his elementary education. Later he pursued his studies for some years in the Linden Hill Academy, where he obtained a knowledge of the higher branches of learning under the instruction of Prof. Thomas Harrison, A. M., D. D., a noted educator of Ohio, formerly assistant editor of the Western Christian Advocate, and subsequently president of Moores Hill college. The following notice of Mr. Daily, given without solicitation by Professor Harrison, was indeed a most flattering testimonial to the young man's assiduity and worth as a student: "Over thirty years ago, while I was principal of Linden Hill Academy in Ohio, Mr. A. C. Daily was a student of the institution. His parents were upright and industrious citizens and he early learned from them the importance and advantage of a correct life. Too much can not be said of his many excellent qualities. As a student he had a strong, clear and vigorous intellect, and he readily grasped the various branches of knowledge he studied. His industry and perseverance were unceasing. His moral character was without a blemish. He was always respectful to his instructors and obedient to the regulations of the institution. He was kind and obliging to his fellow-students, and among them was a universal favorite. His parents assisted him in obtaining an education and he faithfully co-operated with them in the great work."

In 1855, when twenty years of age, Mr. Daily came to Boone county, Indiana, and accepted the position of deputy county treasurer under his uncle, John C. Daily, in which capacity he continued until the expiration of the latter's term of office, when he became clerk in the auditor's office, discharging the duties of the same until 1860. In that year he was appointed clerk of the Boone county circuit court to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Henry Shannon, and in 1861 was elected trustee of Center township. In 1862, Mr. Daily was complimented by being elected to the office of county auditor, the duties of which position he discharged in a manner highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to his constituency for one term, and in 1867, in partnership with Judge L. C. Daugherty and Maj. Harvey G. Hazelrigg, organized the Lebanon Bank, a private institution, which from the beginning had the confidence of the people and proved highly successful. In 1882 the bank was reorganized as the Lebanon National bank, with A. C. Daily as president; Levi Lane, vice-president, and Samuel S. Daily, cashier; the capital stock at that time being $60,000.

Mr. Daily was public spirited in all the term implies and was untiring in his efforts toward building up the city of Lebanon and developing the resources of Boone county. For six consecutive years he was secretary of the Boone County Agricultural Society, much of the success of which is due to his executive ability and he was always liberal with his means in the promotion of any and all enterprises having for their object the moral and material well being of the community. For some years he was treasurer of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Dealers' Association, a state organization.

Fraternally, Mr. Daily was a Mason of the thirty-second degree and also belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both subordinate lodge and encampment, in the former of which he held every official position. He was a member of the grand lodge of the state and was honored by being chosen to represent Indiana in the Sovereign grand lodge at Topeka, Kansas, in 1890, and in St. Louis in 1891. It will thus be seen that Mr. Daily's life was one of great activity; his official and business career was without the slightest taint of suspicion and he stood deservedly high among the people of Boone county, who learned to respect him for his integrity and other excellent traits of character. Mr. Daily was a Republican in politics and as such was untiring in his efforts to promote the interests of his party in Boone county and throughout the state. In April, 1894, he was nominated for the office of auditor of the state and in the November following was triumphantly elected by a state plurality of forty-four thousand seven hundred seventy three, his majority in his own county of Boone being one hundred and fifty-eight ahead of his ticket, showing him to be a prime favorite. In 1896 he succeeded himself with a favorable majority. For this position his abilities eminently fitted him and in this connection it is proper to quote from the note of Professor Harrison, to which reference was made in a preceding paragraph, relative to his ability to fill positions of trust, in the event of his election: "That he has succeeded so admirably as a noble American citizen is only what may be expected. To whatever position the votes of the people may elevate him, he will most assuredly fill with the highest credit."

Mr. Daily married Maggie F. McCorkle, daughter of Solomon and Ruth Culver McCorkle, of Champaign county, Ohio, and two children were born to this union, Charles E. and Blanche. Mrs. Daily was a member of the Methodist church and Mr. Daily held for years the position of trustee in the Lebanon congregation. He died June 4, 1907.

Submitted by: Amy K. Davis
Source: "History of Boone County, Indiana," by Hon. L. M. Crist, 1914.

A. C. DAILY - It is pleasure we present our patrons with a brief biography of A. C. Daily, together with his portrait. Mr. Daily was born at New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio, and being one of the oldest of a large family of children, whose parents were in rather humble circumstances, and of an ambitious disposition, he, at the tender age of ten years, began life for himself. A good education was his first purpose in life, and to this end, after completing the course laid down in the public schools, he gained admission as a student in Linden Hill Academy, of his native place. Here he preserved in his studies until the course was almost completed, when he was tendered a position in the office of John C. Daily (Old Cal. as he was known), treasurer of this -- Boone -- county, which position he
accepted, but had barely entered upon the discharge of its duties, when James A. Nunn, auditor of this county, appointed him deputy in that office, where he remained for eight years, and was then honored by the voters of this county by election as auditor, which office he filled for the term of four years.

March 11, 1858, Mr. Daily was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Blue, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, who only survived until November 23, 1863, when occurred the first great sorrow of his life, the loss of his young and devoted wife. Mr. Daily’s second marriage occurred December 19, 1867, when he held to the alter Miss Maggie McCorkel, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio. The latter marriage has been blessed by the birth of four interesting children, two of whom only survive.

In the spring of 1860, the county commissioners appointed Mr. Daily as clerk of the Boone Circuit Court, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Henry Shannon, and his party, the Democracy, nominated him for its candidate for that office at the election of that year, but numbers were against the success of the party at the election and his competitor, Mr. S. A. Lee, was elected. In 1862 Mr. Daily was nominated by the Republicans as their candidate for auditor of the county and he was triumphantly elected, which office he filled for four years in such a manner as to reflect great credit to the people of his county. In March, 1867, Mr. Daily, the late Major H. G. Hazelrigg, and the late Judge L. C. Dougherty formed a stock company and organized the Lebanon Bank, which name and organization were maintained until the year 1882, when it organized under the national banking laws as the Lebanon National Bank, with Mr. Daily as president, and his brother, S. S. Daily, as cashier. Mr. Daily is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, being a Past Master of Boone Lodge, No. 9; a companion of Lebanon Chapter, No. 39, R. A. M.; also of Boone Council No. 45, R. and S. M.; is a Knight Templar of Frankfort Commandery, and has attained to the 32nd[?] in the Scottish Rite. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. of long standing, and has since the year 1861 been a member of the finance committee at almost every meeting of the Grand Lodge of that noble order, which shows in what esteem he is held by his brothers and fellows.

Mr. Daily was a stockholder at the reorganization of the Boone County Agricultural Society, and was the first secretary of that society, serving in that capacity for five consecutive years. He was at one time a director in what is now known as the Midland Railroad Company, and labored hard to have that road completed to Lebanon. He is at present one of the directors of the natural gas company, and is thoroughly in earnest in the matter of developing the resources of our country.

Mr. Daily represented this district as a delegate to the National Republican convention, at Chicago, that nominated the Hon. James G. Blaine for the presidency in 1884, and worked hard to carry out the wishes of his constituency. That he succeeded they all bear testimony.

Mr. Daily’s political friends presented his name before the Republican state convention last year for nomination for the office of Auditor of State, but Mr. Bruce Carr was the recipient of that honor.

Mr. Daily has never formally connected himself with any church, but is at present a member of the board of trustees of the M. E. Church, in Lebanon, his aged mother’s church, and greatly assisted that body in the erection of its beautiful new house of worship in the summer of 1886.

Mr. Daily is a great admirer of blooded stock, and as such has a number of fine horses and Jersey cattle that are the pride of his leisure hours. He is also the treasurer and a member of the executive committee of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Breeders’ Association.

The life of Mr. Daily has been a successful one, and is due to the resolution formed in boyhood to "act well his part," and in the various positions which he has been called upon to fill we find that unfaltering devotion to principles of honesty that characterize the lives of our successful men.

Personally Mr. Daily is rather a heavy set, square shouldered man, with dark hair and eyes, an open countenance. His convictions are plain and are not easily transformed.
 

Submitted by: Jane A. Heine
Source: "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana," Harden & Spahr, Lebanon, Ind., May, 1887.