Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III, Part 99

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933
Publication date: 1934
Publisher: New York, American historical Society
Number of Pages: 700

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Mr. Dailey's father, William H. Dailey, was born in Kerry, Ireland, in 1844 and was one of a family of thirteen children. At the age of five years he was brought to Montreal, Canada, in the company of his parents. Not long afterward the family crossed the international boundary and settled in Ludlow, Vermont. He was educated in the public schools of that town and then took up farming. Subsequently he went to work as a teamster for the Ludlow Woolen Mills and still later entered the employ of the Black River Woolen Mills as a factory hand. Due to a severe injury, he gave up work at the mills and became con- nected with the public school department of Lud- low. He died in April, 1929. In his obituary in the Ludlow, Vermont, "Tribune," of April 26, he was spoken of as "one of Ludlow's oldest and most highly respected citizens." His wife, who was Mary Sullivan, was born in Danby, Vermont, and died in January, 1909. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dailey: I. John H., died March 2, 1930. 2. Nellie, now Mrs. John E. Keating. 3. Joseph E. 4. Timothy F., of whom further. 5. Catherine, now Mrs. Arthur Page. 6. Henry G. 7. Margaret. 8. Daniel, died in infancy.

Timothy F. Dailey was born in Ludlow, Ver- mont, January 24, 1880, and received his educa- tion in the public schools and Black River Academy in his native town. While pursuing his studies and during vacation period he was industriously busying himself with doing many different kinds of work. In addition he helped his father with the home work. The Daileys lived in the vil- lage, but a village home then was much like a small farm. At a tender age he was employed in the woolen mills on an average of eleven and one- quarter hours a day during the school vacation seasons. Hc sold newspapers on the streets-the weeklies at first, and afterwards when the dailies came, making five dollars a week-some weeks, when business was good. At this time he also earned fifteen cents a night-when the moon didn't shine-lighting the street lamps. In the summer- time he drove twenty or thirty cows to pasture

Cincothy F. Dailey

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and then back at night for the milking. In the winter he took care of stoves for different people and institutions, removed ashes, shoveled snow. In the open seasons he did various odd jobs, as mowing lawns; always a hard worker, often rising at 4 A. M. in order to complete his tasks in time to get to school. His health became delicate, but he kept right on and became so expert at base- ball that he was looked upon as possible "big league timber." For ten years (1895-1905) he was an outstanding first-baseman on fast semi-profes- sional teams in Vermont.

At the age of fourteen, he became an appren- tice to the Ludlow, Vermont, "Tribune," to learn the printer's trade. At the head of this paper was the Rev. Evan Thomas, who preached the baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class at Black River Academy, of which former President Calvin Coolidge was a member. Two years and a half passed, and Mr. Dailey was made foreman of the "Tribune" plant. During this association of eight years he was advanced to superintendent and elected vice-president of the Vermont Printing Company, of which John G. Sargent, former At- torney-General of the United States, was president. In 1903 he went to the Randall-Sleeper Press, where he remained two years, and later was with the "Springfield Reporter" at Springfield, Vermont.

Mr. Dailey came to Athol on September 15, 1905, to be foreman of the Athol Transcript Com- pany, publishers of the "Athol Transcript." After filling the position for seven years, he resigned on account of ill health. In 1912 he established the T. F. Dailey printing plant, and this business he conducted for twelve years with success. It was called one of the best small printing plants in New England, and had for its motto: "Common things done uncommonly well." He attained a reputation for thoroughness, excellence of equipment and efficiency. In 1924 he disposed of the business to Charles E. Bittinger, of Northfield.

While he was carrying forward the printing plant, he also conducted an insurance business, and the two lines grew to a size where he found it impossible to give the time to both that they de- manded of him. Since withdrawing from the printing department, he has made a fine success of his general insurance business. He is a mem- ber of the Worcester-North Fire Underwriters Association, Massachusetts Association of Insur- ance Agents, and National Association of Insur- ance Agents. His contributions to the civic ad- vance of Athol have been large and numerous in their varied applications. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and was its secretary in 1928-32. From 1926 to 1929 he served on the Athol Advisory Committee, the last two years as clerk, and at the same time was secretary of the campaign for "advertising the city of Athol." He was the first man in Worcester County to receive a medallion as a "Shareholder in America." Ap- pointed a member of the Athol-Orange joint com- mittee, created to obtain a reduction in the rates of gas and electricity, he served as secretary of that body. He was secretary of the Athol Un- employment Committee from December, 1930, to April, 1931. The Rotary Club has in him one of its most enthusiastic members, and he filled the office of vice-president in 1932-33 and of president in 1933-34. He was treasurer of the Birthday Ball for the President for Athol and neighboring towns,

January 30, 1934. It was considered the finest community event of its kind ever held in this locality, and on February I a check in the amount of $750., representing the net proceeds, was mailed to the national treasurer of this enterprise.

As has been already mentioned, Mr. Dailey is a Democrat in political alignment ; he calls himself and is known as an "independent" in his party. He is a natural political leader, and his abilities as an organizer and campaigner have won him rec- ognition in high circles of Democracy. In 1928 he was president of the Athol "Smith for President" Club, and in 1934 he was president of the "Roose- velt Club of Athol." He is a member of the Athol Democratic Town Committee and has been its sec- retary since 1930. A member of the Worcester County Democratic League, he was elected its financial secretary in 1932. He is a member of the financial committee of the Democratic State Committee and since 1930 he has been a member and the field secretary of the Jefferson Society of Massachusetts. He has been honored with the appointment of director of the "Shareholders of America" movement for Worcester County by the Democratic National Committee. A charter mem- ber of Athol Council, No. 1182, Knights of Colum- bus, he served as lecturer and a member of the entertainment committee in 1927-28. His enthu- siasm for baseball has never waned and he is known as one of the most ardent of fans. He is a communicant of the Roman Catholic 'Church. Throughout the years that he has been handicapped by a state of poor health, he has maintained a cheerful outlook on life and through sheer exercise of will-power has forged steadily ahead in the affairs and the esteem of the people of his com- munity.

Mr. Dailey married, September 28, 1910, at Athol, Inez A. Sellig, daughter of Herman and Mary (Ratigan) Sellig. They have their home at No. 434 Crescent Street, and Mr. Dailey his business address at No. 415 Main Street, Athol.

MAURICE FRANCIS REIDY-As a realtor and civic-minded citizen, Maurice Francis Reidy has contributed greatly to the advancement and betterment of the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. He is one of that too rare type of men who have vision and are courageous to back their faith in the future of a community to the limits of their re- sources and energies. He is a native of Worcester, born July 18, 1876, and was educated in the local schools including St. John's High School of which he is a graduate. While still in his teens he began making a livelihood as a clerk in the office of the Worcester Gas Light Company. From 1905 to 1909 he held a similar position with the J. T. Healy Tourist Office. He was now thirty-three years of age, and now thoroughly familiar with his native city, its commerce and manufactures, its geography and development. He believed that there was still a greater growth coming, and thought that he knew in what sections this expansion would take place. He had handled real estate in a small way, and been uniformly successful. Feeling that the time had come for him to branch out for himself, he resigned his place with the Healy office and enlisted all that he had of time and means and capabilities in the work of a realtor. In 1914 Mr. Reidy formed an insurance partnership under the name of Reidy, Coe and Company, a firm whose

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members in addition to himself consisted of John D. Coe, Edward B. Moor and Carl Bonner, han- dling both real estate and insurance. Mr. Reidy retained his real estate offices at No. 2 Foster Street. His career has been briefly described in "Worcester and Its People," of which the follow- ing is a partial quotation:

As his reputation grew, he became in a compara- tively few years one of the foremost men in his line of business. His knowledge of real estate in the city and his judgment as to values and future values of property came into demand, especially in the larger transactions. Few of the largest trans- fers of real estate in recent years have taken place without his advice and aid in a professional ca- pacity. He represented the various owners in buy- ing the land and assisting in the construction of the latest large office building, the Park Building, in Worcester. In the development of various resi- dential parks, he has been an important factor, one of the most prominent in the movement of the last decade that has made this city one of the finest in the land, considered merely from the standpoint of attractive houses. He belongs to a group of men who have contributed greatly to the growth and development of the city by their progressive ideas, large investments in real estate designed for home- builders and who have wrought marvelous changes in the hills and valleys lying about the older city. The Burgess-Lang Building on Central and Com- mercial streets was promoted by Mr. Reidy. This is one of the best industrial buildings in the East and has been the most important addition to Worcester's industrial resources for many years. In it there are over 160,000 square feet of renting space and it has attracted such tenants as the Dennison Manufacturing Company, the Majestic Manufacturing Company and others of a like char- acter. The Graphic Arts Building, another fire- proof commercial building, on Foster Street, is another important structure for which Mr. Reidy was leasing agent. The C. R. Walker Building on Federal Street which is the home of the "Worcester Evening Post," "L'Opinion Publique" and the "Catholic Messenger" is another contribution to Worcester's development engineered by Mr. Reidy.

Mr. Reidy has always kept in close touch with other men in his business as a member of the local, State and National real estate organizations. He has served as a vice-president of the National As- sociation of Real Estate Boards, of which he is now a director. For two years he was president of the Massachusetts Association of Real Estate Boards. Among the city organizations of which he is a member are: Chamber of Commerce. Among other clubs and societies are: Worcester Country Club, Knights of Columbus, Red Cross Society, of which he is a member of the executive board. He is a director of the Worcester County Na- tional Bank of Worcester, the Worcester Bank and Trust Company, the Worcester Electric Light Company, and the Royal Worcester Corset Com- pany. Politics have interested him as much as any normal citizen, but more as a means to bring about a better and more beautiful development of the municipality than the honor of holding office. He was for some years on the school committee. In the years 1912 and 1913, he was a member of the board of aldermen and served on many of its important committees. He served for four years with the St. John's Cadets. He is a communicant of the Roman Catholic Church.

Maurice Francis Reidy married, in 1912, Eunice M. Darney, a native of Worcester, daughter of James H. Darney, well known in Worcester cir- cles, a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Reidy are the parents of four children: Maurice Francis, Jr., in 1932, a student at Georgetown University, Robert C., James, and Philip.

NELSON P. WOOD-As secretary of the largest insurance company in Worcester, and one of the largest in the State of Massachusetts, Nelson P. Wood has not only achieved a remarkable suc- cess but has won the esteem of the business men and financiers of the city. During the more than a quarter of a century that he has made his home in Worcester, he has become a familiar and popular figure in the fraternal and club life of the commu- nity, and as a civic-minded citizen has done a great deal to further the advancement of the municipality and the welfare of its people. He is a native of Massachusetts, born September 27, 1890, at Gard- ner, son of James S. and Lillian H. (Pesham) Wood, the former of whom died in 1927.

After completing his education in the public schools, Nelson P. Wood, at the age of fifteen years, became an office boy for the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, and steadily began to work his way through various positions to the sec- retaryship of this outstanding corporation. He exercised all his gifts of mental ability, keen sense of values, a strict integrity of character and a ca- pacity for hard continuous work. But it was not until he had completed a quarter of a century with the corporation that he was elevated to the position of secretary, a position which all agree was thoroughly merited. Mr. Wood is a trustee of the Worcester County Institution for Savings and one of the incorporators of the Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank.

He is affiliated with the Free and Accepted Ma- sons, being a member of the Blue Lodge, the Royal Arch Chapter, Knights Templar, and Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also all the Scottish Rite bodies up to and including the Consistory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree, and Aletheia Grotto, Mystic Order Veiled Prophets of the En- chanted Realm. During the period of the United States' participation in the World War, Mr. Wood served with the famous New England "Yankee" Division, the first full division of former National Guardsmen and enlisted soldiers to be sent over- seas. He was honorably discharged at the end of his term of service with the rank of sergeant. Among the various organizations of which Mr. Wood is a member are: the Chamber of Com- merce, the Exchange Club, Economics Club, Shaf- fner Club, and the Worcester Country Club. He is a Past Commander of the General Devens Post, American Legion; and is one of the executive officials of the Boy Scouts, an organization in which he is deeply interested. He is also on the board of directors of the Worcester Boys' Club. Politics have taken very little of Mr. Wood's time and political preferment has no lure for him. He has served his community usefully as a member of the executive board of the Worcester Safety Council.

DONALD W. CAMPBELL-The State Mu- tual Life Assurance Company, largest corporation of Worcester, Massachusetts, has been able to bring some of the finest of the younger business men of the East, such as Donald W. Campbell, into its fold, and add another to the remarkable group of financiers, industrialists and insurance men. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born at Elkland, Tioga County, November 22, 1892, son

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of Archie W. and Adelaide (Whitaker) Campbell, the first, born at Campbell, New York, and the latter, at Dansville, of that State, and who died in 1925. The town of Campbell was named after members of his family who were the pioneers in its settlement. The senior Mr. Campbell is chair- man of the board of the United Mutual Life In- surance Company.

Donald W. Campbell received the preliminaries of his education in the public grade and high schools, matriculated at Princeton University, New Jersey, and was graduated with the class of 1914, holding the degree of Bachelor of Science. His collegiate career gave evidence of varied abilities and the pos- sibility of future success as a writer. He had not gone far in business life before the entrance of the United States into the World War turned him aside for a time. He enlisted in the army of his country and was assigned to the 4Ist Artillery Brigade, Coast Artillery Corps, of the Regular Army, and saw service with the American Expe- ditionary Forces. He served throughout the con- flict and was honorably discharged holding the rank of first lieutenant. He is now a major in the Reserve Officers' Corps.

Shortly after his return to this country, he be- came interested in the bond and security business, and in 1926 came with the State Mutual Life As- surance Company to accept a post in the treasurer's department. A year later, 1927, he was made as- sistant-treasurer, a position he held until 1933, when elected treasurer. In addition to his position with this corporation, Mr. Campbell is a director of the Mechanics National Bank of Worcester, a director of the Merchants and Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Savings Bank, also of Worcester.

Donald W. Campbell is a Past Commander and member of the Devens Post, American Legion, and among his clubs are the Worcester and the Tatnuck Country Club. He is also a trustee of the Worcester Natural History Society, and thor- oughly interested in the history and development of the section in which he now makes his home. Without ostentation or prominence he does his share to help those less fortunate than himself, and contributes both of time and means to human- itarian movements and projects which aim at the advancement of Worcester.

In 1920 Mr. Campbell married Jeanette I. Hos- kins, who was born in Beirut, Syria, and they are the parents of Jean H., born May. 29, 1931.

GILBERT GATES DAVIS-A fair name and honorable record, together with a prosperous busi- ness, were achieved by the late Gilbert Gates Davis, founder and president of The Davis Press, Incor- porated, one of the more important concerns given to high grade printing and publishing, in this sec- tion of New England. This establishment, located in finely equipped and commodious quarters in the Printers Building on Portland Street, Worcester, stands as a monument to the memory of this man of proved business sagacity and foresight, tech- nical and executive ability, universally respected by his contemporaries.

In various lines of ancestry, according to fam- ily data and history, Gilbert Gates Davis was de-

scended from pioneers of Massachusetts. Dolor Davis was the progenitor of Governor Davis and many other prominent men of this country and city. David Davis, a descendant of Dolor Davis, was a soldier in the Revolution, in which he served as a captain. His shoe-buckles and spurs were handed down the line to his great-grandson, Gilbert G. Davis. David (2) Davis, son of Captain David Davis, was a farmer in Paxton, Massachusetts.

David Gates Davis, son of David (2) Davis, was born in Paxton, died in Worcester, aged ninety-one years. He engaged in farming and shoe manufacturing in his native town, and on retire- ment removed to Worcester to spend the rest of his days. His eldest son, Dr. William P. Davis, was an assistant surgeon in the United States Navy in the Civil War; he died in North Reading, Mas- sachusetts. Other of his children follow: David G. Davis, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Dr. Elias G. Davis, of Seymour, Connecticut; Gilbert Gates Davis, of this memorial, see further; Eliza A., married John D. Hudson, of Mason City, Illinois. All, with the exception of Dr. Davis of Seymour, are deceased. William P. Hudson, a son of Eliza, is the able superintendent of The Davis Press, Incorporated.

Gilbert Gates Davis, son of David Gates Davis, was born in Paxton, January 27, 1859. After at- tending the public schools of his home town until he was twelve years of age, he removed with his parents to Worcester, where he completed his edu- cation with graduation from the Classical High School in the class of 1881. He then entered the employ of Putnam and Davis in their book store and served them as clerk for five years. His next move was to take into partnership George L. Sanford, forming the firm of Sanford and Davis, which acquired the rights and title of the old Franklin Printing Office, which had been estab- lished in 1856, and together they continued the busi- ness at 38 Front Street. Mr. Davis purchased his partner's interest in 1890 and thereafter carried on the enterprise in his own name until 1903, in which year the business was incorporated as The Davis Press, Incorporated, with Mr. Davis as the first president, and Alliston Greene corporation clerk. For eighteen years Mr. Davis remained the active head of the concern, enlarging its prestige and in- creasing its line of customers until it became known as one of the most progressive printing firms in New England.

The removal of The Davis Press, Incorporated, in 1913, to a newly-erected building at 25 Foster Street, was significant of the business' advance. It remained at that location until 1923, two years after Mr. Davis' death, when the business again moved, this time to the fine new Printers Build- ing at 44 Portland Street, where it has since had its home, one of the best equipped and most com- pletely manned plants in the trade. The present officers of the corporation are: President, Mrs. Minnie W. Davis; vice-president, Rae M. Spencer ; clerk, Alliston Greene; treasurer and general man- ager, Warren Gilbert Davis (q. v.). The com- pany has a national reputation for style, accuracy, and artistic merit. Affiliated with the United Ty- pothetae of America, Gilbert Gates Davis was re- garded as a strong and influential member of that body. He was a member also of the Worcester

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Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Travelers Association, the Worcester County Mechanics As- sociation, and the Worcester Agricultural Society. He was a highly placed Freemason, affiliating with Morning Star (Blue) Lodge; Eureka Chap- ter, Royal Arch Masons; Hiram Council, Royal and Select Masters; Worcester County Command- ery, Knights Templar. He was a member of the Commonwealth Club and the Worcester Country Club. In the First Baptist Church of Worcester he was an active member, served as superintend- ent of the Sunday school for fifteen years, and filled the office of treasurer for more than twenty years. For many years he was a member of the board of directors of the local Young Men's Chris- tian Association.

Gilbert Gates Davis married, June 9, 1885, in Worcester, Sarah Minnie Warren, born in this city, the daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Flagg) Warren. Her father was born in Auburn, Massa- chusetts, October 31, 1816, died in Worcester September 25, 1895. He was a tanner and a man- ufacturer of card leather in Holden for fourteen years, and for thirty-five years was thus engaged in Worcester. He was a Republican and a Bap- tist. Her mother, born in Holden, April 7, 1818, died in Worcester, September 25, 1875. The fam- ily home for many years was at II Catherine Street. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Worcester Woman's Club. Her children are: I. Warren Gilbert, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work. 2. Inez Flagg Davis, born July 20, 1890; graduated from the Classical High School in 1910 and from Wheaton Seminary in 1912.

WARREN G. DAVIS-Brought up under the influence of his father's interest in "good printing," Warren G. Davis entered the employ of The Davis Press upon his graduation from Yale. He is now treasurer and manager of the firm. He is a veteran of the World War, having served over- seas attached to the General Staff.

Warren Gilbert Davis was born in Worcester, December 19, 1887, a son of Gilbert Gates and Sarah Minnie (Warren) Davis; the former, deceased in 1921, was the founder of The Davis Press, which occupies an important position in the field of ad- vertising-printing and publishing. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Worcester, graduated from Worcester Academy and from Yale Uni- versity as Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1910.

The Davis Press, Incorporated, is a direct lineal descendant of the old Franklin Printing Office, which was founded in 1856. In 1886, Mr. Davis' father formed with George L. Sanford the firm of Sanford & Davis, which took over the business of the old Franklin Printing Office and was located at 38 Front Street. The general business of the firm was commercial printing and the printing of the large blank books which in those days were used in the bookkeeping departments of every busi- ness. Subsequently, the elder Davis purchased the Sanford interest and conducted the business under his own name. In 1903, the business received its charter of incorporation and became known as The Davis Press, Incorporated, with Gilbert G. Davis as its first president, an office which he held until his death eighteen years later.

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Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume III, Part 99

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933 Publication date: 1934 Publisher: New York, American historical Society Number of Pages: 700

Author: Nelson, John, 1866-1933
Publication date: 1934
Publisher: New York, American historical Society
Number of Pages: 700