This biography of James Dailey is from: Memorial and Biographical Record; an Illustrated Compendium of Biography, Containing a Compendium of Local Biography, Including Biographical Sketches of Prominent Old Settlers and Representative Citizens of South Dakota...". Chicago: Ogle & Co., 1898. Page 490.

JAMES DAILEY is one of Moody county's old settlers, and a prominent and well-to-do farmer. Mr. Dailey, who resides on section 30, Lone Rock township, near Flandreau, located upon his present farm in 1876, when there were but two other men then living in Lone Rock township.

Mr. Dailey was born in Warren county, New York, April 23, 1854. His parents, Patrick and Ellen (Connors) Dailey, came west in 1856, but his father died while traveling overland to Dubuque.

The widow and her children settled in Mitchell county, Iowa, upon the unbroken prairie. Mrs. Dailey married again, her second husband being Samuel Coon. By her first marriage she had two children, our subject and William, and by the second marriage four children, Julia. Mary, Daniel and George. Mrs. Dailey-Coon died October 9, 1897.

James received a good education in the public schools of Iowa, and at a seminary at Cedar Valley. After becoming of age he began farming for himself in Mitchell county. In 1876 Mr. Dailey came to Moody county, where he took up a government claim. He and Levi Gray, one of the two other men in the township, lived together for some time in a little frame house which they had built. Mr. Dailey broke up forty-three acres of his land the first season.

He now owns a splendid farm of three hundred and twenty acres, and this immense tract is entirely under cultivation; His fine residence, probably the most pretentious in Lone Rock township, was built in 1885, and five years later he put up an immense barn. There is also a two-hundred-foot well on the farm, which furnishes an abundance of the finest water for all purposes.

Mr. Dailey pursues general farming and raises fine stock. He has some imported Poland China hogs which are as fine as anything in the state of South Dakota. Mr. Dailey is a Populist, though he was, until a few years ago, identified with the Republican party. He is an enthusiastic campaigner, and whenever a political struggle is on he may be found near the top of the breastworks.

At the time Lone Rock township was reorganized Mr. Dailey was chosen as a justice of the peace, and he is now chairman of the township board. He has been a delegate to many conventions, and is generally prominent in politics. He is also well known in A. O. U. W. circles, being a member of the lodge at Flandreau.

Mr. Dailey married Miss Agnes Roberson in 1884. Mrs. Dailey is a native of Canada, who came with her parents to Iowa when a girl. Mr. and Mrs. Dailey have three children, George S., Clark J. and Willis.