Benton Co., AR - Biographies - S. M. Dailey

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S. M. Dailey, editor and proprietor of Benton County Journal, of 
Bentonville, was born in Franklin County, Ind., in 1834, son of James 
and Mary A. (Miller) Dailey. The father was born in New Jersey in 
1787; was of Irish descent, and a farmer by occupation. He was married 
in his native State, and about 1823 immigrated to Franklin County, 
Ind., where he passed the remainder of his life. He died in 1849. The 
mother was born in New Jersey in 1791, and was of German extraction. 
She died in 1841. Of the ten children born to her marriage, S. M. 
Dailey was the youngest. He was educated in Bluffton, Ind., and at the 
age of seventeen began teaching, which occupation he followed for 
several years in Wells, Adams and Allen Counties, teaching in all 
thirteen terms. He met with good success, and was school examiner for 
four years. In 1859 he was elected recorder of Wells County, served 
four years, and in 1867 he was elected auditor of the same county, and 
held the position until 1871. Mr. Dailey was residing in Bluffton all 
this time, and was a member of the city council one year. For several 
years Mr. Dailey followed merchandising in Bluffton, Ind., and then 
moved to Arkansas City, Kas. In September, of the same year, he became 
a citizen of Bentonville, and here engaged in the grain and produce 
business, which he continued for one year. He then purchased the 
Benton County Journal, and has since been proprietor and editor. In 
1867 he married Miss Lucinda Merriman, a native of Wayne County, Ohio, 
born in 1839, and to them have been born eight children, five now 
living: Mrs. Mary E. Fulton, Lewis M., Laura A., Forrest W. and Emma 
J. In politics Mr. Dailey has been a life-long Democrat, casting his 
first presidential vote for James Buchanan, in 1856. Mr. Dailey is a 
man held in high esteem by all who know him, and edits a newspaper 
full of valuable thoughts and sentiments. The Journal is one of the 
ablest edited papers of Benton County, and has a circulation of 1,400, 
being the largest in the county. Mr. Dailey deals out straight 
Democratic doctrine, and wavers neither to the right or to the left 
from what he believes to be right. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
being a member of Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment. He has devoted 
much study to this great and growing benevolent order, has been a hard 
working member, ever ready to fill any station where he can be of most 
benefit to the order. He is at present District Deputy Grand Master of 
his lodge, and Grand Marshal of the Grand Encampment of Arkansas.