Let's Get Started with the Dailey Family

I have been on this genealogy journey for the last few years and focusing on my married name of Woods.  I decided it was time to start digging into my Collins and Dailey roots!  I'll admit, it scared me a little bit to get started. I think that's why it took me so long to start.  With such common names as Collins and Dailey, I thought, "This is going to be soooooo hard!"  But then I thought, "When have I ever skirted from a challenge? Um, NEVER!" 

So here goes....I will do my best to start gathering some good stories for us and sharing what I learn.

I'm going to start with posting a look at our Dailey family tree for reference.  It appears we may have roots in Virginia, and our Dailey ancestor (George Washington Dailey) migrated to Indiana sometime around 1857. 

Before my grandmother, Leona Dailey Collins, died, I spent some time with her over several visits and gathered some family history.  Oh, how I wished I had asked more questions!  Don't we always wish that as genealogists?  If you are reading this and are thinking of speaking with a relative about your family history, seize the day! 

Grandma had some old pictures and a little booklet entitled, History of the Dailey Family, and quite honestly, this is probably the reason I got the genealogy bug!   I was mesmerized by the old picture of George Washington Dailey and his second wife, Mary Ann Bridgewater, and all their children.  The little booklet was also intriguing because I was thinking someone actually took some time and researched MY family. 

The booklet appears to have been compiled in 1966 by Bert E. and Norah J. Marshall.  This has been my starting point for the Dailey family history I have been gathering.  When someone published and compiles a family history, one should view it as hints to the truth and not gospel, unless they have well documented sources and you have verified those sources.  This booklet does not have any sources documented, so I have been dissecting it and thoroughly enjoying it! 

The first page starts out with some interesting news.  My four times great grandfather and grandmother were from Frederick County, Virginia.  I have been working on proving this fact and it is more difficult as I'd hoped, as there are multiple James Daileys in Frederick County, Virginia around this 1800-1850 time period. 
However, if I go back to the first paragraph of this blog, I am up the challenge and see if I can sort out the James Dailey mess over the course of the next few months. 

While I sort out this mess, I may have to digress and tell you some interesting stories I have found already and more current than 1850.  The first one involves MURDER!  Yes, I said murder, and in this little Dailey family and in the little county of Orange, Indiana.  Stay tuned folks! 

Sources:

Bert E. and Norah J. Marshall, Published Stout's Print Shop, Paoli, Indiana, History of the Dailey Family; supplied by Leona Ethel Dailey Collins, Orleans, Indiana, United States, History Published in 1966, Collected and Written in 1964 and 1965; Small 16 page booklet photocopied and stapled. Given to Deidre Collins Woods by Leona Ethel Dailey Collins (her grandmother) in 2008.

George Washington Dailey Family pictured are: George Dailey, Mary Ann Bridgewater Dailey, John Dailey, Daniel Dailey, Jeremiah McCullough Dailey, Ulysses Morton Dailey, ; digital image, ; privately held by Deidre Woods, Greenfield, IN 46140, 2019. Photograph copy given to Deidre Collins Woods by her grandmother, Leona Dailey Collins.