At census time on 1/22/1920, Malissa J Daily, 62 was a widow, born inKS, parents in OH/US. She was head of the house with 3 children stillat home: Bertha E, 28, John C, 26, and Frank, 23. She was aself-employed general farmer and owned the home free of mortgage,neither child had an occupation. On the next page was brother JohnVan Gundy and his wife Phebe.
On 4/21/1930 when the census taker came around, widow Melissa J Daily,72, lived next door to son John's family in Jackson Twp, Lyon Co, KS.She was born in KS, her parents in OH/KY. owned the home and had aradio. Living with her were her single adult children Bertha E, 38and Franklin D, 33. Melissa and Franklin's occupation was generalfarmer.
The 5/9/1940 census says the family of Melissa Dailey, 82, lived inthe same house in Jackson Twp, Lyon Co, KS in 1935 and was probablythe same as 1930 since neighbors, except son John, were the same.Melissa owned the home valued at $1000 but had no income so hadprobably turned the farm over to farmer son Frank, 43. DaughterBertha, 49 was still at home as well. Melissa and John had completed8 years of school, Bertha had 9.
An article from The Gazette said:
Question Raised About First Child Born in Lyon Co.
On March 6th, The Gazette ran a story about Harry Fowler beingnamed one of the Kansas Farm Bureau Leaders of the Year. In the storyit was said that Mr. Fowler's father, J. W. Fowler, was the firstwhite child born in Lyon County. Edward Rosenquist of Neosho Rapidshas brought in some evidence which contradicts that statement.
A 1940 issue of The Gazette reports that a former Neosho Rapidswoman, Mrs. Malices Daily was the first white child born in LyonCounty. She was born Oct.20th, 1857. The second was P.I. Doile ofEmporia on Oct 29th, 1858. Mr. Fowler's father was born Dec. 24th,1859.
Mr. Rosenquist also has a copy of "Reminiscences of FrontierLife on the Upper Neosho," which was publised in 1925 by Mrs. Daily'sbrother, John D. Van Gundy. The book gives an account of the foundingof Neosho Rapids in 1855 and 1856 and the struggles of the earlyKansas pioneers with Indians and outlaws and other hardships.
Mrs Malissa Dailey, who lived 8 and one half miles east of Emporia,died this morning at 6 o'clock at the Newman Memorial County Hospital,she was eighty nine years old.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Mrs. Dailey was born Oct.24, 1857 in the Junction neighborhood, Herparents were the late David Van Gundy and Isabel Taylor Van Gundy, whotook a claim in the spring of 1855.
She married the late Henry Dailey in Emporia May, 11, 1873.
They lived on a farm near Olpe for a time, and moved to a farm in thejunction neighborhood in Mar. 1883 where Mrs. Dailey had lived since.
She was a member of the Neosho Rapids Church.
Mrs. Dailey is survived by five sons, Arthur, John, and Frank ofNeosho Rapids Joe of 1114 Exchange, and Charles RR3. Emporia. Fourdaughters Eunice Sedgwick, Lebo, Mrs. Hester Goff, Ottumwa Iowa, Mrs.Martha Genter, Neosho Rapids and Bertha Dailey at home;
30 Grandchildren, 43 Great grandchildren; and one Great Greatgrandson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, who died Feb. 5 1918 and adaughter Mrs. Amenda Foster, who died Jan, 1, 1910.
Mrs. Dailey is interred in Neosho Rapids in Chicago Mound Cemetery.
