Dr. Bernard Daly

   Dr. Bernard Daly, died at 5:30 o'clock last Monday near Livermore Cal., while en route to a San Francisco Hospital. In company with Dr. Chas. E. Leithead, Fred Reynolds and Miss Pearl Hall he left here Sunday morning and was apparently improving. After being transferred to the Western Pacific at Portola he was in a jovial frame of mind and conversed freely with those accompanying him. However, about 12:00 o'clock Sunday night he commenced sinking and at 5:30 passed peacefully away. The body was taken to San Francisco and prepared for burial, the party arriving here last night. The body was taken to the Antiers hall where it is being cared by the Elks
   Dr. Daly was a member of Ashland Lodge No. 994, B. P. O. Elks and a member of the Lake County Bar association. He was also President of the local branch of the FRIENDS OF IRISH FREEDOW. Judge L. F. Conn has called a meeting of bar association for today to take appropriate action in the loss of a member, and court will be adjourned until Saturday in honor of his memory.
   During the late war Dr. Daly took a most loyal part in rasing funds and was one of the largest purchasers of liberty bonds in the State. He worked almost increasantly during the various campaighns, and it was solely due to his efforts that Lake County was always over the top. Not only was he Lake Countys leading citizens, but was ranked among the big men of the State.
   Bernard Daly was born In IRELAND in 1858, coming to the United States when about five years old of age. The family settled in Alabama where Bernarded was given a good education and in 1886 he grauated from the medical department of the Normal Univesity at Ada, Ohio, and from the University of Louisville a year later. Immediately upon graduating from the latter intstition he came to Lakeview, where he resided continuously up to the time of his death.
   Until a few years ago he continued the practice of his profession, but recently he devoted his time to the banking business being president of the Bank of Lakeview. During the early years of his practice he traveled all over the county, thereby gaining a large circle of friends who considered him one of nature's nobleman. When the terrible fire broke occurred at Silver Lake on Christmas Eve, 1894, Dr. Daly was the only physician to be had, and he, in Company with William Duncan, left Lakeview at 4 o'clock Christmas evening and reached Silver Lake at 6 o'clock the next morning. Several relay of teams were used during the trip, and on his arrival the doctor immediatly commenced the work of relieving the burned. At that time he seemed to be abole to endure any hardship, and for years never tired no matter how laborious his work may have been.
   Many were the fearful night rides he was called upon to make, and numerious instances are related where he seemed to be possessed of almost superhuman endurance during his younger days. No instance is known where he refused to answer a call although he might have just mreturned from a long tiresome trip extending over severaol days and nights. His record as a physician in relieving the suffering and answering the call of the afficited is doubtless without parralled in the annals of the Northwest, if not the whole world. During his lifetime Dr. Daly occupied many positionsof trust, having been chosen representative to the Oregon Legisiature in the early 1890's. Later he was elected to the senate, where he served with much credit to himself and his constituents alike. In 1902 he was elected county judge and served three succesive terms, being succeedded by Dr. E. H. Smith. Shortly thereafter he was appointed circuit judge by the late Governor Withycombe, and served with marked success during the time for which he was appointed. Dr. Daly was the Democratic nominee for Congress in the late 1890's, but was defeated by the late Thomas H. Tongue. He also served as a member of the Lakeview town council and the local school board for a number of years. During his incumbeney of the office of county judge the present court house was erected, and while a member of the school board the high school building was constructed.
   Dr. Daly contributed no small part in the development and upbuilding of Lakeview and Lake County and his life was indeed a busy one. He prospered to an extent reached by but few persons, and was largely interested in a number of enterprices. He was the largest stockholder in the Bank of Lakeview and was interested in the 7T company, one of the largest live stock companies in the county. he also owned a number of business building in Lakeview and amny other investrments. It is presumed that his estate will reach $1,000,000 or more.

Dr. Daly celebration to remember Lake County pioneer

Published
By LEE JUILLERAT April 26, 2004

LAKEVIEW - Preserving the memory of one of Lake County's most important pioneers, and celebrating fun times, are goals of the first-ever Dr. Daly Celebration.

A wide range of countywide activities are planned June 24 to 27 to celebrate Dr. Bernard Daly, an Irish-born physician who was a doctor, banker, rancher, state politician, judge and school board member in the late 1880s until his death in 1920.

His impact took on an greater emphasis after his death when he established the Daly Fund, which provides scholarships to Lake County high school graduates attending Oregon colleges and universities.

"I don't think that people know about all the things that Dr. Daly did," believes Elna Otto, who is helping to arrange activities for what she and other organizers hope will become a yearly event.

"We want to honor Dr. Daly by providing more information about him. I just don't think people know that much about him anymore. Hopefully, this will being more attention to the man himself," Otto said.

Events all ready planned include a quilting marathon, cemetery tours, bicycling and foot races, breakfast, pow-wow, safety fair, black powder/archery shoot-off, barbecue, cowboy poetry and mystery theater.

The celebration is designed to coincide with the annual gathering of Daly Fund trustees who select scholarship winners.

When the fund was launched in the early 1900s, college-bound students received $600 a year, which was enough to cover a large portion of costs for tuition, books and living expenses. The scholarship amount has varied over the years - it actually decreased in the 1940s when college costs went down - but has increased in recent years. Selected students, who must attend four years of high school in Lake County, now receive $4,500 annually.

Over the years, 1,500 students have been selected. The number of students selected annually has varied because the available money is based on interest from the scholarship fund. In 1971 the scholarships were given to 47 students, the largest number ever.

According to local legend, Daly told people, "I brought these children into the world. Now I'm going to educate them."

While Daly is best remembered for his scholarship, his life was full and varied.

Born in Ireland in 1858, he was 6-years-old when his family moved to the U.S., first to Selma, Ala. He later moved to Ohio and graduated from medical school at the University of Louisville. He then joined the Army and, after being discharged at Fort Bidwell in Modoc County, began a medical practice in Lakeview.

During his years he was a state representative and senator, an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 30-year school board member, circuit judge, regent of Oregon State Agriculture College and banker.

He is also well-remembered for driving a buggy 95 miles from Lakeview to Silver Lake on Christmas Day, 1894, after being told about a Christmas Eve fire at the northern Lake County community. He changed horses four times while covering the distance in 14 hours. He worked day and night to try and rescue and ease the pain for the many injured. The fire killed 43 people.

"Perhaps no man that ever took the oath of Hippocrates ever extended himself, physically and mentally, like Daly did on that occasion," Forrest Cooper wrote in the book, "Introducing Dr. Daly."

That buggy ride will be remembered during Dr. Daly Days with a series of races. A five kilometer run-walk, half marathon, and 100-mile runner-bike relay to Silver Lake will be held June 26 at Daly Middle School in Lakeview. A pony express event, with teams of horses and riders, will begin at Simm's RV Park near Valley Falls to Silver Lake.

Otto said the schedule of events has expanded as people have learned about celebration plans.

"It seems like people are coming to us with different ideas," Otto said. "Anything we can do to support culture and the arts is part of our mission."