John
Francis
Daly

JOHN FRANCIS DALY was born in Ireland in February of 1859. He came to America in 1888, marrying his first wife, Catherine, around 1890. He served with the United States Army in North Dakota, and was one of the first soldiers on the scene in the aftermath of the Battle of Wounded Knee, on December 29, 1890. 

By July of 1908 John F. Daly was operating Daly's Cafe at 201 Vine Street in Camden. He also served as a freeholder from Camden's First Ward. At some point around the time of World War I, Catherine Daly passed away, and he remarried, his second wife being named Mary.

John Daly's business interests included the North Camden Theatre, which was next door to to the bar, at 203-05 Vine Street. He also owned the house at 207 Vine Street.

Granddaughter Maryanne Mingle writes: "My grandfather owned the North Camden Theatre but rented it to Mr. Adelman who was a very nice man. I'm positive he didn't have the movie house built. There'd be no reason because he never operated it. Mr. Adelman let my brothers and me in free but my grandfather, who actually went into the theatre to rest and perhaps take a nap, always paid. Mr. Adelman told him not to but he wouldn't hear of it. It cost 10 cents in those days and on certain nights, dishes were given to the ladies. Mr. Adelman, year later, asked Pop if he could buy the building and Pop sold it to him. Shortly after that, TV came out and less and less patrons went to the movies. The whole family liked Mr. Adelman and I felt bad about his eventual loss."

A member of the Camden Lodge, Ancient Order of Hibernians, he was given a testimonial dinner on January 16, 1939 with Andrew J. McMahon, Ferdinand F. Larkin, and John T. Hanson, at Kenney's Cafe, 531 Market street in Camden. Known as Pop Daly, he was a much-loved and respected member of his community. 

Granddaughter Maryanne Mingle relates "He was an extremely generous and thoughtful kind man. During the depression he bought food for many families, put coal in their cellars, got lots of people out of jail (putting our house at 207 Vine Street, given by him to my mother, Rose Daly Kohm, as a wedding gift) for bail."

John Daly passed away in 1942. His son James F. Daly took over operation of the bar, known from the 1943 on as Daly's Tavern, and then passed it on to a nephew, Joseph E. Kohm. Another son, John Patrick Daly, operated a bar on Mt. Ephraim Avenue in Collingswood NJ. This bar, known in later years as Daly Brothers Tavern, only recently left the family, and is still open for business as of this writing in October 2004. 

John Daly and his son James F. Daly were both members of the Aquinas Club, a social club that many young men from North Camden belonged to in the years prior to World War I.

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June 26, 1900

John Daly Conducted Business in Camden for Last Four Decades
VETERAN INNKEEPER REACHES 74^TH YEAR

Camden's oldest saloonkeeper, John Daly, of 201 Vine Street, yesterday celebrated his 74th birthday anniversary. Born in King's County, Ireland, February 18, 1862, Mr. Daly was one of a family of 14 children. At the age of 23 he came to this country and three years later enlisted in the U. S. Army where he served until 1891.

He bought his release and obtained a position with the U. S. Quartermaster's Department. He served in that capacity for three years.

Returning to Camden with his wife and two children September 5, 1894, Daly opened his first saloon at Ninth and Lawrence streets. About 14 months later he located at Seventh and Birch streets where he remained for 10 years before moving to his present location location. Last year marked his fortieth year in the business.

In 1916 Mr. Daly's wife died. He has five children, Mary, James, Rose, John and Catherine. The daughters Mary and Rose are now Mrs. Thomas Kennedy, of Hartford, Connecticut, and Mrs. Ernest J. Kohm, of 207 Vine Street, respectively. Mrs. Kennedy has four children and Mrs. Kohm, three. The son John is married and has two children. He resides at 3046 Mickle Street. James and Catherine are single and live at home.

1500 EXPECTED TO FETE JOHN DALY AT BANQUET

More than 1500 persons are expected to attend a testimonial and birth day dinner to be held February 17, in honor of Freeholder John Daly, of the First ward, in Convention Halll.

Clarence E. Moullette, chairman of the banquet committee, announced yesterday, that 1500 tickets printed for the affair, 1425 have been distributed. He urged persons planning to attend the banquet not to depend on the purchase of tickets at the door of Convention Hall, but to buy them now as the supply is fast be coming depleted.

Tickets, Moullette said, may be ordered from him by calling City Hall, or from Harry Janice, chairman of the ticket committee, who has a supply at 325 State Street.

Camden Courier-Post - February 12, 1938

DALY TO BE HONORED AT BANQUET THURSDAY

Congressmen Charles A. Wolverton and Elmer H. Wene will be guests of honor at a testimonial dinner to be given next Thursday night in honor of Freeholder John Daly, of the First ward, in Convention Hall.

The affair also will celebrate Daly's seventy-sixth birthday. Clarence E. Moullette is chairman of the banquet committee.

Other guests, according to Moullette, will be U. S. Senator John Milton, of Jersey City, and a representative of Senator William H. Smathers.

Moullette announced he and Daly Thursday visited Marvin McIntyre, secretary to President Roosevelt, at the White House, Daly used the opportunity to plead the cause of Tom Mooney.

Camden Courier-Post - February 15, 1938

INDIAN GUEST LISTED FOR DALY BANQUET
Montana Chieftain to Send Son as Envoy to Testimonial for Freeholder

Chief Rain-on-the-Rump, whose tepee is pitched in Medicine Hat, Montana, is expected to send his son as an envoy when John Daly, First ward freeholder, is feted on February 17. The banqet will be held in Convention Hall and is expected to be the largest occasion of its nature known in Camden in years.

Daly was showing the letter, which he said had come from his old friend and sachem in Montana, and said he would make the Redskin welcome with an Injun war-whoop.

The pemmican which will be spread before the chieftain and others who gather will comprise a menu which paleface and aborigine alike might relish.

Clarence E. Moullette, chairman of the banquet committee, reported the list of guests will comprise a real Who's Who in Camden. Invitations have been sent to Congressmen Charles A. Wolverton and Elmer Wene, Gov. A. Harry Moore, | Senator John Milton, Senator Robert M. LaFollette and others, prominent in national and state politics. Mayor George E. Brunner and his fellow commissioners will represent the city, while the Federal, state and municipal judiciary also will be represented.

Freeholder Andrew J. McMahon will be toastmaster, while a new position, honorary toastmaster, will be conferred on Frank H. Ryan, managing editor of the Courier-Post newspapers.

Camden Courier-Post - February 17, 1938

40-PIECE STRING BAND TO HELP HONOR DALY

A string band accompaniment for the dinner in honor of Freeholder John Daly of the First ward in Convention Hall tonight, was announced by Harry R. James, general chairman of the dinner committee.

The recently-organized Camden City string band of 40 pieces, conducted by Maurice Tulini, is to march from Point and York streets to Convention Hall, arriving at 9 p. m. Joseph Burke is president of the band.

More than 1000 persons, including men prominent in national, state and local circles, are expected to attend the dinner celebrating Daly's seventy-sixth birthday.

Camden Courier-Post - February 18, 1938

750 ATTEND DINNER TO HONOR JOHN DALY
F.R. Sends Best Wishes as Civic Leaders, Friends Laud Freeholder

76 Years Young JOHN DALY  First Ward Freeholder who received best wishes from President Roosevelt, Republicans, Democrats and all citizens of Camden last night as he celebrated his 75th birthday.

Green were the shamrocks from his own native Athlone that filled the big silver loving cup, and the First Citizen of the United States sent his best wishes to the First Citizen of North Camden, so John  Daly had a birthday party last night without precedent in Camden social functions. 
The freeholder from the First ward, arrived at 76 years, broke his own rule and crowded himself into the first evening dress he said he ever wore. 

Political Camden, Republican and Democrat alike, came out to make a fete for the veteran official, and to cap the climax, this was the first banquet in the history of the city that played to "Standing Room Only."
So many wanted to come to do honor to Daly that Convention Hall was jammed with 750 guests. 

Baskets of Flowers 

John was lauded in song and story, and then was presented with flowers, four huge baskets of them. The First Ward Democratic Club gave their freeholder a silver loving cup, suitably engraved, and Katherine Janice, 9, told the guest of honor how much he was esteemed by the members of the club and people of the ward. 

The guest table was thronged with the bigwigs of politics and the sachems of parties. They were introduced in turn and several of' them spoke, but the yells and the shouts and the greetings and the gifts were all for "good old John  Daly." 

Clarence E. Moullette, president of the First Ward Democratic Club, opened the program and introduced Freeholder Andrew J. McMahon as toastmaster. Mayor George E. Brunner was the first speaker and he told of the valor and strength John  Daly had in politics, and the love shown him on every side. 

Then Brunner had the toastmaster spring the grand piece of the evening, a letter of regret read even before those from Senator John Milton, Governor A. Harry Moore, Congressman Charles A. Wolverton, Congressman Elmer Wene and others.

President 'Regrets' 

This birthday message came from the White House and read as follows: 

"The President has asked me to express his regret that it will not be possible for Mrs. Roosevelt and himself to accept the invitation to be present at the testimonial dinner in honor of Mr. John  Daly. 

"Will you please convey the President's greetings" and 'best wishes to your guest of honor." 

Mrs. Mary E. Soistmann, former Assemblyman Bartholomew A. Sheehan and Henry D. Young, Jr. director of WPA, followed Brunner with congratulations. 

McMahon then introduced celebrities to take a bow. 

Then the guest of the evening stood up, and the ovation he received almost rocked Convention Hall . With tremors in his voice, Daly thanked everybody. 

Mrs. Kobus completed the program when she declared John  Daly "had given her more trouble, asking help for people, than any other 23 citizens of Camden.' 

Camden Courier-Post - February 19, 1938

Labor Temple - John F. Daly - Neil Deighan - John O'Neal - Charles Hollopeter
James W. Bamford - A.K. Plone - Charles Pierson - Broadway - Royden Street

Group Disbanded 25 Years Ago;
Old Members to Meet at Dinner

A reunion-dinner of members of the old Aquinas Club, disbanded nearly 25 years ago, will be held during the latter part of June, Pasquale Iarossi, committee chairman, announced.

With Iarossi, widely-known North Camden barber, as the active worker in plans for the reunion, nearly 40 of the old members have signified their intentions of attending.

The dinner reunion will be held at Tom Kenney's restaurant at 531 Market Street. Other members who expect to join in the reunion, are asked to communicate with Iarossi at Third and Elm Streets.

Some of the charter members who have been reached and are expected to attend the reunion dinner are: 

Tom Kenney, former Freeholder Samuel D. Payne, Police Sergeant Herbert Bott, William H. White, former secretary-treasurer of the Camden Housing  Authority Charles (Homo) Marion.

Deputy Fire Chief William Harring, Freeholder John Daly, Pat and Louis Iarossi, Edward Bihn, Frank Cavallo, Joseph German, William Easterbrook, Walter Stevens, Carl Glendening, Herbert Schaefer, Bert Morris, Phillip Gorman, Joseph Loeffler, Pete Walker, Joseph Wells, Joseph Jones, Benjamin Taylor.

William (Chick) Simon, James Daly, Frank Bott, Hartley Pike, William Sayres, William Floagus, Dan McConnell, Walter McEntee, Sam Molineaux, William McCormick, Samuel Harring, Dan Market, Gerald Garner, John Molineaux, William Kistner, Alex Urban, William Brandt, H. Hambach, Roy Breitenstein, John Plum, Charles Berry, George Demellion, and L. Harter.

THEN there is the time that your Corpulent Correspondent was talking with old “Pop” Daly up at Second and Vine streets on a sunny Sunday morning and two men came up ... to tell “Pop” that the son of one of them had been arrested on a minor charge ... and would “Pop” go down to City Hall and get him out ... “Pop" would and asked us to drive him there ... on arrival, "Pop" learned that a new order made it necessary to post $10 security for the release of anyone charged with this minor offense ... and "Pop" turned to us and asked us if we had $10 ... and we had ... so we posted it ... thinking that if Pop would take care of the sawbuck on his return home ... but after we left the two men off ... and we waved the police receipt all around, hinting about the $10 ... Pop told us to be in court the next morning and intercede for the boy .... and if he got out free ... then we could get our $10 back.

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WHILST DWELLING on “Pop” Daly, who was one of the grandest men ever to live in Our Town there is another story we would like to relate at this time; Pop, you see, was the kind of a man who was always trying to help the fellow in trouble, and one day a mother came to him and told him her boy had been arrested ... and was to have a hearing before Judge Mariano within the hour ... Pop dressed and hurried to the "Hall” . . . and when the case was called . . . he stood by the side of the young boy as the facts were related . . . and then "Pop" made his plea to the court. "Your Honor,” Pop said. "This is a good boy. I know his mother. I have known him all his life, and he has never been in trouble before (which was true) . . . and, I feel that it Your Honor will give him another chance, he will never get in trouble again (which up to this day is also true). He is a fine lad, but all of us make mistakes . . . I see this boy nearly every day and I know he is a good boy...” Whereupon the Court, knowing full well the tenderness of the heart of John “Pop" Daly, quietly asked: “What is the boy’s name. Mr. Daly?” And Pop, unabashed and unafraid, turned to the lad and queried: “What is your name, son?"

***

THE CASE was dismissed ... because the Court ... as everyone else who knew John Daly realized that despite the kindness he always wore on his sleeve ... John Daly knew a bad one when he saw one ... 
We decided to write a bit about “Pop” today ... because yesterday we ran across a picture of him ... his hand over his heart while attending a religious ceremony ... and we thought many of you folks who are new to Our Town would like to hear about a Grand Old Man ... who was so loved by the people that one night they did not have enough seats in Convention Hall to take care of the people who came to pay tribute to him.

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