Edith Daley
American poet (1876–1948)
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Edith Daley (January 1, 1876 - 1948) was the city librarian of San Jose and poet whose verse are in various anthologies.
Early life
Edith Daley was born in Fostoria, Ohio, on January 1, 1876.[1]
Career
Edith Daley was the city librarian of San Jose. She was the author of "War History of Santa Clara County", retelling life in San Jose during World War I.[2][3] She was the author of "Angel in the Sun" (1917), a book of verse, reviewed in the Evening News in December 1917,[2] "Silver Twilight", "The Golden Dome" and of poems contained in the following anthologies: "Roosevelt as the Poets Saw Him", Markham's anthology of "World's Best Poetry", Stidger's "Flames of Faith", "A Day in the Hills", "A Day of Poetry".[1][3]
She was a columnist and writer for the San Jose Evening News where she wrote colorful and in-depth articles on local industries.[2][4][3]
She was the president of San Jose Poetry Club.[1] She was friends with Henry Mead Bland, a philosopher and teacher, and Edwin Markham, a poet. They were called "The Three Poets". Bland wrote the foreword for Daley's book "The Angel in the Sun".[5]
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, California Writer's, National League of American Pen Women, Woman's Club.[1]
In 1924 she was suspended from her position as city librarian for "insubordination and conduct unbecoming a librarian". The action was taken by the President of the Board of Library Trustees apparently for two reason: firstly Daley refused to remove from the library several books by Albert Bushnell Hart, considered unpatriotic and pro-British, and secondly she took part in a political campaign, supporting A.L. Hubbard in his campaign for Supervisor against Victor Challen.[6]
In 1928 she introduced the Newark Card System and an increasing fine system at the San Jose Library.[7]
Personal life
Edith Daley moved to California in 1906 and lived at 633 Palm Haven Ave., San Jose, California. She married Frederick Hammond Daley (died 1938), cost-accountant of the Richmond-Chase Canning Company.[8][1]
In 1922 she was given the custody of 14 years old Irene Grandstedt, who had been charged with assault with a deadly weapon on Harold Galloway, supposedly her lover.[9]
In 1943 she retired due to ill health and her position was taken over by Geraldine Nurney, who had been the children's librarian at San Jose for 10 years.[10][3]
She died in 1948.[2]
