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History of Bay County Michigan
pub. H. R. Page & Co., Chicago - 1883

         [p. 29]

           Among the well known characters in the Saginaw region at an
	 early day was MICHAEL DALEY, who now lives in Bay City. Stories
	 of his extraordinary feats of pedestrianism in his younger days
	 are still upon the lips of the old settlers.

	   MR. DALEY was born in New York City, May 24, 1825. He came to
	 Saginaw in 1837, then a boy of twelve years old. He soon procured
	 work in a tannery, grinding bark by horse power, at the salary of
	 $5 a month. After working some time, he saw the necessity of get-
	 ting an education, and he went to live with CAPT. MALDEN, who kept
	 a tavern in the old block house, corner of what is now Court and
	 Hamilton Streets, originally the barracks where the soldiers were
	 quartered while building the fort. He was to do chores nights and
	 mornings for his board, and go to school. He continued to live
	 with CAPT. MALDEN until 1843, during which time he had picked up
	 a good deal of the Indian language. He was then employed by HARVEY
	 WILLIAMS to go to the mouth of the Kawkawlin River to trade with
	 the Indians at his trading post, and also to attend to his fishing
	 business, where he soon learned to speak the Indian language flu-
	 ently, and he felt competent to go into business on his own account.
	 In 1846 he started in business for himself and was very successful
	 up to 1855. He had previously purchased real estate in Bay City,
	 where he built a nice residence in 1857, and married a Miss LONGTIN,
	 an old pioneer's daughter. He has kept on buying and selling real
	 estate up to the present time. Mr. DALEY has been a great sufferer
	 for years with rheumatism, caused by hardships and exposure, fish-
	 ing and trading with the Indians in his younger days. He has often
	 taken his blanket and pack on his back in the Winter,as this was
	 the season for buying up fur,and started on the ice from the mouth
	 of the Saginaw River and followed the west shore as far north as
	 Mackinaw, picking up all the fur he could on the route. On one of
	 these excursions he came from Lake Superior to Mackinaw just as
	 the dog train was starting with the mail for Saginaw, accompanied
	 by two Indians or half-breeds on snow shoes. He said he would go
	 with them. They told him it was of no use, as no white man could
	 keep up with them, as they calculated to go over fifty miles a
	 day. He said he would try it. So they started, the half-breeds
	 doing their best. MR. DALEY kept up with them for over 150 miles,
	 when he left them and came into Saginaw some time ahead. When
	 they arrived they made inquiries for the little white man. When
	 they were told who he was they replied, "0! we have heard the
	 Indians tell about the little white man that beats all the Indians
	 traveling or running."

	   MR. DALEY is living in a neat residence on Washington Street,
         enjoying the fruits of his labors.

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