History of Plymouth, (Washington County) North Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Augustin Daly, dramatist, was born in Plymouth, N.C., July 20, 1838; son of Capt. Denis and Elizabeth Therese (Duffey) Duly. He was educated in Norfolk, Va., and in New York city, where he was taken in 184- by his widowed mother, with his younger brother, afterward Justice Joseph Francis Daly. In 1859 he obtained employment on the staff of the New York Sunday Courier as dramatic editor and afterward filled a similar position on the New York Express, Sun and Times. In 1862 he produced his first play, "Leah the Forsaken," adapted from Mosenthal's "Deborah." This was played first at the Howard Athenaemn, Boston, and later at Niblo's Garden, New York, and its immediate success encouraged him to prepare with Frank Ward "La Papillone," which was played in 1864. "Lorlie's Wedding" followed close upon it, and later came" Judith" and "The Sorceress." He dramatized Charles Reade's "Griffith Gaunt" (1866), and the following year wrote his first entirely original drama, entitled "Under the Gaslight." This had long and successful runs in every part of the world and the railroad effect was plagiarized by Boucicault and copied in France and Germany. He dramatized Mr. Beecher's "Norwood" in 1868 and in 1869 resigned his position on the staffs of the various newspapers to begin his career of management. He opened and became manager of the first Fifth avenue theatre in New York, Aug. 23, 1869, his first production being Robertson's comedy "Play," which he followed with his own plays, "Horizon" and "Divorce." He remained there until the destruction of the theatre by fire, Jan. 1, 1873, when he opened the second Fifth avenue theatre on Broadway, on the site of his old "Gaslight" success. In December, 1873, he opened, with Albery's "Fortune," the third Fifth avenue theatre on Twenty-eighth street, which he managed until 1877, running also the Grand opera house, 1872-74. After a year of European travel he returned to New York and resumed his theatrical work by opening Daly's theatre, Sept. 17, 1879, with "Love's Young Dream" and "Newport." Among the actors introduced to the public by Mr. Duly are Ada Rehan, Clara Morris, Agnes Ethel, Fanny Davenport, and John Drew the younger. He was one of the four founders of the Player's club, New York city, the others being his brother, Judge J. F. Duly, Edwin Booth and Lawrence Barrett. Several years before his death he opened Daly's theatre in London, and was the first American manager to secure a London theatre. His original plays include: A Flash of Lightning (1868); Horizon (1870); Divorce (1872); and Pique (written for Fanny Davenport, 1877). His dramatizations include: Man and Wife, Frou Frou and The Pickwick Papers. He revived several famous old English comedies, including The Belle's Strategem, The School for Scandal, and The Country Girl, and many of Shakespeare's dramas, notably The Taming of the Shrew which he produced with Ada Rehan as Katherine in London and Paris. His last success was The Great Ruby, a melodrama, first produced in America at Daly's Theatre, New York city, in 1898-99. He wrote Life of Peg Woffington (1888). He died in Paris, France, June 7, 1899.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Francis Daly, jurist, was born in Plymouth, N.C., Dec. 3, 1840; son of Denis and Elizabeth Theresa (Duffey) Daly, and grandson of Michael Daly of Limerick and of Lieut. John Duffey of Carlow. His father was at first purser's clerk in the British navy and afterward captain in the merchant service. He built and sailed his own vessels, and in 1836 became a dealer in lumber and a shipping merchant in Plymouth, N.C. He died in 1841 and subsequently his widow, with her two sons, Augustin, aged eleven, and Joseph Francis, aged nine, removed to New York city, where better educational advantages might be afforded the sons. Joseph, after his public school training, was admitted as a law student to the office of S. W. and R. B. Roosevelt in 1855 and gained his diploma as attorney and counsellor-at-law in 1862. On the retirement of the Messrs. Roosevelt in 1865 he succeeded to the business. He numbered among his clients the Roosevelt family and the Chemical national bank. He was attorney for the Citizens' association and prosecuted for John Hacker and Christopher Pullman their celebrated suits against New York city departments, which suits led to both plaintiffs being at different times personally assailed by ring mobs. Mr. Daly in 1865 conducted proceedings against a number of city officials before Governor Featon at Albany, and with him were associated John McKeon and Judges Whitney and Emott. He was secretary of the board of legal advisers of the Citizens' association, which beard included Charles O'Conor, Charles Tracy, B. D. Silliman, Dorman B. Eaton and others, leaders of the New York bar. In 1870 Mr. Daly was elected a judge of the court of common pleas for fourteen years. At that time the Tweed ring was at the height of its power and Mr. Daly was the conspicuous prosecutor of municipal frauds, but the leaders, in proof of their intention to select good judicial officers under the amended state constitution, placed him and Hamilton W. Robinson, Richard L. Larremore and Charles H. Van Brunt in nomination. In 1884 he was re-elected with Judge R. L. Larremore, they being the only candidates elected on their ticket, and Judge Daly became chief justice of the court upon the retirement of Chief-Justice Larremore in 1890 by the votes of his associates. When the courts were consolidated in 1896, Judge Daly, with the other judges of the court of common pleas, became justices of the supreme court. His term of office expired Dec. 31, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor