Eleven years ago when Samuel Monroe Dailey became connected with the enterprise in Louisville which he has conducted with so much success since its inception, he possessed as his sole asset his ten years of valuable experience as a clerk in an establishment similar to the one which he proposed to launch. To offset this asset he had a goodly handicap in the way of borrowed capital. In spite of the meagerness of his resources as to material wealth, his resources of shrewdness, far-sightedness and all around business ability have been sufficient to win to him a degree of success far in advance of that of his contemporaries, and he has from the first enjoyed a prosperity and a generous trade almost in excess of his expectations. Born in Perry county, Indiana, Samuel Monroe Dailey is the son of T. J. and Sarah Ellen (Whitmarsh) Dailey. The father was a native of Kentucky, and as a young man he moved thence to Grantsburg, Crawford county, Indiana, and began the practice of medicine, in which profession he had been trained in his native state. He carried on a lucrative practice there from the year of his advent into Indiana (1867) until the time of his death, which occurred in 1893. He died in Poseyville, Indiana. He was a member of the Methodist church all  his life and was a Republican in his political faith. The maternal grandfather of Samuel Monroe Dailey, was born in New York city. He also was a member of the medical profession, and after his removal to Indiana continued there in practice for the remainder of his life. Young Dailey attended the public schools of Poseyville, and after his graduation from the high school took a two years  course at the normal at Danville, Illinois. He then taught school for a period of five years, after which he took a position as clerk in a general store in Poseyville, where he remained for ten years, and where he gained a generous fund of experience and a working knowledge of the general run of such a business. Thus equipped, and with practically no capital, Mr. Dailey determined to launch out into business on his own responsibility. He accordingly chose Louisville for the scene of his operations and in 1901 he located there, putting in a stock of general merchandise and opening his doors to the public. From the first he drew a large trade, and has continued to hold the best business in Louisville. He has increased his lines from time to time, always keeping well abreast of the popular demands, and his establishment has a reputation for up-to-dateness that is one of its most valuable characteristics. His complete interests are centered in his mercantile establishment and he has made no other investments of any kind regarding one well-protected investment as more profitable than a number of less safe ones. Mr. Dailey is connected with the Masonic order, the Pythian Knights, the Elks and the Odd Fellows.

In 1902 Mr Daily was united in marriage with Lena Davis, the daughter of  J. B. Davis, who was born, reared and still lives in Poseyville, and where Mrs. Dailey also was born and reared. Mr. Davis is postmaster in Poseyville, and he is a veteran of the Civil war, as was also the father of Mr. Dailey. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dailey, —Alan Dailey.