Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948

Josephus Daniels, son of Josephus and Mary (Cleves) Daniels, was born in Washington, North Carolina, May 18, 1862. He attended the Wilson Collegiate Institute. On May 2, 1888, he married Addie W. Bagley. At the age of eighteen, he was editor of the "Wilson Advance"; admitted to the bar in 1885; state printer for North Carolina, 1887-1893; chief clerk, Department of the Interior, 1893-1895; editor of the "Raleigh State Chronicle", 1885; editor of the "Raleigh State News and Observer", 1894-1919; Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921; member, Democratic National Executive Committee, 1896-1919; and author of several books, including his memoirs. He served as ambassador to Mexico, 1933-1941. (from Who's Who in Am., 1944-45) (blue index cards)

From the description of Josephus Daniels correspondence, 1917 August 21. (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 321050905

Josephus Daniels was Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921.

From the description of Letter, November 5, 1919. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 708242957

Josephus Daniels, a North Carolinian, was editor of the Raleigh News and Observer before becoming interested in politics. From 1913-1921, he was Secretary of the Navy, and he served as ambassador to Mexico from 1933-42.

From the description of Letter, October 3, 1917. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17997736

From the description of Memorandum, April 6, 1920. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 728108249

From the description of Letter, April 11, 1914. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 17997748

From the description of Memorandum, September 28, 1917. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 728111599

From the description of Letter, December 18, 1917. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 18168838

Newspaper editor, Secretary of the Navy (1913-1921), Ambassador to Mexico (1933-1942), and member of the Watauga Club, Josephus Daniels was an alumnus of the University of North Carolina law school. He was influential in publishing in the Raleigh area and published several newspapers including the State Chronicle and the North Carolinian, as well as the News and Observer.

From the description of Josephus Daniels letter and address, 1939, 1943 [manuscript] (North Carolina State University). WorldCat record id: 505874393

Josephus Daniels was the Secretary of the Navy from 1913 to 1921 in President Wilson's cabinet. He is noted for establishing trades for the enlisted men and hence bringing about efficiency in the military. Daniels was born in Washington, N.C. in 1862 and died in Raleigh, N.C. in 1948.

From the description of Letter, May 26, 1913. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46326129

Politician and newspaper publisher, of North Carolina; served as Secretary of the Navy during World War I.

From the description of Joseph Daniels typed letter signed to John G. Berry, 1920 Nov. 11. (Maine Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 180081149

Secretary of the Navy, Ambassador to Mexico, Newspaper Editor.

From the description of Diaries, 1913-1948 [microform]. 1913-1948. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 25805556

From the description of Josephus Daniels papers, 1904-1954, bulk 1913-1942. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 17364626

Josephus Daniels was editor and publisher of the Raleigh News and Observer, Secretary of the Navy (1913-1921), Ambassador to Mexico (1933-1942), and member of the Watauga Club. He was an alumnus of the University of North Carolina law school. Daniels was influential in publishing in the Raleigh area and published several newspapers including the State Chronicle and the North Carolinian, as well as the News and Observer .

From the guide to the Josephus Daniels Letter and Address, 1939, 1943, (Special Collections Research Center)

Josephus Daniels was the owner and editor of the Raleigh "News and Observer"; secretary of the Navy in the administration of Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921; and U.S. ambassador to Mexico in the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1941.

From the description of Josephus Daniels papers, 1863-1947. WorldCat record id: 23437966

Secretary of the U.S. Navy.

From the description of Navy file papers [microform]. 1913-1948. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 23058937

U.S. Secretary of the Navy.

From the description of Letters, 1913 March 15-1917 Sept. 15, Washington D.C., to Perry Walton, Boston. (Boston Athenaeum). WorldCat record id: 184907307

Diplomat, journalist, and U.S. secretary of the navy.

From the description of Papers of Josephus Daniels, 1806-1948 (bulk 1913-1921). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71061125

Daniels was Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921.

From the description of Letter, January 13, 1914. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 708234843

Josephus Daniels was a United States Secretary of the Navy, Ambassador to Mexico, and editor of the Raleigh, North Carolina newspaper "News and Observer."

From the description of Josephus Daniels letters, 1917-1936. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 122505517

Newspaper editor, lawyer, Southern liberal, and politician who never ran for office, Josephus Daniels was born in Washington, N.C., in 1862. He started his career as newspaper editor in 1880 at the Wilson Advance in Wilson, N.C. After attending the University of North Carolina, Daniels passed the state bar examinations in 1885, but never actually practiced law. In 1891, he assumed editorial control of the Raleigh News and Observer.

An ardent, life long Democrat, Daniels was appointed Democratic national committeeman from North Carolina in 1896 and held that post until 1916. Woodrow Wilson appointed him secretary of the Navy in 1912. Daniels was one of four cabinet members who served throughout Wilson's two terms. In 1921, Daniels returned to the Raleigh News and Observer. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in the election of 1932. Roosevelt, who had served as assistant secretary of the Navy under Daniels from 1913 to 1921, always called his former boss chief, and, in 1933, appointed him ambassador to Mexico. Daniels helped to implement Roosevelt's good neighbor policy for eight years, resigning in 1941 to resume his editorial duties in Raleigh. He continued to write editorials for the News and Observer almost until his death in 1948.

A devoted family man throughout his life, Daniels married Adelaide Worth Bagley (1869-1943) in 1888. They had six children. Two daughters died in infancy. Four sons survived: Josephus (1894-1964), Worth Bagley (born 1899), Jonathan Worth (1902-1981), and Frank Arthur (1904-1986). For more information see the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, edited by William S. Powell. See also Subseries 2.1.

From the guide to the Josephus Daniels Papers, 1863-1947, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.)

Biographical Note

• 1862, May 18: Born, Washington, N.C.
• 1880 - 1893 : Newspaper editor, Wilson, Kinston, and Raleigh, N.C.
• 1885: Attended summer law school, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.; passed bar examination (never practiced)
• 1888: Married Adelaide Worth Bagley (died 1943)
• 1893 - 1895 : Chief, Appointment Division, United States Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
• 1894 - 1913 : Editor, Raleigh News and Observer
• 1898: Published The First Fallen Hero, A Biographical Sketch of Worth Bagley. Ensign, U.S.N. Norfolk, Va.: S. W. Bowman
• 1905: Completed purchase of the controlling interest in the Raleigh News and Observer
• 1912: Chief, Publicity Bureau, presidential campaign of Woodrow Wilson
• 1913 - 1921 : Secretary of the navy
• 1919: Published The Navy and the Nation: War-Time Addresses. New York: G. H. Doran Co.
• 1921 - 1933 : Edited Raleigh News and Observer
• 1922: Published Our Navy at War. Washington, D.C.: Pictorial Bureau
• 1924: Published The Life of Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924. Philadelphia: J. C. Winston Co.
• 1933 - 1941 : Ambassador to Mexico
• 1939 - 1947 : Published Tar Heel Editor. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press
• 1942 - 1948 : Editor, News and Observer
• 1944: Published The Wilson Era; Years of Peace, 1910-1917. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press
• 1946: Published The Wilson Era; Years of War and After, 1917-1923. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press
• 1948, Jan. 15: Died, Raleigh, N.C.

From the guide to the Josephus Daniels Papers, 1829-1948, (bulk 1913-1921), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)