O'Reilly was born in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland. He emigrated with his father to New York City in 1816, where he then changed the spelling of his surname to O'Rielly. With his friend Luther Tucker he went to Rochester, New York, and organized the Rochester Daily Advertiser. He was active in Jacksonian politics. The postmaster, Amos Kendall, appointed him to the Rochester post office. O'Reilly chose a young Scottish immigrant, James D. Reid, as his assistant.[1] He married Marcia Brooks, daughter of Micah Brooks, in 1830.[2]
Civic accomplishmentsedit
O'Reilly was one of the Rochester citizens advocating the deepening and improvement of the Erie Canal. He could see that revenues from tolls were not sufficient for major improvements. They advocated borrowing at a time when many considered it immoral.
He promoted a change in the Rochester city charter in 1841 to support free public education. This was opposed by many who preferred education only for a privileged class. He was elected to the subsequent Board of Education. He promoted and became president of the Young Men's Association that created the first library open to the public in the city.[3]
Publishingedit
O'Reilly was one of the first authors to write a survey of Rochester and its immediate surroundings, first with a fourteen-page tract Rochester in 1835 : brief sketches of the present condition of the city of Rochester. He followed that with a massive publication just three years later, describing in great detail, the Settlement in the West : sketches of Rochester : with incidental notices of western New-York ... (1838, 504 pp., published by William Alling), known colloquially as Sketches of Rochester.
Telegraph entrepreneuredit
O'Reilly signed an ambiguous contract on June 13, 1845, with Amos Kendall, agent of Samuel Morse, for a telegraph line from the eastern seaboard to the Great Lakes. With others he formed the Atlantic, Lake & Mississippi Valley Telegraph system composed of six independent units including the Atlantic & Ohio Telegraph Company. Its superintendent was James D. Reid.[4] The ambiguity of the contract and O'Reilly's aggressive interpretation led to conflict with Kendall and an acrimonious court action. The subsequent case, O'Reilly v. Morse, has been highly influential in the development of the law of patent-eligibility. When he lost this case, his telegraphy empire declined.
Referencesedit
^Robert Luther Thompson, Wiring A Continent--The History of the Telegraph Industry in the United States 1832-1866, Princeton University Press, 1947
^"Guide to the Henry O'Reilly Papers 1832-1873". New York Historical Society Museum & Library. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
^James D. Reid, The Telegraph in America--Its Founders Promoters and Noted Men, New York Arno Press, 1974
External linksedit
Engraved portrait of Henry O'Reilly at Rochester Images
Henry O'Reilly biography
Guide to Henry O'Reilly Papers at the New York Historical Society
Public domain.pdf files of Sketches of Rochester at the Internet Archive
May 03, 2024
henry, reilly, february, 1806, august, 1886, irish, american, businessman, telegraphy, pioneer, born6, february, 1806carrickmacross, county, monaghan, irelanddied17, august, 1886, 1886, aged, nationalityirish, americanoccupationbusinessmanknown, forpublishing,. Henry O Reilly February 6 1806 August 17 1886 was an Irish American businessman and telegraphy pioneer Henry O ReillyBorn6 February 1806Carrickmacross County Monaghan IrelandDied17 August 1886 1886 08 18 aged 80 NationalityIrish AmericanOccupationBusinessmanKnown forPublishing Telegraphy pioneeringSpouseMarcia BrooksChildrenBertha Welby Contents 1 Early life 2 Civic accomplishments 3 Publishing 4 Telegraph entrepreneur 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editO Reilly was born in Carrickmacross County Monaghan Ireland He emigrated with his father to New York City in 1816 where he then changed the spelling of his surname to O Rielly With his friend Luther Tucker he went to Rochester New York and organized the Rochester Daily Advertiser He was active in Jacksonian politics The postmaster Amos Kendall appointed him to the Rochester post office O Reilly chose a young Scottish immigrant James D Reid as his assistant 1 He married Marcia Brooks daughter of Micah Brooks in 1830 2 Civic accomplishments editO Reilly was one of the Rochester citizens advocating the deepening and improvement of the Erie Canal He could see that revenues from tolls were not sufficient for major improvements They advocated borrowing at a time when many considered it immoral He promoted a change in the Rochester city charter in 1841 to support free public education This was opposed by many who preferred education only for a privileged class He was elected to the subsequent Board of Education He promoted and became president of the Young Men s Association that created the first library open to the public in the city 3 Publishing editO Reilly was one of the first authors to write a survey of Rochester and its immediate surroundings first with a fourteen page tract Rochester in 1835 brief sketches of the present condition of the city of Rochester He followed that with a massive publication just three years later describing in great detail the Settlement in the West sketches of Rochester with incidental notices of western New York 1838 504 pp published by William Alling known colloquially as Sketches of Rochester Telegraph entrepreneur editO Reilly signed an ambiguous contract on June 13 1845 with Amos Kendall agent of Samuel Morse for a telegraph line from the eastern seaboard to the Great Lakes With others he formed the Atlantic Lake amp Mississippi Valley Telegraph system composed of six independent units including the Atlantic amp Ohio Telegraph Company Its superintendent was James D Reid 4 The ambiguity of the contract and O Reilly s aggressive interpretation led to conflict with Kendall and an acrimonious court action The subsequent case O Reilly v Morse has been highly influential in the development of the law of patent eligibility When he lost this case his telegraphy empire declined References edit Robert Luther Thompson Wiring A Continent The History of the Telegraph Industry in the United States 1832 1866 Princeton University Press 1947 Guide to the Henry O Reilly Papers 1832 1873 New York Historical Society Museum amp Library Retrieved 26 April 2016 Dexter Perkins Henry O Reilly Rochester History Jan 1945 vol vii no 1 James D Reid The Telegraph in America Its Founders Promoters and Noted Men New York Arno Press 1974External links editEngraved portrait of Henry O Reilly at Rochester Images Henry O Reilly biography Guide to Henry O Reilly Papers at the New York Historical Society Public domain pdf files of Sketches of Rochester at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry O 27Reilly amp oldid 1174354175, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
