HALEY, MICHAEL FRANCIS (1860-1930)

HALEY, MICHAEL FRANCIS, collector of customs; b. Chatham (bap. 22 Jul 1860), s/o Edward Haley and Joanna Spelman, natives of Ireland; m. 1889, Catherine Beatrice Wallace, d/o Peter Wallace and Catherine McGraw, of Chatham; d. there, 26 Nov 1930.

Michael F. Haley was the son of an immigrant laborer whose large family gave their name to Haley's Hill in Chatham. A career employee of the Chatham customs house, he was appointed collector of customs in 1925, at age sixty-four, upon the retirement of George Watt. He continued as collector until his death five years later.

Haley sat for a time on the Chatham Town Council and served as a school trustee. He was active in the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of which he was provincial treasurer for some years. He was survived in 1930 by his wife, Catherine B. Wallace, two sons, and three daughters.