Mr. Joseph Dilley ended his many days on 16th day of March, 1879, after a brief illness of rheumatism of the heart, but mainly from the abrasion of four score and six years. "The silver cord had been loosed, and the golden bowl broken." An extraordinary good constitution, with a careful and methodical life, carried him far beyond the number of years usually allotted to man. Up to a very recent period, he was only in years an old man--no stranger would rate him over 65 or 70 Years. A mind clear, and judgment sound--spirits cheerful and even gay; gentlemanly always and everywhere, with none of the disagreeable ways that usually accompany extreme age--verily. He was a model old man, entitled to he respect of all. Anyone who does not respect such an example, deserves none himself.

 The deceased was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, but in his boyhood and infancy found his way to Somerset County, PA, where he learned the blacksmith trade. After this he located where Frostburg was afterward built, and carried on his trade with much success.

 For many years he labored hard at the anvil and bellows. His prosperity in this line in due time enabled him to embark in other enterprises by which the foundation of his large estate was laid. His surpassing judgment and clear-headedness were an assurance of success in all his undertakings. In desecration and penetration into business affairs, he was second to none of his class of men we have ever met. It is true that he has lost considerable money in the course of his long life, but always in aiding friends, or some public enterprise in which his own private judgment would foresee loss, but for the sake of the public weal he would invest.

 Mr. Dilley understood well the elements of business and could not easily be over-reached in a transaction. Yet he was fair, just, and entirely upright, punctual and exact in all his engagements, and he expected from others similar traits, or at least some sufficient reason for delinquency, when he had to meet it. He was not cold or selfish, but had a helping hand for those who merited it. The writer knows that he was often worried with designing persons who would try to take advantage of him because he was a wealthy man, and thought, because he was old he could not protect himself.

 Always a true and loyal citizen, prompt and cheerful in the performance of every public duty and requirement upon him; never a seeker of office, but many times shunning it; Yet he, over a half a century ago represented this county in the legislature, and about twenty-five years since was superintendent of the National Road, and acknowledged to be the best it ever had. This was the sum of his public life.

 He was not a member of any particular church, but his leanings were with the Lutheran, of which his late wife was a member. He was, however, specially since her death, a Christian man--a firm believer in the bible and all its teachings, thoroughly orthodox.

 For a number of years, Mr. Dilley had not been engaged in active business, other than attending to his large estate, living sometime since on his farm near the Narrows above the city, and lastly at his comfortable home four miles out on the National Road. He leaves three surviving children: two in Cumberland and one in Minnesota, who is a judge of one of the counties in that state; and also the grand-children of two deceased daughters--all of whom will share a handsome estate, entirely unencumbered and undisposed of by will. truly it may be said that our county has lost one of its most worthy, useful and aged citizens. It will be a long time before one so excellent and deserving shall fill his place in our bereaved community