The Geo. E. Dilley & Son Founders and Machinists company was established by George M. Dilley in 1873 when the railroad came to Palestine, Texas. Dilley established the foundry to provide gray iron and brass castings to the railroad.

George M. Dilley, the original owner of the foundry, was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, in 1833. The Dilleys eventually made their way to Illinois where George M. worked as a railroad engineer. His son and future business partner, George Edward, was born there in 1858.

In 1870 George M. moved his family to Texas when he took charge of the construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad running from Houston to St. Louis. In 1873 he established the foundry, the first large industry in Palestine, taking on his son George Edward as partner, and naming it the Geo. M. Dilley & Son Founders and Machinists.

George Edward Dilley ran the business after his father moved to Dallas, and assumed ownership when his father died (ca.1902). Upon assuming ownership, he changed the name of the foundry to Geo. E. Dilley & Son Founders and Machinists, taking on his son, Clarence Van Deursen Dilley as partner. George Edward Dilley operated the business until his death in 1932. Clarence V. Dilley then assumed ownership until his death in 1937 upon which his estate operated the business until 1940 when the foundry finally closed its doors.

The Geo. E. Dilley & Son foundry operated continuously from the time it was established in 1873 until 1940, and normally employed twenty to twenty- five people with an annual payroll averaging between twenty to twenty-five thousand dollars. Even during the Great Depression the foundry managed to keep its entire work force intact even though their employees worked on a part-time basis. Mr. Dilley (George E.) accomplished this by allowing his employees to use Dilley land to farm and raise live stock. This allowed their employees to produce food for their own consumption and sell the surplus to supplement their income.

Although originally established to provide services to the railroad, the Dilleys expanded the business to encompass services to other industries as well. They built and sold equipment for saw mills, cotton ginning operations, the oil field industry, and acted as sales agents for manufacturers of various types of engines, railroad steam locomotives, boilers, and other types of equipment.

In addition to the foundry, the business had well-equipped machine and welding shops. They claimed they could repair or fabricate anything out of metal if given a good set of plans or a sample from which to work. However, the bulk of their business came from the building and selling of saw mills, planning mills, steam engines, and boilers. They offered twenty-four hour service and the Palestine facility did business with companies all over East Texas and Western Louisiana.

Along with their primary facility in Palestine, Texas, the Dilleys operated facilities in Pine Bluff, Arkansas; San Antonio, Texas; and Parsons, Kansas. Unfortunately, the collection contains little information concerning these facilities.

The Dilleys were more than business entrepreneurs; they were involved in their community. George M. Dilley formed the Dilley Rifles, an award-winning precision drill team, and George E. Dilley served as chairperson of the Palestine YMCA. During World War I the YMCA established a war fund, and as chairperson of the Palestine chapter, he was involved in raising money for that war fund, helping the Texas YMCA surpass its quota established by the national headquarters of that organization. Dilley also served as chairperson of the Anderson County Fuel Administration during that war.

George E. Dilley was equally concerned with the well being of the people of Palestine. In a letter to several business people in the community, he asked if they would contribute money toward the relief of a widowed mother who could not provide for her family. Dilley himself was providing rent for one year, and implored other business people to help provide assistance for this woman. Unfortunately, there is no related correspondence describing the success Dilley had in evoking the generosity of his fellow business associates of Palestine regarding this matter.

At a time and place when minorities were not treated with respect or dignity, George E. Dilley did business with both white and black clients, dealing with both equally. When asked to provide a reference for a black businessman applying for credit, he favorably responded by saying that he wished some of his white clients paid their bills as diligently as did this man.

The Geo. E. Dilley & Son Records represent more than the business transactions of a family-owned company. The Dilleys were an important part of the Palestine culture, and the business correspondence found within this collection reflect the personality and integrity of the Dilley family, making these records a reflection of life and culture in an East Texas town.