He served as the third president of Indiana University from 1853-1859 and resigned under pressure after accusations of plagiarism, not paying debts, and incompetence.
Daily was an agent of the Preacher's Aid Society in 1837, then was transferred to the Missouri Conference in 1838 and stationed in St. Louis.
He was a chaplain in the United States Congress in the winter of 1844-1845, then stationed at Rising Sun and Evansville.
During this time he was made agent for Indiana Asbury (now DePauw) University, then a presiding elder of the Bloomington and Madison districts.
Daily attended and chaired the first session of the newly created Indiana State Teachers Association on December 25, 1854.
Daily attended the annual Indiana Methodist Conference that fall, but criticism of his behavior continued.
In the fall of 1859, the Indiana Methodist Conference examined the case of William Daily and decided to expel him.
[1]: 329 In 1862, Abraham Lincoln appointed Daily hospital chaplain at St. Louis, where he remained until the end of the war in 1865.