A native of Connecticut, Mr. Dooley, at the beginning of his career, for a number of years served as chairman of the Board of Assessors of the city of Hartford. Next he was for some twelve years a national bank examiner for the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. He resigned this position, in order to accept the vice-presidency of one of the leading financial institutions of Providence. Nine years later, in 1908, he became president of another Providence bank, the National Exchange Bank, one of the oldest banks in Rhode Island, of which he continued to be the head. Mr. Dooley is one of the best known bankers, not only in Providence and Rhode Island, but in New England. Naturally, quite in accord with his position in the business world, he is regarded as one of the leading citizens of Providence.
Michael F. Dooley was born at New Britain, Connecticut, on December 1, 1852, a son of Timothy and Mary (Birney) Dooley. During his early childhood, in 1854, the family removed to Hartford, and it was in that city that Mr. Dooley received his early education. Later he became a student at Fordham University, New York City, from which he was graduated in 1872. He then went abroad and spent the next two years at St. Supplice, Paris, France. Returning to Hartford in 1874, he was a student for a short time in the law office of Hon. George G. Sill, but before long he was elected one of the assessors of the city of Hartford, serving as chairman of the Board of Assessors during 1884-87. In the latter year he was appointed a national bank examiner and was assigned to Connecticut and Rhode Island, continuing in that position and in that territory until 1890; he was again appointed in 1893 and served until 1899, when he resigned his position to accept the office of secretary of the Union Trust Company of Providence; in 1906 he was made vice-president and served as such until 1908. In that year he was elected president of the National Exchange Bank of Providence, one of the oldest and strongest Rhode Island banks, having been founded as a State bank in 1801. In 1925 he became chairman of the board and continued so until 1926, when it was merged into the Industrial Trust Company. At the time he became identified with the National Exchange Bank, the total deposits amounted to less than one million dollars; in 1926 they were more than seventeen millions. Mr. Dooley is a member of the University Club and the Turks Head Club, both of Providence, and of the Catholic Club of New York City. His religious affiliation is with the Roman Catholic Church.
Mr. Dooley married in June, 1888, Helen M. McManus of Hartford, Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Dooley have no children. They make their home at No. 170 Angell Street, Providence.
Source: Carroll, Charles. Rhode Island: Three Centuries of Democracy, vol 3 of 4. New York: Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1932.