Nicholas Reilly was born in Ireland on August 26,1871.He came to America in 1887 at the age of sixteen and settled in Mill Neck,Long Island.He decided to become a nurse,and received his training at the Nurses' Training School in Central Islip,from which he graduated in 1894.For the next fifteen years,Reilly was a nurse in Central Islip and Wards Island.During this time,he moved to Brentwood and was a popular resident.
Reilly later tired of being a nurse,and he decided to try a different career.He took the Post Office Civil Service examination in 1909,and was appointed Postmaster at Brentwood in 1910.He was very successful in the job ,
and served for twenty-four years,finally being succeeded by Katherine H.Gallagher on June 18,1934.Reilly was also a founding member of the Fire Department,and was its first secretary.