Henry Riley, 1850-1917

RILEY

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 3/12/2009 at 17:52:06

DEATH CLAIMS HENRY RILEY

Died of Pneumonia Thursday Morning After An Illness of Only One Week.

RESIDED HERE FOR 32 YEARS

Had Ticket Purchased and Expected to Leave for California Monday to Spend Balance of Winter.

This community was greatly shocked and grief-stricken last Thursday morning [January 4, 1917] when word went forth that Henry Riley was dead. It was not known by only a few that he had been even ill. He died at the age of 66 years, ten months, 19 days.

In fact, on Wednesday the week previous he was down town and in apparently his usual health. That night, however, he was taken down with pneumonia and gradually grew worse until in just a week from the date of his first illness, death relieved him of his suffering.

On account of relatives not being able to reach here before Monday, the funeral was not held until Monday afternoon from the Baptist church at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. A. C. Droz of Monroe, Iowa, a former local pastor and close personal friend of deceased.

William Henry Riley was born in Carroll County, Ohio, Feb. 15, 1850.

He was of Irish parentage, but very little is known of his boyhood days. He came to Iowa about the year 1880 and located at Steamboat Rock, where he remained for two years and then went to Spirit Lake. He remained in Spirit Lake two years and then came to Estherville just thirty-two years ago and has lived here almost continuously since then.

He was a barber by trade and followed that business until a few years ago.

October 4, 1887, he was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Lingenfelter, of this city. To this union two daughters were born, Mrs. J. W. Ghoslin and Mrs. C. J. Robinson of this city.

Besides the wife and two daughters, he is survived by two brothers, James of Los Angeles, California, and John of Mt. Sterling, Illinois, and one sister, Mrs. Samuel Barton of Mt. Sterling.

In 1905 he sold his barber shop to C. A. Dayton and retired from active business life, although he devoted considerable of his time in looking after and improving different city properties that he owned.

Mr. Riley was unpretentious and unassuming, but he was dependable, sturdy and one of Estherville's most reliable and most highly respected citizens. He was universally well like by all who knew him and was a devoted husband and indulgent father.

He had arranged to spend the balance of the winter in California and he and Mrs. Riley were to start on Monday, the day on which the funeral was held. He had their tickets bought and trip arrangements made.

The floral offerings were numerous and beautiful and many were at the funeral to pay their last tribute to their old time friend. [Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery.]

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, January 10, 1917.