Riley, Thomas 1839 – 1913

RILEY, QUINLIVAN, HART, COSTELLO

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:26

Source: Cresco Plain Dealer Feb. 21, 1913, P-6, C-1,2,3

Death of Thomas Riley.
A large number of our people will remember Thomas Riley, a war veteran; who for several years made his home with the John A. Dreier family before their removal to Billings, Mo. His death occurred there on Sunday, Feb. 9th, and the following sketch of his life appears in the Billings Times:
Thomas Riley, aged 73 years, 3 months and 3 days, was born in county Cavean, Ireland, November 1839, and came to the United States when six years old. When quite young deceased enlisted in the cavalry service of the U. S. army and saw service during the Morman troubles in Utah, before the Civil war, and assisted in the burial of the victims of the memorable "Mountain Meadows Massacre.” At the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861, his command was ordered to Washington, and he served his country faithfully; participated in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg and the “Wilderness,” and numerous other engagements, always as a loyal soldier true to his country. During the war he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. After the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox he was mustered out of service, and enjoyed a brief vacation, visiting the large cities of Europe, and on his return to the United States, he re-enlisted in the cavalry of the Regular Army U. S. A., and served under the gallant and brave Custer, and other noted leaders, during the Indian troubles in the Northwest, until the winter of 1875, when he and a party of his troopers were caught in a blizzard, and he lost his fingers through freezing. After convalescence after the amputation of his fingers, he remained in Washington, D. C., and Chicago, Ill., visiting and living with relatives until the year 1881 when he came to Howard county, Iowa, where he purchased considerable farming lands, and while there he became acquainted with the family of John A. Dreier, and with them he resided until the year 1897, when he with them removed to Billings, Mo., where he has lived until his death, respected and honored by all who knew him.
The surviving relatives are two sisters, Mrs. E. Quinlivan of Chicago, Ill., Mrs. Thomas Hart of Schuyler, Neb., and two nephews and four nieces. Mr. John Costello and wife, of Rogers, Neb, and Miss Margaret Quinlivan of Chicago, were with him when he died.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Billings, Missouri and that he was born Nov. 7, 1839.