Edward P. Reilly

REILLY, LONG

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/5/2015 at 10:36:15

Northwestern Iowa
Its History and Traditions
1804 – 1926

One of the most prominent figures in the live stock business in Sioux City is Edward P. Reilly, of the firm of Reilly & Sullivan, live stock dealers, and president of the Traders Live Stock Exchange. He is a native son of Iowa, born in Harrison County, on the 2d of July, 1866, his parents being Joseph W. and Margaret (Long) Reilly, the former born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while the latter was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland. In boyhood the father ran away from home with a companion to enlist in the Mexican War. His chum succeeded in enlisting but he was not accepted because of his age. After the war he came up the Missouri River to Kanesville, where he arrived in 1849 and early in the ‘50s he continued his journey to Sioux City. On the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted and was still in the army at the time of his marriage in 1864. After his discharge from the army he and his wife came to the Missouri Valley, settling on a farm in Harrison County, where he resided to the time of his death.

Edward P. Reilly attended the public schools, though the greater part of his education has been secured in the hard school of experience. He remained on the home farm until nineteen years of age, when in 1885 he rented a farm in Woodbury County, which he operated on his own account for fourteen years. In 1899 he came to Sioux City and began trading in stock, in which he was so successful that in 1906 he formed a partnership with William Sullivan, under the firm name of Reilly & Sullivan, and they have continued in business to the present time, dealing mainly in “stockers” and “feeders.” They have prospered to a very gratifying degree and are regarded as one of the leading livestock trading firms in the city. Mr. Reilly was honored by election to the presidency of the Traders Live Stock Exchange, which position he is now holding for his twelfth year, and he has served twenty-two years as a member of the board of directors of the Sioux City Live Stock Exchange. He is also one of five members of the National Live Stock Exchange practice commission, appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, the other members of the commission being, Howard Gore, then assistant secretary of agriculture, and now governor of West Virginia; Everett Brown, of Chicago; Thomas Cross, of Chicago; and William O. Tagg, of Omaha.

Mr. Reilly is a member of Sioux City Lodge, No. 112, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and Epiphany Council, No. 743, Knights of Columbus. He is a communicant of Epiphany Cathedral Roman Catholic church, to which he gives liberal support. He takes an interest in public affairs and has served two years as a member of the city council. NO worthy cause ever appeals to him in vain, for he is essentially public spirited, lending his influence to any measure which promise to be of material benefit to the community. For these reasons, as well as for his friendly manner, he is well deserving of the esteem which is accorded him through-out the city in which he lives.