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    LEWIS A. RILEY, a prominent attorney of this county, and now residing in Wapello, was one of the early settlers of this county. He was born on the 1st day of March, 1845, in Holmes County, Ohio, and was the seventh of eight children whose parents were James Riley and Ann Hague. His father followed through life agricultural pursuits and died in 1855, in this county. He was a man remarkable for intelligence, and on coming to this county, settled in Elmgrove township, where he resided till his death.

    The early education of the subject of this sketch was very liberal. After going through the prescribed course of study pertaining to our advanced common schools, he entered Troy College, N. Y. and graduated in the year 1865. His literary studies in this institution did not absorbed all of his time, and before he graduated he finished a course of mercantile education at the celebrated Eastman Commercial College. He afterwards pursued a select course in the classics at Knox College, for a space of two years. In 1868, he returned to this county, and began life as a teacher. In 1869, yielding to the solicitation of friends, he accepted the office of County Superintendent of Schools, whose duties engrossed his attention for two years.

    In April, 1871 he was admitted to the bar of the State of Iowa, and immediately initiated the practice of law. He has continued to practice law ever since in Wapello, and has attained to the rank of one of the first attorneys of our county. His practice is somewhat extended, and embraces both the civil and criminal in all our courts. On the 24th day of April, 1872, he was united in marriage to Carrie Newell, a native of this county, and a daughter of R. F. Newell, one of the earliest settlers of this county, and now a member of the board of supervisors, from Concord Township.

    Politically, Mr. Riley’s views are not circumscribed by the tenets of any particular party. He looks more at men than at measures. It will be in taste, however, to observe here that at present he takes a great interest in the movement of American farmers to protect themselves from monopolies and the corruption of evil and designing men. Socially, Mr. Riley is pleasant, affable and courteous.