Isaac Riley (1853-1926)

Lumber merchant, hotelier, MLA (1900-1903), MLA (1903-1907), MLA (1908-1910), MLA (1911-1914), MLA (1914-1915).

Born at Mornington Township, Perth County, Ontario on 15 October 1853, son of Charles Riley and Susan Nixon, he was educated at public schools. He came to Manitoba in 1876 and stayed in a Winnipeg for a year until moving to Stonewall where, in 1880, he built the Canadian Pacific Hotel, the first hotel in the town. In 1887, he opened a lumber business at Stonewall. In 1899, he defeated incumbent Samuel J. Jackson to assume the seat for Stonewall in the Manitoba Legislature, serving as the member for Rockwood until 1915.

In 1882, he married Laura M. Poore of Ridgetown, Ontario. They had four children: John M. Riley (b 1883), William Dyson Riley (b 1886), Mary J. Riley (b 1888), and Grace Helena Riley (b 1894). He served on the Stonewall School Board.

He died at Stonewall on 8 July 1926.

Sources:

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, 1911. C. W. Parker, editor. Canadian Press Association, Vancouver.

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Profile revised: 28 December 2009

A collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Send inquiries to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Suggest a Memorable Manitoban  |  Sources  |  Acknowledgements