Memorable Manitobans: Isaac Riley (1853-1926)

Isaac Riley Click to enlarge

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, being re-elected in 1903, 1907, 1910, and 1914. In 1882, he married Laura M. Poore (?-?) of Ridgetown, Ontario. They had four children: John M. Riley (1883-?), William Dyson Riley (1886-?), Mary J. Riley (1888-?), and Grace Helena Riley (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, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 September 2018

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. 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 Browse deaths occurring in: 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!