Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-16

Funeral services for Thomas w. Riley.
one of the pioneer business men Of Wash
ington and for eighty-nine years a resi-
dent here, who died yesterday afternoon
following an attack of heart disease, will
be held at the family residence. 1000 +
street southwest, at o'clock tomorrow
| afternoon Rev. w. J. D. Thomas, pastor
of the Church of Our Savior. Brookland.
will officiate Burial will be in Glenwood
cemetery.
For many years tom" Riley, as he
was generally known, was one of the
most picturesque characters of Washing
ton. He was a man of large stature, with
snow white hair and beard. and, despite
his advanced age, carried himself as
erect as a West Point soldier.
| Mr. Riley lived to see Washington grow
| from a struggling village to a populous
| city His mind was stored with anec-
dotes of the early days before the ad-
vent of the railroad and when steamboats,
We're few and their trips infrequent. His
entire life was spent along the river
| front He saw the southwest section of
the city grow and took a prominent part
! in that Development
Lived Here Eighty-Nine Years.
Thomas Wise Riley was born in Acco-
mac county, Va, February j, 1921 and
came to this city with his parents when
I two years old. His father settled in the
southwest section of the city and in the
portion south of street between sth and
10Th streets Mr.. Riley lived for eighty
nine years.
Immediately after coming to Washing
ton his father went into the lumber. wood
and coal business at the foot of 18th
! street southwest. The pier there has
| been in the possession OF the riley lam
! ily since that time.
| The elder Riley. before the days of
railroads. operated a line or stages
carrying the mails TO Alexandra ana
other points in Virginia. His son. while
| a youth, drove one of these stages.
Then the railroads came and put the
stage lines out OF business. Fond OF
| horses. the younger Riley left Wash
ineton and for year or Two drove
lington and Blue Ridge Springs. KY.
This was the only time he ever worked
| for any one but himself or his father.
| Following the death or MS father, in
| 1876, he took charge of the business
! at the 18th street wharf For more
! than a half century he was one of the
most successful wood and coal and
lumber dealers in the city Having Il
thoroush Knowledge of horses. he also
engaged in buying and selling them.
Business Ventures Successful.
His ventures were uniformly success
full. About ten years ago he turned his
business over to his son, William w.
Riley. and retired to spend the remainder
| of his life at his ease.
In the early days of the city it had
no public fish and oyster wharf. Mr..
! Rilev. having control of the wharf at the
| foot of f1th street, allowed oyster ves-
| sells and fish-laden boats to land there
and dispose of their produce. From this
| the present fish, and oyster wharf came.
Mr. Riley and his family have had it In
| charge for more than three-quarters of
| a century.
| Mr. Riley had several brothers and sis
| ters all of whom have died. He is sur
vived by two sons. Thomas r. Riley and
| William W. Riley. and three daughters.
Miss Mary Riley. Miss Janet Riley and
Mrs Elizabeth d. Young.