Biographical Sketch of the Richard RILEY; Chester & Delaware Counties, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson <ferg@ntelos.net>.

***********************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial  
individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter 
information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites 
requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. 
We encourage links to the state and county table of contents.  

http://www.usgwarchives.net/
***********************************************************************

from THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, by Futhey and Cope (1881)

RILEY, Richard, was born of English parents, at Marcus Hook, Chester (now De) 
Co, 12-14-1735.  He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1766 and was 
continued in that capacity until the Revolution.  When the public attention was 
directed to the controversy with the mother-country, Richard Riley was found 
with Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston,Richard Thomas, William Montgomery and the 
other early asserters of American rights, attending the county gatherings of the 
people, to devise measures of defense.  He was one of the Provincial Conference 
which appointed new delegates to the Continental Congress, with instructions to 
vote for independence, 5 of their immediate predecessors having flinched on that 
momentous question.  When Chester co was divided in 1789, Mr. Riley was elected 
to the Legislature from the new county, and continued 2 years.  He was afterward 
appointed associate judge of Delaware County, and died Aug 27, 1820, in his 85th 
year.