CHILION RILEY
(1856-1931)
Born June 8, 1856, in New Madrid County, Missouri; son of Amos Riley, Jr., and Lucy Ann Riley, nee Hamilton. His paternal grandfather, Amos Riley, Sr., emigrated from Ireland, first settling in Maryland and then removing to Kentucky locating in Hardin County. His father, Amos Riley, Jr., was born near Louisville, Kentucky, and the son of Amos Riley, Sr., and Sussannah Phillips. Sussannah Phillips was the daughter of Jenkin Phillips and Hannah Butcher.
His mother was the daughter of Charles Hamilton and Eleanor Phillips, his grandfather Hamilton being born in Mississippi, whose father was from Scotland. His mother having died when he was an infant, his aunt Mrs. Hannah Williams, a widow, of Louisville, Kentucky, assumed his care. Whilst he was quite young she married his father Amos Riley, Jr., her first cousin. His father removed from Louisville, Kentucky, to New Madrid County, Missouri, about 1850. After receiving his preliminary education in private schools he entered the University of Missouri where he graduated, receiving degrees of A. B. and LL. B. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. For two years he practiced law in New Madrid, Missouri, and then for three years at Malden, Missouri. In 1881 he removed to Secorro, New Mexico, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of that Territory. He was Clerk of the United States District Court for the Second Judicial District of the Territory of New Mexico from 1885 to 1889. Whilst at Secorro during the uprising of the Apaches, under the leadership of Geronimo, Judge Russell, a leading citizen of Sacorro, called for volunteers to aid in the suppressing of the Apache outbreak. Being very much in love with his daughter, Miss Maud Russell, Chilon Riley, eager to establish himself in the esteem of her father, took the lead in organizing a company which participated in the capture of Geronimo. In 1890 Chilion Riley and Miss Maud Russell were married. Later, they removed from New Mexico to Dellingham, Washington Territory, where he located and was admitted to the bar and engaged in the practice of the law. In 1895 he removed from Washington Territory to Ardmore, Indian Territory. In 1896 he was appointed Master in Chancery by Judge C. B. Kilgore. In 1904 he was a law clerk on the Dawes Commission. Later he located at Duncan and was there engaged in the practice of law until after statehood. On account of his health he retired from active practice and for a short time lived at Fort Smith, Arkansas, with a brother. His wife died in 1930. They had no children. From Fort Smith, Arkansas, he sought the beneficial climate in California, from there he went to Sulphur, Oklahoma, seeking restoration of health through its curative waters but died December 11, 1931. He is buried at Duncan, Oklahoma.
Source: Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 10, No. 1, March, 1932; Page 147
