Covington County AlArchives Biographies.....Riley, Malachi September 20 1853 - living in 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 9:19 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   MALACHI RILEY, probate judge of Covington county, was born in Barbour county,
September 20, 1853. He is a son of Willis and Martha (Clark) Riley, both of whom
were born in the state of Georgia, the former in 1825, the latter in 1828. Both
were reared to labor on the farm and the latter was deprived of all educational
advantages. Mr. Riley's father died when he was, yet a small boy and he was
reared by his widowed mother, with but limited educational advantages. Mr. Riley
married in Georgia about 1845, and came to Barbour county, Ala., and to what is
now Crenshaw county in 1860, and in 1889 to Greenville, Butler county, where
they both reside. He was a very energetic, industrious and progressive man, and
accumulated a good deal of property. During the war he was not subject to
military duty, and, therefore, devoted his attention to the families of those
who went. He has always been well known for his kindness and hospitality
wherever he has lived. He has read a great deal and is a well informed man in
general affairs. His wife has been a member of the Missionary Baptist church for
many years. She was a daughter of Alfred Clark, who was a native of South
Carolina, but who removed to Georgia at a very early day, and also came to
Alabama soon after Mr. Riley came, dying at Leon, in what is now Crenshaw
county, in 1872. His widow died in 1875. Both were members of the Missionary
Baptist church for many years. They raised a large family, and two of their sons
lost their lives in the late war. Malachi Riley was the fifth of a family of
nine children, viz.: Lou, died in 1867; Fannie, wife of Dr. J. E. Kendrick, of
Luverne; William, of Andalusia; Julia, widow of James R. Burnett, of Greenville,
Ala.; Malachi; Middleton, of Hamptonville, Ala.; Robert E. Lee, wife of Dr. J.
F. Pendrey, of Rose Hill, Ala. Two others died young. Malachi Riley was reared
on a farm and began life for himself at nineteen years of age, reading law with
Gamble & Powell, of Greenville, and was admitted to the bar in 1872. He
practiced with them until 1874 and then taught school in Crenshaw county until
1876. Upon coming to Andalusia in April, 1876, he was appointed superintendent
of education in December of same year, but in November, 1878, he resigned,
having been elected to the legislature. While in this body he served on the
committee on judiciary and on privileges and elections. He was the youngest
member of the legislature and served with no little distinction. At the
expiration of his term in the legislature he was elected, in 1880, probate judge
of Covington county, and was said to be the youngest probate judge in the state.
He was re-elected in 1886 and has now served twelve years with very general
satisfaction, and was re-elected in 1892. He is a very efficient official, and
is conservative and courteous. March 18, 1880, he married Ann White, a daughter
of Hon. John D. and Mary Chapman. She was born at Leon, and educated there and
at Rutledge. Judge Riley and wife are both members of the Missionary Baptist
church, and he is a member of Andalusia lodge. No. 434, F. & A. M.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 759-760
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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