Biographical Sketch of Isaac Van Riley, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Isaac Van Riley, son of Isaac V. and Matilda Riley, was born in 1830,
in Montgomery County, Maryland. He was the third of a family of six
children. He was raised a farmer, and educated in his native county.
In 1850, he moved to Missouri, and settled in St. Joseph, where he
engaged as clerk in the general store of Middleton & Riley, first in
St. Joseph and afterwards in Weston, where he remained in business
about three years, at the end of which period he returned to St.
Joseph. In 1858, he was elected Clerk of the County Court of Buchanan
County, a position the duties of which he discharged so acceptably
that, at the close of his official term, in 1862, he was again elected
to the position, which he filled during another four years' term. In
1867, he took charge of the City Mills, in St. Joseph, which he con-
tinued to operate several years. In 1868, he was elected a member of
the City Council of St. Joseph, serving two years. In 1874, he was,
for the third time, elected Clerk of the County Court. The duties of
this position he discharged with his usual ability, from January, 1875
to April of the same year, on the 24th of which month he died, after a
short illness. Few men have enjoyed so large a share of personal pop-
ularity, in St. Joseph, as did Isaac Van Riley. So great was the
esteem and regard in which he was held in the county, that the Governor
was petitioned to appoint, as his successor, his son Edward V., the
present popular clerk, requesting, at the same time, to defer the
appointment a week or two, till the son should achieve his majority,
the young man, not being, at the time of his father's death, of eliga-
ble age. This, in obedience to the wish of the large number of pet-
itioners, was done. As an evidence that none who signed his petition
have had cause to regret their act, after a service of three years and
nine months, Mr. Riley was elected to the office by a large majority.
Isaac Van Riley was married in St. Joseph, in 1852, to Miss Frances N.
Johnson, daughter of Nelson Johnson, Esq., of Shelbyville, Kentucky.
He left four children: Edward V., above referred to, born in 1854;
Nelson J., the present popular Deputy County Clerk, born in 1858;
Fannie S., born in 1862 and Amos W., born in 1869.

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