Freestone County, Texas Obituaries Fairfield Recorder, Fairfield Texas Friday, Feb. 20, 1925 MRS. M. A. RILEY PASSES AT HOME AT POST OAK Mrs. M. A. Riley, aged 79 years, died at her home in the Post Oak neighborhood three miles south of Fairfield last Tuesday having been in declining health for quite awhile. Burial was had in the Post Oak Cemetery only a short distant from her home where she settled when the family moved here from Monroe County Alabama 37 years ago. Elds. E. Homer Tirey and H. L. McKissack conducted burial services in the presents of one of the largest crowds that had ever concregated in the beautiful little cemetery at Post Oak. People were present from nearly every section of county attesting the esteem and affection in she and her family were held. Mrs. Riley is survived by the following children: Mrs. C. M. Middleton and Ed Riley of Post Oak, Mrs. B. P. Compton and John and Bob Riley of Teague. ----------------------------------------------------- Unknown newspaper January 1925 PROMINENT LADY DIES AT POST OAK HOME Mrs. M. A. Riley, aged 78 yrs, 10 mo., 1 day died at the family home in the Post Oak Community east of Fairfield, a 1:40 o'clock Wed. morning. Funeral services were conducted at Post Oak church at 4:000 o'clock Wed. afternoon. Rev. E. Homer Tiery and H. L. Kisssack conducted the serivce. Burial followed the ceremony in the local cemetery. Mrs. Riley and her husband W.W. Riley came to Texas from Alabama in 1878. They really came to visit a brother-in-law John Mimms, but purchased the Holtsclaw tract of land from Mr. Mimms on which the family has made its home since that time. Mr. Riley died in 1895, leaving Mrs. Riley and their son W. E. who has resided at the old homestead together until her death. She was the mother of some of the most prominent and leading citizens of the county, her surviving children being John Riley, president of First Nat'l Bk., Teague; Mrs. C. K. Middleton, wife of a prominent merchant and stockman of the Post Oak Community; W. E. Riley, investor, stock raiser, and planter of Post Oak; Rrobert F. Riley, cashier of First Nat'l Bk., Teague; Mrs. B. P. Compton, Mr. Compton being a Teague merchant and stock dealer. She is survived by a brother W.L. Shannon, Vredenberg, Ala., and it is understood two sisters still live in Ala. ----------------------------------------------------- Fairfield Recorder, Fairfield Texas Friday, March 20, 1925 IN MEMORY OF MRS. M. A. RILEY Sister M. A. Riley was born April 17, 1846 at Buena Vista, Alabama. Died Feb. 18, 1925. She was married to W. W. Riley in July 1869. They moved to Texas in Dec. 1878 and settled a place at Post Oak where she was living at the time of her death. Her husband died Sept. 23, 1895. Sister Riley professed faith in Christ and was baptised into the fellowship of Post Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Nov. 1884. She was a consitent member although she was nearly deaf yet she attended church services yeilding an influence for the master and obeying his command. Forsake not the assembling of yourself together. This she did until she thoght that her health forbade it. She was blessed with wealth, yet she like Jesus was plain and humble. She belonged to no social club, but she was a member of the church of the living God. She is gone but her life still speaks. May it be a might power in the lives of all who knew her. She leaves the following children: John Riley, Robert Riley, and Mrs. B. P. Compton of Teague, Mrs. C. M. Middleton and Ed Riley at Post Oak. At the funeral services conducted by Eld. Homer Tirey, assisted by the Writer in Post Oak Church before a large congregation, the body was laid to rest beside her husband under beautiful floral offerings in the Post Oak Cemetery to await the resurrection thus passes away one of our oldest and best citizens. May gods blessings be with the family. Her unworthy pastor H. L. McKissack ---------------------------------------------- Fairfield Recorder, Fairfield Texas Friday, March 27, 1925 IN MEMORY OF MRS. M. A. RILEY On the morning of Feb. 18, 1925, Mrs. Mary Riley quitely and peacefully closed her eyes to that was mortal and opened them in the beautiful city of god. The ear that was almost closed to the voices of loved ones open to the heavenly choir and the chorus of the Angles. Her death was in accord with the life she had lived, a peaceful life. She lived for her God, her family and her friends. Her kindness and helpfulness went out to all around her and to all alike. And this life of service was appreciated. She gave to the world the best she had and the best came back to her. It came back in the devotion of her children and grandchildren in the constancy of her friends. We would have kept her but in gods own time he taketh back which is his, and while science, love, and devotion were doing all that was possible to keep the feeble life on earth the shining portals opened wide and angels whispered Come.