Samuel A. Riley, a Biographical Sketch

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Source: Georgia and Florida Biographies [database on-line].
Original Data from Biographical Souvenir of the States of Georgia and Florida, Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and many Early Settled Families in These States. F. A. Battey & Company, 1889. Transcribed by S. Lincecum about 2006.

Samuel A. Riley, physician and surgeon, Hawkinsville, Ga, was born in Orangeburg, SC, February 16, 1829. His parents were Christian and Eugenia (Whetstone) Riley, the latter from a prominent family in the old State. The father was a farmer, and had been by trade a hatter. He died suddenly from apoplexy in 1833, at the age of forty-five, and the mother died in 1831, at the age of thirty-eight, both devout members of the Methodist Church. The children of our subject's parents were Mary, George F., Samuel A., Asbury, Benjamin and John. Mary, wife of Jacob Zimmerman, died at the age of forty, a member of the Methodist Church. George F., consort of Miss Elizabeth Golson, who was the widow of Jennings Culler, was in the service, came home ill, and never recognized his brother, who came to see him the same day, and died at the age of forty-four. He was a member of the Methodist Church. Asbury died at the age of eighteen years. John served as commissary of several counties in the late war, an active business man, an agent in the government department. The railroad ran through his plantation and he remained and worked until the last moment, when Sherman's forces were coming through. He succeeded in getting all cattle, meat and supplies away before the Federal forces came, which forces destroyed every thing before them, not leaving even the well-curb, or a rail on the fence. John died in August, 1873, aged forty-six, and worth $30,000. His wife, Rachel Howser, was from an old and respected family of South Carolinians. Our subject was educated in Houston County. His medical education was received in Jefferson Medical College (one of the best in the land). He graduated in the class of March, 1852, and began practice April 15 of the same year in Hayneville, Ga. He remained there thirty-one years, when, in 1883, he moved to Hawkinsville, Ga where he has been a very successful practitioner. He took no part in the war, but worked as hard as any who were there, giving his services gratis during almost the entire time of the war. He was married in 1853 to Miss Harriet L. Winn (Winnsborough, SC, was named for her grandfather). Their children are John, Charles, Samuel, Mary E. and William S. John is a farmer in Houston County. Charles is consort of Miss Ada Hall, living on a farm in Baldwin County. They have two children: Joseph T., married to Miss Ainsworth, daughter of Rev. Ainsworth, a noted divine in the Methodist Church. Samuel died at the age of eighteen years. Mary E. was consort of O. E. Hoover. She died February, 1885, aged twenty-three. William S., consort of Miss Buff, a grand-daughter of Rev. James Dunwoody of the Methodist Church. Our subject's wife died July, 1866, aged thirty-seven, a member of the Methodist Church. He was next married in 1867 to Miss Emma L. Havis, an own cousin of his first wife, daughter of Col. Jesse D. Havis, of South Carolina. The children by the second marriage are Jesse H., Franklin A., Harriet M., Elizabeth W., Jennie C., Samuel and Lawrence. The doctor, his wife, and all the children but the three youngest, are members of the Methodist Church.