J. C. Riley

J. C. Riley, one of Lima's prominent business men, an
extensive oil producer, and organizer of the " International Fire Alarm
System" in Ohio, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1865, and is a son of
the late Michael Riley, who for many years was interested in the large
contracting firm of Smith & Williamson, of Cincinnati. Mr. Riley is a
nephew of John Charles Riley, a very prominent politician of that city,
ex-post-master and a member of the wholesale firm of McHenry & Company.
Our subject was reared and educated at Cincinnati and there began
his business career with the wholesale men's furnishing goods house of
Liebunan & Schloss. After four years with this well-known house, he
entered the traffic department of the old Cincinnati Southern Railroad
for a period of five years the positions of chief clerk and later to
general superintendent of the traffic and transportation departments of
the C., H. & D. Railway was rapid. For 12 years, he had entire charge
of the loss and damage claim department. Early in April 1889, he came
to Lima to take charge of the Lima terminals, having the title of
general agent, and he continued with this railroad until June 1, 1893.
At the above date Mr. Riley became traffic manager for the
Manhattan Oil Company and continued with them until their sale to the
Standard Oil Company, in 1900. Since then he has been engaged almost
exclusively in the oil-producing business. He is associated with J. R.
Keenan, of Marion, Indiana, and they have 45 oil wells in operation in
Grant County, Indiana. He has been much interested in the new magnetic
system of fire alarms, has acquired the patents of an automatic system
and has just organized a company for its introduction. He is a man of
great business enterprise and possesses a vast amount of American push
and energy.
Mr. Riley was married on June 27, 1898, to Mrs. Peter Smith, who
is a daughter of John E. McMaher, one of the early contractors of
Chicago, who built one of the first tunnels under Lake Michigan to the
cribs and had the contract for almost all of the early brick paving done
in that city. Mr. Riley is a member of the Elks and of the Knights of
Columbus.