Thomas Sylvester Riley (; January 8, 1852 – December 28, 1938) was an American lawyer, politician, and businessperson who was based in West Virginia. Riley was the state's eleventh attorney general from March 4, 1893, until March 3, 1897.
Riley was born to Irish immigrant parents in Marshall County, which was then part of Virginia. He graduated from West Liberty State Normal School in 1877, and subsequently read law under Wheeling-based lawyer James Dallas Ewing, and was admitted to practice law in 1878. He formed a partnership with Ewing, which was later joined by West Virginia attorney general Thayer Melvin. In 1887, Riley was elected chairperson of the West Virginia Democratic Party State Executive Committee, serving until 1892.
From 1890 to 1892, Riley served on the Board of Regents for West Virginia State Normal Schools. He was elected Wheeling’s city solicitor in 1891 and the following year, he was elected West Virginia's attorney general. Riley unsuccessfully ran for election to represent West Virginia's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in 1906 and was appointed to the West Virginia School Book Commission in 1912. Riley continued to practice law until his death.
Early life and education
Riley was born as Thomas Owen Riley on January 8, 1852, in Marshall County, which was then part of Virginia. His parents, Owen Riley and Mary Dailey Riley, were born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States. Riley spent his early life on a farm and was educated in the local public schools, where he taught after graduation. He commenced his post-secondary education at Fairmont State Normal School in 1875, then attended West Liberty State Normal School from 1876 until graduation in 1877. In July 1877, Riley began reading law in the law office of Wheeling-based lawyer James Dallas Ewing.
Law career
Riley was admitted to practice law on October 26, 1878, and he formed a law partnership with Ewing. In 1881, Riley's and Ewing's firm was joined by West Virginia attorney general Thayer Melvin following Melvin’s resignation as Judge of the First Judicial District. The firm became known as Ewing, Melvin, and Riley, and continued thus until Riley’s departure in 1894. In October 1890, Riley was admitted to practice at the Supreme Court of the United States. In April 1898, Riley was elected a director of the Consolidated Building Loan and Trust Company, and was selected as the company’s attorney.
Political career
In November 1887, Riley was elected to the West Virginia Democratic Party State Executive Committee to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Joseph S. Miller, Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Riley was elected Chairperson of the Democratic Party State Executive Committee in 1887, where he served until 1892. West Virginia Governor Aretas B. Fleming appointed Riley a member of the Board of Regents for West Virginia State Normal Schools, representing West Virginia's 1st congressional district, where he served from 1890 to 1892. In February 1891, Riley was elected as Wheeling's city solicitor, serving for two years.
As the Democratic Party State Committee Chairperson, Riley convened the West Virginia State Democratic Convention at Parkersburg in July 1892. At the convention, Riley won the Democratic nomination for attorney general of West Virginia, which he contested against B. F. Kidd. In November 1892, Riley was elected the state’s eleventh attorney general. He was attorney general in the state's eleventh administration under Governor William A. MacCorkle from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1897. In August 1896, at the West Virginia State Democratic Convention in Wheeling, Riley was renominated as the Democratic candidate for state attorney general. The convention band played The Wearing of the Green in Riley's honor as he gave his acceptance speech. In November 1896, Riley lost the position to Republican Edgar P. Rucker.
At the April 1904 West Virginia State Democratic Convention in Charleston, Riley was a candidate for a state delegate-at-large at the 1904 Democratic National Convention in St. Louis. Riley supported Richard Olney for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1906, Riley was the Democratic candidate to represent West Virginia's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, which he lost to Republican William Pallister Hubbard.