RILEY'S FAMILY TREE
LISTING THE FAMILY
GRANDMOTHER, ANNA (ROBINSON(RILEY)) WASILLUS
MOTHER, ELIZABETH RILEY
(ETHEL ELIZABETH RILEY)
(ETHEL B WILLIAMS)
Ethel (Elizabeth Riley) Williams
My Mother
The earliest recollection of the Riley family I have was in the early 1940's. My uncle Harold lived next to us with his wife Roberta (Mcqueen) and three sons, Harold Jr. Clarence, and Eugene. My grandmother, Anna (Robinson [Riley]) Wasillus lived around the corner. This was here in Milwaukee Wisconsin. My Grandmother was born in Beaufort South Carolina, the youngest of six children. Her obituary listed her as being born November 2, 1886, however the 1900 census lists her as November, 1882. In 1900, the census has her living with an aunt and uncle, Lydia and William Jackson. Not known at this time who is the blood relative.
My grandparents, Trottie and Susanna Riley married in S.C., and later moved to Savanah GA., about 70 miles away. At some time, (not known when) they divorced. I haven't found any record of the divorce as of yet. At one point, grandmother moved to New York City, and later to Milwaukee Wisconsin, after my mother Ethel arrived here. Once in Milwaukee, Grandmother met and married Frank Wasillus. They did not stay married long. Looking in the City Directories, I found them living separately, and later Frank was married twice more. He died in the mid sixties. Grandmother remained here in Milwaukee until she died. I remember being real small, maybe two or three years old. I remember sitting in the back yard which was a big open lot behind our house, and watch her kill chickens. She would take it by the neck, swing it around real fast over her head, and then snap it like a whip. The chickens body would go flying and grandmother would have the head in her hand. It would run around the yard until it died.
Susanna(Robinson(Riley)) Wasillus
Grandmother at an early age
The next thing I knew about my grandmother was that she got very sick, and my parents moved her in with us. My parents had bought a house by then, which is where I am residing at this time. She recuperated after, awhile and continued to live with us until her death on June 28, 1959.
Susanna (Robinson(Riley)) Wasillus
Grandmother in the middle 1950's
Grandmother was very devoted to her church. (St. Marks A.M.E. Church) She was dutiful on fulfilling her obligations. As she got older, and couldn't get out much, her pastor Reverend Bradford would pick her up and take her to church. After awhile, she was too sick to attend, we would have to take her envelope for her. She never liked hospitals. She said that if she ever went, she wouldn't come out. She got so sick finally, that she knew that she wasn't going to last. She told my mother that she was ready to go to the hospital, and that's where she died.
My Aunt Luvenia (Riley)Huff
and her sister, my mother
My grandmother's obituary listed 9 children, however, I could only find evidence of seven. Though I am still searching forthe last two, I do not have high hopes of finding them. Their names are: Luvenia, Abraham, Henry, Elizabeth who went by the name Ethel, Mary, Martha, and Harold.
Harold Riley, my mother's youngest brother
In my research, I discovered my grandfathers name on the 1910 census. He was living in Savannah GA., with his stepfather, mother, grandmother, and brother. I had this record for a couple of years and one very significant item never occurred to me until now. It is a very important find, because under race, it listed him as "M" for mulatto. I remember a picture of a man on our wall in the living room when I was growing up. My mother would tell us that it was our grandfather. This was a picture of a white man, at least so I thought. Now looking at this copy of the census, made parts of my puzzle fall into place. My mother and her two younger sisters were placed in an orphanage in Savannah GA. I never knew why. From what I know now, I presume that my grandfather left grandmother in order to pass as white. The census listed his employment as a postal worker delivering mail. Back then, they weren't hiring blacks to deliver mail, especially to whites. My grandmother most likely couldn't support all of her children, place the three of them at St. Francis Orphanage. Mother said her older brother Abraham came and got them out. She didn't say what happened to them after that, nor anything about the rest of the family until much later. It appears that this little bit of information has possibly sprouted a new branch to my family tree. I just hope that new leaves and flowers will bloom from it. The National Archives in Washington D.C. sent me a copy of the employment register listing him as a mail carrier with the post office. I am still looking for more info to shed more light on the subject.
Uncle Harold and Son Clarence
My mother Elizabeth (Ethel) was born in yemassee South Carolina, January 25, 1906. I can only assume that her brothers and sisters were born there also.
Harold Jr. and Wife Lillie
Uncle Harold and youngest son
Eugene
Nothing is heard of them again until my mother was past the age of eighteen. She was doing house work and caring for children of a well to do family somewhere down south (possibly in Georgia). The family decided to move to Pewaukee Wisconsin and asked my mother to join them and continue to take care of their children. That is how she came to Wiscnsin.
Mother, Ethel Williams in her wedding gown
An incident occurred after they moved to Pewaukee which was very significant in my mothers life. The family ( I don't know their names) was having a party, and my mother was asked to help prepare the food for it. While she was in the kitchen slicing meat, one of the brothers came in and made the remark, "Did you ever see a nigger that didn't like ham?" That broke the relationship between them (the family) and my mother. Though there were continuous apologies and begging her to stay, she left and moved to Milwaukee. She rented a home on 9th street. My mother took a job at St. Anthony's Hospital cleaning. It was sometime shortly after that, that she met my father Ben Williams. From city directories, rented a room from mother along with her brother Henry. I don't know if it was a rooming house or a duplex or what. My parents were married in 1934.
My brother Henry Williams
Henry (nicknamed Sonny) is my older and only brother. He was born on July 30, 1935 here in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sonny was the average brother. We would go places together quite alot, but still I wanted to tag along every place he went but couldn't. He had friends he wanted to be with. We went to the same grade school together. (St. Francis Catholic School) It was only three blocks away. The school is gone, but the church which we attended is still there. Growing up, he was involved in various activities, from being in the boy scouts, boys club, playing varsity basketball in high school, etc. My parents were very proud of him, and so was I. Sonny attended St. Benedict High School where he graduated in 1956. He had plenty of girls running after him all through life. Two in particular here at home that he liked. Willie Mae Cole, and Lavaghn Ellis. He had a daughter by Lavaghn She was named Brenda. He entered the Air Force right after graduation in 1956. This tore my mother apart, because he was her favorite. While in the Air Force, he married twice in the Philippines. He had four children there, one boy and three girls. He returned to the states during his first marriage, and during that time, his son (Michael) fell in a puddle of water and drowned. He was 16 months old. His first wife never came into the states. After divorcing her, he was reassigned there and met his second wife Mila. He returned to the states with her. He died of a heart attack while still being in the Air Force. He was less then a year away from retirement.
Joe & Henry Williams
Yours Truly, Joseph F Williams
My uncle Henry Riley
Uncle Henry's wife, Ethel (Hampton) Riley
Mother's sister Martha (Riley) Lackey
Mother's youngest sister, Mary Riley
I know very little more of my grandparents family, except for what is previously printed. My grandparents were not listed together in the census. I found my grandmother as a teenager living with an aunt and uncle, and my grandfather living with his family after his marriage breakup. No other records were found up until now.
I have found out that there is a ray of hope in research. Somewhere, somehow, something will turn up if you just have faith.
Aunt Mary's Daughter, Rose Marie Riley
Rose Marie Riley is the daughter of Mary Riley, my aunt. Sometime after Rose was born, she was given to my mother to raise. The reason for this is not known. At one point in time, Aunt Mary came and took Rose back.
During her stay with us, she was like a sister we never had. We treated each other as brother and sister. Though I didn't see her that much, I remember bits and pieces about her. I remember her going out to be with friends and taking me along with her. They would be playing in a field full of weeds that were taller then myself. So I had to be quite small at the time.
Rose died of Rheumatic Heart at Belleview Hospital in New York, sometime in the late 1940's or early 1950's. I remember going there with my mother and brother to see her. Because I wasn't old enough to see her in the hospital, they would sneak me up the back stairs to her room. The doctors said she wouldn't reach her21st birthday. She was 21 when she died.
Estelle Collins, Daughter of
Aunt Luvenia
Estell Collins at an adult age
Joe & Grandma