Rileys 
Congress 
Welcome to the "Famous and Notable Rileys" part of our Riley Family History section. This site honors Riley kin (of all spellings), including descendants, who have gained fame and recognition for their efforts in government, the arts, education, entertainment, military service, religion, science, sports and other fields.
This site is sponsored by the Riley Family Club, a national family club devoted to gathering and preserving the family history of ALL Riley, O'Rilley, O'Reiley families (and other spellings). You are urged to send information and copies of records on Riley family history to preserve in the Riley Family Library.
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United States
Corinne Boyd Riley was born 4 Jul 1893 in Piedmont, South Carolina. She graduated from Converse College, Spartanburg, SC in 1915. She taught school in the state for 13 years, 1915-1937. She became a field representative for the South Carolina State Text Book Commission, 1938-1942. The then worked for the Civilian Personnel Office of Shaw Air Force Base at Sumter, SC 1942-1944 during World War II.
Corinne married John J. Riley who was elected to the United States Congress.
Corinne was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband John and served 10 Apr 1962-3 Jan 1963. She did not seek reelection.
Corinne died at Sumter 12 Apr 1979. Her body was cremated and her ashes interred in Sumter Cemetery.
John Jacob Riley was born 1 Feb 1895 on a farm near Orangeburg, South Carolina. He attended schools in Orangeburg County and graduated from Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC in 1915. He taught school in Orangeburg city schools 1915-1917. During World War I, he served in the United States Navy. After the war, he was engaged in real estate and insurance at Sumter, SC from 1919-1945. He also served as secretary of a building and loan association there, 1923-1945. John served as a delegate to the Democratic Party State Conventions from 1928-1944.
John was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives of the 79th US Congress and reelected to a second term, serving 1945-1949. He lost a race for reelection in 1948.
John made a comeback in 1950 and was elected to the 82nd US Congress and to five additional terms, serving 1951 until he died 1 Jan 1962 at Surfside, near Myrtle Beach, SC.
He married Corinne Boyd who also began her working career as a teacher. When John died in office, Corinne won a special election to pick his successor in Congress and served out the remainder of his term. John was buried at Sumter Cemetery, Sumter, SC
Robert ("Bob") Riley was born 3 Oct 1944 in Ashland, Clay County, Alabama. He graduated from Clay County High School, Missouri in 1962 and received a bachelors degree from the University of Alabama in 1965. He became an automobile dealer and farmer and owner of Midway Transit Trucking Co.
He was elected as a Republican to the House of Representatives of the 105th US Congress and to two additional terms, serving 1997-2002. He is currently seeking election as a Republican to the office of governor of Alabama.
Bob resigned from the House in 2002 and ran a tight race as Republican for Governor of Alabama. He managed to win against the Democratic incumbent, with a block of contested votes in at least one county in the southern part of the state.
Bob will now serve a four year term as governor, becoming only the second Republican to hold this office in modern Alabama history.
Bob's family background is unknown to us.
Robert Terry (Terry) Everett was born 15 Feb 1937 in Dothan, Alabama, son of Dewey R. Everett and Thelma Fowler. He is a grandson of Mary (“Mollie”) Riley. He is a descendant of John Riley Senior and his wife Mary (“Polly”) Whitaker who were among the pioneer settlers of Dale County, Alabama in the 1830’s.
Terry’s father was a sharecropper and later worked for the railroad. Terry graduated from high school at Midland City, Ala. and joined the US Air Force. He served as an intelligence specialist in Germany during his tour of duty. He then attended the University of Alabama, University of Maryland and Enterprise State Junior College in Ala. After leaving the Air Force and school, he became a reporter for the Dothan Eagle, the largest daily newspaper in the Wiregrass of southeast Alabama. Starting as a farm and police beat reporter, Terry worked his way up, serving as newspaper editor and eventually bought his own newspaper and ended up owning two daily newspapers and several weekly papers in Alabama.
He served as President of the Alabama Press Association. He also served as chairman of the board of directors of the former Dothan Federal Savings Bank. He also owned a home building company and a 400 acre farm.
In 1992, Terry entered the race for the House of Representatives of the United States Congress. His district, composed of farmers and working-class folk, has a strong tradition in the Democratic Party. Terry entered the campaign as a Republican who most political watchers gave little chance. His Democratic opponent had one of the most famous names in modern times, George C. Wallace Jr., son of two former Alabama governors. He won handily and entered the One Hundred Third Congress 3 Jan 1993. He has since been re-elected to four succeeding terms, including last November, when he again won easily.
Terry has served on the House’s National Security Committee which enables him to watch over operations and construction at Montgomery's Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, home of Air University and the Wiregrass area's Fort Rucker, home of the Army's Aviation Warfighting Center. He also serves on the subcommittees on Procurement and Military Facilities and Installations.
He also serves on the Agriculture Committee and its subcommittees on Risk Management and Specialty Crops (peanuts) and Forestry, Resource Conservation, and Research. He also serves as a co-chair of the House Congressional Peanut Caucus.
He serves on the Veterans' Affairs Committee as chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. On this committee, Terry focused national attention in 1998 on burial waivers at Arlington National Cemetery. His efforts led the House to pass legislation that protecting this burial ground for the nation's veterans.
Terry and his wife Barbara live in Enterprise, Alabama where they are members of the First Baptist Church.
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