Riley J. Wilson

{{Short description|American politician (1871–1946)}} {{Infobox officeholder | birth_name = Riley Joseph Wilson | image = RileyJWilson.jpg | image_size = | caption = | state = Louisiana | district = {{ushr|LA|5|5th}} | term_start = March 4, 1915 | term_end = January 3, 1937 | preceded = James Walter Elder | succeeded = Newt V. Mills | office2 = State Representative from Catahoula Parish | term_start2 = 1900 | term_end2 = 1904 | preceded2 = Henry Breithaupt | succeeded2 = E. B. Cottingham | occupation = Educator;Attorney | party = Democratic | name = Riley J. Wilson | birth_date = {{birth date|1871|11|12}} | birth_place = Goldonna, Louisiana, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1946|2|23|1871|11|12}} | death_place = Ruston, Louisiana, U.S. | resting_place = Greenwood Cemetery in Ruston, Louisiana (2) Ruston, Louisiana | spouse = | children = | parents = | alma_mater = Iuka Normal Institute in<br />Tishomingo County, Mississippi | branch = | battles = | footnotes = }}

'''Riley Joseph Wilson''' (November 12, 1871 – February 23, 1946) was a Louisiana educator, attorney and legislator in the late 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century. A Democrat, Wilson served in the United States House of Representatives from 1915 until 1937.

== Biography == Wilson was born near Goldonna in Winn Parish, Louisiana, on November 12, 1871. He graduated from Iuka Normal Institute in 1894.

=== Early career === Wilson became the principal of Harrisonburg High School in Harrisonburg, Louisiana, serving from 1895 to 1897. Mr. Wilson later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1898 and began practicing in Harrisonburg.

=== Political career === Riley J. Wilson served as a district attorney, judge, member of the State House of Representatives, and a US Congressman. He represented Louisiana in the U.S. House of Representatives for a total of 11 terms, from 1915 to 1937. He was defeated for renomination in 1936 by Newt V. Mills.

=== Death and burial === He died on February 23, 1946 in Ruston, Louisiana, at the age of 74.

He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

==References== {{reflist}} {{refbegin}}

* {{CongBio|W000608}}. Retrieved on November 21, 2006

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Riley Joseph Wilson}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{succession box | before=James Walter Elder | title=U.S. Representative from 5th District of Louisiana | years=1915–1937 | after=Newt V. Mills }} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before=Henry Breithaupt | title=State Representative from Catahoula Parish | years=1900–1904 | after=E. B. Cottingham }} {{s-end}} {{US House Transportation and Infrastructure chairs}} {{LARepresentatives}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Riley}} Category:Politicians from Ruston, Louisiana Category:People from Harrisonburg, Louisiana Category:People from Goldonna, Louisiana Category:1946 deaths Category:1871 births Category:Educators from Louisiana Category:Louisiana lawyers Category:Democratic Party members of the Louisiana House of Representatives Category:Louisiana state court judges Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Louisiana Category:People from Ruston, Louisiana Category:20th-century United States representatives