Iron County Record | 1916-07-28 | Page 2 | James Whitcomb Riley Dead

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY DEAD. Beloved Hoosler Poet Succumbs to Attack of Paralysis. Indianapolis, Ind. Jnmes Whitcomb Riloy died at his homo hero, July 22, death being duo to paralysis. Mr. Riley suffered his first violent attack of paralysis July 10, 1910. James Whitcomb Riley, tho Hoosler poet, was born in 1853, but was reticent re-ticent as to his exact age. Mr. Riley never married. Ono of tho most unique celebrations In the country wns held in his honor October 7, 1915, when "Riley day" was observed by u banquet in Indianapolis, and in schools of tho country attended by more than 1,000,000 children. Men prominent in business nnd politics from all over tho coutry assembled to do tho poet homage hom-age at tho colcbration, and many congratulatory con-gratulatory messages wero received from abroad on Unit occasion. James Whitcomb Riley, born of tho middle west, sang tho Joys, sorrows, fancies and humora of its folk, largely in Its own dialect. Tho world was so touched by his inspiration and tho realism of ills homely symbols that ho was ono of the fow that, devoting their lives to poetry, gained a fortune. Wlillo Mr. Riley novor mnrrled, ho was a lover of children, whoso spirit ho divined so intimntoly, nnd of family fam-ily life. Many of tho last years or his lifo ho spent quietly at his homo in a secluded scqtion of Indianapolis.