Patrick J. Riley on this date in 1900, son of Patrick L. Riley and Margaret E. Greenhalgh. Born and raised in Pawtucket, he was one of eight children and the first born son. Patrick had to leave St Joseph’s Grammar School after the 8th grade in order to earn money for the family. One of his first jobs was hustling coal. He would follow the horse carts used to deliver coal to businesses and homes. As pieces fell off, and hit the ground, he would have to out hustle the other kids for that fallen piece of coal. Some of the pickings would be brought home and others would be hawked in the neighborhood. PJ, as he was called, liked to reminisce about carrying “dinner pails” from the Pond Street area in Pawtucket, to the Potter and Johnson factory which was located where Hasbro now sits on Newport Avenue. He said a good day was when you got to carry four pails for all three shifts.

Pictured above is a 1920 photo from the shipping room at US Finishing which was located on Prospect Street in Pawtucket. PJ is the man in the vest and tie looking directly at the camera. His job was to check the length of the cloth bolts before they were shipped out. In 1925 he went to work for the Blackstone Valley Gas and Electric Company and remained with the utility for 42 years until he retired in 1965.

Patrick J. was widowed twice, Margaret C. McSally in 1938 and Margaret F. Bartley in 1978. He had 5 children and passed away on August 22, 1985.