Marguetta E. Greenhalgh (“Grandma Riley”) (July 27, 1876 – June 10, 1962), was born in North Providence, RI. Her father, the late John Greenhalgh (1845 – 1907) was born in New York City. The Greenhalgh family roots can be traced through Lancashire in the northwest of England. Grandma’s mother, the late Margaret Cullen/Cullon was born in Waltham, MA in 1848. Interesting note on John Greenhalgh, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Marguetta married Patrick Leo Riley (1875-1955) in 1898 and had eight children: Kathleen (1899-1988), Patrick J. (1900-1985), Marion R. (1902-1993), Gertrude C. (1904-1999), Rosanna (1908-1910), Margaret E. (1910-1989), William L. (1912-1985) and Francis C. (1915-2005).

Grandma Riley was blessed with a strong personality and a commanding presence that, in retrospect, was what the family needed to establish itself in the first part of the 20th century. It wasn’t easy back then, but she was the commander and held them all together.