Reiley, Lewis Albert, a leading lawyer in Wapello, Louisa county, has been a resident of that county since 1853 and has lived in the city of Wapello for more than thirty years. He was born in Nashville, Ohio, March 1, 1845. His father, James Reiley, was of Irish descent, born in Pennsylvania, and died in 1855, two years after removing to Louisa county, Iowa. Mr. Reiley's mother was Anna Hague, of Scotch and French Huguenot descent. She was married to James Reiley in the year 1826, and died in 1868. The Reileys were farmers in comfortable circumstances. Their son Lewis attended the common schools in Louisa county and in 1861 was a student in the high school in Mt. Pleasant. When the civil war broke out, young Reiley ran away from the high school, entered the army, and remained south about six months, when he was discharged. Afterward he spent a year attending school in New York and took a year's work in Knox College at Galesburg, Illinois. In his early youth Mr. Reiley worked on the home farm near Columbus City, Louisa county, and in his nineteenth year began teaching in the public schools. He continued in this occupation until five years later, when he was elected county superintendent of schools. He declined re-election, to continue the study and practice of law which he had commenced. He studied for admission to the bar with Hon. D. N. Sprague of Wapello, then the able prosecuting attorney of the old First district of Iowa, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1871, in the district court of Louisa county, Hon. Joshua Tracy of Burlington presiding. Upon his admission to the bar Mr. Reiley at once formed a partnership with Mr. Sprague, his preceptor and friend, which partnership continued for a number of years. The firm had a large business, although Mr. Sprague was compelled to be absent much of the time for twelve years, on account of his official duties.

Mr. Reiley has for many years been a republican of state-wide prominence and influence and an able advocate of the principles of his party. In the year 1885 he was brought out for representative from Louisa county in the Twenty-first General Assembly and was elected over a very strong opponent, Arthur Springer of Columbus Junction. He was re-elected to the Twenty-second General Assembly. In the first session he devoted himself to the work of revising the judiciary system of the state, especially perfecting the new grand jury law reducing the grand jury to less than one-half the number previously required.

The impeachment trial of John L. Brown, auditor of state, was the most prominent feature of the session of the Twenty-first General Assembly and Mr. Reiley and Judge S. M. Weaver of Iowa Falls, then a member of the house, were chosen on the first ballot to be two of the seven managers of the impeachment trial on the part of the house. Toward the close of the session it was deemed expedient to reduce the probable expense of the trial, so Mr. Reiley prepared a bill under which the legislature would adjourn as a legislative body and the senate convene as a court of impeachment to hear the charges preferred by the house against the auditor. The measure was introduced on Wednesday, reported favorably on Thursday morning, passed the house Thursday forenoon and the senate that afternoon, was enrolled in the evening, signed by the officers of the two houses and governor, published and became law Friday morning. Mr. Reiley entered upon the impeachment trial with the other managers and remained therein until its close.

In the Twenty-second General Assembly Mr. Reiley took an active part on behalf of the blind people on the state and was thereafter appointed by Governor Larrabee to be a member of a commission of three to visit and investigate the operation of various institutions in the United States devoted to the education and industrial improvement of the blind. The commission began its work April 22, 1888, and visited the colleges and workshops for blind people in the United States and Canada, excepting those on the Pacific coast. The commission made a report to Governor Larrabee and its recommendations were laid before the next legislature which established the Industrial Home for the Blind in Knoxville.

On the 24th day of April, 1872, Mr. Reiley was married to Miss Carrie L. Newell, a daughter of Robert F. Newell of Louisa county. They have one son, Robert Leroy, born February 23, 1873, now engaged with his father in the practice of law. He was given a classical education, including a six years' course in Knox College, from which he was graduated Dwight honors in June, 1897. Entering the law department of the State University of Iowa, he was graduated from that institution in June, 1900, and thereupon admitted to the state and federal courts. Mr. L. A. Reiley is a member of the Masonic fraternity and has advanced to the thirty-second degree, being the first one in Louisa county to attain to that degree.