Riley Street is a street in the Masten Neighborhood of the East Side of Buffalo, running from Main Street to Fillmore Avenue. The street is named after Major General Bennet Riley. Note 1: sometimes his first name is spelled Bennett, but his gravestone says Bennet, so I’m using that spelling. Note 2: There was another famous General Riley in Western New York, General Aaron Riley, whose house still stands in East Aurora. As far as I can tell, the two men are not related. Riley street in East Aurora is named after Aaron Riley and Riley Street in Buffalo is named after Bennet Riley.
Bennet Riley was born in St. Mary’s, Maryland in 1787. He served as an apprentice in a cobbler shop as a young man, later serving as a foreman in a shoe factory.
Riley volunteered for service in the War of 1812. In January 1813, he was appointed Ensign of Rifles. He saw action at Sackets Harbor, New York, in the second of two battles to control the shipyards on Lake Ontario. He was promoted to first lieutenant in March 1817. He later advanced to captain in the 5th US Infantry and in 1821, he was transferred to the 6th US infantry. He was promoted to brevet major in 1828 and lead the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail in 1829.
Mr. Riley married Arabella Israel of Philadelphia in 1834. They had eight children, including twins William and Samuel who died in Fort King, Florida in 1841 and Bennet, Jr. who served in the Navy and died aboard the war-sloop USS Albany which disappeared with all hands in 1854. In Buffalo, the Riley Family lived in a frame house at Main and Barker Streets (1238 Main Street – where Delta Sonic is now located). The house was later known as the Cobb Mansion, was home to St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in 1897 before they moved to Kenmore Avenue, and the site was then the location of Bishop Fallon High School. It is said that Riley enjoyed purchasing second-hand furniture to furnish his house, and he purchased so much that while he was away, Mrs. Riley would send it downtown to be sold at auction. One story survives that says that General Riley returned home and attended a sale, and ended up buying back many of his items, without an inkling that he was actually purchasing items that he had previously owned!
In 1837, Riley served as major of the Fourth Infantry and was stationed at Fort Gibson on the Arkansas River. From Fort Gibson, he was ordered to Florida, where he was an active part of the Seminole War. In 1842, at the close of the war in Florida, he was ordered to Buffalo, where he served at the Buffalo Barracks.
1840 Map showing the Buffalo Barracks.
Source: National Parks Service, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site
The Buffalo Barracks was built near what was then the northern edge of the city in the fall of 1839. The federal government leased the land from Ebenezer Walden to use eighteen acres of land, bounded by Main, Allen, Delaware and North Streets. Buildings were erected and were occupied during winter 1839. The Barracks was built in response to the Patriot’s War with Canada in 1837. At the time, Buffalonians still remembered the Burning of Buffalo during the War of 1812, which had occurred just 25 years earlier during the winter of 1813-1814.
The facility was also known as the Pointsett Barracks, named after the Secretary of War, Joel Pointsett. The buildings formed a rectangle around the parade grounds on the northern end of the barracks. Buildings included company quarters (enlisted men’s housing), officer’s quarters, storehouses, a guardhouse and stables. The first regiment to occupy the barracks was Col. James Bankhead’s 2nd Artillery. And was later occupied by Lt. Col. Crane’s 4th Artillery, and then by Bennet Riley’s 2nd Infantry. The military post became a center of social life in Buffalo, who enjoyed watching military parades and listening to the military band. Many of the officers became an important part of Buffalo social society and ended up marrying Buffalo women.
In December 1839, Riley is promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Regiment of Infantry. His officers quarters are located near where Allen Street and North Pearl Street now meet. In mid-1840, the officer’s quarters were likely moved to the Barracks property. In 1841, Lt. Colonel Riley is promoted to full Colonel, becoming the 4th and final Commandant of the Buffalo Barracks. In Mid 1845, Col. Riley and his 2nd infantry are ordered to the Mexican Border. The government abandoned the post at the Buffalo Barracks shortly after, breaking its lease with the land. Relations with Canada improved by the mid-1840s and Fort Porter opened in 1845, rendering the barracks redundant. The property was sold for $2,250 and the buildings were demolished, except for the quarters that house the Commandant and the Post Surgeon. This building is now the front portion of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. The quarters made up the portion of the house that includes the present-day library and exhibit room and the second floor above. The house was originally one of a row of three identical houses, each designed as duplexes to house two officers and their families, one on each side. The house was renovated into a single family house by Judge Masten and his family.
In summer of 1846, Riley was ordered away to Mexico to join the army of General Taylor. After the war with Mexico, Riley served at Fort Hamilton, New York in 1848. He then commanded the Military Department in Upper California in 1849 and 1850. He served as the provisional Governor of California. At the time, congress was debating on the issue of California statehood, which made his role complicated. The California Territory was transitioning from Mexican to American lawn and the Gold Rush at the time was violent. Riley commanded eight companies of infantry, two artillery and two dragoons between San Diego and San Francisco. The military had a hard time preventing the slaughter of California’s native population and was unable to suppress the violence in the often lawless gold camps.
After the administrative service concluded in California, Riley was next sent to a regiment on the Rio Grande. His declining health prevent his further military service, so he retired. He returned to his home in Buffalo, where he was greeted with a grand ovation. The Mayor and a committee of citizens received him, along with a military escort and a procession of civil societies and citizens. Of his return, it was recalled in 1892, “flags and banners flying, everything conspired to give a festal appearance to the city”. There was some talk that he should be nominated to be President (a member of the Whig party). He claimed that he “never got the presidential bee in his bonnet” and that he ” was far too sensible for that”. He died of cancer on June 9, 1853. He had a full military funeral, escorted by the 65th Regiment and the Independent Guard, commanded by Major Bidwell. He is buried at Forest Lawn. Riley Street was laid out in 1859 and dedicated in commemoration of his death.
Major General Riley is one of only three generals for whom military posts were named. In June 1852, Camp Center (Kansas Territory) was renamed Fort Riley in Bennet Riley’s honor. Riley County, Kansas is also named in his honor.
Sources:
- “Souvenirs of Major General Bennet Riley.”Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, Volume 25.
- https://www.nps.gov/thri/buffalobarracks.htm
- “Streets Have Historical Link”. Buffalo Courier Express, Sunday December 7, 1952. p 7.
- “An Old Buffalonians Recollections of Gen. Bennett Riley”. Buffalo Evening News. April 16, 1892. p4.
Discovering Buffalo, One Street at a Time 