Born in
Derry, Ireland, Wiley immigrated to the United States in 1850 with his parents, who settled in
Erie County, New York. He attended the common schools, engaged in mercantile pursuits, and became active in the real estate business in
Colden, New York. A
Democrat, He was a member of the
New York State Assembly (Erie Co., 5th D.) in
1871 and
1872. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in
1884,
1888, and
1892. Wiley was elected as a
Democrat to the
Fifty-first Congress (March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1890. In 1890 he married Virginia Emmeline Cooper (1858–1934), the daughter of John J. Cooper, who was
Indiana State Treasurer from 1883 to 1887. Their son,
John Cooper Wiley, was a career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to several foreign countries. On April 24, 1893, President
Grover Cleveland appointed Wiley to be
U.S. Consul at
Bordeaux, France, and he served until July 31, 1897. After returning to the United States, Wiley resided in
Jacksonville, Florida during the winter and
Colden, New York during the summer. In his later years his summer residence was in
Washington, D.C. Wiley died in
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, August 13, 1912. He was interred at
Crown Hill Cemetery in
Indianapolis, Indiana. ==References==