Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Ryburn, David 1821 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 12:41 am Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 DAVID RYBURN, though not among the earliest settlers of Will County, occupies an honorable position among its pioneers, and as an active, intelligent, thrifty, practical farmer has promoted its agricultural interests, and is classed with its most successful and well-to do fanners and stock-raisers. He is the proprietor of a valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres (finely located in Plainfield Township) whose rich harvests have brought him wealth so that he is enabled to spend the declining years of a busy, useful life at his ease in a home that is replete with comfort. Our subject is a Scotchman by birth, born in Stewarton, Ayreshire, September 26, 1821. His father, John Ryburn, was born in the same shire, and spent his entire life in his native land. His father of the same name as himself, was a life-long resident of Ayreshire, and for many years engaged in business as a manufacturer of Scotch caps. The father of our subject was reared in his native Scotland, and for some years was successfully engaged as a carrier, having several teams and doing expressage between Stewarton and Glasgow and Kilmarnock. He was still engaged in the business when his active life was suddenly closed by death in 1827. He died on the road under circumstances that led to the belief that he had been robbed and murdered. The maiden name of his wife was Agnes Stewart, and she was a native of Stewarton. Her father, John Stewart, was a farmer, and spent his entire life in Scotland. She came to America and passed her last years with her children, dying at the home of our subject in 1887, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. The following is recorded of the four children born to her: Thomas came to Illinois in 1841, and passed the remainder of his life in La Salle County; our subject was the next in order of birth; Elizabeth married James Collins, and resides in Joliet; Charles went to California, and from there to Australia, where he was when last heard from. David Ryburn of this brief biography passed his boyhood and the opening years of his manhood among his native hills, and as soon as large enough commenced work on a farm. He was ambitious, however, to do more for himself than he could in the place of his birth, and lured by the bright prospects held forth in this country for an active, enterprising, capable young man to make his way to a competence at least, he determined to see what life had for him in America, and in 1846 he set sail from Glasgow on the ship Agnes, and landed at New York forty-two days later. He then proceeded up the Hudson River to Albany, from there by rail to Buffalo, thence by steamer to Chicago, where he hired a team to take him to Aurora, then a small village. After a few weeks sojourn there he came to Will County and bought a tract of wild prairie land in Plainfield Township, on section 6, paying $5 an acre for it. After completing the purchase he went to Lisbon, in Grundy County, and while there assisted in the harvest. At that time the most of the grain was gathered with a cradle, a cradler getting four dollars a day. The following year Mr. Ryburn entered actively upon the improvement of his land. Then farming was carried on under difficulties, as fine farming machinery was not in general use, and there being no railways it was difficult to get the produce marketed, as Chicago was the nearest market till the canal was constructed. Our subject resided on that place until 1856, and then sold it at a good advance, and bought his present farm. This he has under admirable tillage, has it amply supplied with the best modern machinery, and has a substantial set of buildings, everything about the place indicating superior management on the part of the owner, and showing that he has met with more than ordinary success in his attempts to found a home on a foreign soil. In the accumulation of this handsome property Mr. Ryburn has been ably assisted by a devoted and helpful wife, to whom he was united in marriage in 1851. Her maiden name was Margaret Cochran, and she is also a native of Scotland. Five children have blessed their marriage to them, as follows: John S., a successful physician; Alexander C. and Thomas, practical and intelligent young farmers at home; Agnes, the wife of Willis Brainard, of Fairburg, Neb.; Margaret died at the age of fifteen. Mr. Ryburn is well and favorably known in Will County with whose interest his own have been associated for upwards of forty years, and his character for probity, straightforwardness in all his transactions, and for unswerving rectitude is generally recognized, and has gained him a name that is honored by all who come in contact with him either in a business or in a social way. His inherent Scottish traits of foresight, sagacity and excellent business habits have been potent factors, not only in gathering together a competence, but have made him useful as a citizen in his adopted country. He and his wife were reared in the Scotch Presbyterian Church, and have ever since consistently clung to the faith of their fathers. Mr. Ryburn is identified with the A. F. & A. M. as a member of Plainfield Lodge, No. 536. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/ryburn1533nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb