Guilford County NcArchives Biographies.....Ryan, William ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com January 14, 2009, 8:24 pm Author: The Patriot (Greensboro, N.C.) Sat., March 11, 1843 ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM RYAN, A REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOT Messrs. Editors: --In the last number of the Patriot I noticed the death of WILLIAM RYAN, ESQ., in the 82nd year of his age, a soldier of the Revolution; but it seems to me that something more than a bare statement of the fact that such a man has gone the way of all earth, is due, both to his memory and to the community in which he lived. He had numbered it appears, more than forescore years, and although without the advantages of an education, these were spent, not only inoffensively but usefully. During the struggle for independence, though only a youth - too young when it commenced to bear arms - soon after, he attained the age of 16, he became a soldier; and shewed as much bravery and patriotism probably, as any other man of his age or station. In the summer of 1780, he was in the battle at Camden, which in its results, was so disgraceful to the country, and apparently so disastrous to the cause of liberty. In the spring of 1781, he was in the skirmish at Wetzel's Mill on the Reedy Fork, and would have been in the battle at Martinsville, but on that day he was lying, like many other in the neighborhood, very bad with smallpox. In the fall of the same year, he was engaged in a conflict with the Tories at Raft Swamp, where some of his neighbors were killed; and during the last three years of the war, he was, not constantly, but most of the time, in the service of his County. In giving me an account of the battle at Camden, he observed, with his characteristic simplicity and frankness, that he never once thought of running or giving way, until the circumstances compelled him to do so; and that he must have been killed or taken prisoner, had it not been for his presence of mind; for after he fired three times, without removing from the spot which he first occupied, the smoke became so dense that he could hardly see the length of his gun, in the only direction in which he felt an concern to know what was going on. In this state of things, when about to empty the cartridge into his gun, for a fourth round, it occurred to him that he would stoop down and look under the smoke to see what was before him; or whether there was anything there worth shooting at, when lo! The enemy were within a few steps and advancing directly towards him; and on looking round to the right and the left, there was not one of his own men to be seen; but on looking back, he saw them two or three hundred yards distant, running for dear life, and the officers trying to lead them like a flock of frightened sheep. Of course, he was not long in coming to the conclusion that "discretion was the better part of valor," for him, and he began to "make tracks," too; but he remarked that if his privations and hardships had been great in going there, they were tenfold greater on his return. After independence was gained, he represented this county, for two or three years, in the State Legislature; and enjoyed in a high degree, the confidence of his fellow citizens. For many years, he was an acting justice of the peace; and was regarded by all who knew him as a man of exemplary character for uprightness, humanity, and consistency of deportment. If it is true that the brave are always generous and as ready to protect and befriend the feeble and dependant as they are to resent the insults of the arrogant, then the subject of this notice had, in the best sense of the term, the spirit of the soldier, and was fairly entitled to the character of an honorable man. If he who "wars with women," acts the tyrant in his family, or wrongs the innocent and oppresses the feeble, is regarded, and in most cases, justly regarded, as a coward, or at least as having no claim to magnanimity, if he is not entirely destitute of moral principle, then he of whom we speak was free from any such imputation; for no man was more indulgent and kind in his family, or more unexceptionable in his intercourse with society, and ever beneficent in proportion to his ability, in all the relations which he sustained. As to things of this world, he was not wealthy; but he had enough. He was just in the condition in which Jagur prayed to be, -- neither rich or poor; but had "food convenient"; and with that he was satisfied. When Congress passed the act granting a pension to the surviving soldiers of the Revolution, he, at first, refused it. Whether he thought there was anything dishonorable in it, or not, I have not learned; but he said he could do very well without it; and having fought for and gained his liberty, he was contented. After a time, however, he found that, owing to the infirmities of age, which were sensibly increasing upon him, he was not able to manage his business as he had formerly done, and he was induced to accept it; but manifestly did so from no mercenary or sordid principle. Although, for reasons, which need not be detailed, he never connected himself with any church, but he professed religion more than 40 years ago; and he lived and died in the comfortable hope of a blissful immortality. Death has no terrors for him, but for some years he had expressed himself as ready and willing to go at any time and toward the last, he was almost impatient to be gone. As he found that he was drawing near to the closing scene of life, he wished to have all his temporal affairs arranged that there would be no trouble when he was gone; and he had just completed this arrangement, which he wished to have made, by the sale of his loose property, when he took his departure to the world of spirits. Not more than two or three hours after the sale was closed, he folded his armed across his breast, and, without a struggle or a groan, softly reclining on the breast of his Redeemer, resigned his spirit into the hands of Him who gave it. MARK, the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/bios/ryan28nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ncfiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb