BUTLER COUNTY OHIO - BIOS: RYAN, Townsend (published 1875)
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AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA
Richard S. Peale & Co. Publishers, 1875
Page 670-671

                        TOWNSEND RYAN
        Townsend Ryan was born in Lancaster City, Pa., in 1813, and in
early manhood removed to Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, where he engaged in
the mercantile business, and in the management of a line of canal packets
of which he was principal owner, running from that city to Cincinnati.
Prostrated by the great financial wave which swept the country from 1836 to
1839, he removed to Indiana, where, after graduation at the medical
colleges of Cincinnati, and Jefferson, of Philadelphia, he engaged actively
in the practice of medicine and achieved a reputation and success
unexcelled by that of any physician in the west. Locating in Anderson, in
Madison county, in 1843, he at once became identified with the best
interests of his new location and the people among whom he lived. A
democrat in politics, he took a vigorous part in the campaign of 1844, and
became the candidate of his party in 1846 for the State Legislature, to
which he was elected, defeating the whig candidate, R.A. Williams, and
being the first democrat sent from that county.
        In 1850, when the Bellefontaine railroad, now the C.C.C. and I. was
in contemplation, the people knowing but little of such enterprises,
opposed the project strongly, on the ground that its construction would
supersede the use of horses, oxen, etc., and thereby entail great loss.
This, and similar ideas had to be combatted. The subject of this sketch,
together with Judge Davis, of that county, took hold of the enterprise, and
not only secured, finally, a subscription from the county, but sufficient
general aid to secure Anderson a railroad.
        Engaging, about this time, in the mercantile business, he continued
in that until 1854, when, together with other parties, contracted with the
company to build the junction railroad from Rushville to Indianapolis,
embarking an ample fortune in that enterprise all of which was swallowed up
in the collapse of the corrupt concern, commencing anew the practice of his
profession. The newly projected Richmond, Newcastle and Logansport railroad
received his aid; with that he labored until the cars run into Anderson.
        In 1860, when the menace of war went abroad through the North, he
declared at once for the Union, and was the first democrat in 1861, in the
county, to declare in favor of the Union and the war policy of Lincoln.
Being one of the finest and most effective public speakers in the State, he
gave his time and did valiant service in raising troops to answer the
various calls of the President, and although past middle age, and broken
down in health, he took the post of Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34th Indiana
infantry and went with it into active service, and was promoted, in 1862,
to the colonelcy of the regiment on the resignation of Asbery Steele. He
continued with the regiment until after the capture of New Madrid and
Island No. 10, when his health becoming feeble compelled him to resign. Not
content to be out of service, however, he soon after again went into the
service as surgeon of the 52d Indiana, and served with the regiment in the
terrible fights in the Yazoo above Vicksburg, and in the battles of Fort
Gibson, Raymond, Champion Hills, and Black river, previous to the
investment of Vicksburg, taking part with the regiment in that event. From
thence with the regiment he went to western Louisiana, and was finally
mustered out of service with the regiment at New Orleans, by reason of
expiration of the term of service.

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