John Ryan Biography - Grant County Wisconsin ***************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ***************************************************************************** Submitted by David W. Taft, dtaft @ cowtown.net History of Grant County Wisconsin Western Historical Publishing, Chicago, July 1881 Town of Glen Haven, Biographical Sketches, Page 1024 - 1025 JOHN RYAN, farmer, Sec. 15; P.O. North Andover; one of the most prosperous and leading citizens of Grant County, who has held many prominent positions. Born in 1837, in Cassville, Wis., is a son of John and Deborah Ryan; left Cassville at the age of 5 years, and emigrated to Clayton Co., Iowa; located on Turkey River, and lived there five years, returning to Cassville, where he spent two more years; thence to Patch Grove in 1852, and in 1859 came to Glen Haven, where he has since resided. In 1860, he married Catharine Lewis, a daughter of William Lewis, formerly of Grant County; she was of Scotch descent. Has seven children – Cora A., William E., James E., John E., Myron L., Reeves A. J. and Lulu. Has been a member of the Town Board five terms, two terms of which he was Chairman; has been Assessor five years, Justice of the Peace eight years, a member of the School Board seventeen years; at present is President of the Farmer's Insurance Co. Has 340 acres of land, valued $15,000. Has been appointed administrator for a large number of valuable estates, among which was the estate of Senator Young, who was murdered not long since. Has been an old war horse in the Republican party until the last few years, when he has marshaled all his forces in the Greenback cause.