Extracted from Historic Homes & Institutions and Personal Memoirs of Worcester, County, Massachusetts. Prepared under the Editorial Supervision of Ellery Bicknell Crane, and Published by the Lewis Publishing Company, 1907. Vol # 3, pages 181-182
THE RYAN FAMILY. Anthony Ryan (I), the iminigrant ancestor
of the Ryan family of Charlton, Leicester and Millbury, to which Herbert
A. Ryan, of Millury, belongs, was born about 1720, probably in Ireland,
and came to Leicester, Massachusetts, with other Protestant Irish, generally
called Scotch-Irish, and was living there with his family in 1743. It is
probable that John Rion or Ryan, of Sturbridge, was his brother. John bought
land in Sturbridge, October 26, 1742, of John Stowell, of Watertown, a farm
of seventy-eight acres; he was a soldier in the French and Indian war; died
1754, leaving a wife Ruth and a daughter Ruth. Darby Ryan, brother of Anthony
Ryan, lived in Leicester and sold part of his farm, on which he lived, to
his nephew, John Ryan, son of Anthony, April 6, 1767; Darby bought his place,
March 23, 1763, at Leicester, of Ralph lnman, of Cambridge; he married,
May 31, 1763, a week later, Love Crowell, of Leicester. Anthony Ryan's farm
was part of what is known as the Mt. Pleasant farm at Leicester.
Anthony Ryan married Margaret Barnes, born on the water coming over to this
country, her mother dying. Their children, all born in Leicester, Massachusetts,
were as follows: 1. John, born February 2, 1745 (twin), married Elizabeth
Sinclair, of Spencer, January 6, 1764; resided at Charlton, was killed by
falling from a wagon, the load going over him. 2. Mary, born February 2,
1745 (twin), married Walter Fanning, November 23, 1769. 3. Catherine, born
September 18, 1746, married John Mansfield, of Boston, July 3, 1771. 4.
Sarah, born October 13, 1748. 5. Samuel, see forward. 6. Susanna, born November
2, 1752, died young. 7. Daniel, born April 9, 1755, married Mehitable Harding,
of Shrewsbury. 8. Margaret, born August 6, 1760, married Doctor Clark, of
Waltham. 9. Susanna, born June 4, 1762, married Matthew Clapp, of Charlton.
jo. Hannah, born March II, 1765.
(II) Samuel Ryan, son of Anthony Ryan (I), was born in Leicester Massachusetts,
December 26, 1750, died at Charlton, December 13, 1817. He was a soldier
in the revolution in Captain Loring Lincoln's company, Lieutenant-Colonel
Flagg's regiment, at the battle of Bennington. He was also a private in
Captain Luke Day's company, Lieutenant John Brooks' regiment, in 1781. He
settled in Spencer. June, 1778, married Mercy Stoddard, born in Spencer,
May 31, 1755. Their children, all born in Spencer, were as follows: I. Hannah,
born April 24, 1779, married a Mr. Jennison, died in Auburn February 13,
1828. 2. Polly, born March 22, 1781, died in Spencer, November 13, 1793.
3. Samuel, born December i6, 1782, died in Waltham, March 31, 1841. 4. Jacob,
born July 10, 1784, died in Charlton, October 10, 1852. 5. Jonathan, born
June 13, 1785, died in Charlton, March 21, 1860. Mercy Ryan, the mother,
died in Spencer, June 17, 1785. Samuel Ryan, the father, married (second)
Eunice Evans, born in Palmer, January 12, 1788. Her father's name is supposed
to be Lyman Evans and her mother's maiden name Eunice Davis. Their children
were as follows : I. Nancy, born in Spencer, October 14, 1786, married Jabez
Ainsworth, died in Uxhridge, May 31, 1812. 2. Eunice, born in Hancock, June
24, 1788, married Jabez Ainsworth, died in Hardwick, May 10, 1866. 3. Lyman,
born in Spencer, October 28, 1790, died in Waltham, May 17, 1826. 4. Matthias,
born in Spencer, July 9, 1792, married EvIma Hobbs, of Brookfield, and died
in Charlton, March 5, 1859. 5. John, born in Spencer, May 22, 1794, married
Caroline Merritt, of Charlton, settled in Millbury and died there, September
28, 1870. 6. Chloe, born in Spencer, April 13, 1796, married David Scott,
died in Auburn, July 31, 1823. 7. Ruth, born in Spencer, April 14, 1798,
married Walter Sibley, died at Pana, Illinois, in 1893 8. Ruel, born in
Spencer, June 28, 1800, died in Charlton, September 7, 1828. 9. Margaret,
born in Charlton, September 3, 1802, married James Goodell, March 30, 1825,
died at Athol, January 29, 1882. 10. Edward Evans, born in Charlton, October
23, 1804, died in Concord, February 1, 1879. 11. William, see forward.
(II) William Ryan, son of Samuel Ryan (2); was born in Chariton, November
7, 1806, and died at Milibury, February 28, 1897. He married Maranda H.
Hicks, daughter of Soloman Hicks, of Charlton, May 13, 1830, and settled
in Milibury. There children were as follows: 1. Edward W., born, June 14,
1832, resides at Springfield, Massachusetts. 2. Horace H., born December
12, 1833, died in Springfield, September 26, 1890. 3. Maranda H., born 1835,
died young.
Maranda H. Ryan, the mother, died January 13, 1836. William Ryan married
(second) September 5, 1837, at Charlton, Adaline Humes; their children were
as follows: 4. Waterman M., born 1838, was a soldier in the civil war, Company
A, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, died April 6, 1899 5.
Charles R., born 1840. 6. Mary A., born August 8, 1842, died October 19,
1845. 7. George A., born January 2, 1845, enlisted in Company A, Thirty-fourth
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, wounded at the battle of New Market, taken
prisoner and died from his wound. 8. Henry F., born February 5, 1848, resides
in Worcester. 9. Herbert A., see forward.
Herbert A. Ryan was born at Millbury, Massachusetts, March 5, 1850. He was
educated in the public schools of Milllbury, and at Eastman's National Business
College at Poughkeepsie, New York. January I, 1877, he acquired a half interest
with his father in the undertaking business (in which his father had been
engaged since 1865), under the firm name of William Ryan & Son, which
partnership continued until January I, 1885, when, owing to the infirmities
consequent to old age, the father retired from the firm, and Herbert A.
continues the business at this time. He is managing director, clerk and
treasurer of the Millbury Water Company, and also clerk and treasurer of
the Millbury Electric Company. He is a member of Olive Branch Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons, and also its treasurer. Mr. Ryan is a past grand of
Morning Star Lodge No. 130, Independent Order Odd Fellows, for the establishment
of which he was largely responsible. He is and has been for the past twelve
or fifteen years a justice of the peace. He and his entire family are members
of the Baptist Church, of which he has been treasurer for the past twenty
years; he is also superintendent of the Sunday school. He married (first)
Anna M. Frissell, of Millbury, in 1871. He married (second) Mary C. Thompson,
of Worcester, in 1885. He married (third) Nellie (Grover) Nelson, of Worcester,
widow of William Lindsey Nelson. The children of Herbert A. Ryan and his
second wife, Mary C. (Thompson) Ryan, were: I. Ethel L., born February 6,
1886, at Millbury, graduate of Millbury high school, class of 1905, now
a student of Miss Wheelock's Training School, at Boston, for Kindergarten
Teachers, class of 1907. 2. George Herbert, born at Millbury, February 27,
1887, graduate of Worcester Academy, class of 1904, now a student in chemistry
at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, class of 1908. 3. Edith A., born
March 13, 1892, at Millbury, is a student in the Millbury high school, class
of 1909-
This Section Donated By: Sara Glidden , 22 Loring Street, Auburn, MA 01501 9/4/2000 THANK YOU SARA!!!!
Samuel Ryan born Dec. 26, 1750 in Leicester, Ma. married Mercy Stoddard of Spencer, born May 31, 1755. They were married on June 18, 1778. Samuel died December 13, 1816 in Charlton and Mercy died June 17, 1785 in Spencer, Ma. Samuel had remarried Eunice Evans of Palmer.
Samuel Ryan had five children as follows:
Jacob Ryan born July 10, 1784 in Spencer. Died October 10, 1852 in Charlton, buried at Bay Path. Jacob married Sarah Parmenter August 6, 1809. Sarah died August 23, 1873 in Charlton, buried at Bay Path. (I am descended from Jacob. )
Hannah Ryan was born April 24, 1779 in Spencer. She married a man by the name of Jennison and died in Auburn, Ma February 13, 1828.
Polly Ryan born March 22, 1781 in Spencer. Died Nov. 13, 1793 in Spencer.
Samuel Ryan born December 16, 1782 in Spencer. Died March 31, 1841 in Waltham.
Jonathan Ryan born January 13, 1785 in Spencer and died March 21, 1860 in Spencer.
Jacob Ryan - Samuel Ryan's son married to Sarah Parmenter had two known children as follows:
Samuel Ryan born May of 1812 and died in Charlton October
8, 1874 buried in Bay Path Cem.
He married Mary Carter born October 30, 1816 in E. Sudbury. Mary died
Feb. 17, 1870 in Charlton, buried in Bay Path. They were married November
4, 1838.
Samuel and Mary had five children as follows:
Susan Ryan - born Oct. 10, 1840 in Charlton died Nov. 26, 1843 in Charlton.
George Ryan born Feb. 10, 1843 in Charlton died Apr 26, 1843 in Charlton.
Mary Ryan born Aug. 1858 in Charlton - died Dec. 6, 1891 in Charlton.
Julia A. Ryan born Dec. 21, 1847 in Charlton.
Henry Ryan born Jan. 28, 1845 in Charlton - died Dec.
25, 1910 in Charlton buried at Bay Path Cem.
Henry married Judith Emma Campbell born June 22, 1853 in Lowell, Ma. Judith
died Dec. 31, 1931 in Charlton and is buried in Bay Path Cem.
Henry and Judith had the following children.
William S. Ryan born Sept. 21, 1873 in Charlton. He died Jan. 13, 1941in Worcester and is buried at Hope Cem. William married Sarah Mars born Apr 27, 1877 in Johnston, Scotland. Sarah died Jul 21, 1953 and is buried at Hope Cem. (This line is my grandparents)
Charles H. Ryan born June 11, 1877 in Charlton, died Jun 10, 1941 in Charlton - buried at Bay Path. Charles was the pastor of Dodge Chapel in Charlton.
Mabel Ryan born Nov. 18, 1880 in Charlton died Nov. 23, 1971 in Worcester buried at Bay Path Cem. Mabel was a missionary in Africa. (pictures are available)
Louis Ryan - birth date unknown - also missionary in Africa.
Clifford Ryan - birth date unknown - also missionary in Africa.
William S. Ryan and Sarah Mars had the following children:
Alexander Mars Ryan born Sept. 9, 1903 in Worcester. Died in Orlando, Fl Feb. 25, 1982 buried at Hope Cem. in Worcester.
Emma M. Ryan born Nov. 27, 1906 in Worcester - died in auto accident Jan. 1, 1941 in Spencer. Buried at Hope Cem.
Grace A. Ryan born August 26, 1913 - living in Sarasota, Fl.
(Grace Ryan is my mother)
I have several pictures of the Ryan Homestead and the entire family of Henry Ryan. I also have the original deed when Samuel Ryan purchased the farm.
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