Joseph William Ryan1

b. 1 October 1842, d. 1919
Joseph W. Ryan
photo courtesy Sandra Law
FatherWhite G. Ryan2,1 b. 14 Jul 1815, d. 31 May 1897
MotherMary Jane Barnett2 b. abt 1820, d. bet 17 Apr 1856 - Oct 1856
Birth1 Oct 1842 Joseph William Ryan was born on 1 Oct 1842 in Montgomery County, Virginia.3 
Childhood  Joseph spent the first part of his childhood living in Montgomery County. In the late 1850s the family moved to Mercer County, Virginia (later West Virginia).4,5 
Military10 Mar 1862  At the start of the Civil War Mercer County was still a part of the state of Virginia and hence a Confederate state. Joseph's father served as the Captain of Co. I of the 60th Virginia Infantry during the early days of the fighting. Joseph and his brother Edward fought in the same company although the exact date and location of Joseph's enlistment is not clear. However, he first appears on the company muster roll for March-June 1862 at which time he held the rank of private. He served with the company throughout the war, rising through the ranks until he was elected 2nd Lieutenant in March 1864.

In the summer of 1864 Joseph spent 3 weeks in a Confederate hospital in Charlottesville, VA, where he was treated for ulcers on his leg. Joseph was captured by Union forces during the Battle of Waynesboro (Augusta Co., VA) on March 2, 1865. He was held in the Union prison at Ft. Delaware, Delaware until June 17, 1865 (Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered April 9th). Prison documents provide a physical descripton of Joseph in 1865: he stood slightly over 6 feet tall with blue eyes and light hair.6 
Cens-18701870  After the war Joseph returned to Mercer County which by then was part of West Virginia. At the time of the 1870 census he lived by himself and farmed land in Jumping Branch township.7 
Marriage6 Apr 1873 He married Fannie Lee Wilson on 6 Apr 1873.3 
Widowed13 Dec 1874  Fannie died 20 months after their marriage, having given birth to one child, Bertie Edward.3 
Marriage15 Feb 1876 He married Minerva A. French on 15 Feb 1876 in Summers County, West Virginia. Joseph was listed as a widow on his marriage application.8,3 
Cens-188016 Jun 1880  By 1880 Joseph's father and stepmother lived with the young couple in Jumping Branch. The area, originally part of Mercer County, had become part of the new county of Summers in 1871. Joseph was farming, as was his father. A child, Jame P., age 3, was enumerated directly below Joseph and Minerva and recorded as White's grandson. It is not clear if this is Joseph and Minerva's child, but it is known that they had a child named Zekie/Tekie who was born in August 1878 and died in 1882. This child should have been listed with them in 1880 so perhaps Jame P. and Zekie were the same person. Joseph's son Bertie (from his first marriage) was also part of the household.9 
ChildDeath7 Aug 1880  A few months after the census taker's visit, Minerva gave birth to a still born son. The couple had also lost an infant daughter in 1877. 
Widowed16 Apr 1883  Minerva herself died in the Spring of 1883. Family tradition states that she fell ill after visiting the grave of son "Tekie" who had died the previous year.3 
Marriage27 Dec 1883 Joseph married third Sarah Pine on 27 Dec 1883 in Mercer County, West Virginia.2 
Cens-190012 Jun 1900  Sixteen years after they married Joseph and Sarah were recorded on the 1900 federal census for Summers County. Their place of residence was listed as "Pipestem". As part of that years census the enumerator asked each woman how many children she had given birth to and how many were living. The enumerator recorded that Sarah was the mother of 3 children, all of whom were living. Sarah had also raised Mary Ryan, (Joseph's daughter from his second marriage) from the time she was about 20 months old.10 
Death1919 Joseph died in 1919.11 
Burial He was buried at Ryan Cemetery in Summers County, West Virginia.11 

Related Links and Images:

Joseph's headstone

Family 1

Fannie Lee Wilson d. 13 Dec 1874
Child

Family 2

Minerva A. French b. abt 1842, d. 16 Apr 1883
Children

Family 3

Sarah Pine b. 4 Oct 1849, d. 10 Apr 1913
Children
Last Edited26 Aug 2012

Citations

  1. [S861] Sandra Law, "Ryans," e-mail to D. Powell, 14 Apr. 2004. Mrs. Law's husband is the grandson of Joseph William Ryan.
  2. [S55] Carolyn C. Ryburn, "White G. Ryan-Mary Jane Barnett family group sheet". Author cites Hays, Sally Mercer Co. WV Marriage Book 1, 1854-1901 which states: Joseph Ryan age 41, b. Montgomery Co. Va, living in Summers Co., s/o W.G. & M.J. Ryan to Sarah L. Pine age 34 b. Mercer Co., d/o Alex and R. Pine; married 27 Dec. 1883.
  3. [S861] Sandra Law, "Ryans," e-mail to D. Powell, 15 Apr. 2004. Mrs. Law's husband is the grandson of Joseph William Ryan.
  4. [S1358] White G. Ryan household, 1850 U.S. census, Montgomery Co., Virginia, pop. sched., LaFayette, p. 148 (added script), dwelling 1014, family 1014, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2006, image 3 of 3. Enumeration includes: White G. Ryan, 35, merchant, owns real estate of $1,000; Mary J. 30; Joseph W., 8; Edward, 6; Bowman, 4; Not named male 4/12; Samuel A. McConkey, 27, physician; all b. VA.
  5. [S1347] White G. Ryan household, 1860 U.S. census, Mercer Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Princeton Post Office, p. 479 (added script), dwelling 991, family 929, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2005, image 143 of 169. Enumeration includes: White G. Ryan, 45, farmer, owns real estate: $4,000, pers. prop: $340; Ellen A., 31, wife; Joseph W., 18, S__g; Edward M., 16; Boman G., 14; Mary W., 8; John T., 6; Charles S., 4; all b. VA.
  6. [S2425] "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Belonging to Units From Virginia," digital images, Footnote.com (http://www.footnote.com : accessed Jun 2010); Joseph W. Ryan, 2nd Lieutenant, Co. I, 60th VA Infantry.
  7. [S1348] Joseph W. Ryan household, 1870 U.S. census, Mercer Co., W. Virginia, pop. sched., Jumping Branch township, p. 540 (stamped), dwelling 162, family 161, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2005, image 25 of 38. Enumeration includes: Joseph W. Ryan, 28, farmer, b. VA, owns land: $2,000; pers. prop: $430.
  8. [S55] Carolyn C. Ryburn, "White G. Ryan-Mary Jane Barnett family group sheet". Author cites Haga, Summers Co. WV Marriages 1871-1883 which states: Joseph W. Ryan, 33, widowed, s/o W.G. and M.J. Ryan and Minerva A. French, d/o Wiliam French; 15 Feb. 1876.
  9. [S649] White G. Ryan household, 1880 U.S. cens., Summers Co., W. Virginia, pop sched., Jumping Branch District, ED 136, page 17 (192A stamped), dwelling 131, family 133, viewed online at Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 19 of 37. White G. Ryan, 64, farmer; Ellen E., 51, wife, b. VA; Bertie E., grandson, 5. b. W VA, parents b. VA; Boman G., 34, b. VA, son, railroad clerk, suffering from consumption; Louisa M., 32, dau-in-law, b. VA; Joseph, 36, son, farmer, b. VA; Minerva, 38, dau-in-law, b. WVA; Jame P. , 3, grandson, b. W VA; Wm B. Fink, 28, hired, blacksmith, b. W VA.
  10. [S1276] Joseph Ryan household, 1900 U.S. cens., Summers Co., West Virginia, pop. sched., Pipestem, ED 131, sheet 7B, dwelling 127, family 129, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2005, image 14 of 36. Enumeration includes: Joseph Ryan, 57, b. Oct. 1842, marr 16yrs, farmer, b. VA, parents b. VA; S.F., wife, b. Oct. 1849, marr 16 yrs, mother of 3 children, all living, b. W.VA; cont. sheet 8A: F.L., son, 8, b. Feb. 1892, W. VA; M.V., dau, 18, b. Apr 1882; C.W.,15, son, b. Nov. 1884; R.R., dau, 13, b. March 1887; all children b. VA, father b. VA, mother b. W VA.
  11. [S52] Letter, Carolyn Ryburn to Diana Powell, 2 Jul 2001. Carolyn cites as her source Summers Co. West Virginia Historical Society Cemetery Book, 1996 which lists under Ryan: Joseph W. b. 1842, d. 1919, buried Ryan Cemetery; served in Co. I 60th VA Infantry CSA [this unit fought in the battle in which his brother, Edward, was killed].
  12. [S52] Letter, Carolyn Ryburn to Diana Powell, 13 Jul. 2001. Carolyn cites Summers Co. Deaths 1872-1890: Ryon [sic] female died 25 Feb., 1877 at one day of age, child of J. W. & M. Ryan.
  13. [S52] Letter, Carolyn Ryburn to Diana Powell, 13 Jul. 2001. Carolyn cites Summers Co. Deaths 1872-1890: Ryan, Tekie, died Apr 13, 1882; cause: cold; age 3y 7m 17d; son of Joseph W. & M. A. Ryan.
  14. [S861] Sandra Law, "Ryans," e-mail to D. Powell, 15 Apr. 2004. Mrs. Law's husband is the son of Rachel Rebecca Ryan.