John Patrick Sharp Ryburn1

b. 24 December 1844 or 24 December 1845, d. 3 April 1899
John Patrick Sharp Ryburn and Caroline (Crumley) Ryburn
photo courtesy Roger Ryburn
FatherJohn Ryburn2 b. 24 Aug 1817, d. 2 Oct 1864
MotherJane Mathews McConkey2 b. 13 Dec 1809, d. 24 Apr 1892
Birth24 Dec 1844 or 24 Dec 1845 John Patrick Sharp Ryburn was born on 24 Dec 1844 or 24 Dec 1845 in Washington County, Virginia.3,4,5,6 
Military1862 John entered the Confederate Army in 1862, at the age of about 18, serving in Company B. of the 4th Tennessee Cavalry. He was wounded in the Battle of Stone Rivers, Tennessee (31 Dec. 1862-2 Jan. 1863) when a rifle ball entered the right side of his neck (both the Union and the Confederate armies lost 1/3 of their forces during this battle). John was captured and taken to Camp Douglas in Chicago where he was treated for his wound. He was "paroled" on March 30, 1863 and returned to City Point, Virginia in early April. Years later (1893) he would apply for a Civil War pension, but his application was rejected.7 
Anecdote  Interestingly, John's father also fought in the war, enlisting the year after his son was captured. John Senior died at the Battle of Saltville. John P.S. brought his father's body home for burial. 
Ward24 Oct 1864  Despite everything he had experienced, John was still not of legal age when his father died and therefore became the ward of David O. Kin, his first cousin, once removed, David O. King.8 
Marriage License11 May 1869 He and Caroline Agnes Crumley obtained a marriage license on 11 May 1869 in Sullivan County, Tennessee, however the exact date of the marriage was not recorded in the county register.1,9 
Cens-187011 Aug 1870 By 1870 John and Caroline were married and settled in Sullivan County, Tennessee, just across the border from Virginia. There they were recorded on the 1870 census with their newborn daughter, Minnie.10,11 
Migration  Apparently they did not remain there long but moved further south among the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. They may have spent some time in Washington County, Tennessee (their son John DS was born in Johnson City, Washington County in 1876), but it is difficult to say for sure as part of eastern Washington County became Unicoi County in 1876. 
 According to a history of Unicoi County, John and his brother William were both selling goods in the area when the town of Erwin was laid off in 1876.12 
Tax  William appeared on the county tax list for one year (1876); John's ongoing appearance began in 1880 when he was taxed for a 1/2 acre lot in the town of Ervin.13 
Cens-188011 Jun 1880  The same year John and his family were enumerated on the federal census in Ervin. "Sharp", as he was sometimes called, was listed with Caroline and their daughters Minnie, Rebella (Arobell), Valley (Valerie), Rhoinna (Rowena or Roena) and May. A lone son, 4 year old John, was also listed and was no doubt the focus of attention among his 5 sisters.14,15 
  Following the census two more daughters were born and then in 1888 another son was added. 
Occupation John was an elder in the Erwin Presbyterian Church (1891), and was a dedicated and respected physician in the community.16 
Death3 Apr 1899 John died on 3 Apr 1899 in Erwin, Unicoi County, Tennessee.3 
Obituary  John's obituary stated that he was partially paralyzed by a stroke 4 or 5 months before his death.17 
Burial He was buried at Jobe Cemetery in Erwin, Unicoi County, Tennessee.1,18 

Related Links and Images:

John's obituary
John's headstone in Jobe Cemetery19

Family

Caroline Agnes Crumley b. 30 Jan 1847, d. 2 Aug 1903
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited15 Mar 2013

Citations

  1. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Roger is the great grandson of John and Caroline (Crumley) Ryburn.
  2. [S28] Gerald H. Clark, Guardian Bonds Washington Co., VA, p. 51. John Ryburn named guardian of John P.S., William J., Samuel W., Margaret M., Sarah J.M., and David K. Ryburn, children of the said John Ryburn and Jane M., his wife. Bond: $500. Surety: William S. Ryburn.
  3. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Roger cites John's tombstone which states: Dr. J.P. Ryburn - born Dec. 24, 1845 - died April 3, 1899 - Death is Another Life.
  4. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Roger's report on John includes a copy of his Civil War pension application which states in John's own hand that he was born in Washington Co., Virginia in 1844.
  5. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Date (24 Dec. 1844) is from an undated and unnamed newspaper obituary.
  6. [S1173] Unicoi County Historical Society, Cemeteries of Unicoi County, Tennessee, p. 7. Stone reported to read: Dr. J.P.S. Ryburn, Dec. 24, 1845-Apr. 3, 1899, Confed. Army [2005: Roger Ryburn confirmed the 1845 year of birth on John's headstone].
  7. [S1141] Roger J. Ryburn, "John Patrick Sharp Ryburn-Caroline Agnes Crumley" family group sheet. Roger's report on John includes a copy of his Civil War pension application. Roger also cites Confederate war records on file at the State of Tennessee Archives.
  8. [S28] Gerald H. Clark, Guardian Bonds Washington Co., VA, p. 66. David O. King named guardian of Sarah Jane, Mary E.C., John P.S. and Samuel W. Ryburn, orphans of John Ryburn, deceased; Bond: $2,000. Surety: John L. Caldwell.
  9. [S1195] Shelia Steele Hunt, Sullivan County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1863-1893, p. 207.
  10. [S959] John P.S. Ryburn household, 1870 U.S. cens, Sullivan Co., Tennessee, pop. sched., District #2, p. 386b (stamped), dwelling 24, family 28, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2005, image 4 of 13. Enumeration includes: John P.S. Ryburn, 26, b. VA, farmer, pers. prop value: $360, marr within yr; Caroline 22, b. TN, keeping house, marr within yr; Minnie 0/12, b. TN.
  11. [S16] It is not known at this time exactly where in Sullivan County John and Caroline were living. John's father, John Ryburn, owned land that fell partly in Washington County, Virginia and partly in Sullivan County, Tennessee. John and Carolin may have been living on the Sullivan County portion of this land. It is also possible that they were living on land belonging to her father, Daniel Crumley. He lived in the Paperville section of Sullivan County.
  12. [S16] John D.S. Ryburn's obituary says the family moved to Erwin in 1895. This is in error as the 1880 census clearly enumerates the family in District 5 which was the Civil District that included Ervin. In addition, the enumerator wrote "Ervin" above the first entry on the page. The town was laid out in 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin. At first it was officially known as Vanderbuilt, but the inhabitants referred to it as Ervin in honor of David Ervin. In 1879 the name was officially changed, however the postal department spelled it Erwin instead of Ervin (Goodwin's History of Unicoi County).
  13. [S1170] Unicoi Co., Tennessee Tax books, 1876-1899.
  14. [S913] Sharp Ryburn household, 1880 U.S. cens., Unicoi Co., Tennessee, pop sched., Dist. #5, ED 93A (stamped), page 96, dwelling 96, family Jul 2004, image 13 of 27. Enumeration states: Sharp Ryburn 33, farmer, b. VA, both parents b. VA; Caroline, 29, b. TN, parents b. TN; Minnie, 10, dau; Rebella, dau, 9; Valley J., 7, dau; Rhoinna, 6, dau; John D. 4, son; May V., 2, dau; all children b. TN; all fathers b. VA, all mothers b. VA. Note: mothers place of birth should be TN?, viewed online at Ancestry.com.
  15. [S16] John D.S. Ryburn's obituary says the family moved to Erwin in 1895. This is in error as the 1880 census clearly enumerates the family in District 5 which was the Civil District that included Ervin. In addition, the enumerator wrote "Ervin" above the first entry on the page. The town was laid out in 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin. At first it was officially known as Vanderbuilt, but the inhabitants referred to it as Ervin in honor of David Ervin. In 1879 the name was officially changed, however it became known as Erwin, not Ervin (from Ervin, by Viola Ruth Swingle, Overmountain Press, 1975). Another source (Goodwin's History of Unicoi County) states that John was present when the town of Erwin was laid off so perhaps the 1896 year of settlement mentioned in the obituary should have been 1876.
  16. [S1169] Viola Ruth Swingle, Ervin, p. 32, 42.
  17. [S1152] "Dr. Ryburn Dead", undated & unidentified newspaper clipping.
  18. [S1173] Unicoi County Historical Society, Cemeteries of Unicoi County, Tennessee, p. 7. Stone reported to read: Dr. J.P.S. Ryburn, Dec. 24, 1845-Apr. 3, 1899, Confed. Army.
  19. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Roger Ryburn.
  20. [S915] Roger Ryburn, "Valerie Jane Ryburn," e-mail to D. Powell, 4 Sept. 2005. Roger's email included information gathered during a visit to Valerie's granddaughter in Aug. 2005.
  21. [S1173] Unicoi County Historical Society, Cemeteries of Unicoi County, Tennessee, p. 298. Stone reported to read: Rowena A. Lindsley, 1874 - 1956 [the authors of this book stated that Rowena was the daughter of John Daniel Sharp Ryburn but this is not accurate; she was the daughter of John Patrick Sharp Ryburn].
  22. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed Nov. 2009). May Virginia O'Brien certificate #31428 (stamped); informant: J.H. O'Brien.