Hon. Frank D. Ryan

 

Hon. Frank D. Ryan.   Although but young in years, Mr. Ryan has already shown himself to be possessed of abilities that have given him a prominence that is only filled by worth, and that promise to lead him to positions of higher honor and preferment in the future. He is a native of the city of Sacramento, having been born here May 11, 1859. His father is Hon. John Ryan, Commissioner of Streets and Second Trustee of this city, a gentleman who has held representative positions for many years.  Mr. F. D. Ryan, our subject, received his academic education in this city, completing it by a scholastic course at St. Mary’s College in San Francisco, where he graduated in the year 1878. Returning to Sacramento, he began the study of law in the office of Judge R. C. Clark in this city, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, November 9, 1880. He opened an office at once, and has from the first commanded a practice of important and growing dimensions. Mr. Ryan has always taken an active interest in politics, in its bearings upon the live questions of the day, supporting from convictions the principles upon which the Republican party rests its cause. His abilities and powers, both as a speaker and worker, have been frequently employed, and he has personally been called upon by the suffrages of the people to accept the duties of responsible offices. In the State election held in 1882 he was chosen to represent this county in the Legislature, and was nominated and would have been elected for the succeeding term as well, but for the fact that a change of residence made him ineligible. He was the youngest member of the House at the time, but not the least active and efficient worker. In 1885 he was appointed Chief Clerk of the House, holding that post until 1887. Mr. Ryan has, however, filled even a larger place in the eyes of the people, and performed a still more important work as a member of the order of Native Sons of the Golden West, of which he was one of the incorporators. In 1880 he was Grand Vice-President of the Native Sons, and now holds that position, the highest honor in the gift of the order. He has been prominently identified with the almost unexampled growth and prosperity of the Native Sons, who now have the satisfaction of seeing no less than twenty of their number occupying seats in the Legislature, one of them, Hon. Stephen M. White, being chairman of the Senate. On the occasion of the unveiling of the handsome monument to General Winn, the founder of the order, in Sacramento lately, a notice of which will be found in another place, Mr. Ryan took a leading part. Mr. Ryan was married November 25, 1884, to Miss Ella Boutwell, herself also a Native Daughter, the family thus being thoroughly Californian. They have two children.