Sacramento County
Biographies
JOHN C. RYAN
JOHN
C. RYAN.--One of the Argonauts who came to California
in early days, tried their hand at mining, and then settled down to help in the
up-building of the new state, was John C. Ryan, a native of Ireland,
born in 1825. When still a youth, in 1843, he made the then long ocean
voyage to the United States, locating
in Lowell, Mass.
In 1848 he went to New Orleans, and thence to Memphis, Tenn., and finally, in
1852, crossed the plains to California, arriving in Hangtown,
now Placerville, August 1, 1852, and for two years tried his luck at mining in
that region. The young pioneer decided, however, that he would not follow
mining as a steady occupation, and he became the first-brick-maker of Sacramento,
settling in that city in 1854, and was there interested in a large brick-yard on L Street,
a member of the firm of Callahan & Ryan, brick manufacturers. Mr.
Callahan died in the seventies and then the firm name became John C. Ryan, and
later he became interested in street- and road-building and general
contracting. Many of the brick buildings now standing in the city were
built of brick furnished by this firm, among them the Old Fellows’ Building,
and many other landmarks, attesting to the durability of the building brick
made in this pioneer yard. The firm also obtained the contract and built
the Western Pacific Railway via Livermore to San
Francisco, the first line to San Francisco
in that early day.
Mr. Ryan was a very active man,
interested in all that was going forward to add to the resources of his home
city and surroundings; he was a member of the board of trustees of Sacramento,
and served two years as superintendent of streets. During this time he
was instrumental in bettering street conditions in the comparatively new city,
and used his knowledge of construction to good advantage in this work, which
means so much to the advancement of any town. He owned a block of land on
I Street, which is now built up with residences, and the old family residence,
built in 1878 by Mr. Ryan, still stands on that street.
The marriage of Mr.
Ryan, in June, 1856, united him with Maria Lyons, also a native of Ireland, and
eight children were born to this pioneer couple: Hon. Frank D., a
prominent attorney, now deceased; Henry L., now deceased; Leonard; Agnes; Rose,
wife of Charles S. Derham of San Francisco; Mrs. P.
J. Harney; Mrs. Jas. Strachan; and Blanche, a teacher
in the William Land school of Sacramento.
The death of this
honored pioneer occurred in 1905, after a life of good works which left an
untarnished name to his descendants, who carry on family traditions started by
a young couple who came out to the new state and reared a family amid pioneer
conditions. The good wife’s death occurred in 1912.
Transcribed by Barbara Gaffney.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County, California
With Biographical Sketches, Page 416. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Barbara Gaffney.