My Genealogy Hound

Wiley J. Ryan, general merchant at El Dorado Springs, whose stock of goods is valued at $6,000, is the second of five sons and eight daughters born to Morgan and Susan J. (Patton) Ryan, natives of Tennessee, born in 1817 and 1821, respectively. The parents were married about 1837, and in 1848 emigrated to Lawrence County, Mo., where they remained until 1850, and then removed to Johnson County of the same State. In 1856 they came to Cedar County, and here Mrs. Ryan died July 21, 1884. Mr. Ryan is still living, and has been a life-long farmer. He was a soldier in the Seminole War, and was a member of the Methodist Church for many years, as was also his wife. His father, Fuller Ryan, who was of Irish extraction, was a carpenter by trade, and died in Knoxville, Tenn. John M. Patton, father of Mrs. Ryan, died in Tennessee. Wiley J. Ryan was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., in 1840, attained his growth on the farm, and never attended school but four months in his life. Notwithstanding all this, he is considered a well-informed man on all subjects, owing to the fact that all his spare moments were devoted to self-study. He began for himself at the age of twenty as a farmer, and in 1860 he married Miss Mahala Hendrix, a native of Tennessee, and the daughter of Abraham Hendrix, who was also born in that State. Mr. Hendrix came to Texas County, Mo., in 1854, but died in Dent County. To Mr. and Mrs. Ryan have been born twelve children, four sons and three daughters now living. Mr. Ryan settled in Texas County, Mo., in 1861, and the following year removed to Carroll County of the same State, where his family remained until after the war. In 1864 he joined Company F, Forty-fourth Missouri Infantry, U. S. A., and operated in Missouri and Tennessee. He was in the fights at Columbia, Spring Hill and Franklin, Tenn., receiving a gunshot wound at the last named place, which disabled him for further service. He received his discharge at Jefferson Barracks August 21, 1865. In 1866 he came to Cedar County, Mo., located near Clintonville, and here followed farming until 1876, when he engaged in general merchandising at that place, continuing the same industry until 1882, when he removed to El Dorado. Previous to this, in 1881, he established a branch house at El Dorado, and was the first to embark in that business there. He continued alone until 1888, when he sold out and engaged in the business with A. J. Ritter. Mr. Ryan is one of the leading merchants and general business men of the town. He is a Republican in politics, his first presidential vote being for Abraham Lincoln in 1864; was elected alderman of El Dorado by that party, and held the position one year. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Lodge No. 482, is also a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 332, and has been a member of the former since 1878, and of the latter since 1875. He and Mrs. Ryan are members of the Freewill Baptist Church, having joined in 1880, and he was a member of the Methodist Church from the age of sixteen up to that time. Mr. Ryan is a member of the Encampment, Eastern Star and Rebecca Order.