John Ryan (abt. 1814 - 1887)

Born about 1814 in Limerick, Ireland

Died 19 Jul 1887 at about age 73 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

John Ryan was born about 1814 in Limerick, Ireland to William Ryan and Mary.

Immigration to Australia

John immigrated to Australia as a free settler in 1838 on the ship "Portland".

About 1854, he settled at Fairy Meadow, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The area is now known as Balgownie. He lived beside the upper reaches of Cabbage Tree Creek. At this place he had a "very fine" orange orchard, as an old pioneer described it.^[1]

In 1864, he invited his sister Bridget Ryan and her husband Michael Rowles to help with his orange orchard.^[1]

Marriage and children

John married widow Eliza Edmonston (born Eliza Pickings) on 13 November 1848 at St Mary's Church, Market & Crown Streets, Wollongong. The following children are known:

• William Ryan (born 1847)
• John Ryan (born 1848)
• Mary Agnes Ryan (born 1851)
• Michael Ryan (born 1853)

Later life and death

John passed away on 19 July 1887 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. He was killed instantaneously on Bulli Rd in an accident driving a horse and springcart. ^[2] He was buried on 21 July 1887 at the Fairy Meadow Cemetery in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.^[3]

Research notes

Confusion

• One article states that he married the sister of Michael Rowles ^[4] -- yet this conflicts with information that says he married Eliza Edmondston/Elizabeth Peckings in 1848

Other

• Immigration inspection for Queen of East 1864 specifies Bridget Ryan's parents as William & Mary Ryan and specifies her brother John Ryan as a farmer in Fairy Meadow, Wollongong
• Balgownie history states John purchased land in the Balgownie Village Estate in 1853, and established an orange orchard and sold oranges locally and also to Sydney
• another Balgownie history states "As early as 1854 we have proof of the existence of an excellent orange orchard near upper Cabbage Tree Creek -- the property of John Ryan."

Burial

• Transcript at Corrimal Catholic Cemetery: "Erected in loving memory of John Ryan, died 19th July 1887 aged 73 years. May he rest in peace. Also his wife Eliza, died 1st April 1889 aged 77 years"

Australia BDM

• Marriage - NSW BDM Marriage; 1318/1848 V18481318 95; JOHN RYAN to ELIZA EDMONDSTON; District: LQ
  • According to this document, LQ is the Roman Catholic code for Illawara/Wollongong
  • I have not purchased this document, but this document would suggest that the record only includes the bride/groom/date/location -- and not the parent names or anything else useful
• Death - NSW BDM Death 1887, Reg No 9582, Father William, Mother Mary

Australia Child BDM

• Birth
  • 3595/1847 V18473595 64 (William Ryan; Father: John, Mother: Eliza)
  • 649/1848 V1848649 66 (John Ryan; Father: John, Mother: Eliza)
  • 1703/1851 V18511703 121A (Mary Ryan; Father: John, Mother: Eliza)
  • 1819/1853 V18531819 121A (Michael Ryan; Father: John, Mother: Elizabeth)
• Marriage
  • NSW 4594/1876, Thomas Gillis to Mary Ryan, District: Wollongong
• Death
  • NSW 2767/1921, Mary Gillis, Father: John, Mother: Eliza, District: Wollongong

Newspapers:

• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Thu 18 Mar 1858 - John Ryan of Fairy Meadow, took someone to court
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Mon 7 Jun 1858 - John Ryan of Cabbage-Tree Bridge, Fairy Meadow, auctioned some animals
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Mon 27 Dec 1858 - had a servant who was fined for misconduct
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 25 Nov 1864 - committee man for securing someone in parliament, living in Fairy Meadow
• reeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932) - donated to church, given title 'esq.'
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Tue 30 Apr 1867 - signed a petition, stated as having a household in Fairy Meadow
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 12 Nov 1869 - had a 'serious accident'
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Tue 13 Aug 1872 - charged with exposing his person while intoxicated on Crown Street
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Tue 29 Jun 1875 - Fairy Meadow farm/orangery for sale, daughter Mary, something about credit...
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Tue 24 Oct 1876 - three heifers for sale, Fairy Meadow
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 1 Feb 1884 - someone selling land described it as near John Ryan's orangery
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Thu 21 Jul 1887 - describes his death, he had been vending oranges, two sons witnessed
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Thu 21 Jul 1887 - burial at Fairy Meadow Cemetery
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Tue 1 Nov 1887 - tresspass warning for those on John's land in Fairy Meadow, published by his son John Ryan
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Sat 13 Jul 1889 - John's estate in Balgownie, 70 acres/121 allotments, up for sale
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Thu 13 Feb 1890 - auction of John's furniture, initiated by his son Michael Ryan, at John's late residence in Fairy Meadow
• South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus (NSW : 1900 - 1954) Fri 24 Dec 1920 - Mrs. Gillis described as a daughter of John Snr, "one of Balgownie's oldest settlers"
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 21 Mar 1924 - an old pioneer states that John settled at Fairy Meadow about 1854, and he lived near Cabbage Tree Creek, where he had an orange orchard
• Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 4 Jul 1930 - an old pioneer says that Michael Rowles' sister was the late Mrs. John Ryan, living in Balgownie in 1856; seems confusing/erroneous

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/133022354
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135871089?searchTerm=%22John%20Ryan%22 &searchLimits=l-decade=188|||l-format=Article|||l-title=669|||l-year=1887|||l-month=7
3. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135871088?searchTerm=%22John%20Ryan%22 &searchLimits=l-decade=188|||l-format=Article|||l-title=669|||l-year=1887|||l-month=7
4. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132911718