Alfred Ryas (abt. 1810 - abt. 1898)

Born about 1810 in Tennessee, USA

Descendants

Died about 2 May 1898 at about age 88 in Louisiana, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tara Gregory [send private message]

Alfred Ryas is a part of US Black heritage.

Biography

He was born about 1810 in Tennessee, USA.

Alfred "Orphy" Ryas married Annie (of unknown maiden surname).

He died about 02 May 1898 in Louisiana, USA. ^[1]

Children

1. Henriette Ryas
2. Gabriel Ryas
3. Varice Ryas
4. Peter Ryas, d: 23 Oct 1939 ^[2]
5. Amie Ryas
6. Harriet Ryas.

Interviews

U.S., Interviews with Formerly Enslaved People 1936-1938 on ancestry.com citing roll#SCM 000 325; for Alred, origin: St.Martinville Parish; Louisiana; interviewed: St.Martinville, Louisiana; spouse: Annie; child: Peter Ryas; Name of Slave Owner(s) ...

Volsant Fournet

Missus Porine

Peter Ryas @77yrs

Viney Ballieo

Eliza Dawson

Alred [father]

Annie [mother]

Gabriel [brother]

Varice [brother]

Harriet [sister]

Amy [sister].

His son, Peter Ryas, was interviewed in Texas as part of the Federal Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). ^[3]

Alred's son, Peter Ryas, was interviewed in Jasper, Texas about 1937 about his life and his time as an enslaved person.

Peter RYAS, about 77 year, old. was born a slave of Valliant Fournet in St.Martinville Parish, Louisiana. He speaks a French patois more fluently than English. Peter worked at the refineries in Port Arthus for sixteen years but ill health forced him to stop work and he lives on what odd jobs he and his wife can pick up.

"Well den, in my family are field workers. I too ill to work. My mama's name Annie and papa was Alfred. I have older brudder. dat Gabriel and 'nother brudder name Varies. and two sisters. Harriet and Amy."

"I's borned 'bout 1860, I guess, in a li'l cypress timber house in de quarters section of de Fournet Plantation. Dat in St. Martinville Parish, over in Louisiana."

"M'sieu Volsant Fournet, he my old massa and he wife name Missus Porine. Dey have eight chillen and de baby boy name Brian. Him and me, us grow up togedder. Us allus play togedder. He been dead three year now and here I is still.

All dem in my family am field workers. I too li'l to work. My mama name Annie and papa name Alred. I have oldes' brudder, dat Gabriel, and 'nodder brudder name Varice, and two sisters, Harriet and Amy."

Sources

1. ↑ Louisiana, Orleans Parish Death Records and Certificates 1835-1954 on FamilySearch.org for Alfred Ryas, 1898
2. ↑ Texas Deaths 1890-1976 on FamilySearch.org citing State Registrar Office in Austin, TX; FHL#2,118,305; certificate #47050 (which named father as Alford); for son, Peter Ryas, d: 23 Oct 1939; informant: Annie Mae Ryos (Peter's daughter)
3. ↑ Slave Narrative, repository: Library of Congress; WPA v16 part#3 Texas p274-277 images#280-283 of 285; Peter Ryas

• 1870 USA Census of St.Martinville Post Office, Ward#2, St.Martin Parish, Louisiana; Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 7163 #30889157 citing NARA# M593_531; p334A; line#25; which included ...

dwelling#134:

63 Riot Orphy, b: c1807 TN; race: black; occ: carpenter

39 Thomas Mary

43 Thomas Derry;

dwelling#135:

49 Riot Anny (m: Alfred Ryas)

23 Riot Gabriel

18 Riot Ugenie

20 Ricks Louise

14 Riot Idine

12 Riot Pierre

18 Riot Henretta

02 Buressond Bazile [son of Henrietta].

• 1880 USA Census of Ward#3, St.Martin Parish, Louisiana; Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 6742 #9779378 roll#470; p74A; ed#35; dwelling#310; which included ...

69 Rias Orphee, b: c1811 TN TN/TN; race: mulatto; occ: laborer

60 Rias Anna (wife)

23 Rias Pierre (son).

• Louisiana Voter Registration Records for Orleans & St.Tammany Parish 1867-1905 on FamilySearch.org for Alfred Ryas, 1891

Acknowledgements

• Ryas-2 was created on 30 Oct 2013 by Tara Gregory

• Ryas-5 was created on 16 Dec 2021