Person:John Ryan (92)

Military Service

American Revolutionary War Veteran

Revolutionary War Pension Information

Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 4, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :

Ryan, John - born 1759 in Hampshire County, Virginia, where he entered service, resided on Patterson's Creek, in Virginia Company; moved to Randolph County, Virginia & granted Pension there in 1832 per witnesses clergymen Thomas Collett, Thomas W. Williams & Ely Butcher per County Clerk of Court Archibald Earle; soldier made affidavit there in 1834, per witness Nathan Goff; Adam See made affidavit there in 1835 per County Justice of the Peace David Holder; last Pension payment in file in 1838. F-S18584, R2106.

Court Records

abt. 25 May 1796, Randolph County, [W]VA Court Records, pg. 256

Christopher Cantrel with Sarah his Wife, came into Court and the said Sarah being first prively Examined as the Law Directs Did Sign Seal & Acknowledge Two Deeds of bargain & Sales, one Tract of 200 acres unto John Ryan & one Tract of 237 Acres unto Edward Jackson and the Two Conveyances Ordered Recorded.

17 April 1833, Randolph County, [W]VA Court Orders, pg. 25

John Ryan who was summoned to ___ this Court on the present day as a Petit Juror was solemnly called but failed to appear, Therefore it is considered by the Court that he be fined $8 for his said contempt until sufficient cause of his inability to attend be shown at this or the next Term for being served with a copy thereof.

21 April 1832 [1833?], Randolph County, [W]VA Court Orders, pg. 38

John Ryan vs. William Smiths Admrs. } Upon a Motion to award a Supersedias

This day came the Plaintiff by his attorney and moved the Court to award a Supersedas to a Judgement of the County Court of Randolph which motion being considered was overrulled.

Moses Wilson, John Ryan, Hugh Hart, Joseph Hart, Absalom Wilmouth & Robert Chenowith on there motion & for reasons appearing to the Court the rule made against them on a former day of this Court for failing to attend as Petit Jurors is discharged.

1.   Find A Grave.

   John Ryan
   Birth 1759
   Patterson Creek, Mineral County, West Virginia, USA
   Death 1836 (aged 76–77)
   Randolph County, West Virginia, USA
   Burial Mount Vernon Cemetery
   Randolph County, West Virginia, USA
   
   Revolutionary War Soldier
   
   He is not the son of John and Unity Ryan. His father's name was James. He was from the Patterson's Creek area of Hampshire County, WV and moved to Randolph after the war. His revolutionary pension file states his birth as 1759. I tracked him until 1834 through records and he does not appear in the 1840 census. His military service and rank match up with the pension files.
   
   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92271274/john-ryan

2.   Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

   Pension Application of John Ryan S18584
   Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
   
   State of Virginia } SS
   County of Randolph}
   On this 22 day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court of Randolph County now setting John Ryan, a resident of the said County of Randolph and State of Virginia aged seventy three years, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 1832
   That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated. That in the month of August in the year 1778 or 1779 he can not say with certainty which year but his impression is that it was in 1779 [sic] on Patterson’s [Patterson] creek a branch of the Potomac in the County of Hampshire in the State of Virginia he entered the service as a volunteer in a company commanded by Captain Abraham Johnson and marched under him to fort McIntosh near the mouth of Bigg Beaver on the Ohio [on Beaver River at present Beaver PA]. Soon after he reached McIntosh’s fort it was thought proper that some of the troops should advance further into the enemy Country (the Indians) he volunteered under Captain Josiah Swearingen for this expedition and was marched to the Tuskarawawas River and aided in the building fort Laurens [Fort Laurens on Tuscarawas River, completed Jan 1779] remained at fort Laurens about three months while there the fort was commanded by Col. [John] Gibson. Genl. [Lachlan] McIntosh was also in the fort, he also thinks that an officer by the name of Broadhead [sic: Col. Daniel Brodhead] was there but his rank is not recollected Col. [Benjamin] Harrison of Rockingham County Virginia and Col. Morrow of Berkely County [John Morrow of Berkeley County] Virginia were also there. while at fort Laurens a considerable number of Indians appeared near the fort and remained some time a treaty with them was mutch talked of but does not recollect whether a treaty was concluded or not. from fort Laurens he was marched back to fort McIntosh and about the 1 of February he thinks 1780 [sic] was discharged and reached home about the 1 of March having been gone from six to seven months
   his discharge he has lost. In May 1781 he again entered the service as a volunteer under Capt. Daniel Richison [sic: Daniel Richardson] and was marched from Pattersons creek in Hampshire County Virginia to the South branch of the Potomac from thence to the head of the Cowpaster [Cowpasture] and Jacksons Rivers [sic: Cowpasture and Jackson rivers] from thence was marched to the vall[e]y of the Shenandoah River passing the North & Cassin Rivers [possibly North Fork of the South Branch of Potomac River and the Cacopon River] after the deserters and tories and continued in this service until after the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the Siege of York [19 Oct 1781]
   during this service had a skirmish with the tories at Abraham Brakes on the South fork of Potomac [probably Abraham Brake’s, pension application R1147, near Moorefield] took many of them prisoners some were discharged others taken to Winchester Virginia and some of the deserters were sent to the troops to which they belonged he continued in this service until after peace was concluded but how long can not be certain but thinks he was in the last mentioned service upwards of six month. was discharged by his Cap. but has lost his discharge. his entire service during the revolutionary war was about 12 or 13 months according to his present recollection. he has no documentary evidence neither does he know of any person who can testify to his services.
   To the 1st question directed to be propounded by the regulation of the war Department, he states that he was born in Hampshire County in the State of Virginia in the year 1759.
   To the 2nd question, He answers that he has no record of his age.
   To the 3rd question, He states that he was living on Patterson’s Creek in the County of Hampshire Virginia when called into the service. I continued for some time after the revolutionary war to live on Patterson’s Creek from thence I removed to Randolph County Virginia where I have ever since continued to reside and still reside. To the 4 question he states that he volunteered into the service. To the 5 question He refers to what he has before disclosed in his declaration being unable to give further particulars. To the 6 question he states that he did receive two discharges one was given by Capt. Swearingen and the the other by Capt. Richeson but both have been lost. To the 7 question he states that he is known to Thomas OWilliams and Ely Butcher ____ in his present neighborhood who can testify to his character for verasity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
   He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State
   [signed] John Ryan
   
   [The following report is by District Attorney Washington G. Singleton who investigated many pensioners from present West Virginia. For details see pension application S6111 of David W. Sleeth. On Ryan’s report Singleton wrote “Entitled.”]
   
   John Ryan draws $41.66 –
   on the 1 November 1834 Ryan made the following statement of his age & revolutionary services to Wit, born in Hampshire County in 1759 & lived there at the commencement of the war.
   
   Sometime during the Revo. War, but cant tell in what year, he volunteered in Hampshire Cty. under Capt Johnson, who raised a part of a Company there & marched under Capt. Johnson to Fort McIntosh at the mouth of Big Beaver, went out the Braddock road by Red Stone old Fort [at present Brownsville PA]. Capt. Harriss Wigins & Cunningham also went out from same place at same time. after getting to Fort McIntosh Capt. Johnson was discharged and went home – he was then placed under Capt Swarengin Leut. Neale Ensign Harrington – under the above officers he went to Tuscarahwa and aided in building Fort Laurence – returned to McIntoshs Fort and was discharged haveing been in service six months & 15 days and drew pay for that length of time – returned home — In the Spring before Cornwallis surrendered – he again volunteered under Capt Daniel Richardson, John Reynolds Lieut. & Jacob Randle [sic: Jacob Randall W5666] Ensign – who raised a company of Light horse on the South branch of 75 men – and Rendezvoused at Morefield Va. he was in service in that region of country keeping the Tories under, was three times at Winchester guarding Prissoners taken there. was in actual service all summer, was but ten days at home and then got a permit & went for clothes. was not discharged until after the surrender of Cornwallis having been in service six months and a few days, but drew pay for six months only – got his discharge which is lost — he gave Col. G. D. Camden the
   same statement in substance he here gives – Camden wrote his Declaration
   John Ryan
   Witness Nathan Goff [Pension Agent at Clarksburg]
   Adam Cee Esqr. of Ran’d Cty. a gentleman of character says that he knows that Jno. Ryan was a soldier in the Revo’ War and believes he done all the service herein above detailed by him. Ryan is truthful man.
   A Copy.
   W. G Singleton Nov. 26, 1834
   
   NOTE: On 24 Nov 1835 Adam See deposed that John Ryan had served with See’s brother in Capt. Richardson’s company
   
   https://revwarapps.org/s18584.pdf

3.   United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).

   Name John Rion
   Residence Date 6 Aug 1810
   Residence Place Randolph, Virginia, USA
   Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 2
   Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 1 [b. bet. 1766-1784]
   Free White Persons - Females - Under 10 2
   Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 1 [b. bet. 1766-1784]
   Number of Household Members Under 16 5
   Number of Household Members Over 25 2
   Number of Household Members 8

4.   United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).

   Needs research

5.   United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).

   Name John Ryan
   Home in 1830 (City, County, State) Randolph, Virginia
   Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79 1 [b. bet. 1751-1760]
   Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29 2
   Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69 1 [b. bet. 1761-1770]
   Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35 1
   Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 2
   Total Free White Persons 4
   Total Slaves 1
   Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored) 5

6.   Johnston, Ross B. West Virginians in the American Revolution. (Parkersburg, West Virginia: West Augusta Historical and Genealogical Society, 1959).