| John Ryan emmigrated
to the United States in 1832. As can be seen in the court document
(clickable just below) John asserts in court that he arrived in the U.S.
June 5, 1832. [No passenger list searches have been undertaken thus
far.] He applied for citizenship in the Wayne County Circuit Court
September 6, 1836, but this is the first date on which we know his whereabouts
with certainty!
It is, in fact this document (Application
for citizenship) from which we can calculate John's birthdate of May 5,
1812... and from which we also learn of his origin in County Kilkenny.
A copy of this document was obtained and distributed by Uncle Charlie Greenen;
but it has faded over time; and a newer hi-tech copy will be posted here
when available. In the meantime you may CLICK
HERE to see an abstract of the document.
It is not certain where he landed or how
he spent his first 4 years in the U.S.; but it is assumed that he must
have accrued skills and probably some savings. Later you will read
that he reported himself as an "iron moulder" in the 1840 census... and
was able to purchase a quite large home by 1844.
|
 |
Of particular
interest is the fact that John emigrated to America a full 15 years before
"the famine" in Ireland. Also John emigrated as a bachelor at age
19 or 20. These circumstances (as well as his "stormy family life")
make John unique among all our Irish ancestors. It would be interesting
to know exactly what motivated John to emigrate... and how he wound up
in Indiana; but research on these questions has been a "dead end" thus
far.
| Having
applied for citizenship September 6, 1836, John actually received final
citizenship status during the August 1838 term of the Wayne County Circuit
Court. The court entry is begins on page 73 and runs over onto page
74 of that term... and can be seen by clicking on the two thumbnails at
right. The Courthouse was located in Centerville at that time and
was moved to Richmond much later. |
PAGE 73
Click to enlarge |
PAGE 74
Click to enlarge |
Furthermore, there is another interesting speculation
regarding the events of August 1838.
The court records do not indicate the exact
date on which John Ryan was pronounced a citizen of the U.S. However,
we know that he got married on August 21, 1838... and there is every reason
to suspect that John (and Sarah) celebrated these two events as one gigantic
"happening." It is quite possible that the citizenship ceremony and
the marriage occurred on the same day.
Notice should also be taken here regarding
the appearance of the name,Thomas O'Hara; as it was noticed that Thomas's
citizenship declaration appears in the register immediately preceeding
John Ryans. The name of Thomas and his wife, Elizabeth, appear so
often and so strategically in this family's history; that it is speculated
that the O'Haras were either very good friends (perhaps immigrant ship-mates)
or even relatives of John Ryan. It is even speculated that Elizabeth
O'Hara MIGHT have been a sister to John Ryan, who named his firstborn daughter
Elizabeth... and one even wonders whether her real namesake might have
been the Grandmother Ryan, who (as far as we know) never left Ireland.
Sarah Ann Moore was born about 1818 in North
Carolina. Her parents were John & Sarah (Nelson) Moore. Very
little has been discovered and almost nothing has been documented about
her origins or her family of origin. The following is an outline
of theories and the reasons behind the theories:
1. Sarah and her family might have
been members of the "Quaker" religion. (Society of Friends.)
There are reasons to dispute
this idea; but the following items seem to support it:
| A. |
It is known that a large migration
of Quakers occurred from North Carolina to Western Ohio & Eastern Indiana
in the early 1800's. A fact which would "jive" with the family's
known origin in North Carolina and their appearance in Indiana documents
by 1838. |
| B. |
Sarah never learned to read or write... a fact which is born out throughout
her life by the "signing" of a myriad of documents with "her mark." (which
was always an "X.") This would conform with the Quaker tradition of NOT
educating girls at that time. [It also supports another theory:
i.e. that Sarah might have been blind or deaf or handicapped in some other
way.] |
| C. |
The church registry entry for the baptism of her fourth child, Sarah,
clearly indicates that "Sarah Anne Moore" is a non Catholic.
"1848:
On the same day (there was baptized Sarah, daughter of John Ryan and Sarah
Anne Moore (non Catholic) who was born the 29th day of February.
Sponsors were Thomas and Elizabeth O'Hara."
[Signed W. Engeln] |
The entry reads as above and also reveals why John Ryan and Sarah Moore
were married by a Justice of the Peace... and why no record of a Catholic
("blessed") marriage can be located till the occasion of Sarah's "deathbed
baptism." |
| D. |
"Moore" is a very common Quaker name. It is also known that there
were other Moore families in Wayne County who were NOT Quakers. |
RESEARCH
POSTPONED OR STALLED!
VOLUNTEER
NEEDED!
THE MARRIAGE OF
JOHN RYAN & SARAH MOORE
|
 |
On August 21, 1838
John Ryan was married to Sarah Ann Moore in Richmond, Indiana, by
Justice of the Peace John C. Kibbey. CLICK
HERE or on the thumbnail at left to see the record of this marriage
recorded in the Wayne County Marriage Register. At the time of their
marriage, John would have been 26, and Sarah 19 or 20. |
Additional research has been done on John Kibbey,
the Justice of the Peace who married John and Sarah. It turns out
that he and his forebearers and descendants were widely known and respected.
CLICK
HERE to read more about John C. Kibbey and his family and reputation.
As to the question of why an Irish Catholic
would be married by a Justice of the Peace... and why there is no record
of a church wedding, it has already been pointed out that Sarah Moore was
definitely NOT Catholic; and my generation can remember how militantly
the Catholic clergy attempted to avoid "mixed marriages." My elders
(as well as historians) also assert that this "injunction" (both written
and oral) was even harsher and more militant in the days of John Ryan.
Furthermore, IF Sarah was indeed from a Quaker family, there would have
been a double dose of negativity... with Sarah's family and pastor also
unwilling to give their blessing to this marriage.
As you will read later, John and Sarah's
relationship turned out to be the very sort of "conflicted and afflicted"
marriage and family life that the clergy of the time would have predicted.
And yet, the record will show that the family's Catholic pastors did not
desert them... apparently being present and properly recording each and
every event in the Family's life as it occurred... all the way down to
Sarah's death and burial in 1905 from St. Mary's Catholic Church.
The following children were all born to
John and Sarah in Richmond, Indiana between the years 1840 - 1856.
|
ELIZABETH A. RYAN b. 1840 |
|
MARY ELLEN RYAN b. 1841 |
|
JOHN ALBERT RYAN b. October 27, 1845 |
|
SARAH CATHERINE RYAN b. February
29, 1848 d. September 13, 1913 |
|
JULIA A. RYAN
b. January 29, 1851 "presumed dead" by 1907 |
|
MARGARET MARTHA RYAN b. August 31, 1853
d. 1915 |
|
WILLIAM MARTIN RYAN b. March 31, 1856
d. 1910, Evansville, IN |
Click on the thumbnails at left to see the baptismal
records. [Links not active! Poor
quality registry copies sent to CDG to be replaced by actual certificates
as soon as someone has time to expedite this!]
THE 1840 U.S. CENSUS LISTING FOR THE
FAMILY OF JOHN RYAN & SARAH
MOORE RYAN
The 1840 Census listed only the head of household by name.
All other information was given by means of tally marks within a series
of columns.
The summary for the household of John Ryan is as follows:
The household is shown as containing one male and two females. The
tally for John Ryan himself seems to be off by one column as it shows up
in the column for age 20-30... whereas John was actually 32. The
two females are tallied: one under 5 [which would correctly represent Elizabeth]
and one between 20 and 30 [which would correctly represent Sarah Moore
Ryan.]
Tally marks are also used to indicate "How many persons" are involved
in various occupations. John Ryan's household shows one tally under
"agriculture" and one under "industrial."
CLICK HERE to see a photo of the 1840 U.S. Census. [Link
not active yet]
|
During the years between 1840 and 1850,
not much information has been uncovered or passed down about this young
family. We can assume that John was productive during those years,
and we can also envision the kind of rural household they lived in until
1844 when they purchased a large home in downtown Richmond. The 1840
census indicates that they were involved in agriculture... and thus we
can deduce that they probably lived outside of town and were doing some
farming, with John doing his blacksmithing (iron moulding) in addition.
There is no record of John ever owning land; but further research will
be done in this regard. It is possible that John and Sarah were living
on land owned by Sarah's family... or that they were "sharecropping."
Following the birth of the first two daughters,
Elizabeth and Mary (1840 and 1841) no more children were born until after
the purchase of the home in Richmond. Thereafter, children began
to come at regular intervals; (see the chart above) and the baptismal registry
at St. Mary's shows that each child was baptized as an infant according
to the custom of the day.
Then suddenly on August 20, 1849, at age
31, more than a year after the birth of "little Sarah," Sarah Moore Ryan
finds herself on death's doorstep from a cause (sickness? or injury?) which
has remained a mystery. The names Thomas and Elizabeth O'Hara
emerge again as being there for this family in a time of crisis... as
does the (obviously Irish) name of the Catholic pastor, Fr. W. Doyle.
Sarah obviously (from the record) gave her consent to be baptized; and
the baptism administered by Fr. Doyle who also appointed himself sponsor...
suggesting that there was serious urgency! Most likely the baptism
was carried out with little preparation... and before John Ryan and Thomas
O'Hara could be summoned from work.. Meanwhile, Elizabeth O'Hara
stood as the other sponsor. These events, no doubt, occurred in the
Ryan Home; but were recorded in the church registry as follows:
Baptismal Registry
Entry: August 1849:
"On the 20th of August I have baptized Sara
Ann, wife of John Ryan, (maiden name Moore) in danger of death.
Sponsors: W. Doyle and Elizabeth O'Hara. [Signed W. Doyle]
" |
On the same day, Sarah also gave her consent
for a Catholic "wedding." I suppose we would call it an "emergency
deathbed wedding." As I envision the events, the "Nuptial Blessing"
would have had to wait until the arrival of the groom; and thus, I can
envision the priest pacing and waiting in Sarah's sick room, with his stole
about his neck... and, perhaps some candles lit, until John Ryan and Tom
O'Hara arrived from work. Tom was "volunteered" (probably no compromise)
to be the "best man" ...and Mary Ryan (probably the 8 year old daughter
of John and Sarah) stood as the other witness. The event was recorded
in the church registry as follows:
| Marriage Registry:
August 1849 On the 20th of August (I have given) the Nuptial Blessing
to John Ryan and Sara Moore, after mutual consent of both parties, the
woman having been baptized beforehand in sickness. Witnesses: Thomas
O'Hara and Mary Ryan.
[Signed W. Doyle] |
Sarah survived;
and no document or tradition gives us a clue as to WHAT she survived...
or how long the illness (or injury) lasted. As discussed above, however,
events and documents from her later life suggest she may have been handicapped
and could not read or write. We are only speculating as to whether
these events of August 1849 might have been the cause of later problems...
or whether she did indeed fully recover.
No doubt, Sarah's
baptism and the "legitimizing" of her marriage to John relieved some "tension"
within the family and their circle of friends. I did not, however,
serve to "transform" their relationship; for, as we shall see, John and
Sarah's relationship was a stormy one, and each harbored severe resentments
and hostilities toward the other which will be expressed and documented
a few years later in behaviors and divorce proceedings.
THE 1850 U.S. CENSUS LISTING
FOR THE FAMILY OF JOHN RYAN & SARAH MOORE RYAN
| Name |
Age |
Relationship |
Occupation |
Birthplace |
Father's
Birthplace |
Mother's
Birthplace |
| John Ryan |
38 |
. |
Iron Moulder |
Ireland |
Ireland |
Ireland |
| Sarah |
29 |
wife |
Housewife |
N. Carolina |
N. Carolina |
N. Carolina |
| Elizabeth A. |
10 |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Caroliina |
| Mary E. |
9 |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| John A. |
4 |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| Sarah |
2 |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
Two more children followed after the 1850
Census: Margaret Martha in 1851, and William Martin, in 1853. Other
than baptism records, research has yielded no documents regarding the family's
life between 1850 and 1860 as the young family grew up. We do know,
however that John and Sarah's marriage was not a blissful one; and that
John must have had some rather severe problems with alcohol, with his temper,
and with "staying on task" as a provider for the family... as will be Sarah's
complaint in a divorce suit in 1859. Many documents throughout this
family's history attest to the fact that they had chronic and serious financial
problems... and, in particular, there are repeated references to problems
with the payment of the taxes on their house.
Tradition (by way of grandchildren, Mary
and Catherine Greenen) indicates that the family lived much of their life
in the country. Combining this tradition with known facts and documents,
it would appear that the family probably maintained a house in the country
as well as the large home in downtown Richmond. I speculate (and
documents tend to corroborate) that John and Sarah began to take in renters
(boarders) in their home to supplement their income. This arrangement
also allowed John and Sarah to "live apart" when things got stormy.
John's 1862 letters from the Civil War battlefield make reference to this
arrangement.
On a positive note, if the children did
spend considerable time living in town in the "big house" then it would
have been a most pleasant setting. The house was large and spacious,
and located just a block or two from St. Mary's church and downtown Richmond...
and probably very close to their school. It was on a corner lot and
also located on the main east - west (horse drawn) street car line.
It was located in a "nice" neighborhood and the children would have constantly
witnessed the high moral and "bustle" of Richmond, which was a growing
and thriving industrial community at that time... and becoming a significant
railroad center
In 1859, Sarah filed for divorce.
The "grounds" listed in her complaint against John were abusing the children,
alcohol abuse, and being a poor provider. The court records show
that John answered this complaint to the satisfaction of the Judge; and
the divorce was NOT granted. John's next move, however was a surprise!
THE 1860 U.S. CENSUS LISTING
FOR THE FAMILY OF JOHN RYAN & SARAH MOORE RYAN
This census report contains a huge
mystery and a big surprise as well. The studious reader will immediately
notice that Sarah Moore Ryan is not listed. [Was the household temporarily
without a mother? ...and, if so, why?] Also it appears that the Ryan
household now includes a number of men who are probably boarders.
It is believed that Mary (19) is not listed because she is already married.
The table below lists the census entries with no attempt to embellish them
or otherwise answer any questions.... but
WHERE IS THE MOTHER, SARAH MOORE RYAN?
| Name |
Age |
Relationship |
Occupation |
Value of
Real Estate |
Birthplace |
Father's
Birthplace |
Mother's
Birthplace |
| John Ryan |
48 |
. |
Iron Moulder |
$2,000 |
Ireland |
Ireland |
Ireland |
| Elizabeth |
20 |
. |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| John A. |
14 |
. |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| Sarah |
12 |
. |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| Julia |
8 |
. |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| William |
4 |
. |
. |
. |
Indiana |
Ireland |
N. Carolina |
| Alfred Cook |
. |
. |
Teamster |
. |
. |
. |
. |
| Frank Patterson |
. |
. |
Pedlar |
. |
. |
. |
. |
| Thomas Dudley |
. |
. |
Pedlar |
. |
. |
. |
. |
| John Stearns |
. |
. |
Driver |
. |
. |
. |
. |
| John Myers |
. |
. |
Pedlar |
. |
. |
. |
. |
By the time of this (1860) census, the Ryan
family was complete... i.e. No more children followed after William,
who was referred to even at age 6 (in one of John's letters from the battlefield,
as "Little Billy." The mystery of where the mother of this family
was will be answered later... in an 1865 document, well after the death
of her husband, John Ryan. She was "living in Ohio" at the time!
The question of exactly WHY she was in Ohio and not with her husband and
children will probably be a perpetual mystery... except that other evidence
seems to indicate that no house was big enough to contain the stormy and
antagonistic relationship between John and Sarah by this time.
Indeed, it was not long after Sarah's suit
for divorce was "disallowed" by the Judge, John recapitulated by suing
Sarah for divorce. All that is left for us to "review" in this
case is an 1879 receipt for the "taking of the records" of this complaint
out of the court house. [These documents would have been the central
focus of the 1879 proceedings which involved Sarah's claim for entitlement
to a "widow's pension." Although it is understandable why the documents
would have been sought (and removed) ...it is regrettable that they were
never returned. I suspect they contained some unpleasant recitations
and quite possibly there were parties involved who had good motives for
them to "disappear."] We can only guess what John's complaints were,
but the court docket indicates that the judge found in John's favor and
granted the divorce!
|
JOHN RYAN JOINS THE UNION
ARMY
|
Although clerical errors are always possible
explanations for things, it appears that John Ryan might have had to "confabulate"
about his age in order to join the military. He did indeed join the
Indiana 36th Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company F on September 1, 1861.
His age is listed as 44 but court records shows that he was 49. He was
5 feet 11 inches tall, gray eyes and dark complexion. He mustered in October
23, 1861, at Richmond, Indiana, where the new regiment (36th Indiana Volunteer
Infantry) was being formed.
We can only speculate regarding the motives
John had for leaving a home with 5 children still at home and so many obviously
unresolved family problems. On one hand it could be interpreted as
"desertion" of fatherly duty. From another angle, there is plenty
of evidence that John and Sarah had come to the realization that their
relationship was too stormy to ever hope they could both live peacefully
in one home. That is my assumption... and it is also my assumption
that John would not have left for military duty unless he was sure that
Sarah would return and provide constant care and supervision for the children.
Furthermore, there are other factors that
are believed to have motivated John to join the military. In the
first place was a "bounty" which was like a "bonus" which probably amounted
to $300 to $500. (a large sum in those days!) Many documents
show that the Ryan home was a very large one and that they had had problems
meeting the taxes on the home for some time. The "bounty" would have
eased this problem. There was also "relief money" involved which
John mentions in his letters home. In addition, if John did have
a drinking problem, and especially if he was perceived (as per the court
document) as being an inadequate provider by his family and others, joining
the military MIGHT have been seen by John as a means of demonstrating his
adequacy, ...and, perhaps, as a structured means of handling an alcohol
problem. Regardless of all this speculation as to why...
JOHN RYAN MARCHED OFF TO WAR AT AGE 49!
We have created a
separate document to record John's military history. This document
can be found at:
http://www.wildirishroots.com/Greenen/RYAN/1812JohnRyan/1812JohnRyanMil/1812JohnRyanMil.html
For bravery at the battle of shiloh, he was
promoted to corporal July 4, 1862.
CLICK
HERE to see the 3 letters John wrote to his family from the battlefield
during the Civil War:
http://www.wildirishroots.com/Greenen/RYAN/1812JohnRyan/1812JohnRyanMil/JohnRyanLetters.html
|
JOHN'S DEATH & SARAH'S
"RECOVERY"
|
It is plain from the letters John wrote
home that he was not feeling well during the early months of 1862. It is
clear from his letter (post Shiloh) that he was well enough to be in the
fighting and that he demonstrated bravery. His condition, however,
must have gradually worsened thereafter; as the record shows that he was
admitted to General Hospital #3 at Louisville on October 14, 1862 and died
of typhoid fever on November 25, 1862 in Louisville, Ky., He is buried
there in Cave Hill Military Cemetery Section B Grave 1209.
Following John's death, a guardian, Lewis
D. Stubbs, was appointed to look after the affairs and well-being of the
Ryan children. The record is not clear; but it is assumed that Sarah
had been living with the children and functioning as a family during the
entire time that John was away doing military service... but we are not
certain of this.
Upon the death of her husband, Sarah's most
urgent agenda, was to "undo" the divorce that had been granted to John
prior to his enlistment in the military. It would seem that this
might have been more than a "face saving" endeavor, as the record of the
divorce granted to John in 1860 (Case #656 -- part of which has been "removed"
from the record) seems to have given John (and his heirs) ownership of
the Ryan home and also might have prevented Sarah from receiving widow's
pension and/or child support benefits. Regardless of her motives,
Sarah filed a complicated motion on July 25, 1865 to have the divorce decree
vacated, asserting that she held a life estate in the property and that
it consequently belongs to the children named in the complaint. Among
her arguments was the assertion that she was living in Ohio at the time
John filed suit for divorce and that she was unaware the case was pending
and, thus, did not respond to John's plea for divorce. The judge
found in Sarah's favor and the divorce decree was vacated. Thus,
on paper, (a very large stack of papers, in fact) John and Sarah were never
divorced.
On August 20, 1879 Sarah (Moore) Ryan applied
for a Civil War Widow's Pension of $8 per month until she died Feb. 24,
1905. Her children received $2 per month pension benefit until age
16 commencing July 25, 1866 till Jan. 28, 1867 for Julia, Aug. 30, 1869
for Margaret, and March 30, 1872 for William.
There are continued hints in numerous documents
that the Ryan children grew up in a troubled, fatherless, and sometimes
chaotic environment. That "Little Billy" was a troubled child...
and that there were long-standing religious and philosophical issues in
the family is attested to by one of John's letters home from the battlefield.
In the letter, he states he is glad "Little Billy" was finally baptized...
and should be congratulated for "acting so good" in church... at age 5
or 6. As for why a Catholic baptism would be delayed till this age...
that also appears to indicate serious family problems in this "mixed marriage."
By 1864 (and maybe sooner) both Sarah and
Julia are attending school at St. John's in Indianapolis, a reputable Catholic
boarding school for girls. Katie would have been 16, Julia, 12 or
13. The wonderful collection of receipts found
in the Wayne County Courthouse by researcher Arnold Dean, clearly indicate
payment of both tuition as well as rail transportation to and from Richmond
to attend school. Note that the receipts indicate that the school
was run by the "Sisters of Charity" ...but careful research by Andy Sauer
have proven that the sisters running the school were the Sisters of Providence,
headquartered in Terre Haute... and that this order of nuns (as well as
several others) were referred to "generically" as the "Sisters of Charity"
because of their work with the sick and wounded during the civil war; and
are not to be confused with the "Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul."
CLICK
HERE to see a sample of a receipt for "Katie's" schooling in Indianapolis
SUMMARY OF CHILDREN
OF JOHN RYAN & SARAH MOORE
RYAN
|
| ELIZABETH A. RYAN Mason |
b. 1840
d. Unknown
Gravesite: [Cass County?] |
Elizabeth's
married name was Mason. We have no information about her husband
or family. In 1907 she was living in Cass County (Peru - Logansport
area) with Ruby & "Alvie" Smith, (or vice versa) descendants of her
sister, Julia. |
| MARY ELLEN RYAN Rose
Moore |
b. 1841
d. [before 1907]
Gravesite: unknown |
Mary
married ___Rose and then ___ Moore. Mary had offspring by both husbands,
including a son, John A. Moore, some of whose history is known and is interesting.
John A. married Emma Moore Moore, a niece of Judge Rupe (See Arnold Dean
letters: ArnDn061800) |
| JOHN ALBERT RYAN |
b. Oct 27, 1845
d. date & place unknown
Gravesite: unknown |
In 1907,
it was reported that John had "left town" and had not been heard from for
many years |
| SARAH CATHERINE RYAN
Greenen |
b. February 29, 1848
d. September 3, 1913
Gravesite: Holy Cross |
Our ancestor!
Her history is the impetus for this work. CLICK
HERE to see the rest of her history! |
| JULIA A. RYAN Krueger
§§ |
b. January 29, 1851
d. Date & place unknown
Gravesite: unknown |
Attended
St. John's as boarding student during high school following death
of father. Married Carl Krueger of Cass County IN and begot one child,
Ruby Krueger Smith. Julia "disappeared" before Ruby was raised.
Was never heard from again but was assumed dead by 1907. Ruby married
"Alvie" Smith and is known to have many descendants. Primary contact
as of September 2001 is Julia's ggrandson, ALVIE
SMITH of Rochester, IN |
| MARGARET MARTHA RYAN |
b. August 31, 1853
d. 1915 - Indianapolis
Gravesite: Holy Cross |
Never
married. Lived with her mother, Sarah Moore Ryan till Sarah's death.
Spent time with family of her sister, Sarah, and tradition is that she
was quite beloved. May have been handicapped in some way. |
| WILLIAM MARTIN
RYAN |
b. March 31, 1856
d. 1910, Evansville, IN
Gravesite: not known |
Worked
as miner. As of 1907, was working at "Big 4 Mine" near Linton, IN.
Terse entry in Letter from his sister Sarah Ryan Greenen to her son, Tom,
announced "your Uncle Billy's" death in 1910 and burial from Catholic church
in Evansville. |
| §§ |
A marriage between a Julia Ryan and William Tyner
is shown in the Wayne County court records; but no subsequent document
ever confirms such a marriage for "our Julia" and thus it is felt that
this is a different Julia Ryan. |
On August 20, 1879 Sarah (Moore) Ryan applied
for a Civil War Widow's Pension of $8 per month which she which she received
until her death in 1905. In all, Sarah would have spent 44 years
as a widow; and records and traditions confirm that she spent the entire
44 years in the large home on 8th Street in Richmond... which, in prior
and subsequent legal documents, came to be known as "The Ryan Property."
[Note that about 1881 the layout of Richmond was changed and all the street
names were re-designated. The original address of the Ryan property
was 5th street; but the address became an 8th street address following
the redesignation.]
It is not certain why Sarah waited till
1879 to apply for her widow's pension. Her divorce was vacated (invalidated)
in 1865; but available records seem to indicate that she applied for her
pension as well as the "child support" relief money she was entitled to
in 1879... some 18 years after the payments should have started...
and long after the date (1872) when her youngest child, Billy, would have
outgrown his elibibility. It is possible that we are just mis-reading
the documents; but it is also possible that Sarah was applying retro-actively.
Regardless, she was successful; and the record shows that all the entitlements
for widow's pension and child support were paid. This whole pension
"business" contains another "mystery" and looms as another example of how
difficult it has been to reconstruct this family's history.
Sarah's daughter, Margaret, never married
and tradition is that she remained at home to care for her mother.
In fact, it seems that sometime in 1902 Sarah executed a "deed" to the
house selling her interest in the "Ryan home" to her daughter, Margaret
for $1. It is unclear why she would have proceeded with such a transaction
in light of the fact that her son-in-law, J.W. Greenen, had "rescued" the
home for many years by payment of taxes, and actually held a deed to the
home, having purchased it at auction from the county auditor at a "tax
sale" in 1888. Perhaps Sarah's illiteracy (or ? a handicap) would
account for such an apparent "defiance" of the facts... or perhaps the
explanation is just that Sarah had "gotten her way" for 40 years in every
transaction with guardians and judges... and expected to do so again.
