James Tobias Ryan (1818 - 1899)

Born 4 Jan 1818 in Castlereagh, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Dempsey) Ryan — married 16 Aug 1838 in Castlereagh, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Sarah Matilda (Hadley) Ryan — married 21 Sep 1866 in Castlereagh Australia

Descendants

Died 17 Oct 1899 at age 81 in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Toby Ryan is Notable.

James Tobias Ryan represented the Nepean in the Legislative Assembly 1860-1872. James wrote the book "Reminiscences of Australia"

James Tobias Ryan was born at Birds Eye Corner, Castlereagh, on 4 January 1818.^[1]

Christening: "James Tobin" Ryan, 5 July 1818, parents John Ryan, Mary Ryan, at Christ Church, Church of England, Castlereagh, New South Wales, Australia.^[2]

In the 1828 census he was age 11 and living with his parents and 5 brothers and sisters at their farm at South Creek.^[3]

Toby Ryan recalled that he "boiled the billy" with the bushranger John Donohoe, when he was out looking for cattle near Llandilo: "He was the most insignificant looking creature imaginable, ... dressed in a velveteen coat and vest, cabbage-tree hat, moleskin trousers, and blue nankeen shirt, with a heart worked on the breast with white cotton". Ryan wrote that he was not yet 16 years old at the time (actually he was 12). Donohoe asked him if he had seen any stray cattle with the brand "BG", and Ryan knew he was the bushranger by his impediment in saying "B Shee", the scar on his left cheek, and the description in the Australian which he had with him and gave to Donohoe. Donohoe asked not to say he had seen him and Toby on his way home when he saw seven troopers nearby said nothing to them, but he did tell his father who approved of his caution. Toby also recounted the story that "Donahoe shot Underwood for keeping a diary of their transactions; his bones were discovered about fifteen years later".^[4]

Toby left home age 17 following a drunken fight with police at a party in Sydney’s Penrith in 1835. He lived in the Hunter Valley where he spent two years as a timber-getter, ploughman, milkman and horse-breaker, then overlanded cattle to Port Phillip. He returned and settled in the Nepean district in 1838.

Marriage 16 August 1838 to Mary Dempsey at Christ Church, Castlereagh, New South Wales, Australia: James Tobin Ryan of Castlereagh and Mary Dempsey of Castlereagh by banns by Henry Fulton. Witnesses were George Small of Castlereagh and Elenor Shute of Castlereagh.^[5]

In 1840 he became a butcher at Penrith. At a later time also became an auctioneer and spirits merchant.

He ran cattle on Buttabone, Mumblebone and Maryinbone on the Macquarie and Castlereagh rivers.

By 1852 he had built Emu Hall, an impressive home on the Emu Plains side of the Nepean River.

He was elected Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly on 14 December 1860.

After the death of his wife, Mary Ann Dempsey in 1864, Toby's finances spiral downwards and some of his first family become estranged from him after his second marriage in 1866 to Sarah Hadley, whom they disliked. He was bankrupt 7 years after Mary's death.

Marriage to Sarah Matilda HADLEY (1838–1923) 21 September 1866 at Sydney(?), New South Wales, Australia.^[6]

Marriage announcement, Sydney Morning Herald 23 October 1866:

RYAN—HADLEY—September 21st, by the Rev. Dr. Fullerton, James T. Ryan, Esq., M.L.A., of Emu Plains, to Sarah, third daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Hadley, Penrith.^[7]

In 1879 he became the licensee of the Crown Hotel in George Street, Sydney.

In 1885 aged 66, declared bankrupt, he was working as Asphalter with son Edwin.

In the 1890's age 70's, with his wife, he was running a boarding house in Francis St, Sydney.

In February 1895 he advertised his book Reminiscences of Australia.^[8]

Death 17 October 1899 of pleurisy at his home at Woolloomooloo Street.

Obituaries

Extract from the Nepean Times 21 October, 1899:

DEATH OF MR J T RYAN

An old Colonist, Nepean Native, Ex- Member of the Nepean, An Old Mason

This week we have recorded the death of Mr. James Tobias Ryan, more familiarly know as "Toby" one of the best known men in New South Wales, which sad event took place at his residence, Woolloomooloo, Sydney on Tuesday last, at midday, after a brief illness, the cause of death being pleurisy. Deceased leaves a very large family, consisting of his widow, 11 children, 45 grandchildren, a number of whom attended the funeral on Thursday last, His children are as follows: Edwin, John, James, George, and Charles, Mrs Batty (Annie), Mrs Tanner (Sarah), Mrs Sharpe (Emma), Mrs Youngson (Louisa), Mrs Lawrence (Josephine), and Minnie, who resides in West Australia.

One other relative present was his only sister, Mrs Hilt. His brother in law, Mr John McMillan, of the Water and Sewerage Board , was also present.

The funeral on Thursday, of which Mrs John Price and Son had charge at this end, was largely attended. The remains came on by the 11.30 train and was conveyed from Emu Plains Railway Station to the cemetery, where it was deposited in the family vault, which already contains many members of the deceased's family. The service was conducted by Rev. Humphrey Fryer, Rural Dean. ...The life of Mr Ryan was before them. His whole life had been of usefulness, and he would be long remembered. Among the list of floral offerings were the following etc etc Mr Hobby and family, Mr and Mrs Hayes, Miss Ivy Dempsey, Miss Nerida Ryan......^[9]

Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954) Sat 11 Nov 1899 Page 9:

The last of the old brigade to answer the call was J T Ryan, one of the whitest of the many sterling white men who claimed Penrith. Richmond or Windsor as their native heath. Toby Ryan was almost the last cattle buyers who were so much in evidence during the fifties and early sixties till the start of the telegraph, when Othello-like, their vocation was gone. Toby at one time owned Butterbone on the Macquarie. He, Maurice Ryan and George Dempsey often visited the station in the end of the forties, when Paul Devlin was stockman and Billy Logan, who was a cripple, was hut keeping. I don't think Mr. Ryan ever owned Mumblebone, the adjoining station to Butterbone. Mumblebone was taken up in about the year 1843 by the late Mr Maurice Hennessy, of Fairfield, Wellington, and remained in the family till they sold to Mr Alexander Cruickshank, of Weemabah, for his brother John Cruickshank.

But to return to the old stamp of cattle-buyers. Men who could undergo any privations and put up with the roughest living, they were, as a rule, generous to a degree, the soul of honour, and jolly under all circumstances, and shrewd men of business. It might not be deemed out of place to call over the names of some of the old brigade of cattle-buyers. Names well and honorably known in connection with the early days of racing and all other sports when Homebush was the trysting ground. First, who has not heard of Charlie Smith, who owned such giants of the turf as Chancellor, Emancipation, Chester, and last, but not least, the celebrated old racehorse Steeltrap. Joe Windred had such goods as Cooramine and the handsome white Arab, Ariosto to carry his colors ; George Dempsey (the Black Prince), Tom Sullivan, George Hill, the patron of all sports and the friend of all sportsmen. Phil Mylecharaine, who , owned Firetail, B.Y., the Holmes, and other choice bits of blood. I think Phil is the. only one who could now answer to the roll call out of a long list. And Toby Ryan, who was every inch a sport.

A good many years have come and gone since Toby, John Dargin, John Tait and several others went up to a race meeting at Windsor. Old Charlie Blanchard kept the hotel. A number of the boys were amusing themselves with the gloves, while a big blacksmith was for a long time trying to find someone who would put the gloves on with him. No one seemed to care about undertaking the contrast, for the big fellow had a local reputation for being something very good. At last Toby' Ryan said he would accommodate him, and he did, and from the word go there was only one in it, and that was not the son of Vulcan. I merely mention, this fact to prove that Toby, like the majority of the old school, bad a good straight left. :On the turf J. T. Ryan was looked upon as one of the straightest men who ever started a horse. And who bas not heard of old Traveller, as good and as game a bit of horseflesh as ever a saddle was put on. It was Traveller that Mr Ryan was taking to Forbes when he beard that Hall's gang was going to take charge of him. However, as there was other fish to fry in the shape of a coach to be stuck up in some other direction, Traveller was not stolen. Many important races fell to the lot of Mr Ryan's stable, not only in this but the neighbouring colonies. On the Adelaide St Leger he had a deep design, winning it twice, in 1868 with Regalia, and with The Ace in 1872. And I think it was in 1869, just thirty years ago, that he won the Adelaide Cup, with Cupbearer. Coming nearer home, amongst the many races he won in this colony were several of the classic ones. With Benvolio, ridden by J Kean, he won the A.J.C. Derby tn 1873. And I can confidently say that whenever Toby Ryan started a horse in a race he was on business bent.

As a pigeon shot be was, in his day, at the top of the tree, and though I am not certain, I think I am correct in saying it was Toby Ryan who shot against Charlie Redwood (who brought Zoe and Zingari up from New Zealand some 40 years ago) for a hundred aside and the championship of the colony, and upheld the credit of the colony by defeating the New Zealand champion.

Like many others Mr Ryan had seen many ups and downs in life. He basked in fickle Fortune's smiles and felt her frowns. He was at one period of his career a wealthy man, and in 1852 erected Emu Hall. He represented the Nepean electorate for something like 12 years. He was an out-and-out supporter of Sir Henry Parkes, and a staunch Freetrader. He was looked upon more as a worker for his electorate than as a member with any claim to legislative ability. Mr Ryan was I suppose one of the, if not the oldest, Masons in the colony, being a member of that body fox something like 56 years, and at the time of the death was a Past Master of the Penrith Lodge. Mr Ryan was a typical Australian - a man whose word was his bond. And let us hope that now he is gone to that bourne from which no traveller returns, his good deeds will meet with the reward they merit, while any "slips" to which man is heir will be forgotten. Vale! Toby Ryan ; peace to your ashes! - " Truth."^[10]

Burial: Emu Plains New South Wales, in the family vault at St Paul's Church Cemetery.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth date in baptism registration. Birth date and place Birds Eye Corner from Ryan's Reminisences 1982 Edition, p.4
2. ↑ Christ Church, Church of England, Castlereagh NSW: Church Register - Baptisms; SRNSW ref: Reel 5001 Vol. 1.; Volume entry number: 4491
3. ↑ Purnell, Marion, Australian Royalty database, https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I68883/James-Tobias-Ryan
4. ↑ Ryan, James T. Reminiscences of Australia : Containing 70 Years of His Own Knowledge and 35 Years of His Ancestors / by James T. Ryan under the Cognomen of Toby. Nepean Family History Society, 1982, pp.22-25.
5. ↑ Marriage certificate, New South Wales. Department of Justice and Attorney General. NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages, 1841/1838 V18381841 22 RYAN JAMES T DEMPSEY MARY CD
6. ↑ New South Wales. Department of Justice and Attorney General. NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages, database on-line 772/1866 RYAN JAMES TOBIAS HADLEY SARAH SYDNEY
7. ↑ 1866 'Family Notices', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 23 October, p. 8. , viewed 28 Mar 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13150310
8. ↑ Advertising (1895, February 9). Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962), p. 4. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108684880
9. ↑ 1899 'Family Notices', Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962), 21 October, p. 3. , viewed 29 Mar 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101312996
10. ↑ Toby Ryan. (1899, November 11). Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1961), p. 9. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66442445

• B. G. Andrews, 'Ryan, James Tobias (Toby) (1818–1899)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ryan-james-tobias-toby-4529/text7417, published first in hardcopy 1976, accessed online 27 March 2021.
• Parliament of New South Wales https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/Pages/member-details.aspx?pk=467 accessed 28 March 2021
• Toby Ryan – celebrating his 200th birthday, Penrith City Local History https://penrithhistory.com/2018/01/04/toby-ryan-celebrating-his-200th-birthday/ accessed 28 March 2021
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 March 2021), memorial page for James Tobias “Toby” Ryan (1818–17 Oct 1899), Find a Grave Memorial no. 211405607, citing Emu Plains General Cemetery, Emu Plains, Penrith City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Lyn Forde (contributor 46582898) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211405607/james-tobias-ryan
• Mike Scanlon, "History : Tales from the frontier", Newcastle Herald, January 26 2018 https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5188250/history-tales-from-the-frontier/ accessed 28 March 2021
• Australian Men of Mark, Vol. 2 (1888), Appendix p.5, Ryan, James Tobias https://history.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/ncb/documents/Australian-Men-of-Mark-Vol.2.pdf
• Ryan, James T. Reminiscences of Australia : Containing 70 Years of His Own Knowledge and 35 Years of His Ancestors / by James T. Ryan, under the Cognomen of "Toby". Sydney: George Robertson, 1895.
• Ryan, James T. Reminiscences of Australia : Containing 70 Years of His Own Knowledge and 35 Years of His Ancestors / by James T. Ryan under the Cognomen of Toby. South Penrith, N.S.W.: Nepean Family History Society, 1982.
• Ryan, James T., and Marcus Punch. Toby's Gun : And Other Selected Stories from James Tobias Ryan's Reminiscences of Australia (1788-1894) / Edited and Introduced by Marcus Punch. 2017.
• Marcus Punch (Ed.), Toby's Gun and other selected stories from James Tobias Ryan's REMINISCENCES OF AUSTRALIA (1788-1894).

• "Australia, Sydney Branch Genealogical Library, Cemetery Inscriptions, 1800-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLJK-Q2P : 28 November 2014), James Tobias Ryan, 1899; citing Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Sydney Genealogical Library, Greenwich; FHL microfilm 952,650.
• "Australia, New South Wales, Cemetery, Military, and Church Record Transcripts, 1816-1982," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBX-3WWR : 4 March 2015), James Tobias Ryan, ; citing Burial, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, Emu Plains St. Paul's Church of England Cemetery, private collection of Clarice M. Cubbins, New South Wales; FHL microfilm 1,669,289.
• "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTCS-L2K : 11 December 2014), James Ryan, 05 Jul 1818; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,483,371.
• GG-D-I-L
• Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954) Sat 11 Nov 1899 Page 9