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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
JESSE B. RYAN, formerly a resident of Mahash County, but now of Cass County, Neb., dates his advent into this county in the year 1850. He was born in Barbour County, W. Va., May 2, 1817. There he grew to manhood, following the occupation of farming, and was united in marriage with Miss Mahala Sterns, a native of West Virginia, who was born March 2, 1814. In 1846 they removed to Union County, Ohio, in 1848 to Indiana, and thence in 1850 came to Iowa and settled in Richland Township, where Mr. Ryan entered 240 acres of land and began to make for himself a home, and lived upon the place for nearly a quarter of a century. Mrs. Mahala Ryan departed this life May 26, 1873, leaving six children: Ingaba J., now the wife of William Godhy, of Buffalo County, Neb.; James R., a resident of Boone County, Neb.; Elizabeth A., wife of William Nichols, of Ottnmwa, Iowa; Jacob, who resides in Cass County, Neb.; Thomas H. B., of Prairie Township; and Nancy E., Mrs. Paris VanCleve, who lives in Hamilton County, Neb. After the death of his wife Mr. Ryan continued farming until 1879. He then espoused, as his second wife, Susan Foreman, and that year sold out all his possessions in this county and removed to Cass County, Neb., where he owns a farm of eighty acres of land. Politically he is a Democrat, and frequently held local offices in the township. His religious connections were with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy