James Ryan

James Ryan (March 24, 1830 – January 5, 1913) was an Irish American newspaper publisher, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a long-time editor of the Appleton Crescent, served as the 16th mayor of Appleton, Wisconsin, and represented Calumet and Outagamie counties for two years in the Wisconsin State Senate.

Biography Ryan was born on March 24, 1830, at Fort Howard, on the Bay of Green Bay. At the time of his birth, this was unorganized land in Brown County, Michigan Territory, and Ryan was one of the first American children born in what would become the state of Wisconsin. His parents had arrived there from New York in 1826, just a few months after the completion of the Erie Canal, which facilitated migration to the western territories.

Ryan received a common school education, and learned the printing trade. In 1854, he moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, to work with his older brother Samuel on his newspaper, the Appleton Crescent. The brothers would work together on the newspaper for the rest of their lives, the paper they created still exists today as The Post-Crescent. After coming to Green Bay, Sam Ryan served as quartermaster at Fort Howard and was named a colonel of one of the first two militia regiments in the Wisconsin Territory. In addition to founding the Crescent, James's eldest brother, Samuel Ryan Jr., served in the state Assembly and served eight years as county judge.

James married twice. He had four children with Mary L. Griffis, who he married in September 1858. After her death in 1874, he subsequently married Mrs. Caroline Studley ( Heath) in 1885. She died in 1906. At the time of his death, all four of Ryan's children were still living, as well as three grandchildren.