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ILLINOIS GENEALOGY EXPRESS
A part of Genealogy Express
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Welcome to
Piatt County,
Illinois
History & Genealogy |
Biographies
Source:
Past and Present of Piatt County, Illinois
together with biographical sketches of many
prominent and influential citizens.
Publ.:
Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
1903
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Watkins
L. Ryder. Honored and respected by all there is no
man in Monticello who occupies a more enviable position than Watkins
L. Ryder in business and financial circles, not alone on account of
the brilliant success he has achieved, but also on account of the
honorable, straightforward business policy he has ever followed.
He possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms
his plans readily and is determined in their execution, and his
close application to business and his excellent management
have brought to him a high degree of prosperity which is today his.
He stands as one of the foremost representatives of the real estate
and insurance interests of Piatt county, his business having assumed
large proportions. He is also prominent in public affairs,
being a cooperant factor in many measures for the general good, and
his citizenship is characterized by progression and loyalty.
Mr. Ryder was born in Chaumont, Jefferson
county, New York, on the 6th of March, 1834, and comes of English
lineage and the first representative of the name lived in Rhode
Island, whence others went to Vermont. It was in the Green
Mountain state that Joseph Ryder, the grandfather of our
subject, was born in December, 1780. Arriving at years of
maturity he wedded Mary Hill, and later removed to Jefferson
county, New York, which was then a frontier region, the family being
surrounded by pioneer environments. The grandfather purchased
a tract of land from a Frenchman named De LaRay, whose realty
holdings were very extensive and who sold his land cheap to actual
settlers. Clearing a small portion of his home farm Mr.
Ryder built a two-story stone house and after comfortably
establishing his family in their new home he continued to work in
the fields, developing and cultivating his land, making his home
upon the old farmstead there until his demise.
It was on the 21st of December, 1806, in Vermont, that
Benjamin Ryder, the father of our subject, was born and during
his early boyhood he accompanied his parents to New York, where he
was reared on the home farm, assisting in its cultivation until he
had attained the age of eighteen years. He then left the
parental roof and began work as a raftsman on the St. Lawrence river,
transporting lumber. After his marriage he purchased fifty
acres of land from Mr. De LaRay and built a log house which
later he replaced by a frame dwelling. With characteristic
energy he began clearing the property, transforming the wild tract
into richly cultivated fields. He afterward extended the
boundaries of his farm by the purchase of an additional tract of
forty acres adjoining his first property and upon the old homestead
he continued to live until his death. He had wedded Ann
Caroline Horton, a native of Chaumont, New York, born on the
13th of June, 1806. Her parents were James and Martha
(White) Horton, and she was a descendant in the eighth
generation of Barabas Horton, who was the first of the name
known in America. History gives it that this gentleman was
born in the hamlet of Mously in Leicestershire, England, and that he
came to the new world as a passenger on the American ship Swallow in
1633 or 1638. After a long voyage he arrived safely at
Hampton, Massachusetts. In 1664 he was a resident of New
Haven, Connecticut, and assisted in the organization of the
Congregational church there. On the 21st of October, 1670, he
sailed for Southhold, Long Island, where he built the first frame
house ever erected on the island. It stood for more than two
centuries, one of the landmarks of that section of the country.
Barabas Horton took a very prominent part in public affairs
and served for many years as a magistrate and was a number of times
a member of the general assembly in Hartford and New Haven.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Ryder were born eight children:
Watkins L., Cornelia, Wallace. Walter, Vanrantz, Mary,
Gaylord and Bruce. The father died on the 31st of
December, 1866, and his wife long surviving him, passed away at the
age of ninety-three years.
The boyhood days of our subject were quietly passed on
the old family homestead in the county of his nativity. He is
indebted to the pubic school system for the educational privileges
he enjoyed in his youth and when eighteen years of age he began
earning his own livelihood as a teacher, following that profession
for three winter terms in the Empire state. When twenty-one
years of age Mr. Ryder left New York for Ohio, establishing his home
in Oberlin, where he further continued his own mental discipline by
becoming a student in the university at that place. His
residence in Oberlin covered three years during which period he
attended college, taught school and also studied law.
The spring of 1858 witnessed his arrival in Monticello,
Illinois, and he became a law student in the office of Milligan &
McComas. In the following year he was admitted to the bar
and entered upon his professional duties at Bement, where he
practiced until 1861. During this time he was captain of the
Wide-Awake Company, of which he continued at the head until his
enlistment in 1861. The war was then inaugurated and feeling
that his first duty was to his country he offered his services to
the government in the month of June of that year. He was
assigned to duty with Company F, Second Illinois Cavalry and like
the others of the command he furnished his own horse and
accoutrements. In August of the same year he was mustered into
the United States volunteer service and at that time went south,
where soon afterward he was detailed to act as sergeant of orderlies
to General McPherson. For one year he filled that
position and rejoined his regiment, with which he continued in
active service until the expiration of his term of enlistment.
He was in a number of important engagements which led to the final
victory that eventually crowned the Union arms and when three yeas
had been spent in the service he received an honorable discharge at
Baton Rouge. Mr. Ryder was always found at his post of
duty, faithfully defending the old flag and the cause it represented
and he has every reason to be proud of his military service.
Once more establishing his home in Bement, Mr. Ryder
became principal of the schools at that place, continuing his active
identification with educational interests until the fall of 1865.
He was then called to official service and for eight years acted as
county clerk. At the time of his election in 1865 removed to
Monticello, where he has since resided. He retired from office
as he had entered it - with the confidence and good will of all
concerned. He then turned his attention to real estate and
land operations. That business has since claimed his time and
energies and has been so capably conducted that his labors have
brought to him a handsome financial return. Through all the
years Mr. Ryder has had a most comprehensive and accurate
knowledge of the value of realty and has thus been able to make
judicious investments and profitable sales. He has also been
instrumental in securing good investments for others and in
the line of his business has ever enjoyed a large clientage.
On the 31st of August, 1864, Mr. Ryder was
united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Spaulding, with whom he
has since traveled life's journey. The lady was born in Lake
county, Illinois, and is a daughter of Allen and Hannah
Spaulding. Her educational advantages and her innate
refinement and her many excellent traits of womanhood have won her
the love and friendship of all with whom she has come in contact.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ryder were born four children, of whom
Gale died in infancy, while the others are Edith, Clyde H.,
and Gaylord C. Edith is the wife of Frank W.
Caldwell and they reside in Decatur, where Gaylord C. is
also living, being engaged in the real estate and loan business.
He married Nellie Norton. r and Mrs. Caldwell have two
children. Kenneth and Robert. To their
children Mr. and Mrs. Ryder gave excellent educational
privileges, thus preparing them for life's practical and responsible
duties and the members of the family duties and the members of the
family occupy a very prominent position in social circles.
Mr. Ryder exercises his right of franchise in
support of the men and measures of the Republican party and, keeping
well informed on the questions and issues of the day, has ever been
able to support his position by intelligent argument. He has,
however, sought neither the honors nor emoluments of public office,
his best service being done as a private citizen. In matters
pertaining to the public welfare he is enterprising, alert and
active, and his co-operation as been of value in promoting many
interests which have contributed to the general good. Mr.
Ryder finds one of his chief sources of pleasure and recreation
in travel and has visited many points of interest in this country
and also abroad. He has thus gained the knowledge and culture
which only travel can bring, and he has stored his mind with many
interesting incidents concerning the peoples and places he has
visited. His interest in his fellow men is deep and sincere
and arises from a humanitarian spirit which has prompted his support
and co-operation of many measures and enterprises for the general
welfare. His career has ever been such as to warrant the trust
and confidence of the business world and his activity in business
circles forms an important chapter in the history of Piatt county.
(Page 182) (Photo available upon request) |
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NOTES:
* Picture
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