Al Ryland
A well- known resident of Plain township, where the has spent his entire life, is Al Ryland, who was born July 15, 1856, on the farm where he now lives. This farm was entered nearly a century ago, 1812, by his grandfather, Henry Ryland, who came with his family from Vermont, making the long, toilsome journey in wagons. He was of Irish descent and a hardy pioneer, a New Englander of the most sterling qualities, to whom the western wilderness, with all its red men and wild beasts, had no terrors. Upon reaching this locality he at once cleared a spot and erected a log cabin. He was a hatter by trade and he made a good living by buying furs from the Indians, from which he made hats and sent them back to Eastern cities, where they found a ready market. There were five boys and and several girls in his family. The girls busied themselves by raising flax and making it into cloth. They also carded wool and made clothing, raising large droves of sheep for this purpose. William, one of the sons of Henry Ryland, was one of the most famous and successful deer hunters in this country. This family lived for the most part on game, fish and vegetables. When they came here the city of Wooster had only three dwellings. One hundred and sixty acres were entered from the government, which the sons cleared when they became old enough to swing the axe. Henry Ryland, the father, reached the advanced age of eighty-two years, dying on the land he entered from the government when he first came to this state. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was John Eagle, of English descent, who came to Wayne county, Ohio, from near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1836 and settled near Reedsburg, Plain township, with his family. He was a mason by trade, and he served as a drummer in the war of 1812, also in the mexican war; his son, William, was also in the Mexican war; they both survived, the father dying in Reedsburg.
Henry Ryland, father of Ai Ryland, was two years of age when he came to Wayne county, and his youth was spent on the farm where the subject now lives, which the former assisted to clear. He finally bought out the heirs and lived here until his death, becoming one of the leading farmers of the community. One of his sons William Henry, was a soldier in the Civil war for a period of three years.
Ai Ryland received his education in the common schools of Plain township. He began farming early, but later learned the cooper's trade, also the mason's trade, but neither of them seemed to appeal to him as strongly as farming; consequently he returned eventually to agricultural pursuits, buying out the heirs of the home place, and he has thus followed farming on the home place nearly all his life, having so skillfully managed his crops that, although the place is very old, it has retained its fertility and is yet very valuable.
Mr. Ryland was married on November 22 1877, to Laura Otto daughter of Michael Otto, mention of whom is made in the sketch of M. D. Otto on another page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Ryland two children have been born, John Wilson and Otto Brant.
Mr. Ryland was married on November 22, 1899, to Mr. Eliza Chesrown.
Politically, Mr. Ryland is a Democrat and fraternally a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. He has kept untarnished the good name borne by his forebears and is highly respected by all who know him.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910