RYAN: Irish: simplified form of Mulryan. Irish: reduced form of O’Ryan, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Riagháin (modern Irish Ó Riain) ‘descendant of Rian’; Ó Maoilriain ‘descendant of Maoilriaghain’, or Ó Ruaidhín ‘descendant of the little red one’. Ryan is one of the commonest surnames in Ireland; there has been considerable confusion with Regan. KaM Americanized spelling of German Rein. EG Source: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press
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John Ryan and Unity Toney
John Ryan was born about 1733 at Goochland, Virginia to Philip Ryan and Sarah Whitehead. He married Unity Toney at Goochland Virginia abt 1751. John Ryan died at Amherst, Virginia abt 1785 (possibly 5 Dec 1785?). Apparently he served as a Private in the Revolutionary War (?). Although not conclusive proof - there is a John Ryan from Virginia (#131) listed in the Revolutionary War Pension Index.
Unity Toney was born abt 1731 at either Lunchburg or Goochland, Virginia to Charles Toney (1705-1776) and Elizabeth Harris (1707-1800). Unity died about 1767 at Amherst, Virginia. John and Unity had at least the following children:
1. Nancy Ryan, b. abt 1752 at Amherst, VA; d. 23 Jul 1818, possibly m. James R. Mondy (b. abt 1750)
2. Elizabeth Ryan, b. abt 1753, d. 23 Jul 1818 at Virginia.
3. John Ryan, b. abt 1754 at Amherst, VA; d. abt 1845 at Kanawha City, Kanawha, West Virginia.
4. William Evan Ryan, 1755-1836, married Mary Chancellor (1755-1870) - see more information below about their family.
5. Phillip Ryan, b. abt 1756 in Virginia; d. 1836 in Jackson, Georgia. He seems to have married Obedience Woodlief (1743-1838).
6. Mildred (or Milstead?) Ryan, she was b. abt 1759
7. Joseph Ryan, b. abt 1761 at Amherst, VA; d. 21 May 1834 at Rutherford Co., TN; abt 1799 he married Martha "Patsy" Rose (1778-1855). They had at least one child: John Ryan (1804-1871)
8. Charles Ryan, b. abt 1764 at Amherst, VA; d. 1 Jul 1850 at Rhea, TN;
9. Unity "Patty" Ryan, 1765-1792, she likely married John Parrack.
10. Henry Harris Ryan, b. abt 1766 at Amherst, VA; d. abt 1834 in McCracken, KY
11. Philadelphia Ryan, b. abt 1767 at Amherst, VA; abt 1787 she seems to have married Thomas Knight.
On Ancestry posted by SomyiaF.
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birth date also listed as 1764 in Amherst, Amherst, VA
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death date same for both sources, but death place listed as Rhea, TN only by
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