Ryan House

Terrence E. Ryan built this Queen Anne style house for his family in 1891. Ryan was born in Limerick, Ireland in 1847 and immigrated with his parents, Terrence and Honora Ryan, to the United States when he was two years old. The Ryan family lived in Elgin and Virgil before settling in St. Charles in 1858. Terrence was seventeen years old when he enlisted in the 141st Illinois Infantry in 1864, five months before the end of the Civil War. Following his military service, Ryan returned to St. Charles to finish his education at the West Side School. After graduation, he became a teacher in South Elgin.

After several years of teaching, Terrence Ryan took up the study of law in St. Charles under Judge Alonzo Barry. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1871 and opened his own law office in St. Charles in 1876. Ryan became a prominent attorney in the Fox Valley. He also held the office of Kane County State's Attorney from 1880-1884. Ryan served on the St. Charles City Council for five years and as St. Charles City Attorney for six years. After working for the City of St. Charles, he became an attorney for the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railway Company. 

In addition to practicing law, Ryan was strongly involved in the St. Charles business community. In 1886, he brought the Chicago Great Western Railroad line to St. Charles with C.D. Wing. Ryan also played a key role in attracting the Moline Malleable Iron Company to St. Charles in 1892.

Terrence Ryan married Emily Millington, daughter of early St. Charles settlers Darwin and Miranda Millington, in 1874. Terrence and Emily had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood. Image credit: Kane County History, Vol 2

Sources

■ 1888 Biographical and Historical Record of Kane County p. 330

■ Badger, David Alan. St Charles of Illinois. Havana: David Alan Badger, 1985.

■ Durant, Pliny. Passing in Review: Reminiscences of Men Who Have Lived in St. Charles. p. 254-255 View online (IDA)

■ Pearson, Ruth Ann. Reflections of St. Charles. Elgin: Brethern Press, 1976. pp. 14, 16, 38.