Ryans of Cushing1

The following letter is from our Cushing Connection, although Millie and Don no longer live in the community.

You know so much more than we do about the Ryan family. We knew Don's Mom married John in Canada, but we didn't know how they met. Guess that sounds strange, but it was never talked about or asked. Mom and Dad had 6 sons and 1 daughter and the oldest son, Jim and his sister, Adeline were both away from home when Don was born.

Don and I married in 1957 and we lived in Houston and saw his parents a couple of times a year. Then Dad Ryan died in May of 1959, so I hadn't known him very long. He had a hearing problem and didn't enter into the conversations very much. Don worked for Phillips Petroleum and we were sent to Libya in early 1963. I met His brother Joe and sister Margaret (Peg) Squibb. Both died in Cushing. Joe was a bachelor and Peg had come to visit and died while visiting. Both are buried with the rest of the Ryan family there. Don remembers Jim Ed and Henry as well. The other uncle, Willie went to Calif.

We had heard that the court house had burned and Dad Ryan's birth certificate had been lost in the fire. Also, Don had heard that his grandfather had run a saloon in Iowa. Guess it was in the hotel. Don's father, John, was the only one that was married and stayed in Cushing.

Of their 7 children, Robert was the only one to stay in Cushing. He just died this past Summer.

I seem to be just rambling along, so I'll close for now, but we are very interested in learning more. We have 5 children; a son and daughter in New York City ; a married daughter in Cary, North Carolina; a married son in LaQuinta, Ca. and a son in Austin, Tx. who is on a project in San Diego at the moment. We stay busy traveling to visit them. I'm sure our paths will cross.

We'll talk soon.

Sincerely, Millie

Millie had contacted me last weekend, and I summarized this conversation with Tim in an email. I wanted to make sure that I captured everything correctly while it was still fresh in my mind...as you get older...your memory just isn't the same.

...I asked her what business did they have in Cushing. She said the family came to Cushing with money and bought land. The railroad came through and they leased land from the Ryans. I told her that our family lore thought that they struck oil on their land, and became "rich". She laughed and said "no", although there was some oil. If there was any money, it was divided many ways (she talked about her family striking oil on their land...they thought they'd be rich...and ended up getting a $12 check each month). Their primary business, it appears, was managing the property leases and keeping track of the payments and receivables.

She said that there aren't too many left anymore from this side as many never married, or if married never had children or had children that never married. Don had 7 in his family... She said that James Sr. had died shortly after arriving in Cushing. At this point it was Bridget that ruled this family, and apparently ruled with authority. Don apparently remembers some of his uncles, like Henry, who he said "spent spent most of their time in the pool halls. " They, like many of the other Ryan children, remained single throughout their life. You may remember one of her notes which said that an aunt died while visiting...when they called back to Indiana (? may have been Illinois) no one answered...so she ended up being buried in Cushing. She knows a little more about Don's mother who was Canadian. HIs ancestor came to America with the Hudson Company, and at some point married an indian woman (circa 1790). The catholic missionaries finally made their way to that part of Canada, and they consecrated the marriage. When the family moved to Oklahoma, they had to keep secret that there was indian blood. It was bad enough to be Catholic...but to be Indian as well... He never did ask how they met, but most likely it was while they lived in Canada. They would like to meet us at some point. Since they have a son who lives in Austin, you may see them first. They do sound like a bunch of travelers...they want to go to Ireland...specifically Meath. Don's mother's family originated in Scotland, spent a generation in Ireland before heading off to the new world. I told her we would send information regarding Tipperary (Hills and Ryans). It would make their trip a little more complete. They are planning to go to Yellowstone this summer...maybe they can make it to the Ryan reunion...might be interesting for the family. There is an elder of the family still living...he lives in the Odessa area in a retirement center. His son is a professor in Houston. They may travel there to find out more information about the family. She thinks she can put together dates, etc. of all the family members. There are some that they keep in contact with...but there are few as many never married. One of Don's uncles lived in Louisianna, one lived in California, a few in the Cushing area, etc. It will be interesting to review what they have.