222 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JOHN ADAM RYDER. 

 BY HARRISON ALLEN, M. D. 



John Adam Ryder,^ the first child of his parents, was born Feb- 

 ruary 29, 1852, near Loudon, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. His 

 parents are Benjamin Longenecker Ryder and Anna Frick Ryder. 

 On his father's side he was descended from Michael Ryder who was 

 one of three sons whose father came from England and settled 

 near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Michael Ryder removed from Mas- 

 sachusetts to Pennsylvania where his descendents have since lived. 

 His paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Longenecker, the wife of Adam 

 Ryder,, was of German origin. She was born in Lancaster County^ 

 Pennsylvania. 



Anna Frick Ryder, the mother of John Ryder, was born in 

 Maryland. She is in part of Swiss descent. The maternal grand- 

 mother Anna Kelso was of Scotch origin. Her great grandfather 

 was William, Earl of Kelso. At the time of the persecution of the 

 Presbyterians in Scotland during the reign of Charles II, the Earl 

 of Kelso, together with his wife, infant son and brother James, were 

 compelled to leave Scotland. They sought refuge in Ireland, where 

 James Kelso was captured, taken to London and executed. The 



' In the preparation of this sketch the list of questions prepared bv Mr. 

 Gallon in his monograph on " Men of Science " was sent to the family of Dr. 

 Kyder and the details in all respects are based upon the answers received. 

 The expressions of opinion of the speakers at a meeting held at the Acad- 

 emy's Hall, April 10, 1895, have been frequently quoted. The words " Me- 

 morial Pamphlet," when following a quotation refers to a brochure entitled 

 " In Memoriara," which comprises addresses delivered at that meeting in 

 the following order : Dr. Harrison Allen, Dr. Bashford Dean, Prof. Horace 

 Jayne, Prof. E. D. Cope, Mr. H. F. Moore and Prof. W. P. Wilson. The 

 brochure was printed for private distribution by a few admirers of Dr. 

 Byder in the fall of 1895. The writer desires to express his acknowledgments 

 to many of Dr. Ryder's associates for information, especially to Rev. Jesse Y. 

 Burk, Secretary of Board of Trustees University of Pennsylvania, Mr. W. C. 

 Seal of Philadelphia, Prof. J. S. Kingsley of Tuft's College, Massachusetts, 

 Mr. Edward Brooks, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Pennsylvania, 

 and Mr. Herbert A. Gill, Secretary of the United States Fish Commission. 



