A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JOHN ADAM RYDER. 1 



By Harrison Allen, M. D. 



John Adam Ryder, 2 the first child of his parents, was born Feb- 

 ruary 29, 1852, near Loudon, Franklin County, Pa. 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, Massa- 

 chusetts. Michael Ryder removed from Massachusetts to Pennsylva- 

 nia, where his descendants have since lived. His paternal grandmother, 

 Elizabeth Longenecker, the wife of Adam Ryder, was of German origin. 

 She was born in Lancaster County, Pa. 



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

 She is in part of Swiss descent. The maternal grardmother, 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 cap- 

 tured, taken to London, and executed. The estates were confiscated. 

 A grandson of William Kelso, above referred to, came to America. 



1 Printed in Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 

 April, 1896, pp. 222-239. Bibliography not repriutdd. 



2 In the preparation of this sketch the list of questions prepared by Mr. Galton in 

 his monograph on "Men of Science" was sent to the family of Dr. Ryder, 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 Academy's Hall, April 10, 1895, 

 have been frequently quoted. The words "Memorial Pamphlet," when following a 

 quotation refers to a brochure entitled "In Memoriam," Avhich 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. Ryder in the fall of 1895. The writer desires to express his acknowledgments 

 to inanty 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 Phila- 

 delphia, Prof. J. S. Kingsley, of Tufts College, Massachusetts, Mr. Edward Brooks, 

 superintendent of the public schools of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Herbert A. Gill, sec- 

 retary of the United States Fish Commission. 



SM 96 43 673 



