Great-Great Grandpa Michael Ryman

     I recently came across two short newspaper articles from the Aberdeen Daily News in May of 1915 about the death and funeral of my Grandma Wilkins’ grandfather, whose name was Michael Ryman. He died in Warner Township, Brown County, South Dakota, where he had settled in 1885.  He was called one of the pioneers and early settlers of the county.  It is  the same county where Grandma Wilkins was born and not far from where Mom was born. 

     He’d been born in Switzerland in August of 1835.  His name before coming to the United States was Melchior Reimann, but that was anglicized once he got here.  In Switzerland he married Magdalena Bossely in 1861 and then two years later came to the United States.  The first place he lived was in Sullivan County, New York and then moved on to South Dakota in 1885.

     The newspaper headline was "Apoplexy Cause of Pioneer's Death."  He had eleven children (nine of whom were still alive at his death), thirty-five grandchildren and, at that point in time, four great grandchildren. His son Will Ryman was Grandma Wilkins’ father.  This was the first information I’ve come across about Michael Ryman, other than a few dates, so I thought it was interesting to find out.  If anyone happens to know more about him, please make a comment.