Robert Ryrie
Robert Ryrie
ROBERT RYRIE was born in 1847 on the island of Anguilla in the British West Indies. According to the 1900 census he came to America in 1865. Robert Ryrie married Julia Cecelia Rooney (Roney) between 1871–1874. Julia was born in New York in 1856 and died in Camden in 1916. Between 1872 and 1895 there were 10 children born, John, Joseph, Melvina, Julia, James, Delphina, Elvira, Elizabeth, Daniel, and Jane. Robert and Julia were living in Camden when second child Joseph was born, in 1875.
Robert Ryrie engaged in the artesian well drilling business in Camden for many years. The 1878 City Directory shows him living at 707 Van Hook Street. The 1880 Census lists him at 424 Webster Street. He was at 514 Jefferson Avenue when the 1887 City Directory was compiled. The 1888 Directory has him at 439 Van Hook Street. By 1890 he had moved his home and business to 2028 Broadway and he was still there in 1892. Directories show his residence at different addresses in the years between 1894 and 1914, in 1894 at 428 Webster street, in 1895 at 1639 Fillmore Street, in 1896 at 1748 Fillmore, in 1898 and 1899 at 1920 Fillmore, and in 1900 through 1902 at 2004 Broadway. Directories from 1906 through 1908 have the Ryries at 639 Central Avenue. The 1910 Directory has 1611 Fillmore Street. In 1912 and 1913 he is listed at 614 Van Hook Street. From 1915 to 1920 he is listed at 2028 Broadway. From 1916 to 1920 he is listed back at 2028 Broadway. In 1923 he was living at 818 Woodland Avenue in Camden. He then moved to the Gloucester Heights section of Gloucester City, New Jersey and lived with his daughter Jane and his son-in-law, one-time Camden bar-owner William Laute, and their children.
Robert Ryrie also was an inventor and held at least six patents:
- Improvement in Bored Wells — Patent #190,624 dated May 8, 1877.
- Drive-Well Point — Patent #279,600 dated June 19, 1883.
- Pipe Wrench — Patent #583,947 dated June 8, 1897.
- Pipe Wrench — Patent #594,563 dated Nov. 30, 1897.
- Wrench — Patent #910,961 dated Jan 26, 1909.
- Well Strainer — Patent #1,162,810 dated Dec. 7, 1915.
Last a resident of Gloucester Heights, Robert Ryrie died in 1931. Both he and his wife Julia are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Camden.
Patent 279,600 — Drive-Well Point — June 19, 1883
U.S. Patent 279,600, “Drive-Well Point,” granted June 19, 1883.
1892 City Directory Advertisement
Robert Ryrie advertisement — 1892 Camden City Directory
1894 City Directory Advertisement
Robert Ryrie advertisement — 1894 Camden City Directory
Patent 583,947 — Pipe Wrench — June 8, 1897
U.S. Patent 583,947, “Pipe Wrench,” granted June 8, 1897.
Patent 594,563 — Pipe Wrench — November 30, 1897
U.S. Patent 594,563, “Pipe Wrench,” granted November 30, 1897.
Amateurs to Box
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Entries for the Sixth Tournament of the Athletic Club
The sixth amateur boxing tournament of the Athletic Club of Philadelphia will be held at the gymnasium, 1626 Arch street, on Thursday and Saturday nights next, and will be for championship of Philadelphia in the 108, 118, 128 and 138 pound classes. Preliminaries will be contested Thursday and finals Saturday. The entries follow:
108 pound class—Harry Turner, Young Holton, Frank Welsh, J. Kelly, James Devine, Tom Marony, Jimmie McGonigal, James Dempsey, Richard Loreh, “Kid” Hogan, James Smith, James O’Neill, Jack Ryan, Young Duffy, Joe Ryrie, Harry Daniels, Young Daily, Joseph Rogers, John Freeman, Jack Burke, Spider Campbell, John F. Maguire, Ed Sager, Arthur Bally, William Grogan, Thomas Troy, John Roddy, John Hamilton.
118 pound class—Young O’Hara, Thomas O’Neill, James Harkins, Joe English, Robert Clark, Jim McLoughlin, Charles Berger, William Burk, Joseph Everhardt, H. Stein, William Gorman, Buck Ewing, “Kid” Allen, Eugene McFadden, William Harris, Harry Burns, Young Conway, Harry Gorman.
128 pound class—Frank Stewart, James Kearney, Edward Downey, Jack Riley, Young Ryan, Tom Sullivan, George Austin, Thomas Dougherty, Frank Ross, Jimmy Joyce, Dave Black, Robert Hanna, Jim McLoughlin, Doc Higgins, James Lind.
138 pound class—David Bennett, James Linden, Daniel Dempsey, James Kane, John Devine, Thomas Kelly, Paddy Broderick, James Martin, Samuel S. Sill, John Ashton.
Married — Covey-Ryrie
Philadelphia Inquirer —
COVEY—RYRIE.—On the first Sunday after Christmas. December 31. 1899. by the Rev. Edmond R. Baxter. at the residence of the bride’s parents. 2004 Broadway. Camden. N. J.. Miss Melvina Ryrie to Mr. John Clinton Covey. both of Camden. N. J.
Deserter Weds in Jail
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Says Good-by to Bride and Is Taken Away
After being betrayed to the police by his sweetheart’s brother as a deserter from the navy, William Gebhardt, 24 years old, of Fort Wayne, Ind., married the girl in the Camden city prison yesterday. Miss Delphine Ryrie, 22 years old, of 1818 Fillmore street, was the bride, and the ceremony was performed by Hall Officer McClong, who is a justice of the peace.
Four weeks ago Gebhardt left the battleship Georgia without the formality of a furlough. He went to Camden and since has been living near his sweetheart. On Friday night he had a controversy with the girl’s brother, which resulted in his betrayal to the police. It was when Miss Ryrie visited Gebhardt in the cell room yesterday that she declared she would marry the man. Futile efforts were made to dissuade her from it.
After the ceremony the imprisoned sailor bade his newly made wife an affectionate good-by and was taken away to answer to the charge of desertion.
Patent 910,961 — Wrench — January 26, 1909
U.S. Patent 910,961, “Wrench,” granted January 26, 1909.
Patent 1,162,810 — Well Strainer — December 7, 1915
U.S. Patent 1,162,810, “Well Strainer,” granted December 7, 1915.
Evergreen Cemetery — Camden, New Jersey
Graves of Julia and Robert Ryrie at Evergreen Cemetery, Camden, New Jersey