The subject of this sketch, although yet a young man, has won a wide
reputation in the medical profession and shown what a man of careful mental
training, honesty of purpose and an abundance of zeal and persistence can
accomplish, although his early advantages were none too flattering. He is
naturally endowed with the capacities of the successful practitioner of
medicine, at least this would be inferred, judging from the eminent success
he has attained.
Dr. Herbert D. Ryman was born April 11, 1878, in
Vernon, Illinois, the son of Samuel T. and Martha S. (Jones) Ryman, the
former having been born near Salem, this county, in 1850. He was a
successful merchant in Vernon for many years, but in later life was a
farmer, having died on his farm in 1882. He was a well known Republican and
took quite an active part in local political affairs in Marion county. He
ably served as Collector, Assessor, Supervisor and in many other township
offices. He was the son of old Doctor Ryman, of Salem, who was known to
everyone in the county during his residence here. The Ryman family came from
Heidelburg, Germany, being the descendants of the royal family. One of them
who was entitled to high rank in Germany died in 1882. The grandmother of
our subject on his father's side was a direct descendant of Charles Dickens,
the famous English novelist. The mother of the subject was born in Foster
township in 1860 and passed to her rest in 1902. She belonged to the
Methodist Episcopal church. The subject's paternal grandfather was a
preacher, a doctor and a tailor at Salem.
The subject had one
brother who is deceased; one sister also deceased, and two half-sisters, one
of whom is deceased. Our subject is from a family of physicians and it is
quite natural that he should take to the medical profession. He is the
cousin of Doctor Jones, of Salem, and the grandson of old Doctor Ryman, of
Salem. His grandmother's father was also a physician.
Dr. Herbert D.
Ryman received his early education in Marion county, first attending the
public school at Vernon. Being an ambitious lad he applied himself in a most
assiduous manner and made rapid strides in his studies. He entered the
medical college at Topeka, Kansas, from which he graduated with high honors.
He is both a registered physician and pharmacist of Kansas and a registered
doctor of Illinois.
After leaving college, Doctor Ryman practiced
for a short time in Shawnee county, Kansas, with much success from the
first. Then he moved back to Vernon, Illinois, and has been engaged in
practice here ever since, having built up an excellent patronage.
Only about two years of the subject's life was spent out of the school room
since he was six years old. He taught school for several years in Kansas
where he became known as an able educator. He was principal of the Richmond,
Kansas, schools. He was also principal of the schools at Rochester, just
north of Topeka. Through years of study and experience in teaching and
practice he has become a well educated man and is an interesting
conversationalist. His practice is not confined to Patoka township, but it
extends to remote parts of the county, being often called on serious cases
and in counsel with other physicians, and his advice is invariably followed
with flattering results.
Doctor Ryman was happily married to Cora B.
Norris, of Vernon, this county, September 7, 1898. She is an accomplished
and refined lady, the representative of an excellent family, being the
daughter of J. P. Norris, whose sketch appears in full in this work. Two
interesting children have been born to our subject and wife, namely:
Christene, who was six years old in February, 1908; and Lucile, who was two
years old in June, 1908. Our subject was married at high noon and left at
one o'clock for Kansas. His wife is also a teacher of much ability, having
taught school in Kansas with her husband. Doctor Ryman served as Town Clerk
in Richmond, Kansas. He is a loyal Republican. The future to such a man as
our subject holds much of promise, for he is a man of genuine worth,
ambitious and popular, being well liked by all who know him.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 489-490.