John Ryle

Who was John Ryle?

John Ryle is universally regarded as the "Father of the United States Silk Industry." A native of Bollington, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, John Ryle started working in the silk mills of his native town at the age of five, where he was known as a "bobbin boy." Ryle's entire family had been involved in the silk industry for generations, and his two eldest brothers, Reuben and William Ryle, were the country's largest manufacturers of silk. These two brothers remained in England and continued their partnership as long as they both lived, and attained excellent reputations and amassed fortunes in their business.