James M. Ryan

Who was James M. Ryan?

James Ryan businessman, oldest of seven sons and two daughters of Mary Ellen Fleming and Michael Ryan was born in Bonavista, Newfoundland, Canada.

Ryan married Katherine McCarthy of Carbonear, at Roxbury, Massachusetts on March 2, 1897. Ryan one of the wealthiest people in Newfoundland and founder of a business that eventually became a Newfoundland historic property called Ryan Premises.

On October 20, 1857 when Ryan was just 15 years old, he and his father started a fishery supply business and public house at Bailey's Cove, a section of Bonavista. This became a successful enterprise and in 1869 Ryan had acquired enough capital to purchase the business premises formerly owned by William Keen. Incorporated in 1870 as James Ryan and Company, the enterprise had expanded beyond Bonavista to other communities along the coast. Trading operations were soon established at Elliston, Catalina, Bay de Verde, Open Hall and Plate Cove.

With his brother Daniel they established a separate business at King's Cove in 1875 and another at Trinity in 1906. The Ryan empire was expanding rapidly and in the nid-1890's they acquired the fishing premises of J. and W. Stewart at Greenspond, which became an integral part of the Ryan mercantile empire. They also operated their own summer fishing stations in Labrador, at such places as Hawk's Harbour and Batteaux.