Nevada Genealogy Trails Storey County Hon. Dave M. Ryan Biography

HON. DAVE M. RYAN, treasurer of Nevada, came to the state in 1874 and is a native of New York, having been born in Albany in October, 1856. His father was born in Ireland and emigrated to New York when twelve years of age. He became a dry-goods merchant, having stores in Albany and Philadelphia. He was married in New York in 1854 to Cathryn Lambert, and with his wife and five children later removed to San Francisco, where he resided the remainder of his life, dying in 1902, aged seventy-nine years; his wife died in 1889, aged sixty-five years.

Mr. Ryan was only four years of age when the family arrived in San Francisco, and he received his education in the public schools of Sacramento and was graduated from a business college. In 1874, when only eighteen years old, on account of ill health, he removed to Nevada and accepted the position of bookkeeper in a mercantile house in Virginia City. In 1886 he formed a partnership with Mr. A. J. McDonell under the caption of McDonell & Ryan in the stock broking business in Virginia City and San Francisco. Still later Mr. Ryan established the mercantile firm of Ryan & Stenson in Virginia City. This latter venture proved such a success that branch houses were established in Tonopah, Nevada, and Grass Valley, California.

In 1894 Mr. Ryan was elected county clerk and treasurer of Storey county; was re-elected in 1896, and distinguished himself as a most faithful and efficient official, and when he received the nomination of the silver party for state treasurer he had the unanimous support of the Storey county delegation. After making a successful campaign he was elected by the largest majority on the ticket, and entered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1899. When he assumed charge it was with the full intention of conducting the state finances upon a purely business basis and to make every penny of state money count for its full amount. Believing it best to secure the office against any attempted invasion by burglars, he had alarms attached from his office in the building to the sheriff's office in Carson, and to all other offices in the building. He also provided Winchester rifles to all the other officers to be used in case of attack. In 1901 he was re-elected, and his majority led the ticket.

Earlier in life he was independent, but when the silver question came before the public, he espoused it ardently. Mr. Ryan has taken a deep interest in the state militia, and for years has been captain of Company A, Virginia City, and at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he organized the first battalion and was offered the position of major, but declined in favor of others. He is very popular as a citizen and public official, and through his strenuous efforts he has placed the finances of the state in a very good condition, and is honored as a public official of strictest integrity and a high order of ability. Fraternally he is a valued member of the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.