James Delbridge Ryan was born October 25, 1872, in Navasota, Grimes County, Texas, being the second of four children born to Huldah and James Ryan. He at tended the Public Schools of Navasota, then administered by very excellent teachers, and entered the Prairie View Normal and Industrial College in September, 1889. From this institution he was graduated in June 1890. In October of the same year he was elected a grade teacher in the Public Schools of the City of Houston, where he has been continuously employed since that time.

When the Colored High School was reorganized on the Departmental basis in September, 1900, he was selected as the teacher of Mathematics, and having thoroughly qualified himself by close application to study under private tutors and in Summer Schools, when a vacancy occurred in 1912, he was elected to the Principalship, with the distinction of having taught in every grade in the system through the four-year High School Course, excepting the first Primary Grade only.

During his administration the enrollment of the school has increased from 212 to 446, the number of teachers doing High School work only from 7 to 11, and the graduates of the school make the Freshman Year in some of the best Colleges and Universities in the Country. In a system that prides itself on being one of the best in the South, Mr. Ryan easily ranks among the first, and because of his ability as a school man he was elected President of the Colored Teachers' State Association in November, 1916.

His property holdings, excluding exemptions, consists of improved and unimproved city property, and securities, which are conservatively estimated at Ten Thousand Dollars. He is a member of the Board of Park Commissioners for Colored people through appointment by the Mayor, and is a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, now serving his fourteenth year as Superintendent of the Sunday School.

He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Colored Knights of Pythias, the United Brothers of Friendship and the Sisters of the Mysterious Ten, and of the Ancient Order of Pilgrims.

During the past 21 years Mr. Ryan has been the guiding genius in the development of the Ancient Order of Pilgrims, a Fraternal Beneficiary Association founded by Henry Cohen Hardy, who was joined in the incorporation thereof by Reuben Thornton and Joseph I. Rogers, October 23, 1882. The purpose of this organization is thus stated in the articles of incorporation :

"To promote industry, temperance and economy ; to enable us to assist ourselves and each other and every member of said corporation while living ; to provide for the increased expenses of life, the destitution of old age, sickness, misfortune, calamity and death ; to leave our widows, mothers sisters, and children adequate support ; to promote charity and benevolence, and to build and furnish halls for the use of this Order for these purposes."

The principal officers are B. H. Grimes, Principal of Dunbar School. President; James D. Ryan, Secretary ; Jesse Washington, President of Gaudalupe College, Treasurer ; Dr. W. F. Warren, Tyler, R. G. Lockett and W. C. Conway. Houston, Trustees ; L. D. Lyons of Austin, B. J. Mathis of Marlin, Texas, T. D. Mitchell, E. P. Harrison, and Van H. McKinley, members of the Supreme Council.

The Order has a membership of 5,600; Assets, $24,80481; Surplus of $4,068.51, and has paid to beneficiaries of deceased members $297.099.60 with in the past 21 years. A cash benefit is paid to members during illness, and at death a mortuary benefit of $480.00.

The last Actual Valuation of its Certificates in force December 31, 1916, indicates that the future net premiums to be collected, together with the invested assets, are sufficient to meet all certificates as they mature, by their terms, with a margin of safety of $90,486.14 (or 16 per cent.) over the statutory requirements.

Mr. Ryan was married to Miss Ella Sims in June, 1896. Mrs. Ryan is a native of Houston. She is a strong support to her husband in all his arduous undertakings.

Sketch from The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race
Published by: National Publishing Company, Inc. (1919)