Loretta "Etta" Alice Downend was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Jane Bechtel Downend. She traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska with a friend and there she met David Barnes Ryman.
Etta married David Barnes Ryman, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Jane Girton Ryman on April 12, 1888 in Lincoln. They had their first daughter, Maude, in 1892.
Etta's parents and her sister and husband, Mary and Faye Gibbs, had migrated to Rawlins County, Kansas and in about 1894, Thomas was injured when he fell from a hay wagon and Mary beckoned Etta to come and help care for him. Etta and daughter Maude travelled to Kansas when Maude was two years old. Etta liked the area and so David packed up their belongings and joined her.
In 1893, David and Etta moved into a sod house near the Gibbs homestead which was near Cumberland, Kansas. Soon after, they moved into the "Connor's Place", which likely described the owners of the property and here they had a sod home which was above average. By 1903, David had secured his own land and built a home which still stands today. Their daughter Ruth was born in this home in 1904.
David farmed and raised livestock and Etta was an important part of working the farm and caring for the animals.
In 1920, the Rymans decided it was time to retire from the farm so David built a home in Colby. They built a small structure to live in while the home was being built and in 1931, they moved into a beautifully built home which still stands today.
Etta and David were active members of the Colby Methodist Church and the Eastern Star.
In the 1920s, the Rymans began spending summer camping trips in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Colorado. In 1927, David purchased lots and built a cabin for the family to enjoy extended time in the area.
In 1929, Etta's eyesight became seriously impaired and she spent several months in Lincoln with David's sister and husband, Dr. Wesley and Nettie Ryman Rickard, while she recuperated from eye surgery. She returned to Colby in the fall but was still weak. In the spring of 1930, it was decided that she would spend the summer at their cottage in Manitou Springs and she spent a happy period there. In August, David, Maude and grandson, Laurence joined her at the cottage. They had hardly begun to settle down to listen to her experiences when she suffered a massive stroke and passed away. David and Maude accompanied her body back to Colby by train, leaving grandson Laurence at age 15 to drive the car home to Colby.
Etta was buried in Beulah Cemetery in Colby.
Much of the narrative above is excerpted from the booklet "David Barnes Ryman" written by Laurence L. Wisdom
Etta married David Barnes Ryman, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Jane Girton Ryman on April 12, 1888 in Lincoln. They had their first daughter, Maude, in 1892.
Etta's parents and her sister and husband, Mary and Faye Gibbs, had migrated to Rawlins County, Kansas and in about 1894, Thomas was injured when he fell from a hay wagon and Mary beckoned Etta to come and help care for him. Etta and daughter Maude travelled to Kansas when Maude was two years old. Etta liked the area and so David packed up their belongings and joined her.
In 1893, David and Etta moved into a sod house near the Gibbs homestead which was near Cumberland, Kansas. Soon after, they moved into the "Connor's Place", which likely described the owners of the property and here they had a sod home which was above average. By 1903, David had secured his own land and built a home which still stands today. Their daughter Ruth was born in this home in 1904.
David farmed and raised livestock and Etta was an important part of working the farm and caring for the animals.
In 1920, the Rymans decided it was time to retire from the farm so David built a home in Colby. They built a small structure to live in while the home was being built and in 1931, they moved into a beautifully built home which still stands today.
Etta and David were active members of the Colby Methodist Church and the Eastern Star.
In the 1920s, the Rymans began spending summer camping trips in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Colorado. In 1927, David purchased lots and built a cabin for the family to enjoy extended time in the area.
In 1929, Etta's eyesight became seriously impaired and she spent several months in Lincoln with David's sister and husband, Dr. Wesley and Nettie Ryman Rickard, while she recuperated from eye surgery. She returned to Colby in the fall but was still weak. In the spring of 1930, it was decided that she would spend the summer at their cottage in Manitou Springs and she spent a happy period there. In August, David, Maude and grandson, Laurence joined her at the cottage. They had hardly begun to settle down to listen to her experiences when she suffered a massive stroke and passed away. David and Maude accompanied her body back to Colby by train, leaving grandson Laurence at age 15 to drive the car home to Colby.
Etta was buried in Beulah Cemetery in Colby.
Much of the narrative above is excerpted from the booklet "David Barnes Ryman" written by Laurence L. Wisdom
Loretta "Etta" Alice Downend was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Jane Bechtel Downend. She traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska with a friend and there she met David Barnes Ryman.
Etta married David Barnes Ryman, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Jane Girton Ryman on April 12, 1888 in Lincoln. They had their first daughter, Maude, in 1892.
Etta's parents and her sister and husband, Mary and Faye Gibbs, had migrated to Rawlins County, Kansas and in about 1894, Thomas was injured when he fell from a hay wagon and Mary beckoned Etta to come and help care for him. Etta and daughter Maude travelled to Kansas when Maude was two years old. Etta liked the area and so David packed up their belongings and joined her.
In 1893, David and Etta moved into a sod house near the Gibbs homestead which was near Cumberland, Kansas. Soon after, they moved into the "Connor's Place", which likely described the owners of the property and here they had a sod home which was above average. By 1903, David had secured his own land and built a home which still stands today. Their daughter Ruth was born in this home in 1904.
David farmed and raised livestock and Etta was an important part of working the farm and caring for the animals.
In 1920, the Rymans decided it was time to retire from the farm so David built a home in Colby. They built a small structure to live in while the home was being built and in 1931, they moved into a beautifully built home which still stands today.
Etta and David were active members of the Colby Methodist Church and the Eastern Star.
In the 1920s, the Rymans began spending summer camping trips in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Colorado. In 1927, David purchased lots and built a cabin for the family to enjoy extended time in the area.
In 1929, Etta's eyesight became seriously impaired and she spent several months in Lincoln with David's sister and husband, Dr. Wesley and Nettie Ryman Rickard, while she recuperated from eye surgery. She returned to Colby in the fall but was still weak. In the spring of 1930, it was decided that she would spend the summer at their cottage in Manitou Springs and she spent a happy period there. In August, David, Maude and grandson, Laurence joined her at the cottage. They had hardly begun to settle down to listen to her experiences when she suffered a massive stroke and passed away. David and Maude accompanied her body back to Colby by train, leaving grandson Laurence at age 15 to drive the car home to Colby.
Etta was buried in Beulah Cemetery in Colby.
Much of the narrative above is excerpted from the booklet "David Barnes Ryman" written by Laurence L. Wisdom
Etta married David Barnes Ryman, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Jane Girton Ryman on April 12, 1888 in Lincoln. They had their first daughter, Maude, in 1892.
Etta's parents and her sister and husband, Mary and Faye Gibbs, had migrated to Rawlins County, Kansas and in about 1894, Thomas was injured when he fell from a hay wagon and Mary beckoned Etta to come and help care for him. Etta and daughter Maude travelled to Kansas when Maude was two years old. Etta liked the area and so David packed up their belongings and joined her.
In 1893, David and Etta moved into a sod house near the Gibbs homestead which was near Cumberland, Kansas. Soon after, they moved into the "Connor's Place", which likely described the owners of the property and here they had a sod home which was above average. By 1903, David had secured his own land and built a home which still stands today. Their daughter Ruth was born in this home in 1904.
David farmed and raised livestock and Etta was an important part of working the farm and caring for the animals.
In 1920, the Rymans decided it was time to retire from the farm so David built a home in Colby. They built a small structure to live in while the home was being built and in 1931, they moved into a beautifully built home which still stands today.
Etta and David were active members of the Colby Methodist Church and the Eastern Star.
In the 1920s, the Rymans began spending summer camping trips in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Colorado. In 1927, David purchased lots and built a cabin for the family to enjoy extended time in the area.
In 1929, Etta's eyesight became seriously impaired and she spent several months in Lincoln with David's sister and husband, Dr. Wesley and Nettie Ryman Rickard, while she recuperated from eye surgery. She returned to Colby in the fall but was still weak. In the spring of 1930, it was decided that she would spend the summer at their cottage in Manitou Springs and she spent a happy period there. In August, David, Maude and grandson, Laurence joined her at the cottage. They had hardly begun to settle down to listen to her experiences when she suffered a massive stroke and passed away. David and Maude accompanied her body back to Colby by train, leaving grandson Laurence at age 15 to drive the car home to Colby.
Etta was buried in Beulah Cemetery in Colby.
Much of the narrative above is excerpted from the booklet "David Barnes Ryman" written by Laurence L. Wisdom
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