John Albert Ryerson (March 1866 – May 16, 1910) was an American

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

player active in the late 19th century. He committed suicide in 1910.

Tennis career

Ryerson reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. National Championships in

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and

1890 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa. ** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River. * January 2 ** The steamship ...

. In 1892, he reached the Challenge Round of the Western States Championships, losing to Samuel T. Chase.

Death

Ryerson later moved to Chicago and was a business manager and was the president of an automobile manufacturer, the Ideal Electric Company. He was married to Violet Stone and had a son, John W. Ryerson. In November 1909, Ryerson invested $35,000 () into the business. The company manufactured electric

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cars. He reportedly became distraught when he thought the business was failing, when figures showed assets of only $48,305. Ryerson committed suicide at approximately 6:10 in the evening on May 16, 1910, jumping out the 13th floor of the

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

building. A man on the 13th floor, E. J. Fucik, was the only known witness to his death, saying, "I saw him raise his hands high in the air and throw himself over the railing." Ryerson had no known business at the building but was one of several recent suicides there. He did not leave a suicide note, but on a note inside his pocket he left the name and address of his brother and had written

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

4:8, "I will both lay me down in peace to sleep for thou Lord only maketh me dwell in safety." The company was not doomed, however. His younger brother, Dr. Edwin Warner Ryerson (1872–1961), took charge of the company as vice president and treasurer, and it was successfully reorganized with additional investments.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (1 runner-up)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryerson, John 1866 births 1910 suicides Tennis players from New York City American male tennis players Businesspeople from Chicago Suicides in Illinois Suicides by jumping in the United States Date of birth missing 19th-century American businesspeople 1910 deaths