William D. Ryan (1861 – November 17, 1949) was an American labor unionist. Born in Illinois, Ryan moved with his family to Braidwood, Illinois in 1865. He became a breaker boy at a colliery, and joined the Knights of Labor, and then the

United Mine Workers of America The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American Labor history of the United States, labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing worke ...

. In 1897, he was elected as secretary-treasurer of his local, and became a full-time organizer for the union. In 1908, he was elected as secretary-treasurer of the international union, but he left the union movement in 1909. He then worked as an arbitrator for the Southwestern Interstate Coal Operators' Association, as a safety commissioner for the

United States Bureau of Mines For most of the 20th century, the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) was the primary United States government agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and conservation of mineral r ...

, and briefly ran a family coal and grain company. Ryan retired in 1935, and died in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

in 1949.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, William D. 1861 births 1949 deaths American trade unionists Trade unionists from Illinois United Mine Workers of America people