William F. J. Ryan

William F. J. Ryan
Born(1903-01-12)January 12, 1903
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJuly 19, 1981(1981-07-19) (aged 78)
Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma materFordham University
OccupationHeraldist
OrganizationRyan-West Banknote Company

William Francis James Ryan (January 12, 1903 – July 19, 1981) was an American designer of ecclesiastical heraldry. Ryan created over 1,000 coats of arms for cardinals, bishops, dioceses, colleges, and other institutions.

Biography

Ryan was born in Newark, New Jersey on January 12, 1903, to James and Anna Ryan.[1] He attended Xavier High School in New York City, graduating in 1921.[1] Following that, he attended Fordham College, where he graduated from in 1925.[2][3] He conducted post-graduate studies at New York University.[1]

Ryan began his career in engraving with Broun-Green Company in New York City.[1] He founded the Ryan-West Banknote Company in 1938 with his father.[4][5][6][2] Ryan first became interested in heraldry in the 1930s after meeting Pierre de Chaignon la Rose. Before his death, la Rose created most of the ecclesiastical heraldry in the United States.[7] Ryan began formally designing coats of arms in 1940, first designing the arms of Bishop Laurence Julius FitzSimon of Amarillo, Texas.[8] He was a member of the Académie internationale d'Héraldique,[9] and had a personal library of 500 volumes on heraldry.[10] By 1965, half of the business of the Ryan-West Banknote Company was creating heraldry.[2]

By 1968, he had designed more than 1,000 coats of arms for prelates, dioceses, seminaries, and colleges.[7] He designed arms for most of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States.[11][12] Prelates for whom he designed included Cardinal John Carberry,[13] Cardinal John Cody,[14] Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle,[15] Cardinal John Krol,[16] and Bishop James P. Shannon.[17] Dioceses he created arms for included Washington, Atlanta, Savannah, Norwich, and Bridgeport.[5] Colleges he designed arms for include the University of St. Thomas,[18] Seton Hall University,[19] Merrimack College,[20] St. Mark Seminary,[21] and Niagara University[22] Other institutions include America Magazine.[23]

Ryan married Alice Killigrew on January 29, 1934. With Alice, he had a son, William, and two daughters, Alice and Virginia.[1][5] He moved to Massachusetts in 1973. Ryan died on July 19, 1981, in Hyannis, Massachusetts at the age of 78.[24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Romig, Walter, ed. (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. 14. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig. p. 404. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Dougherty, Philip H. (October 11, 1965). "A Wivern for the Bishop's Arms; A Banknote Official Turns to Heraldry for the Clergy". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  3. ^ "George A. Brooks Heads Fordham U. Alumni". The Tablet. January 22, 1949. p. 3. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "James A. Ryan". The Star-Ledger. May 20, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Designer of Bishops' Coats-Of-Arms Dies". Catholic News Service. August 6, 1981. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "Are Coats-of-Arms Out? Ye Olde Nonsense, Says He". The Messenger. October 14, 1966. p. 14. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Lamberto, Nick (July 21, 1968). "The Stories Behind Heraldry Of Iowa's Catholic Prelates". The Des Moines Register. p. 8. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Coat-Of-Arms Passe? Nonsense, Says Creator". Lake Shore Visitor. December 9, 1966. p. 13. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Obituary for Bernice Codey Hartwyk". The Star-Ledger. February 2, 2018. p. 9. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Designs Bishop's 'License Plates'". The Catholic Transcript. Vol. 65, no. 39. January 24, 1963. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "Designs Special Seal for St. Joseph's Village". The Catholic Advocate. Vol. 7. 31. August 1, 1958. p. 2. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  12. ^ "Bishop Wurm's Coat of Arms". The St. Louis Review. Vol. 35, no. 34. August 20, 1976. p. 10. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  13. ^ "Coat of Arms". The St. Louis Review. Vol. 29, no. 19. May 16, 1969. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  14. ^ Kaye, Joseph (November 3, 1965). "Designs Coat of Arms for Archbishop". The Kansas City Star. p. 8B. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ MacGregor, Morris (2012). Steadfast in the Faith: The Life of Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press. p. 134. ISBN 9780813214283. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  16. ^ "Coat of Arms of The Most Rev. John Joseph Krol". The Catholic Standard and Times. Vol. 66, no. 29. April 7, 1961. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  17. ^ "Coat of Arms Salutes Pope, Patrons, Others". The Aquin. April 9, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  18. ^ "Tales from the Archives: The University Seal and Coat of Arms". Newsroom. University of St. Thomas. August 9, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "Seton Hall University coat of arms - William F.J. Ryan". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ "Merrimack College Visual Identity Guidelines" (PDF). Merrimack College. p. 2. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  21. ^ "St. Mark Seminary's Coat of Arms Explained". Lake Shore Visitor. May 23, 1958. p. 9. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "University Adopts New Coat of Arms". Leader-Tribune. March 31, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Our Coat of Arms". America Magazine. 100 (15): 448. January 17, 1959. ISSN 0002-7049.
  24. ^ "William F. J. Ryan, Designed Coats of Arms for Catholics". The New York Times. July 23, 1981. p. 5. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  25. ^ "Obituary for William Ryan". The Star-Ledger. July 21, 1981. p. 20. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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