Background
He was born in Toronto in 1855, the son of George Ryerson and Isabella Dorcas Sterling, and studied in Galt and then at the Trinity Medical School in Toronto, receiving his Doctor of Medicine in 1876.
He was born in Toronto in 1855, the son of George Ryerson and Isabella Dorcas Sterling, and studied in Galt and then at the Trinity Medical School in Toronto, receiving his Doctor of Medicine in 1876.
He continued his studied in Europe.
In 1880, he set up practice in Toronto and also lectured on eye, ear and throat diseases at Trinity Medical School. Ryerson was also surgeon at the Andrew Mercer Eye and Ear Infirmary. He was surgeon with the Royal Grenadiers (10th battalion), serving during the Northwest Rebellion.
Ryerson helped found the Association of Medical Officers of the Canadian Militia and served as president from 1908 to 1909.
He was later named honorary colonel for the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Ryerson helped establish the Street John Ambulance Association in Ontario and the Canadian Red Cross Society.
They had five children: George Crowther (born 1883), Yoris Sterling (born 1886), Eric Egerton (born 1888), Arthur Connaught (born 1890), and Laura Mary (born 1893). Sir William Mulock, Personal Computer, Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George, KC, Member of Parliament, afterwards Post-Master-General and Chief Justice of Ontario.
Laura survived, Mary did not.
On June 8, 1916, he remarried to Elizabeth Van Hook Thomas, daughter of Edwin Ross Thomas. Ryerson retired from his medical practice in 1920 and moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Elizabeth died on September 4, 1924.
Ryerson died of a heart attack in Toronto in 1925.
He was elected to the legislative assembly in an 1893 by-election and reelected in 1894. He did not run in 1898 due to poor health.
In 1896, Ryerson helped establish the United Empire Loyalist Association of Ontario. In 1902, he failed to secure nomination by the Conservative Party when he attempted to run for election in Toronto North.