He was educated within rural county schools, and became a merchant, specializing in wool and grain.
In 1870, Ryder relocated to Benton County, Iowa and began selling foodstuffs, specifically eggs and butter.
Ryder himself was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1881, as a politically independent candidate from District 46.
In 1883, Ryder was elected to a four-year term on the Iowa Senate, representing District 27 as a Democrat.
[1] Ryder married Mary J. Tyler, a native of Fremont, Ohio, in November 1854.