#52ancestors Posts Thirty-Three: Were Your Bryans Famous?

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)

This week's writing prompt for #52ancestors is Family Legend.  Merriam-Webster.com defines a legend as a story coming down from the past.  In my family, there are some family stories I will not / cannot write about. There are others that have been proven, some I cannot prove, and, others, I seriously doubt. 

My Bryan family passed on this short list of famous people that were thought to connect to us; some Bryans and some not. 

John Nance Garner

John Nance Garner was a Texas congressman and Vice President under Franklin Delano Roosevelt during his first two terms. He is not connected to my family. However, my grandfather's sister, Terrell "Bunch" Bryan married a James D. Biggs. John Nance Garner is connected to this Biggs family. 

John Neely Bryan

John Neely Bryan is known as the founder of Dallas, Texas. Although his last name is Bryan, I found him while researching my Hairston family. He is connected to the Hairstons only by marriage. See more at this link.

William Jennings Bryan

When Bryan family members learn I am researching family, they ask about the family's link to William Jennings Bryan. William Jennings Bryan was a Democratic and Populist leader who ran unsuccessfully three times for the U.S. presidency between 1896 and 1908. 

If there is a link, I doubt I will find it in my lifetime. William Jennings Bryan was born in Marion County, Illinois in 1860 and his father (Silas Bryan) born in Culpepper, Virginia in 1822. Silas Bryan's father was John; also of Culpepper.  My Bryan family was in North Carolina at this time. My Reddick Bryan was probably the same age as John of Culpepper. If there is a link it would be many, many generations beyond the unproven father of my Reddick Bryan. 

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone's wife was Rebecca Bryan; born before 1740 in Virginia. If there is any connection at all to my Bryan family it would again need to be many, many generations beyond the unproven father of Reddick Bryan. 

James Stephen Hogg

James Stephen Hogg was governor of Texas from January 20, 1891 to January 15, 1895. My father mentioned several times that Governor Hogg was family. I found a connection when I was researching Hairstons and learned he is probably very distantly related. See more at this link. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana
© 2018 

Sources

Britannica.com. William Jennings Bryan AMERICAN POLITICIAN.  Britannica, July 2018. Web. 19 Aug. 2018. 

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

Meriam- Webster. Definition of Legend. Web. 19 Aug. 2018. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legend>.

The Terrell Bryan and Harriet Albritton Family

Terrell Bryan and Harriet Louisa Albritton
Date Unknown (Best guess is about 1880)

Terrell Bryan and Harriet Louisa Albritton were married on February 20, 1855 in Bienville Parish, LA.   Terrell, the son of Reddick and Elizabeth Regan Bryan, was born in Georgia (probably Houston County) on November 17, 1836.  Harriet, the daughter of Peter and Hollon Albritton, was born in Twiggs County, Georgia on August 15, 1836.  

Terrell farmed in Louisiana until the Civil War.  He was a private in the "Castor Guards," part of the 16th Louisiana Infantry.  Terrell was wounded at Shiloh and at Missionary Ridge.  During the war, Harriet and her children lived at the home of Harriet's mother in Louisiana.  By 1877, Terrell and his family were living in Eastland County, Texas. They moved to Erath County in 1878 or 1879. 

On the back is Terrel and H. L. Bryan  Stephenville, Texas  age 65 May 1899. 

In Erath County, he did some farming, served as Justice of the Peace for a few terms, managed the Poor Farm, opened a wagon yard, and even tried selling books. He attended the Methodist Church and was active in local politics, the Masons, and Woodmen of the World. 

Terrell and Harriet had ten children; Joseph H. Bryan, Frances L. Bryan, Terrell (Bunch) Bryan Biggs, Hollon S. Bryan Latta, Alice Amanda (Allie) Bryan Hammett, Redic Eli Bryan (my grandfather), Dorothy Elizabeth Harriet (Dollie) Bryan Wylie, Laura Louise Bryan Keith, Willie A. Bryan, and James T. Bryan. 

Harriet died on February 9, 1909 at her home in Erath County, Texas and Terrell died on May 16, 1920 at the Wylie home in Cooke County, Texas.  Both are buried in West End Cemetery in Stephenville, Erath County, Texas. 

I have written many posts about Terrell and Harriet. Here are just a few. 

• Friday's Photo: Terrell Bryan's Twilight Years
• A Letter from the Texas Confederate Home
• If Your Family Lived in Erath County, Texas . . .
• Friday's Photo: Masons Attended Terrell Bryan's Funeral in Stephenville, Erath County, Texas
• Friday's Photo: Another Picture of Harriet
• Sunday's Obituary: Harriet Albritton Bryan

Children of Terrell and Harriet Albritton Bryan

1.   Joseph H. Bryan    b: February 18, 1857 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: August 11, 1857 in Bienville Parish, LA.  

Birth and death dates found in Terrell Bryan's family bible.
Joseph H. Bryan's burial place is unknown.

2.  Frances L. Bryan    b: February 13, 1859  in Bienville Parish, LA   d: December 24, 1894 in Erath County, TX

According to this cemetery stone, Frances died in 
1904. However, it is written in the family  bible as 
1894; age 35 years, 10 months, and 11 days.  This 
would  make the 1894 year correct. I have never 
found another record or report of her death. 

3.  Terrell (Bunch) Little Bryan    b: July 13, 1861 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: April 02, 1939 in Wheeler, TX

Terrell "Bunch" Bryan married James "Jim" Daniel  Biggs in
Erath County on May 16, 1880.

Read this blog post for additional information about Bunch - Friday's Photo: Terrell Little "Bunch" Bryan.


4.  Hollon (Holly) Span Bryan    b: August 24, 1865 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: September 01, 1906 in Fort Worth, Tarrant, TX

Hollon Bryan married James Alonzo Latta in
Erath County on September 4, 1881.

These blog posts have additional information about Hollon and her family.

• Friday's Photo: Hollon Bryan Latta
• Sunday's Obituary: Hollon Bryan Latta
• Friday's Photo: Millard Ray Latta Pyle

        



5.  Alice (Allie) Amanda Bryan    b: November 21, 1867 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: June 12, 1953 in Post, TX

Alice Amanda "Allie" Bryan married John Regan Hammett in 

Natchitoches, Louisiana on September 11, 1887.

Read this blog post for additional information about Allie's family - Sunday's Obituary: John R. Hammett




6.  Redic Eli Bryan    b: August 02, 1870 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: August 29, 1929 in Seymour, TX

Redic Eli Bryan married Johnie Myrtlene "Myrtie" Hairston in 

Erath County, Texas on February 7, 1900 in Erath County, Texas.

Read these blog posts for more information about Redic and his family.

• #52ancestors: Post Seven: The Courtship of my Grandparents, Redic Bryan and Myrtie Hairston
• 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #24 Redic Eli Bryan, My Grandfather
• 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #1 Johnie Myrtlene "Myrtie" Hairston
• Friday's Photo: Comparing Photographs - Redic Bryan
• Monday's News: Redic Bryan in the Baylor County Banner
• Monday’s News: Redic E. Bryan in the Erath Appeal

7.  Dorothy (Dollie) Elizabeth Harriet Bryan    b: January 17, 1873 in Bienville Parish, LA    d: November 26, 1948 in Robert E. Lee, Coke Co, TX

        

Dollie Bryan married Thomas Sumter Wylie in 

Erath County, Texas on July 21, 1889.

Read these blog posts for additional information about Dollie and her family.

• From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Dollie Bryan
• Friday's Photo: McNeil Wylie and John Mayo
• Friday's Photo: Feather Girl
• Friday's Photo: Dollie Wylie Revisited
• Monday's News: Tom Wylie in the Erath Appeal 

8.   Willie A. Bryan    b: August 21, 1875 - probably in Bienville Parish, LA    d: October 26, 1878 in Erath County, TX

Birth and death dates found in Terrell Bryan's family bible. 

Willie A. Bryan is buried in Old Valley Grove Cemetery; age three years, two months, 

and three days. 

9.  Laura L. Bryan    b: April 28, 1878 in Erath County, TX    d: July 18, 1908 in Erath County, TX

Laura Louise Bryan married William Harve Keith in 

Erath County, Texas on June 25, 1899.

        

These blog posts contain additional information about Laura and her family.

• #52ancestors Post Twenty-Two: Kathryn Keith - Why was she so far from family?
• From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Laura Louise Bryan 
• Friday's Photo: Eddye Kathryn Keith, Another Photo Mystery Solved
• Sunday's Obituary: Laura Bryan Keith

10.  James T. Bryan    b: February 02, 1884 in Erath County, TX    d: March 17, 1884 in Erath County, TX

Birth and death dates found in Terrell Bryan's family bible. 

The Stephenville Empire, February 9, 1884.
Both Terrell and Harriet would have been 47 years old when James T. Bryan was born. 

James T. Bryan is buried in Old Valley Grove Cemetery. According to the family bible, he died at age six weeks.  

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Sue Pierce and Pat Waas. Accessed 2006. Used with permission.

Jones, Ken.  Frances L. Bryan (1869-1894). Find A Grave Memorial. Web. 30 Aug. 2015. Used with permission. <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28974168/frances-l.-bryan>.

Jones, Ken.  James J. Bryan (1884). Find A Grave Memorial. Web. 30 Aug. 2015. Used with permission. <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28974392/james-j.-bryan#source>.

Jones, Ken.  Willie A. Bryan (1875-1878). Find A Grave Memorial. Web. 30 Aug. 2015. Used with permission. <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28975523/willie-a.-bryan>.

Quinn, Diana B. Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog: #52ancestors Post Eleven: The Bryan Family Bible. Blogger, 2018. Web. 19 Aug. 2018. <https://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/52ancestors-post-eleven-bryan-family.html>

The Stephenville Empire (Stephenville, Texas), Vol. 12, No. 23, Ed.1 Saturday, February 9, 1884. Accessed 25 June 2017. The Portal to Texas History.

Friday's Photo: A Revisit to the Chapel

Early in June, I posted  #52ancestors Post Twenty-Three: Going to the Chapel. This is a collection of wedding photos that belonged to my husband's parents, Doris Staubach and William Quinn. I suspect most of the weddings occurred in New York in the 1950s. In my post, I was asking for clues to the identities or familial relationships the brides or grooms may have had with my husband's family. 

In this post, photos #1 and #3 are now correctly identified. I would love to add last names and family connections to the remaining photos. 

If you know the identity of these brides and/or grooms OR know of any connection they may have to family, please contact me via email or leave a message on my Facebook page. 

1. Previously labeled as unknown, this photo is that of 
Patricia (Patsy) Quinn Ryan, daughter of William Joseph Quinn and Susan Murray, 
my father-in-law's oldest sister. 

2. Marie and John
On the back is written April 1951 - John died Aug. 1951

3. This photo has been correctly identified as Edward F. Ryan and 
Helen Quinn. Helen was my father-in-law's twin. However, 
on the back is written Helen Kenny and William Montero 
along with a telephone number (see below). After a little 
searching, I found Helen Kenny in 1940 living at 
225 West 153rd  Street very close to the Quinn family at 
219 West 153rd Street. Someone must have used the photo to 
jot down her phone number.

4. April 1952 - Marie and Cornelius
Cornelius was a groomsman in Doris and Bill's Wedding

5. Robby and Mary

6. Unknown Bride and Groom

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana
© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of  Diana Bryan Quinn. 

#52ancestors Posts Thirty-Two: The Youngest Member of My Family Tree and Two Genealogy Trips Slowed My Summer Blogging

My research trip to NC included time at the State Library of North Carolina,
the David Rubinstein Library at beautiful Duke University, and fun
exploring Duplin and Sampson Counties. I learned so much more about
my mother's Giddens family. 

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana has
one of the largest research collections available in the world.  I spent two days
searching the periodical collection - the largest collection of English-language
genealogical and local history periodical collection available anywhere.
The extensive collection of family histories occupied all of another day. Prior
to visiting the library, I used their online catalog to put together a list of items to view.
Check out the Genealogy Center and their online catalog at this link. 

I work for a local school division and for the last seven years have worked throughout the summer. This year, I decided to go back to a 10-month schedule and just knew I would get much blogging done. Well, that didn't happen! 

The youngest member of my family tree.
Doesn't this make you smile!!! 

I spent a week researching in NC with my very good friend (since 1969) who has also been bitten by the genealogy bug. 

I had family visiting for almost three weeks (including the newest member of our family tree). Having children in the house was so much fun!

And, Sunday, I returned from a genealogy research trip with my second-cousin-once-removed. The highlight of the trip was spending three days at the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018


Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

#52ancestors Posts Thirty-One: The Oldest Document Known to Name Reddick Bryan

On September 10, l8l3, James Bryan of Martin County, North Carolina transferred 5O acres of land inherited from his father Needham to Reddick Bryan This deed from James Bryan to Reddick Bryan does not specify any monetary consideration. Could this have been a gift to Reddick upon his marriage? His wife is thought to be a Telitha or Lilitra as a first name was seen in a family bible, but it was not clearly written. The date of Reddick's marriage to his first wife is also not known, but it is assumed that he married about this time of the birth of his first child in 1815. The deed, transcribed by Dennis Bryant, is below. 

State of North Carolina, Martin County
Know all men by these presents that I, James Bryan, Senr of the State and County aforesaid do grant bargain & sell & confirm unto Redick Bryan of the State and County aforesaid a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the County  aforesaid beginning as follows.  Beginning at a white oak Bryans and John D. Hymans corner thence along said Hymans line to Lewis Bryans line, thence along said Bryans line to a pine, thence a line of marked trees to the head of the Paster branch, thence along the various courses of said branch to the run of Cains branch, thence along the various courses of said branch to a Cypress Johnathan Cherry corner in Coneho creek, thence down the various courses o, said creek to a Maple, thence to the first station, containing fifty Acres more or less, To have and to hold forever he and his heirs with all improvements and appertenments this the tenth Day of September in the  year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen.

This deed was signed by James Bryan (his mark) and witnessed by James Cherry and Thomas Bryan. The deed was proven in open court by the oath of Thomas Bryan in September 1814.

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Deed from James Bryan Senior to Reddick Bryan., 10 September 1813 Matin County, North Carolina, Deed Book F, page 220-221. Transcribed by J. Dennis Bryant. 

#52ancestors Post Thirty: A "State Project" in Bienville Parish

Ila Pope (born 1903), Emma Dell Woodard (born 1902) Salenah Tullis (born 1898)  Thelma Boyet (born 1897), Unknown, Laurie Wimberly

The topic for #52ancesters, post 30, is colorful so I chose this photo from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. This photo doesn't meet the definition of colorful when defined as having much color or bright. However, synonyms for colorful include fascinating and interesting so, I think this photo fits the bill!

Each young woman in the photo is dressed to represent a state. The first four women were found as young girls in the Bienville Parish 1910 census. I would guess the photo was taken just before 1920. Were they students? Teachers? Maybe attending a party?  

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Marguerite Cook Clark. Accessed April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.