52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #4 Myrtie Marie Bryan

Myrtie Marie Bryan was born on June 21,1901 in Erath County, Texas. I suspect that she was born in Bethel where her Hairston grandparent's lived or possibly in Dublin where her parent's resided about that time. She was my father's sister and the first child of Myrtie Hairston and Redic Bryan. 

In 1905 Marie's parents and her grandparents, Phillip and Lodema Criswell Hairston, moved from Erath County to Baylor County. As a young girl, she belonged to the Woodsman Circle and the BYU - a Baptist youth organization. Marie is in the center, directly in front of the tallest girl in the group. 

This "Pussy Willow" by Marie Bryan in 1912 was found in the Bryan Family Bible.

Marie 1919

This was the photo seen in the Jackrabbit, the yearbook for Seymour High School, in 1920.
Marie was in 10th grade and was named the class artist under "Who's Who."

 According to Marie's 10th grade report card, she had excellent deportment
and received good to excellent grades. 

Dad said that Marie had a speech problem and that when she was young, her father took her to Oklahoma by wagon to see a speech correctionist. She must have had other issues - maybe apraxia or cerebral palsy. I was told that she had weakness on one side. 

This was found in the December 4, 1919 issue of the Baylor County Banner:   Mrs. R. E. Bryan left Sunday afternoon for Dallas in company with her daughter, Miss Marie. They are going to have an x-ray picture taken and try and determine the trouble with her speech.  It is hoped that this trouble may be located and remedied.

The following is an excerpt from a letter written by my grandmother to her cousin, she tells about plans to make the trip. I assume that Marie did not have the surgery. 

May, I am going to Dallas Thursday. I am going to carry Marie to Babtest Sanatarium for an X-ray Examination. She is having nervous troubles. I feel so sorry for her. It just breaks my heart to see her suffer. I am sending a Kodak of her. Drs here say I may have to have an operation on her head (a bone cut that is pressing on the brain). I will make the trip with she and myself and if I have her operated on I will wire for Redic. If you get this letter in time to ans before Thursday write me and tell me if Frank is at Wichita and I may see him as I come home. You come to see  me when you get moved. I get so lonesome since Mama died. Financially we have made lots of money lately. If we had not been in the hole from just 2 years but we are making good now but I have had so many worries lately I have not that very much about money but I am thankful that I have the money to have Marie treated and try to restore her to health. I realize her condition will be improved after the operation or worse if an operation can't be performed I just can't see her get in such bad shape. She is just as pretty as can be. She is in 10th grade will finish next year if she stays in school. 

Marie graduated from Seymour High School in 1921. This announcement was given to me in 2011 by a newly found Hairston cousin. Her family kept this for 90 years!
Thank you, Carla!

Next to her senior picture in the high school year book was written,
"Marie - If her work counts, success is hers. Her record shows no trace of blurs."

Marie didn't marry. After her mother died in 1927, I imagine that she was my father's primary caregiver as all other siblings were not living at home. When Redic Bryan died in 1929, Marie and my father, Whit, moved to Borger to live with sisters DeRay and Willa Mae. DeRay and Willa Mae both worked a variety of jobs in Borger. Marie took care of the house and the cooking.

I only met Aunt Marie once, at the age of four.
I am told that she was a wonderful cook and
that she loved to play bridge.
Marie and Dad (Whit Bryan) in 1943. 

Myrtie Marie Bryan died on September 16, 1986. She is buried with her sisters, DeRay and Willa Mae, at Westlawn Memorial Park in Borger, Texas. 

No Story Too Small

Diana

© 2014

Sources

Baylor County Banner [Seymour] 4 Dec. 1919: Microfilm.  

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

Letter from Myrtie Hairston Bryan to Amy Criswell Barton courtesy of Lena Criswell.  

Seymour High School.  "1919 Yearbook". The Jackrabbit.

Seymour High School.  "1920 Yearbook". The Jackrabbit. 

Seymour High School.  "1921 Yearbook". The Jackrabbit.

Stanley, Edith Guynes . "Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials." Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials.  Web. 17 Jan. 2014. <http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi? page=gr&GSln=BRY&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSsr=2041&GRid=48102309&>. Used with permission.