HARLEY CRAIG FAMILY
harley, son of albert and elizabeth maxwell craig, was born april 11 1900. he grew up in the white oak community, ne of ridgeway. he attended the white oak school.
oletha, daughter of charles and nellie merrifield landes, was born june 11 1902. she grew up in the white oak community, also. they lived on various farms around eagleville, cainsville and ridgeway. they sold their farm and moved to ridgeway where they lived for several years, later moving to smithville, missouri, where they now reside.
harley and oletha have 7 children, richard born august 19 1917; clayton born jan 2 1920; clell born june 19 1923; eugene born nov 25 1924; raymond born sept 19 1926; wilbur born april 10 1928; and joanne, born dec 29 1933. they have 15 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
harley learned to operate a steam engine at a very early age and with his brothers, lloyd and norvia, helped his father run a threshing machine for many years. later he operated a sorghum mill. he had a school route for many years and in the early thirties he drove one of the horse-drawn buses. later he drove a bus which was made from an old model t ford. submitted by lela lewis craig.
(related?)
Monday, December 31, 2007
Gary Logan
{Gary Logan was the step-grandson of Margaret Shroyer Gibbs Logan}
{undated clipping from the post telegraph}
MEMORIAM- The following is faithfully dedicated to the memory of Gary Logan. May the free bird fly.
TIME: A DISTANT PAST
Yes, it rolls on,
The time
so dear slips away.
And one must wonder what might have been,
If yesterday could have stayed.
For that which was yesterday
shall always be in our minds.
The little of life granted you
brought many wonderful times.
Through yesterday was lived
and now accepted,
where is one to go.
Stop the world I ask,
so time will let me know.
For what man could deny,
that time
has dulled the pain.
What man would deny
the relief
from yesterdays strain.
{undated clipping from the post telegraph}
MEMORIAM- The following is faithfully dedicated to the memory of Gary Logan. May the free bird fly.
TIME: A DISTANT PAST
Yes, it rolls on,
The time
so dear slips away.
And one must wonder what might have been,
If yesterday could have stayed.
For that which was yesterday
shall always be in our minds.
The little of life granted you
brought many wonderful times.
Through yesterday was lived
and now accepted,
where is one to go.
Stop the world I ask,
so time will let me know.
For what man could deny,
that time
has dulled the pain.
What man would deny
the relief
from yesterdays strain.
Moses Brown
undated newspaper clipping
about Mitchell Cemetery, east of Gilman City. Jake Gardner a member of Boy Scout Troop 67 in Gallatin completed a service community service project for his Eagle Scout Award.
a headstone dates 1840. the oldest cemetery in the area. there is a relative of Abraham Lincoln there-Elizabeth Dillon, was a sister of Nancy Hanks, so she was his aunt. , also some Negro slaves.
small cemetery-neglect-no proper markings-a score of graves are lost. the graves weren't laid out in rows but were selected and located at random. the cemetery is now cared for from funds received by donations and from royalties from the New Diamond Coal Mine which is nearby.
by Emma Brown 1955
More than 30 Civil War vets, Union and Confederate, and Spanish American vets are buried there.
On July 10 1971 Mr & Mrs Abel Pierce, Jr of Houston, Tx came by and Emma Brown, Fern Brown, & Mabel Brown Clark went to the cemetery seeking information on monuments that are in the Brown family. We found Moses Brown' monument lying on the ground broken. After using a shovel we finally found his wife's monument, Elizabeth Hadley Brown buried under several inches of earth. We removed these stones and took them to Chillicothe to Moore Monument Company. They sandblasted, repaired and reset these back in the cemetery. they looked so nice that other people have had some of their relatives monuments repaired.
the coal mine has ceased operation several years ago. by Mable Brown Clark Jan 1986
about Mitchell Cemetery, east of Gilman City. Jake Gardner a member of Boy Scout Troop 67 in Gallatin completed a service community service project for his Eagle Scout Award.
a headstone dates 1840. the oldest cemetery in the area. there is a relative of Abraham Lincoln there-Elizabeth Dillon, was a sister of Nancy Hanks, so she was his aunt. , also some Negro slaves.
small cemetery-neglect-no proper markings-a score of graves are lost. the graves weren't laid out in rows but were selected and located at random. the cemetery is now cared for from funds received by donations and from royalties from the New Diamond Coal Mine which is nearby.
by Emma Brown 1955
More than 30 Civil War vets, Union and Confederate, and Spanish American vets are buried there.
On July 10 1971 Mr & Mrs Abel Pierce, Jr of Houston, Tx came by and Emma Brown, Fern Brown, & Mabel Brown Clark went to the cemetery seeking information on monuments that are in the Brown family. We found Moses Brown' monument lying on the ground broken. After using a shovel we finally found his wife's monument, Elizabeth Hadley Brown buried under several inches of earth. We removed these stones and took them to Chillicothe to Moore Monument Company. They sandblasted, repaired and reset these back in the cemetery. they looked so nice that other people have had some of their relatives monuments repaired.
the coal mine has ceased operation several years ago. by Mable Brown Clark Jan 1986
John L. Maxwell
undated newspaper clipping
John L. Maxwell
died November 3 2004 at Grove, OK. Graveside services were held Nov 5 2004 with the Grove Veterans Ritual Team officiating. Burial was in the Olympic Cemetery, Grove, Ok.
Mr. Maxwell was born April 6, 1914 in Harrison Co., MO, near Melbourne, Mo., the son of Thomas W. and Lilly Mae (Higdon) Maxwell. [we all know his mother was GILLY MAE-deb]
He attended school at the Stephens School in Harrison Co, MO.
As a young man he worked at the Melbourne Coal Mine as an engineer. He was a veteran in the United States Army during World War II, and the Korean Conflict.
John worked for the City of Grove as water superintendent for 35 years, retiring in 1990.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion, and the Moose Lodge.
The last few years he had spent much of his time at the homes of his two sisters, Minerva Brown, Gilman City, MO, and Grace Brown, Trenton, MO.
Survivors from this area are his sisters, Minerva Brown of Gilman City, Mo and Grace Brown, Trenton,MO; and her daughters, Charlene, Kay, and Janet, ; a nephew, CLyde Maxwell, Excelsior Springs, MO, and children, James, Maxine, and Sharon; a sister-in-law Eva Maxwell and daughter Marsha of Marshall, Mo.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, James Maxwell, Leland Maxwell, Eugene Maxwell, and Joseph Henry Maxwell; and a sister Evie Maxwell.
John L. Maxwell
died November 3 2004 at Grove, OK. Graveside services were held Nov 5 2004 with the Grove Veterans Ritual Team officiating. Burial was in the Olympic Cemetery, Grove, Ok.
Mr. Maxwell was born April 6, 1914 in Harrison Co., MO, near Melbourne, Mo., the son of Thomas W. and Lilly Mae (Higdon) Maxwell. [we all know his mother was GILLY MAE-deb]
He attended school at the Stephens School in Harrison Co, MO.
As a young man he worked at the Melbourne Coal Mine as an engineer. He was a veteran in the United States Army during World War II, and the Korean Conflict.
John worked for the City of Grove as water superintendent for 35 years, retiring in 1990.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion, and the Moose Lodge.
The last few years he had spent much of his time at the homes of his two sisters, Minerva Brown, Gilman City, MO, and Grace Brown, Trenton, MO.
Survivors from this area are his sisters, Minerva Brown of Gilman City, Mo and Grace Brown, Trenton,MO; and her daughters, Charlene, Kay, and Janet, ; a nephew, CLyde Maxwell, Excelsior Springs, MO, and children, James, Maxine, and Sharon; a sister-in-law Eva Maxwell and daughter Marsha of Marshall, Mo.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, James Maxwell, Leland Maxwell, Eugene Maxwell, and Joseph Henry Maxwell; and a sister Evie Maxwell.
Vermal Brown
Vermal Brown, 81, died at 12:30p.m. Friday October 10 1997 at his home at 1708 Merrill St, Trenton. He had been in failing health for some time.
Graveside rites were held at 11a.m. today, October 13, 1997 at Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton, under the direction of Resthaven Mortuary, Paul Persell officiated.
Honorary pallbearers were Kerry Dauma, Chris Crawford, Shawn Crawford, Bobby Shalz, John Axsom, Kevin Dailey, and Tom Butler.
Mr. Brown was born on Nov 23 1915 at Gilman City, the son of Lewis Albert and Maggie Mae Webber Brown. He was raised in the Gilman City area, and was married on July 22 1939 to Grace Maxwell in Trenton. They moved to Trenton in 1940.
Mr. Brown was employed by the Trenton Milk Company from 1943 until he retired in 1977. He was a member of the Blue Ridge Christian Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace of hte home; three daughters, Charlene Shank of Liberty, Kay, now Mr.s Bob Crawford, of St Joseph, and Janet, now Mrs. Bernard Axsom of Spickard; one half brother, Junior Smith of Apple Valley CA; one stepbrother Lyle Neill of Bethany; 11 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild.
Mr. Brown was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, his twin VermaDean McCullough, and Edith Corbin; one half brother, and one half sister.
The family suggests contributions to Wright Memorial Hospice in memory of Mr. Brown. These may be mailed to Resthaven Mortuary, Highway 65 North, PO Box 587, Trenton Mo 64683.
Graveside rites were held at 11a.m. today, October 13, 1997 at Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton, under the direction of Resthaven Mortuary, Paul Persell officiated.
Honorary pallbearers were Kerry Dauma, Chris Crawford, Shawn Crawford, Bobby Shalz, John Axsom, Kevin Dailey, and Tom Butler.
Mr. Brown was born on Nov 23 1915 at Gilman City, the son of Lewis Albert and Maggie Mae Webber Brown. He was raised in the Gilman City area, and was married on July 22 1939 to Grace Maxwell in Trenton. They moved to Trenton in 1940.
Mr. Brown was employed by the Trenton Milk Company from 1943 until he retired in 1977. He was a member of the Blue Ridge Christian Church.
Survivors include his wife, Grace of hte home; three daughters, Charlene Shank of Liberty, Kay, now Mr.s Bob Crawford, of St Joseph, and Janet, now Mrs. Bernard Axsom of Spickard; one half brother, Junior Smith of Apple Valley CA; one stepbrother Lyle Neill of Bethany; 11 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild.
Mr. Brown was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, his twin VermaDean McCullough, and Edith Corbin; one half brother, and one half sister.
The family suggests contributions to Wright Memorial Hospice in memory of Mr. Brown. These may be mailed to Resthaven Mortuary, Highway 65 North, PO Box 587, Trenton Mo 64683.
fern brown
heard on KTTN radio october 25 2004 and confirmed with a phone call to Janet Axsom, Fern Brown died Sunday, October 24 2004, of breast cancer. she was a friend of my grandparents, Grace & Vermal Brown, and was a sister-in-law to my great aunt Minerva Brown. She was a school teacher and 80 years old.
--------------------
undated newspaper clipping
Fern Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St, died at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday Oct 24 2004 at her home.
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Whitaker-Eads funeral home in Trenton.
Miss Brown was born on July 7 1919 near Brimson, the daughter of DeWitt and Hattie Gregg Brown. She attended Brimson grade school and two years of high school at Brimson before graduating from Trenton High School in 1937. She graduated from Trenton Junior College in 1942. SHe taught at the Cole School for two years and at Brimson for five years. She furthered her education by attending night and Saturday classes and graduated from Kirksville State Teachers College in 1951 with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education.
In 1949 she was employed by the Trenton School District, teaching second grade at the Norton School for 17 and one half years. In 1961, she received her master of arts degree in elementary educaiton and certification in guidance. She was the elementary guidance counselor and principal at the Norton school beginning in 1963. Her title was later changed to head teacher. She retired in 1982. In addition to her school work Miss Brown cared for her parents in the family home until their deaths.
Miss Brown was a member of the Trenton First Baptist Church and served on the board of directors at Sunnyview Nursing Home for 14 years. She also served one term as Grundy County Public Administrator. She was a member Lambda Chapter. Delta Kappa Gamma.
Miss Brown is survived by a sister, Mable Clark of Trenton; and by several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Dale and Harry Brown.
undated newspaper clipping
Fern Brown
Funeral Services for Fern Brown will be held at 1pm, on Friday, OCtober 29 2004 at the Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home in Trenton. Burial will be in the Rural Dale Cemetery, east of Trenton.
A family visitation is scheduled one hour prior to the funeral service at the funeral home.
Miss Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St in Trenton, died at 7:10a.m. on Sunday October 24 2004 at her home.
The family suggests memorials to the American Cancer Society.
undated newspaper clipping
FERN BROWN
Funeral services for Fern Brown were held at 1p.m. on Friday October 29 2004 at the Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home in Trenton. Pastor Ron Ratliff officated.
Miss Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St in Trenton, died at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday Oct 24 2004 at her home.
Jackie Altenderfer was the organist for soloist Bill Orndorff, who sang "In The Garden" and "Whispering Hope."
Pallbearers were Steve Banks, Jerry Southers, Frederick Bosley, Franklin Bosley, Harlan Hobbs and Jerry Hughs.
Burial was in the Rural Dale Cemetery, east of Trenton.
--------------------
undated newspaper clipping
Fern Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St, died at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday Oct 24 2004 at her home.
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Whitaker-Eads funeral home in Trenton.
Miss Brown was born on July 7 1919 near Brimson, the daughter of DeWitt and Hattie Gregg Brown. She attended Brimson grade school and two years of high school at Brimson before graduating from Trenton High School in 1937. She graduated from Trenton Junior College in 1942. SHe taught at the Cole School for two years and at Brimson for five years. She furthered her education by attending night and Saturday classes and graduated from Kirksville State Teachers College in 1951 with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education.
In 1949 she was employed by the Trenton School District, teaching second grade at the Norton School for 17 and one half years. In 1961, she received her master of arts degree in elementary educaiton and certification in guidance. She was the elementary guidance counselor and principal at the Norton school beginning in 1963. Her title was later changed to head teacher. She retired in 1982. In addition to her school work Miss Brown cared for her parents in the family home until their deaths.
Miss Brown was a member of the Trenton First Baptist Church and served on the board of directors at Sunnyview Nursing Home for 14 years. She also served one term as Grundy County Public Administrator. She was a member Lambda Chapter. Delta Kappa Gamma.
Miss Brown is survived by a sister, Mable Clark of Trenton; and by several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Dale and Harry Brown.
undated newspaper clipping
Fern Brown
Funeral Services for Fern Brown will be held at 1pm, on Friday, OCtober 29 2004 at the Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home in Trenton. Burial will be in the Rural Dale Cemetery, east of Trenton.
A family visitation is scheduled one hour prior to the funeral service at the funeral home.
Miss Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St in Trenton, died at 7:10a.m. on Sunday October 24 2004 at her home.
The family suggests memorials to the American Cancer Society.
undated newspaper clipping
FERN BROWN
Funeral services for Fern Brown were held at 1p.m. on Friday October 29 2004 at the Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home in Trenton. Pastor Ron Ratliff officated.
Miss Brown, an 85 year old resident of 1713 Bolser St in Trenton, died at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday Oct 24 2004 at her home.
Jackie Altenderfer was the organist for soloist Bill Orndorff, who sang "In The Garden" and "Whispering Hope."
Pallbearers were Steve Banks, Jerry Southers, Frederick Bosley, Franklin Bosley, Harlan Hobbs and Jerry Hughs.
Burial was in the Rural Dale Cemetery, east of Trenton.
James C Maxwell
JAMES C MAXWELL WAR RECORDS Roberta Utterback sent these to Grace Brown
James C Maxwell Pvt Co A 45 Regt Va Inf.
appears on company muster roll
for may 29-aug31 1861.
enlisted may 19 at Wytheville(?)
by Jenry Heth(?) for 12 mos
rec;d no pay to date
present
*Nov 1861 sick at Lewisburg since Sept 10
*October 1861 sick in Lewisburg since Sept 10
*Sept 1861 sick at Lewisburg since Sept 10
*Aug-Sept 1861 dated JAn 1 1862 pay due for enlistment/present
*Camp near Waynesboror Va Jan 30 1865 prisoner of war sept 19 1864
*new maikeh Valley Va Oct 31 1864 prison of war sept 1864 Wharton's Brig.
*camp near New Market OCt 28 1864 prisoner of war sept 19 186_
*camp near Waynesboro Sept 30 1864 captured at Winchester Sept 19 186_
*camp near Waynesboro Sept 29 1864 captured at Winchester Sept 19 1864 Frsbergs Brigade
*Confederate James C Maxwell 45 REgt Va.
-place of residence Tazewell Co VA
-complexion dark
-hair dark
-eyes grey
-5'10"
-released June 17 1865
*J Maxwell 1st Lt Co A 45 Regt Va captured Sept 19 1864 Winchester VA
*Maxwell, Jas C Apr 20 1862 bounty paid $100 dued $100
*camp near New MArket Nov 28 1964 prisoner of war Sept 19
*camp near Fisherville Augusta Co VA Dec 29 1864 prisoner of war Sept 19 1864
*ROLL PRISONERS OF WAR
at Harpers Ferry, W. VA, officers captured by Gen. Sheridan's forces, and sent to Fort Delaware, Del., Sept 25 1864
captured at Winchester VA Sept 19 1864 sent to Fort Delaware Sept 25 1864
*Jan 8 1865 capt. Sept 19 1864Winchester VA.
*July 1862 present for duty near Union VA.
*James C Maxwell signed Special Requisition No. 40
*James C Maxwell signed requesition for stationary No. 38
James C Maxwell Pvt Co A 45 Regt Va Inf.
appears on company muster roll
for may 29-aug31 1861.
enlisted may 19 at Wytheville(?)
by Jenry Heth(?) for 12 mos
rec;d no pay to date
present
*Nov 1861 sick at Lewisburg since Sept 10
*October 1861 sick in Lewisburg since Sept 10
*Sept 1861 sick at Lewisburg since Sept 10
*Aug-Sept 1861 dated JAn 1 1862 pay due for enlistment/present
*Camp near Waynesboror Va Jan 30 1865 prisoner of war sept 19 1864
*new maikeh Valley Va Oct 31 1864 prison of war sept 1864 Wharton's Brig.
*camp near New Market OCt 28 1864 prisoner of war sept 19 186_
*camp near Waynesboro Sept 30 1864 captured at Winchester Sept 19 186_
*camp near Waynesboro Sept 29 1864 captured at Winchester Sept 19 1864 Frsbergs Brigade
*Confederate James C Maxwell 45 REgt Va.
-place of residence Tazewell Co VA
-complexion dark
-hair dark
-eyes grey
-5'10"
-released June 17 1865
*J Maxwell 1st Lt Co A 45 Regt Va captured Sept 19 1864 Winchester VA
*Maxwell, Jas C Apr 20 1862 bounty paid $100 dued $100
*camp near New MArket Nov 28 1964 prisoner of war Sept 19
*camp near Fisherville Augusta Co VA Dec 29 1864 prisoner of war Sept 19 1864
*ROLL PRISONERS OF WAR
at Harpers Ferry, W. VA, officers captured by Gen. Sheridan's forces, and sent to Fort Delaware, Del., Sept 25 1864
captured at Winchester VA Sept 19 1864 sent to Fort Delaware Sept 25 1864
*Jan 8 1865 capt. Sept 19 1864Winchester VA.
*July 1862 present for duty near Union VA.
*James C Maxwell signed Special Requisition No. 40
*James C Maxwell signed requesition for stationary No. 38
evie maxwell
Mildred Evie Maxwell
Mildred Evie Maxwell was the oldest child of Tom and Gilly (Higdon) Maxwell. She was born
April 7 1902. She attended Stephens School. At age seven she was stricken with polio. Her
father drove her to Bethany twice a week, a distance of eighteen miles each way for
treatments in the hope that she might be able to walk again. The disease at that time was so
new that little could be done, Evie was in a wheelchair the rest of her life.
The small community took up a collection to buy a wheelchair for her.
She was skilled in needlecraft, sewing, and cooking. She could sweep and scrub floors. She
made the bed with the help of a broom handle. She always remained cheerful, independent,
and was a second mother to her younger siblings.
Evie stayed with her sister Grace (Maxwell) Brown of Trenton and cared for her little nieces,
giving them wheelchair rides. They just adored her. She died January 1 1948 at Grace's home
and was buried in the family plot at the Cat Creek Cemetery near Brimson.
Mildred Evie Maxwell was the oldest child of Tom and Gilly (Higdon) Maxwell. She was born
April 7 1902. She attended Stephens School. At age seven she was stricken with polio. Her
father drove her to Bethany twice a week, a distance of eighteen miles each way for
treatments in the hope that she might be able to walk again. The disease at that time was so
new that little could be done, Evie was in a wheelchair the rest of her life.
The small community took up a collection to buy a wheelchair for her.
She was skilled in needlecraft, sewing, and cooking. She could sweep and scrub floors. She
made the bed with the help of a broom handle. She always remained cheerful, independent,
and was a second mother to her younger siblings.
Evie stayed with her sister Grace (Maxwell) Brown of Trenton and cared for her little nieces,
giving them wheelchair rides. They just adored her. She died January 1 1948 at Grace's home
and was buried in the family plot at the Cat Creek Cemetery near Brimson.
eva pauline alley
jan 25 2006 The Mirror
Ramblin' with Jennie by jennie vertrees
cemeteries in marion twp:
The Alley Cemetery is located one mile north and one mile east of Mercer and is well maintained. It has a good fence, with part of it being chain link fence. One of the last burials there was Eva Pauline (Shroyer) Alley Oct 25 1915-Mar 11 1991.
Ramblin' with Jennie by jennie vertrees
cemeteries in marion twp:
The Alley Cemetery is located one mile north and one mile east of Mercer and is well maintained. It has a good fence, with part of it being chain link fence. One of the last burials there was Eva Pauline (Shroyer) Alley Oct 25 1915-Mar 11 1991.
esther shroyer
the mirror march 1 2006
pearl's II Eden for Elders
Esther Shroyer enjoys frequent visits from her daughter Christine Greenlee
from princeton united methodist church jan 2006 calander
jan 3 esther shroyer birthday
Princeton Post Telegraph March 1 2007
obituaries
Esther Shroyer
Princeton MO
Esther Hope Shroyer, 95, died Tuesday, Feb 20 2007 at Pearls II Eden for Elders in Princeton MO.
Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. Robin Banion, were held Friday, Feb 23 at Greenlee-Middleton
Funeral Chapel in Princeton. Burial was in Princeton cemetery.
Mrs. Shroyer, daughter of Maurice & Grace (Shirley) Swingle, was born in Mercer County, Mo on Jan 3 1912.
She graduated from high school in Mercer, Mo & rec'd her teaching certificate from Kirksville Normal School
(now Truman State University) in Kirksville, MO.
She married John Wesley Shroyer on Aug 19 1934 in Kirksville Mo. After their marriage, Esther taught school
in Mercer County for a short time, and in 1938 they moved to the Los Angeles, Calif., area where Wesley was
employed by Lockheed Aircraft. They returned to Mercer County in 1948 & made their home in Princeton, where
Esther was the Mercer County librarian for 33 years, retiring in 1990.
Mrs. Shroyer was a gifted pianist and played for the Princeton Rotary Club for several years, and she was one of
the first female Rotary members. She was also a member of the Princeton United Methodist Church, and the
Princeton Business and Professional Women's Club and the Missouri Library Association, and she was a founding
member of the Grand River Library Association.
Survivors include her son, Ron Shroyer & wife Jo Ellen, of Boonville, Mo; her daughters, Marsha Seyffert & husband
Gordon of Kansas City, MO, and Christine Greenlee & husband Mike of Princeton; 9 grandchildren, Andrea Richards
& her fiance Robert Jackson of Kirksville, Mark Shroyer & wife Mary of Galesburg, Ill., Zachary Shroyer & wife Joy
of Kuwait City, Kuwait, Gretchen Cleppe & husband Mike of Columbia, Mo, Lindsay Seyffert & husband Erin Stephenson
of Los Angeles, Gus Seyffert of Los Angeles, Maggie Seyffert of New York City, NY & Jacob and Rebecca Shroyer
of Boonville; 7 great grandchildren, Sam & Max Richards, Jordan, Lucas & Charley Shroyer, Ella Cleppe & Ava Jackson,
and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wesley, on Oct. 4 2001; her brother Truman Swingle Sr; & her sisters, Vera
Nelson & Claire Millemon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mercer County Library or Princeton United Methodist Church. Contributions
may be mailed to Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Serviced, PO Boc 316, Princeton Mo 64673.
pearl's II Eden for Elders
Esther Shroyer enjoys frequent visits from her daughter Christine Greenlee
from princeton united methodist church jan 2006 calander
jan 3 esther shroyer birthday
Princeton Post Telegraph March 1 2007
obituaries
Esther Shroyer
Princeton MO
Esther Hope Shroyer, 95, died Tuesday, Feb 20 2007 at Pearls II Eden for Elders in Princeton MO.
Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. Robin Banion, were held Friday, Feb 23 at Greenlee-Middleton
Funeral Chapel in Princeton. Burial was in Princeton cemetery.
Mrs. Shroyer, daughter of Maurice & Grace (Shirley) Swingle, was born in Mercer County, Mo on Jan 3 1912.
She graduated from high school in Mercer, Mo & rec'd her teaching certificate from Kirksville Normal School
(now Truman State University) in Kirksville, MO.
She married John Wesley Shroyer on Aug 19 1934 in Kirksville Mo. After their marriage, Esther taught school
in Mercer County for a short time, and in 1938 they moved to the Los Angeles, Calif., area where Wesley was
employed by Lockheed Aircraft. They returned to Mercer County in 1948 & made their home in Princeton, where
Esther was the Mercer County librarian for 33 years, retiring in 1990.
Mrs. Shroyer was a gifted pianist and played for the Princeton Rotary Club for several years, and she was one of
the first female Rotary members. She was also a member of the Princeton United Methodist Church, and the
Princeton Business and Professional Women's Club and the Missouri Library Association, and she was a founding
member of the Grand River Library Association.
Survivors include her son, Ron Shroyer & wife Jo Ellen, of Boonville, Mo; her daughters, Marsha Seyffert & husband
Gordon of Kansas City, MO, and Christine Greenlee & husband Mike of Princeton; 9 grandchildren, Andrea Richards
& her fiance Robert Jackson of Kirksville, Mark Shroyer & wife Mary of Galesburg, Ill., Zachary Shroyer & wife Joy
of Kuwait City, Kuwait, Gretchen Cleppe & husband Mike of Columbia, Mo, Lindsay Seyffert & husband Erin Stephenson
of Los Angeles, Gus Seyffert of Los Angeles, Maggie Seyffert of New York City, NY & Jacob and Rebecca Shroyer
of Boonville; 7 great grandchildren, Sam & Max Richards, Jordan, Lucas & Charley Shroyer, Ella Cleppe & Ava Jackson,
and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wesley, on Oct. 4 2001; her brother Truman Swingle Sr; & her sisters, Vera
Nelson & Claire Millemon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mercer County Library or Princeton United Methodist Church. Contributions
may be mailed to Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Serviced, PO Boc 316, Princeton Mo 64673.
Etta Hughes
IN MEMORY OF
ETTA I. HUGHES
BORN
August 20, 1880
DATE OF DEATH
July 19, 1967
SERVICES FROM
The Christian Church in Cainsville, Mo.
Saturday afteroon July 22, 1967)
at 2:00 o'clock
CLERGYMAN OFFICIATING
Rev. Glenn E. Willson
Cainsville, Mo.
Freedom Cemetery
Stoklasa Funeral Home
Cainsville - Mt. Moriah
Missouri
ETTA I. HUGHES
BORN
August 20, 1880
DATE OF DEATH
July 19, 1967
SERVICES FROM
The Christian Church in Cainsville, Mo.
Saturday afteroon July 22, 1967)
at 2:00 o'clock
CLERGYMAN OFFICIATING
Rev. Glenn E. Willson
Cainsville, Mo.
Freedom Cemetery
Stoklasa Funeral Home
Cainsville - Mt. Moriah
Missouri
Edith Corbin
Edith Corbin
unknown paper
unknown date
clipping from grace brown
FUNERALS
Rites Held For Edith M. Corbin
Funeral services for Mrs. Edith M. Corbin were held at 2 p.m. Monday at Resthaven Mortuary, north of Trenton. The Rev. Larry Kackley, pastor of the Rural Dale Baptist Church, officiated.
Mrs. Corbin, 67, a resident of Route 4, Trenton, died early Friday morning in the Bailey Clinic at Jamesport.
Special music was provided by Mrs. Carolyn Berry, who sang "The Old Rugged Cross", and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." Mrs. Jackie Gibler played the organ accompaniment.
Pallbearers were Rex Harkins, Oliver Brewer, Alfred Urton, Leroy Corbin, Jim Spears and Frank Spears.
Burial was in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton.
unknown paper
unknown date
clipping from grace brown
Rural Trenton Woman Dies
Mrs. Edith M. Corbin,67, a resident of Route 4, Trenton, died at 1 a.m. today at the Bailey Clinic in Jamesport, where she had been a patient one day.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m Monday at Resthaven Mortuary, north of Trenton. The Rev. Larry Kackley, pastor of the Rural Dale Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial will in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton.
There is no family visitation scheduled at the mortuary.
Mrs. Corbin was born near Gilman City, Mo., on June 7, 1914, a daughter of Albert Louis and Maggie Mae Smith Brown. She was married to Harold Corbin on Feb. 6, 1954 in Trenton. They lived on a farm southwest of Trenton all their married life.
Mrs. Corbin was a member of the Edinburg Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Harold of the home; one son, Cecil Chambers of Trenton; her mother, Mrs. Maggie Weber of Lamoni, Iowa; one brother, Vermal Brown, and one sister, Verma Dean McCullough, both of Trenton; two half brothers, Charles Smith of Springdale, Ark., and Junior Smith of Apple Valley, Calif., and two grandchildren.
Mrs. Corbin was preceded in death by her father and one grandson, Gary Wayne Chambers.
unknown paper
unknown date
clipping from grace brown
FUNERALS
Rites Held For Edith M. Corbin
Funeral services for Mrs. Edith M. Corbin were held at 2 p.m. Monday at Resthaven Mortuary, north of Trenton. The Rev. Larry Kackley, pastor of the Rural Dale Baptist Church, officiated.
Mrs. Corbin, 67, a resident of Route 4, Trenton, died early Friday morning in the Bailey Clinic at Jamesport.
Special music was provided by Mrs. Carolyn Berry, who sang "The Old Rugged Cross", and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." Mrs. Jackie Gibler played the organ accompaniment.
Pallbearers were Rex Harkins, Oliver Brewer, Alfred Urton, Leroy Corbin, Jim Spears and Frank Spears.
Burial was in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton.
unknown paper
unknown date
clipping from grace brown
Rural Trenton Woman Dies
Mrs. Edith M. Corbin,67, a resident of Route 4, Trenton, died at 1 a.m. today at the Bailey Clinic in Jamesport, where she had been a patient one day.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m Monday at Resthaven Mortuary, north of Trenton. The Rev. Larry Kackley, pastor of the Rural Dale Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial will in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, north of Trenton.
There is no family visitation scheduled at the mortuary.
Mrs. Corbin was born near Gilman City, Mo., on June 7, 1914, a daughter of Albert Louis and Maggie Mae Smith Brown. She was married to Harold Corbin on Feb. 6, 1954 in Trenton. They lived on a farm southwest of Trenton all their married life.
Mrs. Corbin was a member of the Edinburg Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Harold of the home; one son, Cecil Chambers of Trenton; her mother, Mrs. Maggie Weber of Lamoni, Iowa; one brother, Vermal Brown, and one sister, Verma Dean McCullough, both of Trenton; two half brothers, Charles Smith of Springdale, Ark., and Junior Smith of Apple Valley, Calif., and two grandchildren.
Mrs. Corbin was preceded in death by her father and one grandson, Gary Wayne Chambers.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Dorothy Johnson
(JoAnn Johnson is related thru Grandma Grace's side of the family...deb)
princeton post telegraph
jan 4 2007
obituaries
DOROTHY JOHNSON
Cainsville, MO
Dorothy Helen Johnson, 89, died Sunday Dec. 24 2006 at North KC Hospital, MO hospital.
Funeral services,conducted by the Rev. Mary Meinecke, were held Friday Dec 29 2006 at Cainsville, Mo, First Christian Church, under the direction of Stoklasa Memorial Chapel of Cainsville un. Burial was in the Cain Cemetery, Cainsville.
Mrs. Johnson, daughter of George and Rosa (Overton) Meinecke, was born in Mercer Co MO on Sept 24 1917. She married Charles Johnson, who preceded her in death. She was a homemaker, and was a member of the Cainsville First Christian Church.
Survivors include 2 sons, Philip Johnson (and wife JoAnn) & Mike Johnson (and wife Deirdre); a daughter, Rita Crouse (and husband Gilbert), and 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 8 great great grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers: Joe, Burl, Arnold and Gus Meinecke, and 3 sisters: Lena Frakes, Leona Woodward, & Hazel Meinecke.
The family requests memorials to Cainsville First Christian Church of Cain Cemetery.
the mirror
jan 10 2007
obituaries
dorothy helen johnson, dau. of george and rosa (overton) meinecke, was born Sept 24 1917 in mercer co. mo. and died dec. 24 2006 at NKC, mo hospital at the age of 89.
dorothy was a homemaker and a member of the first christian church of cainsville, mo.
dorothy was married to charles johnson, who preceded her in death. she was also preceded in death by her parents, by 4 brothers, joe, burl, anronold and gus meinecke, by 3 sisters lena frakes, leona woodward and hazel meinecke. she is survived by her sons philip johnson and dau. in law JoAnn, mike johnson and dau. in law deirdre, dau. rita gilbert crouse, 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 8 gr. gr. grandchildren.
services were held on dec 29 2006 at the first cainsville christian church in cainsville mo . burial was in the cain cemetery, cainsville. in lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the cainsville christian church or cain cemetery.
The Mirror Jan 3 2007
CAINSVILLE NEWS
our sympathy to the family of dorothy johnson, who died dec. 24th. funeral services dec. 29th at the first christian church, with burial in the cain cemetery. dorothy was a wonderful christian lady.
princeton post telegraph
jan 4 2007
obituaries
DOROTHY JOHNSON
Cainsville, MO
Dorothy Helen Johnson, 89, died Sunday Dec. 24 2006 at North KC Hospital, MO hospital.
Funeral services,conducted by the Rev. Mary Meinecke, were held Friday Dec 29 2006 at Cainsville, Mo, First Christian Church, under the direction of Stoklasa Memorial Chapel of Cainsville un. Burial was in the Cain Cemetery, Cainsville.
Mrs. Johnson, daughter of George and Rosa (Overton) Meinecke, was born in Mercer Co MO on Sept 24 1917. She married Charles Johnson, who preceded her in death. She was a homemaker, and was a member of the Cainsville First Christian Church.
Survivors include 2 sons, Philip Johnson (and wife JoAnn) & Mike Johnson (and wife Deirdre); a daughter, Rita Crouse (and husband Gilbert), and 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 8 great great grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers: Joe, Burl, Arnold and Gus Meinecke, and 3 sisters: Lena Frakes, Leona Woodward, & Hazel Meinecke.
The family requests memorials to Cainsville First Christian Church of Cain Cemetery.
the mirror
jan 10 2007
obituaries
dorothy helen johnson, dau. of george and rosa (overton) meinecke, was born Sept 24 1917 in mercer co. mo. and died dec. 24 2006 at NKC, mo hospital at the age of 89.
dorothy was a homemaker and a member of the first christian church of cainsville, mo.
dorothy was married to charles johnson, who preceded her in death. she was also preceded in death by her parents, by 4 brothers, joe, burl, anronold and gus meinecke, by 3 sisters lena frakes, leona woodward and hazel meinecke. she is survived by her sons philip johnson and dau. in law JoAnn, mike johnson and dau. in law deirdre, dau. rita gilbert crouse, 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 8 gr. gr. grandchildren.
services were held on dec 29 2006 at the first cainsville christian church in cainsville mo . burial was in the cain cemetery, cainsville. in lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the cainsville christian church or cain cemetery.
The Mirror Jan 3 2007
CAINSVILLE NEWS
our sympathy to the family of dorothy johnson, who died dec. 24th. funeral services dec. 29th at the first christian church, with burial in the cain cemetery. dorothy was a wonderful christian lady.
Butch Shafer
email from va. matson aug 16 2006
Mary said to tell you that a cousin Butch Shafer died.
Virginia Matson
Mary said to tell you that a cousin Butch Shafer died.
Virginia Matson
Dee Higdon
(Since Mercer County Missouri is next to Harrison County Missouri, & Higdon is a family name, I made a note of this, but not sure at this point if he is related...unfortunately, I didn't record where I found this...deb)
the lifeless body of DEE HIGDON, a young farmer who was subject to epilepsy, was found in a highway in Lindley twp may 29 1906, and circumstances pointed to the theory of self-destruction
the lifeless body of DEE HIGDON, a young farmer who was subject to epilepsy, was found in a highway in Lindley twp may 29 1906, and circumstances pointed to the theory of self-destruction
Deb Dailey
Kevin & Deb (Axsom) Dailey
Debra Lynn Axsom was born December 8 1964, the oldest child of Bernard and Janet (Brown)
Axsom. She lived on the Axsom family farm off Route A near Trenton, MO until her great-
grandmother Daisy (Boyd) Axsom sold the farm and her parents rented a farm near Modena, MO.
when Deb was in first grade. In 1974 they bought a farm near Spickard, MO where Deb lived
until her marriage to Kevin Dailey September 28, 1983.
Deb and Kevin started their married life in an apartment in Chillicothe, Mo where Kevin attended
the vo-tech school. Kevin has worked in factories, on farms, for a tractor dealership, in a feed mill,
as a discount store manager, and now at the Hy-Vee Warehouse in Chariton, Ia loading trucks.
Deb has worked in fast food, daycare, long term nursing care, and has been at Premium
Standard Farms since 1995.
Deb and Kevin moved frequently due to Kevin's employment. In 1995 they moved to Mercer, Mo
where they currently live. Their three children are fourth generation students at North Mercer
R-III, where oldest daughter Koren Marie, born October 8 1985 at Leon,IA, was
valedictorian of her 2004 graduating class. Koren is a sophomore at Missouri Western State
University, St. Joe, MO. Karl Joseph was born March 9 1992 at Fairfax, MO. Katie Scarlett
was born November 2 1998 at Corydon,IA.
Kevin has been a volunteer firefighter, on the Park Board, and the Citizen's Committee for
Compensation for Elected Officials.
Deb has been a soccer coach, Band Booster, Athletic Booster, and assistant Girl Scout leader.
written by Deb Axsom Dailey, for grundy county missouri history book jan 2006
Debra Lynn Axsom was born December 8 1964, the oldest child of Bernard and Janet (Brown)
Axsom. She lived on the Axsom family farm off Route A near Trenton, MO until her great-
grandmother Daisy (Boyd) Axsom sold the farm and her parents rented a farm near Modena, MO.
when Deb was in first grade. In 1974 they bought a farm near Spickard, MO where Deb lived
until her marriage to Kevin Dailey September 28, 1983.
Deb and Kevin started their married life in an apartment in Chillicothe, Mo where Kevin attended
the vo-tech school. Kevin has worked in factories, on farms, for a tractor dealership, in a feed mill,
as a discount store manager, and now at the Hy-Vee Warehouse in Chariton, Ia loading trucks.
Deb has worked in fast food, daycare, long term nursing care, and has been at Premium
Standard Farms since 1995.
Deb and Kevin moved frequently due to Kevin's employment. In 1995 they moved to Mercer, Mo
where they currently live. Their three children are fourth generation students at North Mercer
R-III, where oldest daughter Koren Marie, born October 8 1985 at Leon,IA, was
valedictorian of her 2004 graduating class. Koren is a sophomore at Missouri Western State
University, St. Joe, MO. Karl Joseph was born March 9 1992 at Fairfax, MO. Katie Scarlett
was born November 2 1998 at Corydon,IA.
Kevin has been a volunteer firefighter, on the Park Board, and the Citizen's Committee for
Compensation for Elected Officials.
Deb has been a soccer coach, Band Booster, Athletic Booster, and assistant Girl Scout leader.
written by Deb Axsom Dailey, for grundy county missouri history book jan 2006
Carolyn Shroyer
carolyn was always a sweet & gracious lady, holding your hand while she talked to you, etc. she made such a fuss over 'pretty koren'. marie told me that when their girls were young and wayne was out on the truck, carolyn hated being home alone, & sometimes she had to have someone over, but begged them not to tell wayne,she didn't want to worry him. she was a tiny woman, and very crippled with arthritis at the end of her life. she had cancer, and was on the verge of death several times, her husband wayne fussed and worried over her, and was just an angel.
she was a snappy dresser. she loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. she was just a very nice lady.
carolyn was an older sister of my uncle jerry haggard, and the great aunt of my husband kevin dailey, since she married his grandma marie dailey hass' brother wayne.
her daughter linda shroyer remodeled the house to meet her wheelchair bound needs after her mother died and moved in. i see her from time to time in mercer.
====================================
carolyn shroyer on-line obit st joseph newspress thursday, july 15 2004
Carolyn Shroyer
1923-2004
MERCER, Mo. — Carolyn Shroyer, 81, Mercer, died Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
Mrs. Shroyer was a lifelong resident of Mercer.
Survivors are daughters, Sharon Cribb, Kansas City; and Linda Shroyer, Davison, Mich.; two brothers; a sister; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Service: 11 a.m. Friday, Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel, Princeton, Mo. Burial: Early Cemetery, Mercer. Visitation: 7 to 8 tonight, at the funeral home.
------------------------------------
princeton post telegraph july 15 2004
deaths
carolyn shroyer
carolyn shroyer of mercer, mo, died tuesday, july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city, mo.
funeral services will be held friday , july 16 at 11 a.m. at greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton. burial will be in early cemetery at mercer.
family visitation will be held tonight (thursday july 15) from 7-8 p.m. at greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton.
a complete obituary will appear in the july 22 edition of the princeton post telegraph.
----------------
-----------------------
Services, July 16, 2004
Carolyn Shroyer, 81, Mercer, Mo., 11 a.m. today, Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel, Princeton, Mo. Burial: Early Cemetery, Mercer.
---------------
----------------
mercer mirror july 21 2004
carolyn shroyer
carolyn shroyer died tuesday, july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city mo.
funeral services will be held friday july 16 at 11 a.m. at the greenlee-middleton funeral home in princeton. burial will be in the early cemetery near mercer. visitation will be thursday night from 7-8 p.m. there will be a full obituary in next weeks MIRROR.
-------------
mercer mirror july 21 2004
thank you for all the support and prayers during our loss. to reverend max carmichael for providing comfort and spiritual support, to the greenlee-middleton funeral home, to karla meinke and mary berndt for the music, and to the members of the mercer baptist church and the american legion auxiliary for the lunch. we thank our familiy and friends for the phone calls, cards, visits, food, prayers, and contributions to the memorial fund. our family is truly blessed by all of your acts of kindness. the carolyn shroyer family.
carolyn june shroyer
carolyn june shroyer, daughter of oral leonard and louie marie (durham) haggard, was born february 19 1923, in mercer missouri and died tuesday july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city missouri at the age of 81 years.
carolyn was a 1942 graduate of mercer high school. she was a member of the order of eastern star of lineville, iowa, the mercer high school alumni association, and the mercer baptist church. carolyn's greatest love was her home and family. as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, carolyn brought countless smiles to her loving family with something as simple as a wink. god bless her as she parts ways with this earth to look over us with an angel's watching eye.
carolyn was married on december 191942 to virgil wayne shroyer who preceded her in death on july 17 2003. she was also proceded in death by her parents; two brothers, william and max haggard; and by a sister-in-law, barbara haggard. she is survived by her two daughters, sharon cribb and son-in-law garry of kansas city, mo, and linda shroyer and son-in-law dusty hogue of davison, michigan; six grandchildren, russell scott cribb and his wife rebecca; todd wayne cribb and his wife laura; christopher jason cribb and his wife jaime; jennifer ann elliott and her husband eric; cicely rose lapierre and her husband nathan; and thaddeus dylan garton; and seven great grandchildren luke, bryanna, alexander, and sklyer cribb; hawthorn, taliesun, and berkana lapierrre; one sister, dorothy carmicael and brother-in-law H.L. of mercer; two brothers richard haggard of east moline, illinois, and jerry haggard and sister-in-law freeda of redding, ca., one sister-in-law chastine haggard of mercer and by many other friends and relatives.
funeral services were held on friday july 16 2004 at the greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton mo. with reverend max carmichael officiating. burial was in the early cemetery, in mercer mo.
in lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the mercer high school alumni association and may be mailed to the funeral home at PO box 316 princeton mo 64673.
eric and jennifer elliott of little rock, ark, russell and becky cribb, luke, bryanna and alexander, todd and laura cribb and skylar, christopher, and jamie cribb, all of kansas city, spent thursday night and friday morning with their grandmother, mary cribb. they were here for the visitation thursday night and funeral friday for their grandmother, carolyn shroyer, gary, sharon and tom cribb have been visiters.
she was a snappy dresser. she loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. she was just a very nice lady.
carolyn was an older sister of my uncle jerry haggard, and the great aunt of my husband kevin dailey, since she married his grandma marie dailey hass' brother wayne.
her daughter linda shroyer remodeled the house to meet her wheelchair bound needs after her mother died and moved in. i see her from time to time in mercer.
====================================
carolyn shroyer on-line obit st joseph newspress thursday, july 15 2004
Carolyn Shroyer
1923-2004
MERCER, Mo. — Carolyn Shroyer, 81, Mercer, died Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
Mrs. Shroyer was a lifelong resident of Mercer.
Survivors are daughters, Sharon Cribb, Kansas City; and Linda Shroyer, Davison, Mich.; two brothers; a sister; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Service: 11 a.m. Friday, Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel, Princeton, Mo. Burial: Early Cemetery, Mercer. Visitation: 7 to 8 tonight, at the funeral home.
------------------------------------
princeton post telegraph july 15 2004
deaths
carolyn shroyer
carolyn shroyer of mercer, mo, died tuesday, july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city, mo.
funeral services will be held friday , july 16 at 11 a.m. at greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton. burial will be in early cemetery at mercer.
family visitation will be held tonight (thursday july 15) from 7-8 p.m. at greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton.
a complete obituary will appear in the july 22 edition of the princeton post telegraph.
----------------
-----------------------
Services, July 16, 2004
Carolyn Shroyer, 81, Mercer, Mo., 11 a.m. today, Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel, Princeton, Mo. Burial: Early Cemetery, Mercer.
---------------
----------------
mercer mirror july 21 2004
carolyn shroyer
carolyn shroyer died tuesday, july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city mo.
funeral services will be held friday july 16 at 11 a.m. at the greenlee-middleton funeral home in princeton. burial will be in the early cemetery near mercer. visitation will be thursday night from 7-8 p.m. there will be a full obituary in next weeks MIRROR.
-------------
mercer mirror july 21 2004
thank you for all the support and prayers during our loss. to reverend max carmichael for providing comfort and spiritual support, to the greenlee-middleton funeral home, to karla meinke and mary berndt for the music, and to the members of the mercer baptist church and the american legion auxiliary for the lunch. we thank our familiy and friends for the phone calls, cards, visits, food, prayers, and contributions to the memorial fund. our family is truly blessed by all of your acts of kindness. the carolyn shroyer family.
carolyn june shroyer
carolyn june shroyer, daughter of oral leonard and louie marie (durham) haggard, was born february 19 1923, in mercer missouri and died tuesday july 13 2004 at st luke's hospital in kansas city missouri at the age of 81 years.
carolyn was a 1942 graduate of mercer high school. she was a member of the order of eastern star of lineville, iowa, the mercer high school alumni association, and the mercer baptist church. carolyn's greatest love was her home and family. as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, carolyn brought countless smiles to her loving family with something as simple as a wink. god bless her as she parts ways with this earth to look over us with an angel's watching eye.
carolyn was married on december 191942 to virgil wayne shroyer who preceded her in death on july 17 2003. she was also proceded in death by her parents; two brothers, william and max haggard; and by a sister-in-law, barbara haggard. she is survived by her two daughters, sharon cribb and son-in-law garry of kansas city, mo, and linda shroyer and son-in-law dusty hogue of davison, michigan; six grandchildren, russell scott cribb and his wife rebecca; todd wayne cribb and his wife laura; christopher jason cribb and his wife jaime; jennifer ann elliott and her husband eric; cicely rose lapierre and her husband nathan; and thaddeus dylan garton; and seven great grandchildren luke, bryanna, alexander, and sklyer cribb; hawthorn, taliesun, and berkana lapierrre; one sister, dorothy carmicael and brother-in-law H.L. of mercer; two brothers richard haggard of east moline, illinois, and jerry haggard and sister-in-law freeda of redding, ca., one sister-in-law chastine haggard of mercer and by many other friends and relatives.
funeral services were held on friday july 16 2004 at the greenlee-middleton funeral chapel in princeton mo. with reverend max carmichael officiating. burial was in the early cemetery, in mercer mo.
in lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the mercer high school alumni association and may be mailed to the funeral home at PO box 316 princeton mo 64673.
eric and jennifer elliott of little rock, ark, russell and becky cribb, luke, bryanna and alexander, todd and laura cribb and skylar, christopher, and jamie cribb, all of kansas city, spent thursday night and friday morning with their grandmother, mary cribb. they were here for the visitation thursday night and funeral friday for their grandmother, carolyn shroyer, gary, sharon and tom cribb have been visiters.
Howard Flatt
princeton post telegraph
jan 4 2007
obitiuaries
HOWARD FLATT
Howard Flatt, 66, died Dec. 24 2006, at Decatur Co. Hospital, Leon,Ia.
Funeral services were held Weds, Dec 27 at Cainsville Mo United Methodist Church, under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home of Bethany, Mo. Burial was in Freedom Cemetery, northeast of Cainsville. A memorial service was held Friday, Dec. 29 at Grace Baptist Church in DesMoines, Ia.
Mr. Flatt, son of Howard and Lillian (Berthelsen) Flatt Sr. was born in Des Moines on April 24 1040. (this is probably supposed to be 1940, deb)
He married Shirley Flatt on June 16 1963 in Des Moines, Ia.
In spite of lifelong health problems, he enjoyed helping others and his community. When his children were young, he enjoyed being a coach for flag football and basketball.
He was a master electrician and retired as business mgr. for IBEW Local 347. He served on the boards for the Food Bank of Iowa, Goodwill, Des Moines Habitat for Humanity adn the first County Charter Commission, and president of the Iowa State Building and Construction Council. Most important to him was the opportunity to serve as deacon at Grace Baptist Church of Des Moines.
He loved spending time with family and friends, especially children, tinkering with his tractors, bird watching and being outdoors, especially if he was fishing.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, of the home at Cainsville, 2 sons, Christopher Flatt (and wife Lari) and Howard Flatt III, and a brother, Arthur Flatt Sr. (and wife Tonya) all of Des Moines, a sister Patricia Bauer (and husband Ron) of Newton Ia., and one grandson, 6 nieces and nephews, and 9 great nieces and great nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Cindi Flatt, and a sister in law, Barb Gray.
princeton post telegraph
jan 11 2007
the family of howard flatt whould like to thank all who are helping us during this difficult time; the princeton EMTs who used their skills and shared their love and concern to a stranger, even when called out on christmas eve; and the continued care shown at the leon hospital.
to my cousins , richard and marsha and junior and louise and family, thank you for your support and help with the service and food at the church. a special thanks to kay mclain for playing the hymns howard loved. may god bless everyone who helped. shirley and family-saline mo.
jan 4 2007
obitiuaries
HOWARD FLATT
Howard Flatt, 66, died Dec. 24 2006, at Decatur Co. Hospital, Leon,Ia.
Funeral services were held Weds, Dec 27 at Cainsville Mo United Methodist Church, under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home of Bethany, Mo. Burial was in Freedom Cemetery, northeast of Cainsville. A memorial service was held Friday, Dec. 29 at Grace Baptist Church in DesMoines, Ia.
Mr. Flatt, son of Howard and Lillian (Berthelsen) Flatt Sr. was born in Des Moines on April 24 1040. (this is probably supposed to be 1940, deb)
He married Shirley Flatt on June 16 1963 in Des Moines, Ia.
In spite of lifelong health problems, he enjoyed helping others and his community. When his children were young, he enjoyed being a coach for flag football and basketball.
He was a master electrician and retired as business mgr. for IBEW Local 347. He served on the boards for the Food Bank of Iowa, Goodwill, Des Moines Habitat for Humanity adn the first County Charter Commission, and president of the Iowa State Building and Construction Council. Most important to him was the opportunity to serve as deacon at Grace Baptist Church of Des Moines.
He loved spending time with family and friends, especially children, tinkering with his tractors, bird watching and being outdoors, especially if he was fishing.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, of the home at Cainsville, 2 sons, Christopher Flatt (and wife Lari) and Howard Flatt III, and a brother, Arthur Flatt Sr. (and wife Tonya) all of Des Moines, a sister Patricia Bauer (and husband Ron) of Newton Ia., and one grandson, 6 nieces and nephews, and 9 great nieces and great nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Cindi Flatt, and a sister in law, Barb Gray.
princeton post telegraph
jan 11 2007
the family of howard flatt whould like to thank all who are helping us during this difficult time; the princeton EMTs who used their skills and shared their love and concern to a stranger, even when called out on christmas eve; and the continued care shown at the leon hospital.
to my cousins , richard and marsha and junior and louise and family, thank you for your support and help with the service and food at the church. a special thanks to kay mclain for playing the hymns howard loved. may god bless everyone who helped. shirley and family-saline mo.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
grandma remembers...
& her memory is amazing!
She talked about how her father got the 100 acres of Creswell land, & what the other siblings got.
about her Grandpa Maxwell who lived with them, how her & her brother John would torment him, about him dying after the fire when she was 8,
how Evie was like her mom, teaching her to sew & cook & crochet while their mom was outside working,
walking about half a mile to school.
She went to Melbourne & took a test & earned a years tutition to high school. She had to board with families, she talked like her & Eva boarded together, at one time they stayed in the back of a cafe.
Grandpa Vermal's uncle that he lived with needed him at home to help on the farm a lot, he got behind in school. He had to walk 2 miles each way. He only made it thru 6th grade.
The whole family babied Minerva.
She thinks she had a picture of Evie & Charlene.
Wheelchairs back then were nothing like todays models, yet Evie could sweep & mop & make beds.
She talked about how her father got the 100 acres of Creswell land, & what the other siblings got.
about her Grandpa Maxwell who lived with them, how her & her brother John would torment him, about him dying after the fire when she was 8,
how Evie was like her mom, teaching her to sew & cook & crochet while their mom was outside working,
walking about half a mile to school.
She went to Melbourne & took a test & earned a years tutition to high school. She had to board with families, she talked like her & Eva boarded together, at one time they stayed in the back of a cafe.
Grandpa Vermal's uncle that he lived with needed him at home to help on the farm a lot, he got behind in school. He had to walk 2 miles each way. He only made it thru 6th grade.
The whole family babied Minerva.
She thinks she had a picture of Evie & Charlene.
Wheelchairs back then were nothing like todays models, yet Evie could sweep & mop & make beds.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Cainsville Cook Book
Recipes and Remembrances: cainsville community cook book
contributed by Dianne Thomas (David) Cainsville, Mo
Mexican Fiesta Dip
Frozen Fruit Salad
Date Pinwheel Cookies (Joanna Bondurant recipe)
Oatmeal-Jam Cookies with Ileen Maple Thomas, Ilene enjoyed making cookies with her grandchildren.
contributed by Walker Thomas, Joshua Pash, Bethany
Grandma's Hot Chocolate
Butter PEcan Bars
contributed by Kathy Clegg Nordstrom St Joseph Mo
Lewis and Clark White Chili
Lemon Cheese Dessert
Dutch Apple Pie-I remember Grandma Maple and Mom making this wonderful pie. I came from a family of wonderful cooks. Sunday dinners at Grandparents Harley and Cora Maple shared with aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents, Bob and KAthleen Clegg, are now some of my most cherished memoires.
Mrs. Worrel's French Toast
contributed by Ileen Maple Thomas, Bethany, Mo
Hamburger Vegetable soup
Applesauce Meatloaf
Rhubarb or Apple Crisp
Carrot Cake by Ileen Thomas, recipe submitted by Virginia Thomas
Sugar Cookies
Pink Pickled Eggs-this is an Easter family tradition from Cora Maple
contributed by Ruth Frisbie Dunn, Peculiar Mo
Kim's Chocolate Chip Pizza
Texas Ranger Rations
I graduated from Cainsville High School in 1971
contributed by Dorothy Thomas, Cainsville Mo
Vegetable Chowder
Corn Dish Casserole
Custard Pie
contributed by Reva Elmore Sorenson Bethany Mo
Orange Salad
Coconut Cream Pie
contributed by Virginia Flanagan Matson, Independence Mo
Mashed Potato Salad
Meatloaf
Angel Food Cake
Hominy Recipe-this was my mother Slyvia Flanagans recipe
Divinity Candy
Memories: IN the 1940s and 1950s I remember on Saturday night the folks would go to Cainsville, there were people all over the streets visiting. The women would go to the Hy-Vee and trade. The Hy-Vee had two big benches across the front of the store where the ladies usually sat and visited after they got their groceries. If you wanted to go to another store they would set your sacks in the window ledge behind the benches with your name on them. When you were ready to go home you just came in and got them.
In the fall of 1948 the polio epidemic went through the Red Rock School, northeast of Cainsville. I got sick and the folks took me down to Doc Duff in Cainsville. He thought it might be Spinal Menigitis, so the folks took me to Dr. Bristow in Princeton. I came to a Kansas City Hospital, it was polio and I was there 9 months. The Red Rock School burned all the books and papers in the school and exterminated the school.
These are a few things I remember about Cainsville and the area around.
Fish Bait-Not To Be EAten-recipe of my father, Harley Flanagan
Lye Soap-recipe of my mother Slyvia Flanagan
contributed by Sherri Frisbie Barton, Cainsville, Mo
Peanut Butter Popcorn
I started my beauty shop, Sherri's Outback Salon, in Cainsville, in June 1999, next to the old mill. I am the daughter of Floyd Frisbie, Jr. and Louise (Francis) Frisbie.
contributed by PAge Pash, Sierra Thomas, Bethany,Mo
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
contributed by Mary Axsom Johnson, Independence Mo
Sauerkraut Salad
Make-Ahead Salad
Pineapple Cookies This recipe was my mothers, PAuline Axsom. It was a family favorite from the 50s.
Banana Drop Cookies (my mother, PAuline Axsom, sent me this recipe in 1990. My mom and dad really liked these cookies.)
Memories: As a little girl born on a farm in 1940 (4-5miles north of Cainsville, near Pea Ridge) the highlight of our week was going into town on Saturday night. Mom and Dad, Alfred and Pauline Axsom, often had a can of cream to sell. People would gather on the sidewalks to chat. Children could walk around the square without fear of being abducted. The movies were usually westerns and there was always a cartoon. One of my fondest memories is of Mom taking us to see ":Little Women".
Up until i was around 7 years old, we would usually go into town in a horsedrawn wagon. During the winter, my sister, Freeda, my brother, Bernard and I would be nestled beside Mom in the wagon bed in straw and bundled in blankets.
Other remembrances are: The "Box Store" owned and operated by Guy and Roberta Reeves and the 3 way mirrors we 3 kids loved. A Christmas tree with lights with bubbling liquid in Goodrich Drug Store intrigued me. Electric lines did not come closer than a mile of our house. Uncle Ralph's boyd returned for burial. Men had to put chains on tires to get into town because of sleet. The hearse had to unload the casket about halfway to Fairview Cemetery, because of muddy roads, and load it into a horse drawn wagon. Going with Grandma Daisy Axsom to a house, behind Pearson's Store, to place a long distance call from a switchboard there. Doing a balancing act, walking atop Rose Bishop's brick fence wall.
In the 1940s a black woman wearing a bandana around her head came to Noah's Grocery STore to promote and serve Aunt Jemima's pancakes to customers. I remember eating buckwheat pancakes.
Lime Pickle Recipe---this recipe belonged to my mother Pauline Shafer Axsom. Very good, easy and quick.
contributed by Bill & Virginia Thomas Ridgeway Mo
Asparagus Casserole
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Carrots and Cheese
Scalloped Corn
Aunt Joanna's Waffles
Carrot Cake by Ileen Thomas, recipe submitted by Virginia Thomas
Thelma Meinecke's Peanut Butter Cookies
contributed by Janet Boyd Richman, Leon,IA in memory of Warren Grant Boyd
Fruit Cocktail Cake
contributed by Louise Francis Frisbie Cainsville Mo
Fruitcake
Burnt Sugar Pie
contributed by Kay Thomas, Bethany Mo & Dorothy Thomas, Cainsville Mo
Scalloped Cabbage
contributed by Luther and Freeda (Craig) Bower, Grove, OK
Easy Lasagna
Memories by Luther Brower, Grove, OK: I was born a block off the Cainsville Square. Freeda Craig was born in Mercer County. We both graduated from Cainsville High School. IN MArch we will celebrate our 59th anniversary.
My earliest memories are mental pictures of the dam across the old river and the swimming hole behind it and the old bandstand in the middle of the square surrounded by mud most of the time. Saturday nights the town came alive socially. We anxiously started watching the sky for signs of rain a couple of days before the weekend. A small shower would make the gumbo roads impassable, which made that week a complete loss except for the crops. If it rained on the 4th of July or the Cainsville Picnic the entire year was ruined.
The coal mine made Cainsville a boom town and touring road shows visited the old 'opry' house. I have memories of riding the train to Pleasanton, Ia when I was about 6 years old. It had green plush seats. I saw the first airplane that ever came to Cainsville. It was not uncommon to hear conversations in the Bohemian language on the streets. I also was a visitor on the huge barge that straightened the river to prevent flooding. I viewed the killing of the largest water mocassin ever in the area.
contributed by Phil Graham, KC Mo
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Fried Venison Meat Loaf
contributed by Elissa Thomas, Cainsville, Mo
Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese
contributed by Colleen Willis Sorenson
Fat-Free Corn Bread
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
contributed by Madean (Emmons) Engle, Round Rock ,Tx
Hush Puppies
English Toffee Cookies
in memory of my grandparents Enoch NEwton Willis, Sr and Mary E. (McClure) Willis. Enoch and Mary 's farm was near the Hughes cemetery north of Cainsville. In early 1900s they moved to their new home in the north part of Cainsville. The house is still standing.
PEcan Pie-in memory of my parents Ernast B. Emmons & MAdie Willis Emmons. My father was a farmer and raised cattle as did his father, Jonathan M Emmons. My mother was the youngest child of ENoch N Willis Sr and MAry McClure Willis. She first taught at Toad Valley School/North High Point, later worked for Rose Bishop Dry Goods Store, Cainsville, Mo as a sales clerk.
contributed by Dorothy Meinecke Johnson Cainsville Mo
Twinkie Dessert
Barbecue Sauce on Roast
Recipe for a Happy Home
contributed by Kay McLain Thomas Bethany Mo
Kay's Peanut Butter Fudge
contributed by Dianne Thomas (David) Cainsville, Mo
Mexican Fiesta Dip
Frozen Fruit Salad
Date Pinwheel Cookies (Joanna Bondurant recipe)
Oatmeal-Jam Cookies with Ileen Maple Thomas, Ilene enjoyed making cookies with her grandchildren.
contributed by Walker Thomas, Joshua Pash, Bethany
Grandma's Hot Chocolate
Butter PEcan Bars
contributed by Kathy Clegg Nordstrom St Joseph Mo
Lewis and Clark White Chili
Lemon Cheese Dessert
Dutch Apple Pie-I remember Grandma Maple and Mom making this wonderful pie. I came from a family of wonderful cooks. Sunday dinners at Grandparents Harley and Cora Maple shared with aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents, Bob and KAthleen Clegg, are now some of my most cherished memoires.
Mrs. Worrel's French Toast
contributed by Ileen Maple Thomas, Bethany, Mo
Hamburger Vegetable soup
Applesauce Meatloaf
Rhubarb or Apple Crisp
Carrot Cake by Ileen Thomas, recipe submitted by Virginia Thomas
Sugar Cookies
Pink Pickled Eggs-this is an Easter family tradition from Cora Maple
contributed by Ruth Frisbie Dunn, Peculiar Mo
Kim's Chocolate Chip Pizza
Texas Ranger Rations
I graduated from Cainsville High School in 1971
contributed by Dorothy Thomas, Cainsville Mo
Vegetable Chowder
Corn Dish Casserole
Custard Pie
contributed by Reva Elmore Sorenson Bethany Mo
Orange Salad
Coconut Cream Pie
contributed by Virginia Flanagan Matson, Independence Mo
Mashed Potato Salad
Meatloaf
Angel Food Cake
Hominy Recipe-this was my mother Slyvia Flanagans recipe
Divinity Candy
Memories: IN the 1940s and 1950s I remember on Saturday night the folks would go to Cainsville, there were people all over the streets visiting. The women would go to the Hy-Vee and trade. The Hy-Vee had two big benches across the front of the store where the ladies usually sat and visited after they got their groceries. If you wanted to go to another store they would set your sacks in the window ledge behind the benches with your name on them. When you were ready to go home you just came in and got them.
In the fall of 1948 the polio epidemic went through the Red Rock School, northeast of Cainsville. I got sick and the folks took me down to Doc Duff in Cainsville. He thought it might be Spinal Menigitis, so the folks took me to Dr. Bristow in Princeton. I came to a Kansas City Hospital, it was polio and I was there 9 months. The Red Rock School burned all the books and papers in the school and exterminated the school.
These are a few things I remember about Cainsville and the area around.
Fish Bait-Not To Be EAten-recipe of my father, Harley Flanagan
Lye Soap-recipe of my mother Slyvia Flanagan
contributed by Sherri Frisbie Barton, Cainsville, Mo
Peanut Butter Popcorn
I started my beauty shop, Sherri's Outback Salon, in Cainsville, in June 1999, next to the old mill. I am the daughter of Floyd Frisbie, Jr. and Louise (Francis) Frisbie.
contributed by PAge Pash, Sierra Thomas, Bethany,Mo
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
contributed by Mary Axsom Johnson, Independence Mo
Sauerkraut Salad
Make-Ahead Salad
Pineapple Cookies This recipe was my mothers, PAuline Axsom. It was a family favorite from the 50s.
Banana Drop Cookies (my mother, PAuline Axsom, sent me this recipe in 1990. My mom and dad really liked these cookies.)
Memories: As a little girl born on a farm in 1940 (4-5miles north of Cainsville, near Pea Ridge) the highlight of our week was going into town on Saturday night. Mom and Dad, Alfred and Pauline Axsom, often had a can of cream to sell. People would gather on the sidewalks to chat. Children could walk around the square without fear of being abducted. The movies were usually westerns and there was always a cartoon. One of my fondest memories is of Mom taking us to see ":Little Women".
Up until i was around 7 years old, we would usually go into town in a horsedrawn wagon. During the winter, my sister, Freeda, my brother, Bernard and I would be nestled beside Mom in the wagon bed in straw and bundled in blankets.
Other remembrances are: The "Box Store" owned and operated by Guy and Roberta Reeves and the 3 way mirrors we 3 kids loved. A Christmas tree with lights with bubbling liquid in Goodrich Drug Store intrigued me. Electric lines did not come closer than a mile of our house. Uncle Ralph's boyd returned for burial. Men had to put chains on tires to get into town because of sleet. The hearse had to unload the casket about halfway to Fairview Cemetery, because of muddy roads, and load it into a horse drawn wagon. Going with Grandma Daisy Axsom to a house, behind Pearson's Store, to place a long distance call from a switchboard there. Doing a balancing act, walking atop Rose Bishop's brick fence wall.
In the 1940s a black woman wearing a bandana around her head came to Noah's Grocery STore to promote and serve Aunt Jemima's pancakes to customers. I remember eating buckwheat pancakes.
Lime Pickle Recipe---this recipe belonged to my mother Pauline Shafer Axsom. Very good, easy and quick.
contributed by Bill & Virginia Thomas Ridgeway Mo
Asparagus Casserole
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Carrots and Cheese
Scalloped Corn
Aunt Joanna's Waffles
Carrot Cake by Ileen Thomas, recipe submitted by Virginia Thomas
Thelma Meinecke's Peanut Butter Cookies
contributed by Janet Boyd Richman, Leon,IA in memory of Warren Grant Boyd
Fruit Cocktail Cake
contributed by Louise Francis Frisbie Cainsville Mo
Fruitcake
Burnt Sugar Pie
contributed by Kay Thomas, Bethany Mo & Dorothy Thomas, Cainsville Mo
Scalloped Cabbage
contributed by Luther and Freeda (Craig) Bower, Grove, OK
Easy Lasagna
Memories by Luther Brower, Grove, OK: I was born a block off the Cainsville Square. Freeda Craig was born in Mercer County. We both graduated from Cainsville High School. IN MArch we will celebrate our 59th anniversary.
My earliest memories are mental pictures of the dam across the old river and the swimming hole behind it and the old bandstand in the middle of the square surrounded by mud most of the time. Saturday nights the town came alive socially. We anxiously started watching the sky for signs of rain a couple of days before the weekend. A small shower would make the gumbo roads impassable, which made that week a complete loss except for the crops. If it rained on the 4th of July or the Cainsville Picnic the entire year was ruined.
The coal mine made Cainsville a boom town and touring road shows visited the old 'opry' house. I have memories of riding the train to Pleasanton, Ia when I was about 6 years old. It had green plush seats. I saw the first airplane that ever came to Cainsville. It was not uncommon to hear conversations in the Bohemian language on the streets. I also was a visitor on the huge barge that straightened the river to prevent flooding. I viewed the killing of the largest water mocassin ever in the area.
contributed by Phil Graham, KC Mo
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Fried Venison Meat Loaf
contributed by Elissa Thomas, Cainsville, Mo
Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese
contributed by Colleen Willis Sorenson
Fat-Free Corn Bread
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
contributed by Madean (Emmons) Engle, Round Rock ,Tx
Hush Puppies
English Toffee Cookies
in memory of my grandparents Enoch NEwton Willis, Sr and Mary E. (McClure) Willis. Enoch and Mary 's farm was near the Hughes cemetery north of Cainsville. In early 1900s they moved to their new home in the north part of Cainsville. The house is still standing.
PEcan Pie-in memory of my parents Ernast B. Emmons & MAdie Willis Emmons. My father was a farmer and raised cattle as did his father, Jonathan M Emmons. My mother was the youngest child of ENoch N Willis Sr and MAry McClure Willis. She first taught at Toad Valley School/North High Point, later worked for Rose Bishop Dry Goods Store, Cainsville, Mo as a sales clerk.
contributed by Dorothy Meinecke Johnson Cainsville Mo
Twinkie Dessert
Barbecue Sauce on Roast
Recipe for a Happy Home
contributed by Kay McLain Thomas Bethany Mo
Kay's Peanut Butter Fudge
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Pine Lawn Cemetery
PINE LAWN CEMETERY
Winona Shannon Co MO
Located just off Highway H inside Winona City Limits. From Highway 19 North turn East on Highway H across from the Casey’s General Store; just after you crest the hill, a well-maintained dirt road leads off to the right; it is the second ‘street’ on the right – not counting driveways to a couple of houses....follow the road down and around to the right; a gate into the cemetery is on the right. It’s about ½ mile from where you turn off onto H.
I don’t know if this a complete list but there are over 700 graves listed here.
Donita Barkley - March 14, 2007
DOUBLE MARKER
Williams, Nora Grace Higdon b. 1887 d. 1969 'Aunt Grace'
Williams, Richard Oscar b. 1879 d. 1965 'Uncle Dick'
Parents of Ruth Olive Williams, wife of country music star Porter Wagoner. (I have her obituary)
Winona Shannon Co MO
Located just off Highway H inside Winona City Limits. From Highway 19 North turn East on Highway H across from the Casey’s General Store; just after you crest the hill, a well-maintained dirt road leads off to the right; it is the second ‘street’ on the right – not counting driveways to a couple of houses....follow the road down and around to the right; a gate into the cemetery is on the right. It’s about ½ mile from where you turn off onto H.
I don’t know if this a complete list but there are over 700 graves listed here.
Donita Barkley - March 14, 2007
DOUBLE MARKER
Williams, Nora Grace Higdon b. 1887 d. 1969 'Aunt Grace'
Williams, Richard Oscar b. 1879 d. 1965 'Uncle Dick'
Parents of Ruth Olive Williams, wife of country music star Porter Wagoner. (I have her obituary)
Ruth Wagoner
RUTH OLIVE (WILLIAMS) WAGONER, Date of Death: October 31, 2006.
Ruth WILLIAMS WAGONER Age 82 October 31, 2006 Davidson Age 82 of Nashville, passed away Tuesday, October 31, 2006. Preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Grace WILLIAMS. Survived by her husband, Porter WAGONER; son, Richard W. WAGONER, Nashville; daughters, Debra (Mike) LOY, Nashville and Denise M. WAGONER, Mt. Juliet; 6 grandchildren, Christina, Shelley, Gabriel, Alisa, Brittany and Shannon; great-granddaughter, Alexius; 2 sisters-in-law, Lola BRANDT and Lorraine HALL, both of Missouri. Mrs. WAGONER was a member of Grandview Baptist Church (Nashville). Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday, November 4, 2006 in Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home's Dignity Hall, with Rev. Ted J. Ingram officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park. Family and friends will serve as Pallbearers. Visitation with the family 1-8 p.m. Friday and Noon - 1 p.m. Saturday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 4205 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 216, Nashville, TN 37215. Woodlawn-Roesch Patton Funeral Home, 660 Thompson Lane, 615- 383-4754; A Dignity Memorial Provider. (SOURCE: Tenessean.com, Davidson County News-Obituaries; November 2006). Notes: Ruth WILLIAMS WAGONER was originally from the Winona Area, Shannon County, Missouri the daughter of Richard Oscar WILLIAMS and Nora Grace HIGDON COOPER. Ruth married country music legend Porter WAGONER (a native of southern Missouri and hometown of West Plains) in 1946. Sources for this information: Tennessean.com; Davidson County, News-Obituaries. Submitted by: K. Scott Rimell Date: Wed Mar 28 13:43:23 2007.
Ruth WILLIAMS WAGONER Age 82 October 31, 2006 Davidson Age 82 of Nashville, passed away Tuesday, October 31, 2006. Preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Grace WILLIAMS. Survived by her husband, Porter WAGONER; son, Richard W. WAGONER, Nashville; daughters, Debra (Mike) LOY, Nashville and Denise M. WAGONER, Mt. Juliet; 6 grandchildren, Christina, Shelley, Gabriel, Alisa, Brittany and Shannon; great-granddaughter, Alexius; 2 sisters-in-law, Lola BRANDT and Lorraine HALL, both of Missouri. Mrs. WAGONER was a member of Grandview Baptist Church (Nashville). Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday, November 4, 2006 in Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home's Dignity Hall, with Rev. Ted J. Ingram officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park. Family and friends will serve as Pallbearers. Visitation with the family 1-8 p.m. Friday and Noon - 1 p.m. Saturday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 4205 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 216, Nashville, TN 37215. Woodlawn-Roesch Patton Funeral Home, 660 Thompson Lane, 615- 383-4754; A Dignity Memorial Provider. (SOURCE: Tenessean.com, Davidson County News-Obituaries; November 2006). Notes: Ruth WILLIAMS WAGONER was originally from the Winona Area, Shannon County, Missouri the daughter of Richard Oscar WILLIAMS and Nora Grace HIGDON COOPER. Ruth married country music legend Porter WAGONER (a native of southern Missouri and hometown of West Plains) in 1946. Sources for this information: Tennessean.com; Davidson County, News-Obituaries. Submitted by: K. Scott Rimell Date: Wed Mar 28 13:43:23 2007.
A Satisifed Mind
Debra's husband is Mike Loy
p.395 IRS said Porter owed $489,000. His new manager began selling off his homes, including Ruth's on Franklin Road. She was moved into a more modest home where she lives today.
p.424 Richard works at Opryland
p.427 Porter decided he wanted a divorce Feb 1986
Ruth filed March 1986 "irreconcilable differences"
p.428 divorce trial in October
Ruth kept her house, her 1979 Cadillac, her jewelry & furs, $1300/month alimony payment, & a cash settlement.
p.457 acknowledgements page lists Ruth Wagoner.
& now Deb is done skimming thru this book. If anyone wants to borrow it (with my mad highlighting of passages interesting to me...)let me know.
It's always cool to have someone 'in the family' who makes it into a book, etc, they're much easier to 'get to know'.
p.395 IRS said Porter owed $489,000. His new manager began selling off his homes, including Ruth's on Franklin Road. She was moved into a more modest home where she lives today.
p.424 Richard works at Opryland
p.427 Porter decided he wanted a divorce Feb 1986
Ruth filed March 1986 "irreconcilable differences"
p.428 divorce trial in October
Ruth kept her house, her 1979 Cadillac, her jewelry & furs, $1300/month alimony payment, & a cash settlement.
p.457 acknowledgements page lists Ruth Wagoner.
& now Deb is done skimming thru this book. If anyone wants to borrow it (with my mad highlighting of passages interesting to me...)let me know.
It's always cool to have someone 'in the family' who makes it into a book, etc, they're much easier to 'get to know'.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
A Satisfied Mind cont....
p.171 Porter crashed one week after leaving his family-hospitalized
p.174 Sept 1966 Richard left Camp Irwin CA for Vietnam with Ninth Artillery Division
p.175 Sometimes when Porter was sick, Ruth & Denise would bring potato soup to his apt.
p.178 Vietnam story-12:40 a.m. one night in March 1967 VietCong attacked the Ninth Artillery. Porters son manned his artillery piece until dawn. He rec'd a commendation for helping the medics. "Vietnam is a beautiful place. I'd like to go back there."
p.218 daughter Denise wrote liner notes on one of her dad's albums
p.227 Mel Tillis "We got to be good friends when he separated from his wife."
p.238 daughter Debra was at the session when "A Little Boys Prayer" was recorded. "There wasn't a dry eye in the studio when he cut that."
p.259 Porter liked to drop by Berry Road with his guitar and try his latest song on his family. "Deb, what d'you think?" Debra was frightened when her father played her "The Rubber Room."
p.262 the most unusual song Porter wrote "George Leroy Chickashea" when the song is mentioned to Debra, she gets the chills.
p.263 "Ballads of Love" album 1972 the pretty blonde on the cover is Porters daughter Denise-for whom the song "Denise Mayree" was named.
p.264 "Experience" album 1972-"Darlin' Debra Jean" was inspired by his daughter Debra's wedding, with him & Ruth looking on with pride.
p.274 Sept 27 1971 Porter attended a ribbon cutting in his hometown-a street was named PORTER WAGONER BOULEVARD as part of PORTER WAGONER DAY. 7000 people including his children, mohter, & both sistersr attended.
p.277 South Nashville-in April 1972 Porter paid $60000 for a house-which has sold twice since-as late as 1986 the house was pictured in a national magazine picture book of the stars homes. Porter never lived there. Ruth & Denise did. Richard had moved away, Debra lived in a dorm at Belmont College. Porter & Ruth remained seperated but not divorced from 1965-1986. they kept this as quiet as possible. he didn't enjoy talking about his marriage or his wife. He suggested Ruth should find herself a good companion for a husband-she never did.
p.278 He left home, for 20 years paid every bill of hers, she had an unlimited checking account.
Ruth: "There's more money, we have a nicer home. But you're not going to be in it. You give us earthly things. But its not you."
Debra Wagoner didn't see how her relationship with her father could've been any closer. She also said that Dolly Parton was the big sister she never had.
p.279 Debra says Porter wrote "Just Beyond the Chapel Door" for her wedding. he gave her "Darlin' Debra Jean" as a birthday gift-royalities included. Polly was a guest at Debra's wedding.
Denise Kelton sings backup and shakes a tambourine with her father at the Opry.
p.280 Denise took a senior class trip to the Holyland in 1973. She met a boy, & later flew to Greece to stay with his family. There was a military coup with marshall law, she had to wait a day and a half to use a phone to call home. When she got to New York Channel 4 News interviewed her.
p.281 Ruth lost her house on Franklin Road 1982. Debra's favorite entertainer is not her father, but Hank Williams, Jr.
p.174 Sept 1966 Richard left Camp Irwin CA for Vietnam with Ninth Artillery Division
p.175 Sometimes when Porter was sick, Ruth & Denise would bring potato soup to his apt.
p.178 Vietnam story-12:40 a.m. one night in March 1967 VietCong attacked the Ninth Artillery. Porters son manned his artillery piece until dawn. He rec'd a commendation for helping the medics. "Vietnam is a beautiful place. I'd like to go back there."
p.218 daughter Denise wrote liner notes on one of her dad's albums
p.227 Mel Tillis "We got to be good friends when he separated from his wife."
p.238 daughter Debra was at the session when "A Little Boys Prayer" was recorded. "There wasn't a dry eye in the studio when he cut that."
p.259 Porter liked to drop by Berry Road with his guitar and try his latest song on his family. "Deb, what d'you think?" Debra was frightened when her father played her "The Rubber Room."
p.262 the most unusual song Porter wrote "George Leroy Chickashea" when the song is mentioned to Debra, she gets the chills.
p.263 "Ballads of Love" album 1972 the pretty blonde on the cover is Porters daughter Denise-for whom the song "Denise Mayree" was named.
p.264 "Experience" album 1972-"Darlin' Debra Jean" was inspired by his daughter Debra's wedding, with him & Ruth looking on with pride.
p.274 Sept 27 1971 Porter attended a ribbon cutting in his hometown-a street was named PORTER WAGONER BOULEVARD as part of PORTER WAGONER DAY. 7000 people including his children, mohter, & both sistersr attended.
p.277 South Nashville-in April 1972 Porter paid $60000 for a house-which has sold twice since-as late as 1986 the house was pictured in a national magazine picture book of the stars homes. Porter never lived there. Ruth & Denise did. Richard had moved away, Debra lived in a dorm at Belmont College. Porter & Ruth remained seperated but not divorced from 1965-1986. they kept this as quiet as possible. he didn't enjoy talking about his marriage or his wife. He suggested Ruth should find herself a good companion for a husband-she never did.
p.278 He left home, for 20 years paid every bill of hers, she had an unlimited checking account.
Ruth: "There's more money, we have a nicer home. But you're not going to be in it. You give us earthly things. But its not you."
Debra Wagoner didn't see how her relationship with her father could've been any closer. She also said that Dolly Parton was the big sister she never had.
p.279 Debra says Porter wrote "Just Beyond the Chapel Door" for her wedding. he gave her "Darlin' Debra Jean" as a birthday gift-royalities included. Polly was a guest at Debra's wedding.
Denise Kelton sings backup and shakes a tambourine with her father at the Opry.
p.280 Denise took a senior class trip to the Holyland in 1973. She met a boy, & later flew to Greece to stay with his family. There was a military coup with marshall law, she had to wait a day and a half to use a phone to call home. When she got to New York Channel 4 News interviewed her.
p.281 Ruth lost her house on Franklin Road 1982. Debra's favorite entertainer is not her father, but Hank Williams, Jr.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
A Satisfied Mind continued...
p.122 the family moved to Nashville
Richard didn't like Nashville, everyone made fun of how they talked.
Debra felt set apart from the other little girls
p.129 shadows lay across the marriage in West Plains, at Christmas 1965 Porter moved out & never returned.
p.148 a picture of Richard, Ruth, Denise, & Debra
p.159 Dec. 23 1965 Richard left for the Army & Vietnam. Porter said they seperated Dec.27, Richard says Porter told the girls on Christmas Eve while their mother was at the beauty shop that he was leaving. For many years his fans had no idea of the seperation.
p.160 Porter gave his "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" Beasler (his female singer) an engagement ring, he wouldn't divorce Ruth, she wouldn't divorce him. His sister Lorraine said he told her he would never divorce Ruth while his parents were alive, & he stuck to his word. Norma Jean gave the engagement ring back & married someone else.
Richard didn't like Nashville, everyone made fun of how they talked.
Debra felt set apart from the other little girls
p.129 shadows lay across the marriage in West Plains, at Christmas 1965 Porter moved out & never returned.
p.148 a picture of Richard, Ruth, Denise, & Debra
p.159 Dec. 23 1965 Richard left for the Army & Vietnam. Porter said they seperated Dec.27, Richard says Porter told the girls on Christmas Eve while their mother was at the beauty shop that he was leaving. For many years his fans had no idea of the seperation.
p.160 Porter gave his "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" Beasler (his female singer) an engagement ring, he wouldn't divorce Ruth, she wouldn't divorce him. His sister Lorraine said he told her he would never divorce Ruth while his parents were alive, & he stuck to his word. Norma Jean gave the engagement ring back & married someone else.
A Satisfied Mind cont...
pp.50-51
Porter married Velma Johnson April 29 1944 at Hardy Arkansas, marriage liscence said he was 16 & she was 18, but she says she was younger than Porter. She thought the marriage lasted maybe months, his sisters believed their mother had the marriage annulled at West Plains Courthouse. Circuit Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Fern Freeman Walker checked the records to 1954 & found no divorce. Velma & her husband hope she's not still married to Porter Wagoner---they have 9 sons, 1 daughter, grandkids, & great grandkids.
p.74 Ruth quit the shoe factory April 1952 & never had to "work out" again. When she moved to stay with Porter she was pregnant. She had German Measles but baby Debra Jean wasn't affected.
p.100 they were living in a rented house when Denise was born in 1955.
Ruth entertained the pickers who dropped by & is remembered fondly for her cooking. Few KWTO personnel recall her distinctly, everyone described her as shy.
Ruth declined any interviews.
later talked on the phone for half hour to books author, who found her witty, outspoken, & very subtle.
Porter can't discuss Ruth without choking up & becoming troubled. He can't be made to say a single word against his ex-wife
theyy bought a house in Springfield
pp.106-7 at least one person interviewed believes Ruth threw 1 or more of Porters fancy Nudie suits out on the lawn---the source of this rumor might of been the Porter/Dolly duet "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home."
p.110 Ruth didn't drive. He bought her a blue & white sporty Chevy & put it in the garage with a note, "This is your car, Dear. You will learn to drive it? If you don't learn to drive it, I'll sell it."
p.114 Ruth had her first dishwasher.
Porter married Velma Johnson April 29 1944 at Hardy Arkansas, marriage liscence said he was 16 & she was 18, but she says she was younger than Porter. She thought the marriage lasted maybe months, his sisters believed their mother had the marriage annulled at West Plains Courthouse. Circuit Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Fern Freeman Walker checked the records to 1954 & found no divorce. Velma & her husband hope she's not still married to Porter Wagoner---they have 9 sons, 1 daughter, grandkids, & great grandkids.
p.74 Ruth quit the shoe factory April 1952 & never had to "work out" again. When she moved to stay with Porter she was pregnant. She had German Measles but baby Debra Jean wasn't affected.
p.100 they were living in a rented house when Denise was born in 1955.
Ruth entertained the pickers who dropped by & is remembered fondly for her cooking. Few KWTO personnel recall her distinctly, everyone described her as shy.
Ruth declined any interviews.
later talked on the phone for half hour to books author, who found her witty, outspoken, & very subtle.
Porter can't discuss Ruth without choking up & becoming troubled. He can't be made to say a single word against his ex-wife
theyy bought a house in Springfield
pp.106-7 at least one person interviewed believes Ruth threw 1 or more of Porters fancy Nudie suits out on the lawn---the source of this rumor might of been the Porter/Dolly duet "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home."
p.110 Ruth didn't drive. He bought her a blue & white sporty Chevy & put it in the garage with a note, "This is your car, Dear. You will learn to drive it? If you don't learn to drive it, I'll sell it."
p.114 Ruth had her first dishwasher.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
A Satisfied Mind
at the Brown Family Christmas 2007, great aunt Minerva Brown told me of an unauthorized biography of Porter Wagoner that told of his life with Ruth. I found "A Satisfied Mind" on amazon.com, written by Steve Eng, copyright 1992. Is this the same book?
what I have found so far...
p.53 picture of Ruth Olive Williams 1943
pp54-55 a farm girl from Winona born Feb 27 1924, working as a nurse at Christa Hogan Hospital, met Porter Wagoner in 1945, they dated, & were married at his sister Lorraine & brother-in-law Ed's house Jan 25 1946 by Ed's brother Rev. Frank Hall. Their son Richard was born in 1946. They lived with Porter's parents for 5 1/2 years.
They were going to visit family in a Jeep when they were hit by another car & wrecked. Baby Richard was only a few months old, he was unconscious for 3 days after the wreck. He recovered to get kicked in the head by a horse at his Williams grandparents, he became deaf in one ear.
p. 58 Ruth worked at International Shoe Company Factory from August 4 1947-April 16 1952. Once she got her hand caught in a stamping machine & fainted, two mechanics carried her to the first aid room, when she came to she asked her sister-in-law Lorraine "Was my dress down as they carried me here?..."
They were obviously poor. Porter began sending his clothes to the dry cleaners & getting barber shop shaves.
p.65 Porter was an assembly line cobbler in a union shop shoe factory, his wife even had to work there. If he found this an embarrassing comedown from his Opry dreams, his wife Ruth must have found it embarrassing to have a husband who left home whenever there was music to be played. It was becoming clear he would rather be scrunched up in the back of a car going to a gig than home with his family.
p.67 a picture of Ruth & Porter from the late 40s.
p.68 in the 1968 divorce trial, she admitted she never approved of his musical career. She was married to a shoemaker & sometimes butcher apprentice who was always out singing somewhere.
Porter said, "I did love Ruth, and I never met a woman that was better quality than she was.
Porter's band members testified to Ruth's hospitality.
to be continued?...
what I have found so far...
p.53 picture of Ruth Olive Williams 1943
pp54-55 a farm girl from Winona born Feb 27 1924, working as a nurse at Christa Hogan Hospital, met Porter Wagoner in 1945, they dated, & were married at his sister Lorraine & brother-in-law Ed's house Jan 25 1946 by Ed's brother Rev. Frank Hall. Their son Richard was born in 1946. They lived with Porter's parents for 5 1/2 years.
They were going to visit family in a Jeep when they were hit by another car & wrecked. Baby Richard was only a few months old, he was unconscious for 3 days after the wreck. He recovered to get kicked in the head by a horse at his Williams grandparents, he became deaf in one ear.
p. 58 Ruth worked at International Shoe Company Factory from August 4 1947-April 16 1952. Once she got her hand caught in a stamping machine & fainted, two mechanics carried her to the first aid room, when she came to she asked her sister-in-law Lorraine "Was my dress down as they carried me here?..."
They were obviously poor. Porter began sending his clothes to the dry cleaners & getting barber shop shaves.
p.65 Porter was an assembly line cobbler in a union shop shoe factory, his wife even had to work there. If he found this an embarrassing comedown from his Opry dreams, his wife Ruth must have found it embarrassing to have a husband who left home whenever there was music to be played. It was becoming clear he would rather be scrunched up in the back of a car going to a gig than home with his family.
p.67 a picture of Ruth & Porter from the late 40s.
p.68 in the 1968 divorce trial, she admitted she never approved of his musical career. She was married to a shoemaker & sometimes butcher apprentice who was always out singing somewhere.
Porter said, "I did love Ruth, and I never met a woman that was better quality than she was.
Porter's band members testified to Ruth's hospitality.
to be continued?...
Bryant Family
found on IADECATU 3-16-06
Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981", p. 158
The Charles Bryant Family
Charles Bryant's father, John Bryant, was born in Chuer-Lebaura, England December 31, 1843. On March 31, 1864 he was married to Betsy Binning at Chuer-Wedmore, England.
In 1866 they immigrated to America and settled in Delaware County, Iowa. Here five children were born: Henry, Charles, Fredrick, Frank and Lillie.
In 1882 the family moved to Decatur County where Burl, George, Arthur and Albert were born.
Charles was born April 18, 1871, and married Lora Redd on June 29, 1892. To this union five children were born: Elsie, Dessie, Birdie, William and Enid.
Elsie married Ezra Wycoff and they had two children: Charles and Velma.
Dessie married Clarence Green and they had five children: Merle, Ray, Faye, Vaughn and Lura.
Birdie married Clarence Lent and to this union were born six children: Deles, Wanda, Emma, Clarence Jr., Patricia and Richard.
William: refer to the William Bryant family.
Enid married Charlie Sutherland and they had one daughter, Donella. She married Duane Hawk and their children are Larry and Jim......
In 1939 Enid married Paige Hagen.
"Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981", p. 159
The Frank Bryant Family
Frank Bryant, son of John and Betsy (Binning) Bryant, was born in Delaware County, July 3, 1874, and died at his home in Grand River, June 17, 1954.
On Sept. 29, 1897, he was married to Blanche McDowell. She was born Dec. 20, 1876, in Decatur County, and died at her home in Grand River, April 1966.
They raised a family of four children: Dewey Bryant (deceased), Myrtle (Bryant) Akers, Hazel (Bryant) Hopkins and Raymond Bryant (deceased).
They lived on a farm near Grand River until they retired and moved into Grand River.
also listed in this section, but the biography is not posted: WILLIAM BRYANT FAMILY
revised edition of the 1911 mercer county history book
p.23 from the list of pioneer mercer countyans who settled her up until the early '50s......
BRYANT T.H.
BRYANT JOHN
p.95 the ravanna creamery
edward bryant and D. picket became owners of the plant in 1907. it has a capacity of 10,000 lbs of milk a day and is operated by steam power.
p.121 the west side blaze of 1893
dec. 18th 1893 a large portion of the west side was consumed. (princeton)
following list of losses given by the telegraph:
Mrs. S.R. Bryant, millinery loss 300 insurance 300
==================================
p.227
judge h. g. orton was supervisor of the census of 1890 for the third congressional district. MISS MYRTA BRYANT of iowa city, iowa was his stenographer. a stenographer was then something of a novelty and the matter was commented on with much pride by the local press. "She takes down accuratley the most rapid dictation," said one of the papers. , "which she afterwards writes on the typewriter."
============================
.251 THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT MERCER present officers: E.H. BRYANT, trustees
THE MERCER BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL present officers: EH BRYANT, assistant superintendant
p.255
FAIR HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH northern part of mercer county, 4 miles east of mercer. prominent among early members were WP BRYANT and wife....
===============================================================
THE BRYANT FAMILY
OF KENT CO., ENGLAND-PLYMOUTH, MASS.- BRYANT HILL, ELLICOTTVILLE, NY
Researched by: Edna Bryant Cole of Erie, PA.
This story begins in 1630 in Kent County, England, with a widow named Anne Bryant. Anne's husband had died, leaving her with three young boys: Thomas Bryant, Stephen Bryant and John Bryant. Among the family friends and neighbors was a lawyer, John Doane, a widower with a son also named John. The elder John offered to give Anne's three lads a chance in the New World if she would marry him and go there with him. John was a capable man, highly regarded, and his influence would give the three Bryant boys opportunities they otherwise would not find. So Anne consented. The six of them boarded a little ship known as the Handmaid, and two months later, October 29, 1630, they landed in Plymouth Colony.
John Doane rated highly in the estimation of Governor William Bradford and Thomas Prence. His name appears many times in the old records of the colony. He held many offices and is mentioned frequently on various committees. He had charge of settling many estates and handling the legal affairs of numerous minor children who had been left orphans. For example, in 1633, a Peter Brown died at Plymouth, leaving two daughters by his first wife and an estate of 100 pounds. The second wife refused the responsibility for the two girls; one of them was bound to John Doane for nine years. Fifteen pounds were paid from Brown's estate to help with the girl's expenses.
In Nov. 1636, John Doane was appointed a member of a committee to assist the governor in revising the laws, orders and constitution of the colony.
In Oct. 1641, Governor William Bradford bought a place bordering John Doane's place to give to Bradford's son-in-law, Thomas Southworth. The following April, 1642, Doane sold to Governor Bradford for four goats a garden place in Plymouth adjacent to Doane's own garden, and three acres of marsh meadow at Jones River. That same month, Doane, as agent for the church at Plymouth, bought a house, buildings and garden plots at Plymouth, and six acres of upland, for 120 pounds from Ralph Smyth, for the Plymouth church. Jan. 7, 1645, John Doane was licensed by the colony to sell wine, which would indicate he had a tavern or inn at Plymouth.
John Doane was not always sympathetic with the governing powers, and, was especially against certain ideas regarding intolerance often expressed by the Plymouth leaders. When the agitation arose to move the entire settlement of Plymouth across the bay to Nauset, John Doane was the chief leader and supporter of the movement. When the town was assembled in meeting, the citizens voted against the proposition. John was not to be deterred. Having bought property in Nauset some years earlier, he sold all of his property in Plymouth, Feb. 1645, including house, buildings, gardens, fruit trees and fences, to William Hanbury for ten pounds, moved to Nauset and changed the name of that place to Eastham, probably in honor of the town where he was born: Ham, East Parish, in Essex County, England. He and his son John both were still on the Eastham town list of freemen in June, 1689.
Following a practice common in those days, John and Anne bound out two of the Bryant boys to good friends. Thomas Bryant was bound out to Samuel Eddy, and Stephen Bryant to John Shaw. Offering boys financial opportunities and connections independent of, and supplementary to those, which their own parents could offer them as they grew up. The third Bryant boy, John, being the youngest, stayed with his mother and stepfather.
Thomas Bryant
On January 2, 1632, the following entry as found in the Plymouth court records:
"Thomas Bryant, the servant of Samuel Eddy, was brought before the Governor, Mr. Will Bradford, Mr. John Doane, Steve Hopkins and Will Gilson, assistants, because the said Thomas had run away and absented himself five days from his master's service and being lost in the woods and found by an Indian was forced to return; and for his offense was privately whipped before the Governor and council as fore-mentioned."
Thomas disappears at this point from history's pages. His master, Samuel Eddy, had bought his house and garden plot in Plymouth for Experience Mitchell for 12 pounds, May 9, 1631. Samuel enjoyed excellent connections with the colony's governing powers until, finally becoming disgusted with the political situation, he moved his household to Swansea, where he lived to a ripe old age. When he finally died on Nov. 12, 1687, in his eighty-seventh year, the event was recorded on the Plymouth church records, indicating he always had mentioned his membership there. His brother, John Eddy, who had come to Plymouth Colony with him, also moved out of Plymouth to what is now know as Middleboro. Eddyville, a little hamlet in that town, still bears his name.
John Bryant of Scituate
The youngest of Anne's boys, John Bryant, eventually became the head of the line now known as the John Bryant line of Scituate, Massachusetts. Over a period of 45 year, the colony records outline the life of this cantankerous man, whose chief interest seems to have been the colony's legal court. He made his court debut as a teenager in 1638, charged with drinking inordinately at John Emerson's house. He was released with admonition, but James Till was whipped "for alluring" John to drink. Three years later, 1641, he was in court "for drinking tobacco upon the highway."
The next logical step for John was to get a wife. Nov. 14, 1643, he married Mary Lewis, daughter of George and Sarah (Jenkins) Lewis of Scituate (a little settlement in the colony);John and Mary lived on land bordering her father's place, and had seven children:
John, born Aug. 17, 1644; married Mary Battles; died Jan. 26, 1708.
Hannah, born Jan. 25, 1645; married John Stodder of Hingham in 1665.
Joseph, born_____; died June 16, 1669.
Sarah, born Sept. 29, 1648.
Mary, born Feb. 24, 1649; died Apr. 8, 1652.
Martha, born Feb. 26, 1651.
Samuel, born Feb. 6, 1653; died in 1690, in Phipps' expedition to Canada, in which he served as sergeant; inventory of his estate was 47 pound.
John's wife, Mary (Lewis) Bryant, died July 2, 1655. On Dec. 22, 1657, John married a second wife, Elizabeth Wetherell, daughter of Rev. William Wetherell of Scituate. John and Elizabeth had one child:
Daniel, baptized in 1659; married Dorothy______.
When this second wife, Elizabeth (Wetherell) Bryant, died, John married a third wife in 1665, Mary Hiland, daughter of Thomas Hiland of Scituate, by whom he had eleven more children:
Elizabeth, born Aug.__, 1666; died Dec. 17, 1783.
Mary, born ________.
Benjamin, born Dec.____, 1669; died unmarried in 1701; his will, proved Jan. 5, 1702, showed an inventory of 164 pounds.
Joseph, born in 1671; he married, but the wife's name is unknown.
Jabez, born Feb. 18, 1672; died in 1697, unmarried; a letter of administration of his estate is dated June 29, 1697.
Ruth, born Aug. 16, 1673; married William Wanton, who later became Governor of Rhode Island.
Thomas, born July 15, 1675; married Mary Ewell, daughter of Gershom Ewell.
Deborah, born Jan. 22, 1677.
Agatha, born Mar. 12, 1678.
Ann, born Nov. 20, 1680.
Elisha, born in 1682.
John Bryant served on the court jury for 15 years between 1659-1681, five of those years being on the grand jury (called the "grand enquest" at Plymouth). Here are three examples of the sort of trials at which he was juryman: In 1663, Elizabeth Soule sued Nathaniel Church, who "committed the act of fornication with her an then denied to marry her." The jury found him guilty, and Elizabeth was awarded 10 pounds. In 1666, Mrs. Mary Totman went to the woods and dug up a root of a plant, brought it home, cleaned, cooked and ate it, and then died from its poison. The jury decided she had mistaken the root for a similar one she was accustomed to preparing, and her death was accidental. In 1674, one Indian had told a group of colonists living at Scituate that he would "give" them a large tract of the Indian land adjoining Scituate. When the colonists later went back to the Indian to "accept" the land, the rest of the tribe found out about the deal, threw the Indian to the ground and prevented him from dealing further with the colonists. The white men then brought the tribe to court and the jury awarded the land to the colonists (=the juryman).
The colony did buy some of its land from Indians. In 1666, John Bryant's name appears on a tax list which was drawn up to show how much each resident of Scituate had to contribute towards the purchase of Indian lands on the west edge of the settlement.
In 1659 began an eight-year court feud between John Bryant and William Randall. Randall brought John to court, charging him with trespassing on his land and selling timber belonging to Randall.Randall asked for 10 pounds damages. John was found innocent at the trial, where his own brother, Stephen, sat on the jury. Randall asked for a review of the case, which took place a year later, 1660. This time, with a different jury, Randall was awarded 5 pounds damages. The following year, 1661, John exactly reversed the situation: he sued William Randall for trespassing on his land and carrying away timber John had fell and crosscut. John asked for 10 pounds damages, but only was awarded five shillings; his brother Stephen Bryant was again on the jury. Exactly one year later, 1662, John sued Randall for "defaming him with lies and slander"; Randall had to pay him 20 shillings. In 1664, John complained to the court against Randall for not sealing a deed in reference to a parcel of marsh, which John had bought from Randall. The action was withdrawn. In 1667, Randall was complaining to the court about John, but the details of the case have been lost from the court record. Five months later, John again sued Randall for "slander and defamation." Randall had publicly charged and accused John to the authorities for suspicion of stealing planks belonging to Randall, and charging that John was cheating him in the division of planks. The court awarded John 15 pounds if Randall apologized, otherwise 20 pounds; Randall apologized.
In 1667, John charged two men with trespassing and working upon timber on the common land of Scituate. Asking 10 pounds damages, he was awarded 10 shillings.
In 1668, Joseph Turner sued John Bryant and his daughter Sarah (then 20 years old) for not appearing in court to give testimony at Turner's trial in Plymouth.
In 1681, John brought charges against five men of Massachusetts Colony who fell, squared and carried away timber from John's land without his permission. John asked for 10 pounds; the court allowed two. John asked for a review of the case three months later, asking for 12 pounds; the court awarded him five.
In 1683, John was appointed agent to prosecute anyone cutting or carrying away timber form Scituate's common land. This he did in three law suits against three separate men. One of these men was Humphry Johnson. In 1655, John had been a witness in a court case between Humphry Johnson and Tilden. After the trial, Johnson said John Bryant had given false testimony and called John "a fore-sworn, lying knave." So John sued this Johnson, asking 100 pounds damages. The next day the two men settled their quarrel privately and dropped the suit. Now in this latest suit against Johnson over timber, the jury found Johnson had a legal right to the common land. That same year (1683), John was fined 5 shillings in court "for being overtaken with drink".
John was constable at Scituate in 1662, surveyor of roads in 1673 (meaning he had the responsibility for the upkeep of the roads around Scituate), and for two years, 1677 and 1678, was simultaneously a selectman and a deputy at Scituate. In 1677 he was given the special responsibility to see that the court order against liquor was enforced at Scituate(!).
The colony government decided along the way that the colony might as well benefit from John's talent at court, and in 1663, 1664, 1671 and 1672 appointed him to committees to assist others in settling their land disputes.
Among John Bryant's children, let us follow a bit further four sons: John Jr., Daniel, Joseph and Thomas.
Stephen Bryant (1)
(Son of Anne, father of Abigail)
It is Anne's middle son, Stephen Bryant, who is the beginning of our line of the Bryant family in the New World. We mentioned him after his arrival in Plymouth in 1630, bound out by his stepfather, John Doane, To John Shaw, a friend of the Bryant and Doane families. This John Shaw had preceded the Doanes and the Bryant boys from Kent County, England, arriving at Plymouth Colony at least by 1627. May 22, 1627, he is listed in the colony records as one of 12 men drawing lots for the division of the responsibility for caring for the colony's common herd of cows and goats. July 7, 1630, John Shaw bought from John Winslow for 6 pounds a tract of firm land called Knave's Acre or Woodbee.
With a step-father who was a friend of the colony's leaders, and a master who was prospering, Stephen was in an opportune position. In a book written by Governor William Bradford, called Plymouth Plantation, the following excerpt has to do with colony affairs in 1638:
".nominated and appointed Thomas Prence, Gent.; Governor William Bradford and Edward Winslow Gent.; and assistants of the government Stephen Bryant or Doane; John Doane, Thomas Willette Gent. and John Dunham to have the power and authority for these next four years to put forth and dispose of said stock of cows to the inhabitants of the poor of the said town of Plymouth as shall be thought fit to partake therein."
Governor Bradford added the name Doane to Stephen Bryant for the purpose of identifying him as the step-son of John Doane. This committee was a select group; both Thomas Prence and Edward Winslow were to become governors of Plymouth Colony in their own right. As for the business they were to handle, an English merchant had mad a tidy profit selling necessities to pilgrims at Plymouth, and about 1626 had sent a few cows as a gift to the poor of that town. For twelve years the cows were cared for as the common property of the colonists. Now the committee was to decide who qualified for the cattle, and the assistants were to deliver the animals and get the proper receipts.
John Shaw was constable and road surveyor at Jones River in 1642 and 1644. He was a juryman at Plymouth 1638, 1641, 1643, 1644, 1648 and 1649. One of the trials he helped decide in 1648 was that of Mrs. Alice Bishop, who was found guilty and hanged for killing her four-year old daughter, Martha Clark, by slitting her throat with a knife.
John Shaw and his wife Alice (Philips) had two sons, James, who married Mary Mitchell in 1652, and Jonathan, who married Phoebe Watson in 1656, and a daughter, Abigail. Jonathan Shaw and Stephen Bryant were working together. A deed dated may 5, 1643, records a sale of 40 acres of upland "at the high cliffe" from Edward Dotey to Stephen Bryant and Jonathan Shaw for the price of 12 pounds ten shillings, to be paid in corn or cattle.
Two years later, in 1645, Stephen Bryant married the Shaw's daughter Abigail. They had eight children:
Abigail, born 1646/47
John, born April 7, 1650
Mary, born May 29, 1654
Stephen, born Feb. 2, 1657
Sarah, born Nov. 28, 1659
Lydia, born Oct. 23, 1662
Elizabeth, born Oct. 17, 1665
Mehittable, born 1669/70
A deed dated July 31, 1646, records two acres of upland meadow leased for Abraham Pierce for three years by Stephen Bryant and Samuel Sturtevant for 50 shillings per year.
In 1650, Stephen bought or was granted 100 acres of land in a spot identified now as on the eastern side of Jones River Pond (now Silver Lake). This lot of land was eventually passed along to Stephen;s oldest son, John, and through him, down through many generations of the Bryant family.
In 1651, Stephen bought 8 acres of marsh meadow for Jonathan Shaw; four months later he sold 4 of those acres to William Ford, and eight years later he sold three acres of the same to Edward Cook. Also in 1651, Stephen bought more property at " the high cliffe" for Benjamin Eaton and sold it to Edward Gray.
Among other transfers of land where Stephen Bryant's name occurs are sales to Samuel Wood,Samuel Sturtevant, Jonathan Shaw, Edward Gray and Jacob Cook, and purchases from Samuel Eddy, Benjamin Eaton and Jonathon Shaw.
These frequent deeds for Stephen Bryant's purchases and sales of land find a striking parallel seven generations later, when the brothers Colby and Gustavus Bryant were to crows the record books in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, and Monona County, Iowa, with the same sort of transactions. (believe Gustavus was a Civil War Vet, lost a leg and almost an arm).
What was Stephen doing with all of these parcels of land? William Bradford wrote in his journal that the first impression he had of the site of Plymouth Colony as he looked form the deck of the mayflower was "so goodly a land and wooded to the brink of the sea" (Mourts's Relation, p.2). Back from the coastline, the colony was a vast area of swampland extending for miles in many directions. These swamps, bogs and marshes were overgrown with cedar trees. One of the first manufacturing enterprises in new England sprang up here as the land was stripped of the cedar trees, which were made into barrels, used for shipping to England the tar and pitch into which the coastal pines were being converted. Additional cedar staves and heads were shipped to Engalnd for use as beer barrels and wine casks. Unlike other woods, cedar did not damage the flavor of the beverages.
By the year 1649 the cooparage industry had developed so rapidly that Sunday work, a grave crime in the eyes of the Plymouth Church, had become prevalent. On June 6th of that year, Stephen Bryant was presented in court for carrying a barrel to the tar pits on the Lord's Day. He was cleared "with admonition", but his brother-in law, Jonathan Shaw, was sentenced on the same day to sit in the stocks for working those tar pits.
Jan. 16, 1650, John Cary of Duxbury, a planter (i.e., farmer), sold two acres of meadow ground "lying upon the north side of Pine Point" to Stephen. John Shaw signed the deed as a witness.
In 1651, Stephen bought a cow from Samuel Cutbert for two bushels of Indian corn and two barrels of tar.
March 2, 1651, Stephen and his wife, Abigail, appeared in court to "complain against John Haward, Edward Hall, and Susannah Haward, of Duxburrow, in an action of slander and defamation, to the damages of 500 pounds." They were awarded 5 pounds.
The Plymouth records are so detailed we even read there what sort of mark Stephen used to identify his cattle (a slit on top of the left ear; his son-in-law Lieut. John Bryant used a "cut across the near ear", and what sort of gun he had " one of the longer sort of guns from Serg. Harlow".
The swamp region was filled with numerous streams and ponds alive with pickerel, red perch, trout and herring. Wild ducks, turkeys, geese and pigeons in enormous flocks helped fill the larder, as well as the pillows and feather ticks. Moose, deer, bear and rabbit provided food and clothing. Beaver, mink muskrat and skunk pelts ere bartered for necessities. This daily involvement with, and dependence upon nature found poetical expression five generations later in Stephen's descendant William Cullen Bryant and eight, nine, ten generations after Stephen, his offspring in Iowa were fishing the rivers and lakes and hunting and walking the fields and woods with a passion which is better understood by seeing this historical beginning.
Mar. 6, 1654, John Shaw's wife, Alice, died. In poor health john returned to England to die. On Jan. 30, 1663, a deed of gift was recorded in Plymouth whereby he distributed his land to his heirs. This deed reads as follows:
"Know all men by these presents that I, John Shaw, of Plymouth in New England, Senior have and do by these presents give unto my son-in-law Stephen Bryant of Plymouth all that, my whole share of land allotted unto me near unto Namassaket both upland and meadow, with all and singular, the appurtenances there unto belonging to the said Stephen Bryant and his heirs and assigns forever. Also, I do give unto my son-in-law, Stephen Bryant, another portion of land called by the name of Rehoboth, which land was formerly granted unto me lying on the south-side of Smelt River according as it is bounded and set out with all appurtences there unto belong to the said Stephen Bryant, his heirs, etc. I do declare by these presents that I do give unto my son, James, one-half my purchase lands at Cushena and one-fourth to son Jonathan and one-fourth to Stephen Bryant. Me daughter, Abigail Bryant, my bed, etc., also my chest."
On Nov. 3, 1653, Thomas and Anne Savory had indentured their son Benjamin, age 8, to John and Alice Shaw. On March 2, 1657, Thomas and Anne again indentured Benjamin, this time to Stephen and Abigail Bryant, to be "instructed in husbandry" (i.e., farming) and to receive five pounds sterling at the end of his term. This was a way for Benjamin to learn farming, and for Stephen to have cheap hired help, in the same way that Stephen himself had been indentured as a boy to John and Alice Shaw.
The Plymouth town records show that Stephen was called upon to fill certain public offices. He was appointed constable for 1663, road surveyor for 1658, 1659, 1670, 1674 and 1676, and to serve on juries in 1653, 1659-62, 1670-72, 1674-76, 1678-79, and 1681. He was on the jury in 1676 when Mrs. Bethiah Howland drowned in a tub of clothes and water; her death was judged accidental.
The Plymouth Church records, dated July 27, 1684, read as follows:
"The Church was desired to stay after public worship they if any, had any just exception of admission of Old Goodman Bryant with the church they might express it. The issue of the agitation was that nothing appeared to his calling forth to declare himself on the next Lord's Day."
A later entry reads:
Stephen Bryant, Senior, admitted to the church."
Of Stephen and Abigail (Shaw)'s six daughters, the oldest, Abigail, married Lieut. John Bryant of Plymouth. This Bryant-Bryant marriage was not at all unusual at that time, and was a practice, which continued for several generations. Mary and Sarah probably died young, or at least before marriage, as their names have not shown up in any of the records. Lydia married William Churchill on Jan. 17, 1684, and died a widow on Feb. 6, 1736. She was buried in a Churchill lot, next to a Bryant lot in the cemetery at Plympton Green. Her son William Churchill Jr. married Ruth Bryant, a daughter of Lydias brother John. Another son, Deacon Samuel Churchill, married JoannahBryant, also a daughter of John. Thus the two brothers married tow sisters who were their first cousins. Elizabeth married Joseph King on Jan. 15, 1689, and Mehittable married Isaac King, probably Joseph's' brother, on Aug. 13, 1689.
Now let us look at Stephen and Abigail (Shaw)'s two sons, John and Stephen Jr.
Lieut. John and Abigail (2) Bryant
(daughter of Stephen (1), parents of Samuel (3))
The origin of Lieut. John Bryant is not settled. Lewis Bradford, Plympton, Mass. Town clerk for 1812-1851, wrote many notes into the pages of the old Plympton town records. There he wrote that Lieut. John Bryant was the son of the John Bryant of Scituate, Mass., who had married Mary Lewis. In most Bryant genealogies this has been accepted traditionally. However, it is incorrect to take Lieut. John as the son of John of Scituate, because John, the son of John of Scituate, remained in Scituate, and there is a separate record of his marriage and children, as the preceding pages have shown. Lieut. John resided at Plympton with a wife and children different from those of the Scituate family. Left in the dark about Lieut. John's origin, we may trace our Bryant family back to lieut. John's wife, and from her to her father, Stephen Bryant, thereby arriving at a first-generation of our line of Bryant's in America.
In contrast to this lack of facts pertaining to Lieut. John Bryant's origin, there is documented evidence for the remainder of his life. In 1650 he received a grant of land, 100 acres, near Plymouth on the southern and east side of Jones River Pond, now called Silver Lake, at the same time as, and near the location of, a similar grant to his future father-in-law, Stephen Bryant.
Nov. 23, 1665, at Plymouth, Lieut. John married Abigail Bryant, born in 1646/47 at Plymouth, daughter of Stephen and Abigail (Shaw) Bryant. Lieut. John and Abigail lived in the area that was incorporated in 1707 as the town of Plympton (10 miles west of Plymouth). Just as the original Plymouth in England had a "satellite" village a few miles away called Plympton, so it was redone in the New World. On the town records, Lieut.John is called "Mariner". Harold Stanley Bryant, in his booklet William Cullen Bryant: His Ancestors and Where They Lived, conjectures that Lieut. John was related to the Alexander Bryan (sometimes spelled Bryant) sea-faring family of Milford, Conn. (there is a letter recorded in the Plymouth records, v. 5, p. 155, for Oct. 27, 1674, which shows Alexander and his son Richard were involved in Plymouth affairs) and the Lieut. John was involved in New England shipping, which was important and extensive at that time, importing goods from England and distributing them along the New England coast. The house built by Lieut. John on the shores of Jones River Pond is said to have been the largest of its times in Plymouth County.
March 2, 1668, found Lieut. John having his share in the Bryant family court actions. On that day he faced two charges. One of his accusers was Mary Crisp. Mary was in court to answer charges that she had behaved uncivil towards three other persons; found guilty, she turned around and accused Lieut. Bryant of uncivil behavior toward her. He was cleared of that charge. Next came a charge for "using reviling speeches to Edward Gray as soon as they came out of the meeting on the Lord's day". Lieut. John was fined 10 shillings. Exactly 3 months later, that scene was reversed down to the last detail: Edward Gray was fined 10 shillings for "using reviling speeches to John Bryant, son-in-law of Stephen Bryant, of Plymouth, on the Lord's day, as soon as they came out of the meeting".
Lieut. John's last court appearance other than as juror was Oct. 28, 1684, when he brought charges of "slander and defamation" against Jonathan Barnes, asking 100 pounds damage. Barnes had said John broke open his locks on his warehouse and stole a barrel and several other things. Barnes acknowledged he was wrong and the case was dismissed.
Lieut. John is in the Plymouth town records for the usual responsibilities which most of the townsmen shared at one time or another: juror (1696, 1698), road surveyor (1695), constable (1681). In 1684, the town paid him 15 shillings for gathering in the minister's rate for the preceding year, and 30 shillings for gathering in the town, country and minister's rate for that current year. In 1699 he was on a committee to see to the protection of timber on the town's common land (anyone carrying timber or lumber through town had to be able to prove it came off his own land and not off the common Land).
In 1677, he was granted an additional 30 acres of land at Jones River, and in 1701, still another 15 acres.
Lieut. John and Abigail had seven children. The births of all seven originally were entered in the Plymouths records:
Mary, born Sept. 11, 1666.
Hannah, born Dec. 2, 1668.
Bethia, born July 25, 1670.
*Samuel, born Feb. 3, 1673.
Jonathan, born Mar. 23, 1677. He married Margaret West in 1700, had 3 children: Rebecca 1702, Priscilla 1703, and Mary 1705. His second wife was Mary Little, daughter of Thomas Little, from whom Jonathan inherited a lot on Middle Street Plymouth, built a house on it and there was proprietor of "Bryant's Inn".
Abigail, born Dec. 30, 1682; married Nov. 20, 1705, to John Faunce, who was born Sept. 16, 1678, and died Mar. 19, 1766.
Benjamin, born Dec. 16, 1688; married July 31, 1712, at Plymouth to Hannah Eaton. Children born at Plympton were:
Phoebe
Marcy
Hannah; married Elisha Bryant, son of John and Mary(West) Bryant.
Micah
Jerusha
Benjamin drowned off Plymouth shore May 24, 1724, from a ship trying to make port in a storm. His wife Hannah died at Plymouth Mar. 4, 1724.
In 1695, a church was established at Plympton on what today is called the Center, or the Green. There were some forty families in the neighborhood who had been attending church at Plymouth, but found the weekly trip to burdensome. Twelve years later, when Plympton was incorporated as a legal township, a list of landowners included Lieut. John Bryant and his son Samuel.
Lieut. John died in 1731. His wife Abigail died May 12m 1715. Both are buried in the Old Cemetery at the Green in Plympton.
Sources: a) Boston Evening Transcript, Nov. 27, 1934, # 7936.
b) The Mayflower Descendants, v. 1, p. 209; v. 2, p.32.
c) Bryant, Harold Stanley, William Cullen Bryant: His Ancestors and Where They Lived. Written in 1953, this booklet was mimeographed in 1972 by Chedwato Service, RFD 3, Box 120 A, Middleboro, Mass. 02346.
d) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records.
e) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol. 35, 1881, pp. 37-39, 85.
f) Records of Plymouth Court of Common Pleas.
Deacon Samuel (3) Bryant
(Son of Lieut. John (2) father of Nathaniel (4))
Samuel Bryant was born Feb. 3, 1673, at Plympton, Mass., son of Lieut. John and Abigail (Bryant) Bryant. Samuel went to sea as a young man. Then he married Joanna, whose maiden name is unknown, born in 1672. Samuel and Joanna farmed at Plympton. Samuel was an elected deacon of the church at Plympton. Joanna died at Plympton, Dec. 18, 1736. Samuel then married Mrs. Elizabeth Cushman on Oct. 4, 1737, who was the daughter of George Sampson. Elizabeth died Apr. 17, 1755, age 52.
Samuel made his will May 25, 1744, which was probated Apr. 2, 1750. His son Nathaniel was executor of the estate and was living on the homestead. Samuel left half of his land to his eldest son, Samuel. He died at Plympton, Mar. 3, 1750. The seven children of Samuel and Joanna were (A-G):
A. Deacon Samuel Jr., born May 14, 1699; married Tabitha Ford. Samuel was a captain and operated ocean- going vessels for many years. Tabitha died Aug. 25, 1773. Samuel died May 21, 1774. Their eleven children were (1-11):
1. Abigail, born Mar. 13, 1728.
2. Joanna, born July 12, 1739; married Solomon Doten.
3. Joseph, born June 3, 1734; married Zilpah Sampson, daughter of William and Joannah Sampson. Jospeh died may 30, 1813, at Plympton. Their nine children were:
Joseph, died May 13, 1759. Age 1yr.7 mo. 4 days
William,
Rizpah, married Eleazer Thomas of Middleborough
Tabitha,
Ruth, married William Shaw Jr. of Middleboro.
Silence, married Prince Churchill; died Nov. 3, 1801, age 33
Paul, died in the U.S. Army, Nov. 4, 1791, age 21.
Lois,
Jane, married Eleazer Dunham of Carver, Mass. They moved to Paris, Oxford County, Maine.
4. Joshua, born Feb.16, 1745; he had three wives, the 1st being Lusanna Randall, whom he married in 1766, and the last was Dorcas Howard. Joshua had 14 children. Only one is known, a daughter of Joashua and Lusanna:
Lusanna, 1767-1830; married Abel Gardner (1763-1840) of Hingham, Mass.
Joshua died Apr. 24, 1799, at Plympton.
5. Lois, born June 9, 1725; married Barnabas Briggs of Halifax on Nov. 23, 1743.
6. Susannah, born Jan. 19, 1742; married Asa Cook.
7. Lydia, born May 12, 1741; married Consider Fuller, Feb. 21, 1759. When Consider died, Lydia took her family to new Gloucester, where she joined the Shakers. One child of Lydia and Consider was:
Consider Jr., born May 31, 1780, at Plympton. He went to Paris, Maine in 1801 and built a log hut north of his uncle, Solomon Bryant. Consider married his first cousin, Elizabeth Cummings, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Bryant) Cummings. He died at West Paris, Maine, in 1872. The eight children of Consider Jr. and Elizabeth were:
Christiana, born Jan. 2, 1802; married Charles B. Brooks.
Chloe, born Feb. 23, 1807; married Rufus Farrar.
Lucy B., born Jan. 20, 1813; married Eli H. Cushman.
Consider, born Jan. 25, 1815; married Sally O. Greely.
Betsey B., born Aug. 19, 1820; married Jonathan Fickett Jr.
Abigail, married Stephen Davis.
Lovica, married Stephen Davis.
Lydia Jane, married Joseph H. Briggs. Lydia Jane's grandmother, Lydia (Bryant) Fuller, and Jospeh's grandfather, Solomon Bryant, were sister and brother.
8. Samuel, born Nov. 18, 1736.
9.Sylvanus, born Mar. 20, 1730; married Sarah Sears of Halifax, Mass., Jan. 17, 1754, at Halifax. Sylvanus died Nov. 3, 1770, at Plymouth.
10. Solomon, born Jan. 4, 1747; married Elizabeth Curtis of Hanover, Mass.
11.Tabitha, born Apr. 14, 1732; married William Bennett of Middleboro, Nov. 26, 1753.
B. Joanna, born Mar. 1, 1702; married Josiah Waterman at Plympton, Feb. 21, 1723.
C. Abigail, born July 5, 1703; married Josiah Phinney or Finney at Plympton, Dec. 13, 1722.
D. Elizabeth, married Isaac Waterman (brother of Josiah) at Plympton, Dec. 23, 1725.
E. Lydia, born Mar. 16, 1708; married Thomas Sampson, Nov. 16, 1730, who was from a sea-faring family.
F. Sylvanus born Apr. 8, 1710.
Or Salvanus
*G. Deacon Nathaniel, born 1712.
Source: Boston Evening Transcript, Nov. 19, 1902 #5245.
Deacon Nathaniel (4) Bryant
(Son of Deacon Samuel (3), father of Nathaniel (5))
Nathaniel Bryant was born at Plympton, Mass., in 1712, the son of Deacon Samuel and Joanna Bryant.
A document dated July 4, 1731, lists as landowners at Plympton, Samuel Bryant and Nathaniel Bryant. In the History of Plymouth County, D.H. Hurd wrote: "These are fathers of the town and venerable names.
Nov. 8, 1733, Nathaniel married Zerviah Curtis of Pembroke, Mass., who was born Jan. 21, 1707, and who died April 21, 1790. Nathaniel died Dec. 6, 1793, and is buried in Plympton Cemetery.
Samuel Bryant's Will, made May 25, 1744, and probated Apr. 2, 1750, mentions his son Nathaniel, who was executor of the estate and had the homestead farm.
Nathaniel and Zerviah had six children, all born at Plympton (1-6):
1. Benjamin, born Dec. 25, 1734. By his first wife, Sarah, there was a son, Moley, born Nov. 5, 1759. On Sept. 13, 1768, Benjamin married his second wife, Sarah Harlow, born Jan. 5, 1736, daughter of James and Hannah Harlow. In the Harlow genealogy, Benjamin is described as "a very pious, exemplary man, and deacon of the church in Plympton for a number of years". Sarah (Harlow) died at Plympton, Nov. 13, 1808. Benjamin died may 2, 1824. They had five children:
Consider, born Dec. 6, 1764.
Aseph, born Feb. 12, 1764.
Abigail, born Feb. 2, 1773.
Nathaniel, born Dec. 4, 1776.
Benjamin, born Nov. 27, 1777; married and having children, he drowned at sea in Feb. 1804.
2. Nathaniel, born June 21, 1737.
3. Zerviah, born July 24, 1739; married Ephraim Holmes Jr., Oct. 30, 1765. The grandson of Zerviah and Ephraim was Dr. Ezekiel Holmes, for many years editor of the Maine Farmer. After Ephraim died, Zerviah married on May 4, 1804, to James Bradford of Duxbury, 6th in descent from Gov. William Bradford of Plymouth Colony (James (6), Capt. Seth (5), Gamaliel (4), Samuel (3), William (2), William (1). James Bradford was a was a ship-master and died on board his ship on the Mississippi River, above New Orleans, May 30, 1820. James and Zerviah had nine children, all born at Duxbury:
James, born Sept. 27, 1806; married Mary Ann Cobb of Taunton.
Southworth, born Aug. 10, 1807; married Asenath Thrasher of Middleboro.
Oren, born Sept. 25, 1808; married Eunice Hubbard of Waltham.
Emiline, born Aug. 21, 1809; married James Bartlett of Plymouth.
Seth, born Jan. 26, 1812.
Sarah Prince, born June 13, 1813; married Julius B. Champney of Leominster.
Catherine, born Aug. 16, 1816; died Apr. 14, 1817.
Charles, born July26, 1815; died Apr. 16, 1832,
Alden, born Mar. 17, 1818.
4. Joshua, born July 26, 1741; died Sept. 22, 1743.
5. Elizabeth, born may 31, 1744; died Sept. 15, 1747.
6. Ezekiel, born June 16, 1746; in 1768 he married Lucy Bearce, 5th in descent from Austin Bearce who came to America in 1688 on the Confidence. Ezekiel died on the Island of St. Thomas in the West Indies in 1775. He and Lucy had at least one child:
Ezekial, born Aug. 18, 1772; married on May 6, 1798, to Mercy Northrup, daughter of Enos and Anna (Drake) Northrop of Cornwall, Conn. Mercy was born in 1776, 5th in descent from Joseph Northrup of Milford, Maine, who came to America in 1639. Ezekiel farmed at Sheffield, Mass., where he died Jan. 9, 1830. Mercy died in 1869. They had at least two children (a-b):
a. Socrates, born Feb. 11, 1799; married on Nov. 9, 1826, to Jerusha Terrill, born in 1801, 6th in descent from Roger Terrill of Milford, Maine, who cane t America in 1639. Socrates farmed at Sheffield, Mass., where he died Jan. 17, 1863. Jerusha died in 1880. One
of their children was:
Edson Lewis, born Feb. 7, 1842. In the Civil War he was private and 1st Sergeant of Co. F., 23rd Conn. Infantry, 1862-63. He was a manufacturer at Ansonia, Conn. On June 14, 1866, at Derby, Conn., he married Mary Elizabeth Clarke, born Feb. 4, 1845, daughter of Merritt and Mary Ann (Hodge) Clarke. Edson died Nov. 3, 1914, at New Haven, Conn. His wife Mary died in 1930. Two children of Edson and Mary were (i-ii):
i. AnnElizabeth,bornJan.12
1869; married Oct. 15, 1891,
at Ansonia, to Theodore
Wells Bassett, son of
Sheldon andCaroline(Wells)
and Theodore had no
died Nov. 3, 1930, at
Ansonia.
ii. George Clarke, born at
Ansonia, Jan. 8, 1873;
married on Dec.7, 1898, at
Ansonia, to Florence Adele
Farrell, born Sept. 13, 1877,
daughter of Franklin and
Lilian (Clark) Farrel.
George graduated from Yale
in 1895 with a BA degree,
and from the Yale Law
School in 1897. He was
connected with his
father-in-law's foundry and
machine company from
1902-1943. He also was
President of the Ansonia
National Bank from 1938
Until his death, Aug. 28, 1947, at Lake Placid, New York. His wife Florence died Jan. 9, 1949, at New Haven, Conn. Their four children were:
Dorothy, born Sept. 21, 1899; married Albert Sessions Redway; lived at Hamden, Conn.
Geoffrey, born Feb. 1902; lived at White Plains, New York.
Roland, born Nov. 28, 1904; lived at Stoneham, Mass.
Norman, born Dec. 21, 1905; lived at New Haven, Conn.
b. Ezekiel Drake, born in 1815. He was a clockmaker. He married Lucy Tyler, who was born in 1822. Ezekiel died in 1888, and Lucy died in 1885. Their five children were:
Watson, 1842-47.
Watson Dwight, 1847-53.
William Cullen, 1849-1905.
Jessie Honor, 1854-1930; married
Franklin W. Gerard (1854-1930). Their four children were:
Franklin Bryant, born Oct.7,1881.
Jessie Bryant, born Aug. 20, 1884.
Margaret Bryant, born Aug. 30, 1887.
Raymond Bryant, born June 1, 1889.
Lucy Elmere, 1856-1915.
Sources: a) The Mayflower Descendant, v.9, p. 118.
b) Hurd, D.H., History of Plymouth County. Philadelphia 1884, p. 1109.
c) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records to 1850, pp. 44-51; 270; 272; 274; 452-54.
d) Plymouth Probate records, v. 21, p. 374.
e) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol. 4, 1850, p. 241; vol. 14, 1860, p. 232; vol. 85, 1931, p. 228; vol. 102, 1948, p. 69.
f) Virkus, Frederick A., The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Vol. 1, 1925, p. 510.
Nathaniel (5) Bryant
(Son of Deacon Nathaniel (4), father of Martin (6))
Nathaniel Bryant was born June 21, 1737, at Plympton, Mass., son of Deacon Nathaniel and Zerviah (Curtis) Bryant. He married on Feb. 21, 1759, at Plympton, to Joanah Cole, also of Plympton.
Three months after his marriage to Joanah, Nathaniel was in Capt. Josiah Thacher's Company, Col. John Thomas Regiment, which landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 11, 1759, on a maneuver in the French and Indian War, aiding the British against the French. As early as 1748, the Governor of Massachusetts had asked for a British fortress and settlement at Halifax to curb the threat of the French to Massachusetts, and the following year his request was carried out. With Halifax as a base, English forces fought to expel the French from Quebec and all of Canada. In May 1759, the troops sailed under Major James Wolfe against Quebec, which fell on Sept. 18, 1759.
The list of men in Thacher's Company records Nathaniel at Pisquet on June 24, 1760. Of the 103 men on the list of this company, 16 were from Plympton. Besides Nathaniel, these included a Stephen Bryant, listed as being at Halifax on June 26, 1760, and Ebenezer Cole, listed as being at Alesnes. This Ebeneezer Cole was Nathaniel's brother-in-law. The future father-in-law of Nathaniel's son Martin, Nathaniel Sears, of Rochester, Mass., is also on the list, and along with 12 others is marked "absconded", meaning he returned home from Halifax before being discharged. This occurred frequently, due to the miserable living conditions and meager pay in the army (see Raddall, Halifax-Warden of the North, p. 63). The original plan for Halifax was that the troops would remain there to form a strong colony, but that notion "had perished in the thin stony soil of the Halifax peninsula" (Raddall, p. 68). Governor Lawrence of Nova Scotia reported in 1760 that "every soldier that has come into the province since the establishment of Halifax has either quitted it or become a dram-seller" (Raddall, p. 68). So it was that Nathaniel returned to Plympton.
Joanah Cole was the daughter of Ebenezer Cole, born Oct. 17, 1711, 4th in descent from James Cole of Plymouth (Ebenezer (4), John (3), James (2), James (1)), and Ruth (Churchill) Cole, born Sept. 14, 1716, daughter of William and Ruth Churchill Jr. of Plympton. Like her husband, Joanah was 5th in descent from Stephen Bryant; in fact, both of her maternal grandparents were grandchildren of old Stephen Bryant.
Joanah's parents, Ebenezer and Ruth Cole, moved to Ireland Street in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass., between 1760-65, when the town was just being settled. Ebenezer died their Dec. 31, 1790. His wife Ruth died Sept. 2, 1806. Children of Ebenezer and Ruth Cole were:
Joanah, married Nathaniel Bryant.
Rachel, married Daniel Littlefield; lived at Chesterfield, Mass.
Ebenezer, born in 1739; during the French and Indian War, he enlisted from Plympton in the May 11, 1759, maneuver to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He on Feb. 11, 1762, at Halifax, Mass., to Hannah Bryant of Halifax. He enlisted from Chesterfield in the Revolutionary Army on Apr. 21, 1775.
Elijah, lived at Chesterfield, Mass.
Barnabas, born in Plympton about 1750; enlisted from Chesterfield in the Revolutionary Army on May 3, 1775, for which service he borrowed a musket from William Buckingham.
Jesse, born in 1764; served in the Revolution from Chesterfield. Tax records show he was a resident of Chesterfield in 1787.
Seth,
Now let us pause to see where the family line is at this point. Nathaniel Bryant Jr. is a great- great-grandchild of Stephen Bryant. And his wife, Joanah Cole, is also a great- great- grandchild of Stephen Bryant. Joanah Cole came from a line where the women kept marrying their Bryant relations. Joanah Cole's mother was Ruth Churchill Cole, daughter of Ruth Bryant and William Churchill Jr., and niece of Joannah Bryant and Samuel Churchill (remember the two sets of first cousins who married?). William Churchill Jr.'s mother was Lydia Bryant, daughter of Stephen Bryant. Ruth Churchill Cole's sister, Abigail Churchill, married her first cousin, John Bryant, son of Capt. George Bryant. Well, this is getting too confusing for words! Perhaps the chart on the following page will clarify these relationships.
Nathaniel and Joanah farmed at Plympton until 1777, when they moved to Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass., where Joanah's parents were living. They were part of a group migration from Plympton to Chesterfield in western Massachusetts, looking for better land. The 1790 census for Chesterfield shows the following six households of Bryant's, all related:
Ruchsa Bryant, wife, 1 daughter
Consider Bryant, wife, 1 daughter
Patrick Bryant, wife, 1 son
George Bryant, wife, 1 daughter, 3 sons
Nathaniel Bryant, wife, 1 daughter, 4 sons
Asahel Bryant,
Nathaniel died at Chesterfield, Apr. 26, 1810. Joanah died May 1, 1821. They had thirteen children. The first eleven were born at Plympton, and the last two were born at Chesterfield. These children of Nathaniel and Joanah were (1-13):
1.Betty (called Betsey) born June 2, 1759; married on Apr. 30, 1781, to Gideon Bisbee Jr., born in Pembroke, July 27, 1755. Gideon Jr's father, Gideon Bisbee, was fifth in descent from Thomas Bisbee (Gideon (5), John (4), John (3), Elisha (2), Thomas (1)). Gideon Sr. married Rebecca Turner and had six children, all born in Pembroke. Gideon Sr. came to Chesterfield in 1755, cleared land, and returned to Pembroke. There he joined in the French and Indian War, where he died of smallpox. His widow and four of the children, including Gideon Jr., came to the land at Chesterfield, which had been made ready for them. Gideon Jr. and Betty settled on the Mount in the western part of Chesterfiled. He died their Sept. 23, 1825. Betty died Dec. 10, 1852. Their eight children were (a-h):
a. Susannah, born Apr. 28, 1783.
b. Zerviah, born Apr. 1, 1784; on Nov. 3, 1815, were published her intentions to marry Samuel Dumbolton of Grafton, New York.
c. John, born Jan. 12, 1786; probably died young, since he was not mentioned in his father's will.
d. Lydia, born Oct. 7, 1787; married_______Cowing.
e. Eli, born Nov. 15, 1788; on Oct. 11, 1811, appeared his intentions to marry Ruby Wheeler, born in nearby Cummington, July 1, 1793, daughter of Samuel and Ruby Wheeler. Their eight children were:
Laura, born Apr. 21,1812.
Norman, born Feb. 17, 1814.
Zerviah Malvina, born Nov. 16, 1816.
Samuel Wheeler, born Mar. 3, 1818.
Margette Florilla, born Mar. 7, 1820.
Harmon Dewey, born May 4, 1822.
Clarissa Mary Ann, born Feb. 15, 1824.
Ruby Honora, born Nov. 9, 1826.
f. Gideon, born Apr. 20, 1791; married in Cummington, June 29, 1809, to Lydia Gurney, born at Cummington, July 12, 1790, daughter of Asa and Molly (Reed) Gurney. Their children were:
Charles Austin, born Oct. 13, 1809.
Horace, born Aug. 18, 1811.
______, born Apr. 27, 1813.
Oliva Caroline, born Apr. 11, 1815; married Ansel Damon.
Albert, born May 27, 1817.
Julia Ann, born Aug. 14, 1819.
Infant, born Oct. 30, 1821, died Oct. 31, 1821.
g. Aaron, born May 22, 1795; died July 18, 1803.
h. Betsey, born June 17, 1798; on Feb. 14, 1816, were published her intentions to marry Alpheus Dumbolton of Grafton, New York.
2. Major Alexander, born Nov. 1761; on Oct. 31, 1785, were published his intentions to marry Susannah Halbert. They moved to Butternuts, New York. Susannah was born Feb. 5, 1766, daughter of John Halbert (1740-1786), who married in Pelham, Dec. 27, 1764, Eleanor Calester, who died in 1792. John Halbert served in the Revolution from Chesterfield. Of John Halbert's eight children, two daughters married two Bryant brother: Susannah married Alexander Bryant, and Anna, born Oct. 2, 1769, married Patrick Bryant. One of his sons, Thomas, born Mar. 11, 1772, also died in Butternuts, New York in 1857, where Susannah and Major Alexander lived. John Halbert's father, Thomas Halbert, was a cooper, born in Northern Ireland. On Oct. 18, 1731, this Thomas Halbert married Margaret Durum in Topsfield, Mass. They lived at Pelham, Mass., where their five children were born, then they moved to Chesterfield. Thomas died there in May, 1778, age 76. His wife Margaret died in June, 1780, age 69. Both were buried in the Ireland Street Cemetery at Chesterfield.
3. Rudolfus, born Apr. 23, 1763; on Aug. 14, 1786, were published his intentions to marry Elizabeth Bates of Worthington. They settled in Norwich, Mass.; the 1790 census shows them there with one daughter.
4. Colonel Patrick, born Apr. 7, 1764; married Anna Halbert. They lived on the Mount at Chesterfield.
5.* Martin, born Dec. 27, 1765.
6.Eunice, born May 10, 1767; married on Aug. 22, 1786, to Capt.Reuban Cowing, born Oct. 2, 1765, son of Prince (4) Cowing (Prince (4), John (3), John (2), John (1). Eunice died July 5, 1790, having borne three children. Capt.Reuben, on Mar. 11, 1792, published his intentions to marry a second wife, Lydia French of Chester, by whom he had nine children. Lydia died Mar. 29, 1813. On Nov. 5, 1814, Reuben published his intentions to marry RosannaCole, widow of Consider Cole. She died in Chester, Sept. 28, 1818. The three children of Eunice and Capt. Reuben were:
Eunice, born Feb. 8, 1787; died in Chester, Apr. 16, 1818.
Hannah, born May 25, 1788; died May 30, 1789.
Reuben, born Feb. 21, 1790; died May 25, 1790.
7. *Nathaniel, born May 3, 1769; married Elizabeth Rude of Norwich.
8. Royal, born Jan. 30, 1771; died Jan. 3, 1773.
9. Lydia, born Aug. 28, 1773; on Oct. 26, 1792, appeared her intentions to marry John Niles, born in Easton, Apr. 11, 1769, son of Nahum and Susannah (Cole) Niles. This Nahum Niles was a 5th descendant of John Niles (Nahum (5), Daniel (4), John (3), Increase (2), John (1). Nahum was born Oct. 15, 1739; he was in the French and Indian War from Easton in 1758. Although his first three children were born at Easton, and the seventh was born at Ware, all nine are recorded at Chesterfield. These children of Nahum and Susannah (Cole) Niles were:
Molly, born Dec. 31, 1761.
Nathan, born July 20, 1766.
John, born Apr. 11, 1769.
Susannah, died Aug. 6, 1772
Isaac, born July 13, 1775.
Lucy, born Feb. 22, 1777.
Samuel, born Sept. 23, 1779.
Ephraim, born Mar. 9,1782.
Calvin, born Oct. 24, 1784.
Nahum died Jan. 27, 1825; his wife Susannah died Aug. 3, 1821, age 78. Both were buried in the Shapley Cemetery, Lebanon, New York. Their son and daughter-in-law, John and Lydia (Bryant) Niles had moved from Chesterfield to Madison and then to Lebanon, Madison County, New York.
10. Ezekiel, born Apr. 18, 1775; married Polly Graves. They moved to Brookfield, New York.
11.Royal, born July 23, 1777; married Lydia Vining, and then her sister, Mary Vining.
12. Seth, born May 17, 1779. He married Olive Buck, born Oct. 6, 1782, oldest of the twelve children of Daniel (4) Buck (Matthew (3), Thomas (2), Lt. Isaac (1) and Mary (or Mercy) Hayford. A daughter Betsey was born in 1800 to Seth and Olive. Seth later married Lois Sloan in Sweden, New York, by whom he had at least one child, Levi Daniel, born in 1824.
13. Samuel, born Oct. 5, 1781.
Sources: a) Halland, history of Western Mass. Springfield, 1855, v.2, p. 183.
b) Gay, Gazeteer and Directory of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887, pp. 207-8; 210; 212.
c) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records to 1850, pp. 44-49; 272.
d) History and Genealogy of the Families of Chesterfield, Mass. 1762-1962, pp. 68 and 92.
e) Boston Evening Transcript, May 29, 1905 #7901.
f) History of the Connecticut Valley in Mass. Philadelphia, 1879, v. 1, p. 493; pp. 504-505.
g) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, v. 28, 1874, pp. 413-415.
h) Raddall, Thomas H., Halifax-Warden of the North. Toronto, McClelland & Stewart, 1948.
Nathaniel (6) Bryant III
(Son of Nathaniel (5) II)
Nathaniel (6) Bryant III was born May 3, 1769, at Plympton, Plymouth County, Mass., the son of Nathaniel (5) and Joanah (Cole) Bryant. In 1777 he moved with his parents to Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass. On Mar. 5, 1792, at Norwich, Mass., he filed his intention to marry Elizabeth Rude of Norwich, born in 1770.
In Jan., 1818, Nathaniel III and Elizabeth moved their family to Bryant Hill near Ellicottville, Cattaraugus coutny, New York, where their son Nathaniel IV had bought land the previous spring. The oldest son, Freeman, also settled on land next to his brother, and Nathaniel III settled between the farms of his two sons.
The story of Nathaniel III's journey to Bryant Hill is told in the Cattaraugus County history. It was a journey of thirty-one days. The family had with them two yoke of oxen, one horse and wagon, and two cows. While on the road, near Cayuga, they stopped at a house, intending to remain all night. The men were absent from home. After having been there some time it was discovered the house was on fire. "Nathaniel clambered onto the roof; no water was at hand, and he called for anything wet. Buttermilk was passed up to him, and the fire was extinguished after severe exertion. The house was in such disorder that Nathaniel concluded to go on further, and they went on several miles and stayed all night".
The assessment roll for Ellicottville for 1822 shows Nathaniel III and his two sons, Nathaniel IV and Freeman, all farming on Lot 5. The 1830 census show Nathaniel III and Elizabeth, and with them were one male age 15-20, two males age 20-30, and one female age 10-15.
Nathaniel III died Nov. 17, 1832. Elizabeth died Sept. 6, 1839. Both are buried in the cemetery at Bryant Hill, along with their daughter Lydia. The inscription on Nathaniel's tombstone reads:
"Death is a debt to nature due. I've paid that debt and so must you."
The ten children of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth all were born at Chesterfield, Mass. They were:
Freeman, born Aug. 6, 1792.
Nathaniel IV, born Oct. 6, 1794.
Alexander, born___6, 1796; died Feb. 17, 1799.
Susannah, born Jan. 1, 1797.
Spencer, born Oct. 29, 1801; died Oct. 17, 1802.
Rodman, born Aug. 2, 1803.
Orrin, born Jan. 8, 1808.
Lydia, born Feb. 2, 1811; died young.
Sheldon, born Mar. 23, 1812.
Lydia, born July 26, 1817; died Aug. 11, 1850.
Sources: a). History of Cattaraugus County, New York. Philadelphia, 1879, pp. 249. 253-256, 462-463, 466.
b) Information from Lois Siggelkow, 304 Brantwood Rd., Buffalo, New York, 14226. The Bryant Hill Cemetery is on the property of their summer home and has been restored by them.
Freeman (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Freeman (7) Bryant was born Aug. 6, 1792, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. He went to Ellicottville, Cattaraugus Coutny, New York, in 1817 with his brother, Nathaniel IV. After an unsuccessful attempt to settle south of the town, and an equally unsuccessful trip to Toledo, Ohio, where a malaria epidemic prevented their settlement, they purchased land near Ellicottville on what became known as Bryant Hill.
On May 15, 1818, at New Lebanon, New York, Freeman married Frances Stanton, born June 16, 1797, on Goff's Hill at Norwich, Hampshire County, Mass., daughter of Elisha and Anna (Rust) Stanton. Frances was a sister of Freeman's aunt, Anna M. (Stanton) Bryant, wife of Samuel Bryant.
Besides farming, Freeman operated a log inn on Bryant Hill where travelers could stay. It was located at the top of the hill; in 1979 its place still was marked with three large maple trees. In 1824, he was commissioner of highways, receiving eight dollars for the year's duties.
About 1830, Freeman moved to Great Valley, where in 1831, he was one of the
original members of the newly- organized Baptist Church. Ebenezer and Records
Vining were preachers for this church. In the history of Great Valley, Freeman is
counted among the early settlers. In the 1850 census his real estate was valued at $3000.
(Note: The 1821 landowner assessment at Great Valley show Edward Bryant and his
son Lewis Bryant, who owned 200 acres valued at $500, Lot 19, township 3, range 6.
This Edward Bryant's relationship is unknown, but later, Rodman and Nathaniel IV
each named a sonEdward.)
Freeman died Jan. 29, 1860, at Great Valley, and is buried there. The 1860 census
shows Frances on the farm with her son Herman L., her unmarried sister Achsah, her
daughter Antoinette, and Antoinette's son, H.P. On May 11, 1870, Freeman's widow
Frances, with her son Herman and his wife, and her sister Achsah, moved to California.
Frances died July 28, 1878, at Stonebreaker, Eldorado County, California. Her sister
Achsah died Apr. 22, 1879.
Freeman and Frances had six children; the first five were born at Ellicottville; the sixth was born at Great Valley (1-6):
1. Hulda Stanton, born Apr. 3, 1820; married mar. 6, 1846, at Great Valley, to Archibald Crary, son of Dr. Anustus Crary. She died Feb. 12, 1866, at Humphrey, New York.
2. Joseph Hector, born Nov. 5, 1822; married Sept. 3, 1850, at Ellicottville, to Jane Webster McKallor, daughter of Charles and Agnes Mckallor of Argyle, Washington County, New York. Joseph later lived at Diamond Springs, California. Their two children, born at Great Valley, were (i-ii):
i. Charles Freeman, born Nov. 20, 1852; married Nov. 9, 1885, at Ayr, Ontario, Canada, to Emily Barbara Watson, daughter of John and Elizabeth Watson of Ayr. Charles and Emily lived at Diamond Springs, Cal. They had one child, born at Diamond Springs:
James Watson, born Sept. 15, 1886.
ii. Agnes Jean, born June 11, 1854; married May 6, 1885, at Diamond Springs, Cal., to Henry Gerish Sanborn, son of Hazen and Anne Sanborn of Manchester, New Hampshire. Henry was an alumnus of Dartmouth College, and a teacher at Placerville Academy in California. Before marrying Agnes, he made a tour around the world. He died the following year, Sept. 15, 1886, at Diamond Springs. Agenes Jean died soon after, on Dec. 8, 1886. They had one child, born at Diamond springs:
Jean, born Dec. 6, 1886.
3. Antoinette Elizabeth, born Feb. 23, 1824; married at Great Valley, Aug. 15, 1850, to Calvin McIlvin, son of Amos McIlvin. Antoinette died Aug. 5, 1865. She had one son, H.P.
4. Alexander, born Aug. 22, 1826; married at San Francisco, Cal., Apr. 9, 1873, to Ellen Phillips Roberts. He died at San Francisco, Nov. 6, 1884. They had one child:
Antoinette Elizabeth, born Mar. 16, 1874.
5. Warren Elisha, born Nov. 3, 1829; married at San Fancisco, Cal., Sept., 1872, to Mary Parker. They lived at Byron, Contra Costa County, Cal.
6. Herman Leroy, born Jan. 21, 1838; married at Great Valley, May 2, 1870, to Charlotte Lorena Spencer, daughter of Elisha and Susannah Spencer of Freedom, New York. They moved to Latrobe, Cal. Their seven children were:
Frances Antoinette, born Mar. 17, 1871, at Antiech, Cal.
Clarence Spencer, born Dec. 28, 1875, at Latrobe, Cal.
Cullen Leroy, born Dec. 28, 1875, at Latrobe, Cal.
Hermia Lorena, born Jan. 4, 1877, at Latrobe, Cal.; died Sept. 1, 1880.
Eva Gertrude, born Dec. 31, 1878, at Latrobe, Cal.; died Apr. 29, 1879.
Stanley Stanton, born Sept. 1, 1880, at Stonebreaker, Cal.
Alida Leonie, born May 28, 1883, at Latrobe, Cal.
Nathaniel (7) Bryant IV
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Nathaniel (7) Bryant IV was born at Chesterfield, Mass., on Oct. 6, 1794, son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. As a young man he went to Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County, New York, where his uncle, Royal Bryant, was farming, and there he worked for a Mr. Leonard. In the spring of 1817, Nathaniel IV and his brother Freeman tried to settle on land a mile south of Ellicottville, but that land was taken. They went to Toledo, Ohio, to see about land opportunities, but there the found a malaria epidemic. So they returned to Ellicottville and settled on Lot 5, which came to be known as Bryant Hill. Besides farming, Nathaniel IV worked as a chopper for one dollar a day; the main street at Ellicottville had to be cleared of trees to its width of four rods.
The first school classes at Ellicottville were held in Nathaniel IV's home on Bryant Hill. The town's first schoolhouse was built in 1820 on Bryant Hill. The first regularly organized church at Ellicottville was the Baptist Church, organized on Bryant hill, Aug. 21, 1824. Nathaniel IV was a principal force in organizing that church, and Ebenezer Vining was the first preacher; succeeding preachers were his sons Records W. Vining and Jospeh E. Vining (the Vinings also had come from Chesterfield, Mass.). A written record, dated June 26, 1824, states, "This day, according to previous appointment, have assembled at the house of Nathaniel Bryant a number of Christian brethren. We agree to reassemble at the house of Nathaniel Bryant on Saturday, the 10th day of July, for further conference on the building of the church." Those signing were Ebenezer Vining, Records W. Vining, Joseph E. Vining, Abigail Vining, Lydia Vining, Sally Vining (the wifes of the three men, in that order), Nathaniel Bryant (IV), Annie M. Bryant (wife of Samuel Bryant, who was Nathaniel III's brother), David Putnam, Mary Putnam, Gershom R. Stanton (brother of Annie Bryant), and Daniel Huntley. Meetings of the church were held at the home of Nathaniel IV until Aug. 19, 1826, when increased numbers required relocation at the school house. In 1824, Ebenezer Vining was elder and Records W. Vining was deacon. In 1826, Records received a letter of license to preach wherever he be called; he was ordained in 1831, and that same year David Vining was chosen deacon. On Dec. 16, 1829, the church was officially incorporated; Ebenezer Vining and Samuel presided at the meeting. Freeman Bryant,Joseph E. Vining and David Putnam were elected trustees.
The jury list at Ellicottville for 1823 shows Nathaniel IV, farmer, liable to jury duty.
Nathaniel IV married Sally Chase. They lived on Bryant hill for twenty-three years. In 1841 they moved to Little Valley, New York, where they both are buried. Nathaniel IV died in 1883. Their seven children were:
Edward S.
Alvin C.
Lucy E.
Miriam
Stillman
Harlow
Laverna
Rodman (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Rodman (7) Bryant was born Aug. 2, 1803, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. Rodman moved to Ellicottville, New York, with his parents in 1818. He farmed at Great Valley, New York. His wife, Julia Blair, was born in 1810 in the state of New York. Rodman died between 1850-60. Julia was still living at Great Valley in 1870. They had six children (1-6):
1. Frances, born in 1832.
2. Cloe, born in 1834.
3. Angela born in 1838; in 1860 she was living at home, teaching school.
(called Ann)
4.Orris W. born in 1841. He enlisted into Co. M, 9th Regiment, New York Cavalry, on Sept. 21, 1864, at Ishua, Cattaraugus County, New York. He mustered in the same day at Dunkirk, New York; mustered out May 8, 1865, at Winchester, Virginia. On May 5, 1867, he married at Maryland, Otsego County, New York, to Mariette Gurney, born in 1844. They farmed at Great Valley, and later moved to Greene, Chenango County, New York, where Orris' brother Howard was living, and where Orris died on Oct. 30, 1894. Mariette died May 20, 1921. They had three children:
Effie, born in 1868.
Francis, born in 1871.
Courtney, born in 1875.
5. Edward P., born Oct. 15, 1842, at Great Valley. On Sept. 28, 1861, at Ellicottville, New York, he enrolled as private in Co. I, 37th Regiment, New York Infantry. He mustered in Oct. 9, 1861, at Elmira, New York. On May 5, 1862, at Williamsburg, Virginia, he was wounded by a musket ball, breaking the bone in his leg. On June 23, 1862, he was admitted to the New York City Hospital, where he remained until Sept. 1862. He was discharged Dec. 1, 1862. On Dec. 17, 1865, at Randolph, New York, he married Carrie Little. In 1869 they were living at new Albion, Cattaraugus County, New York. Carrie died may 8, 1898, while they were living at Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Mass. Edward was still living at Pittsfield in 1913. By 1915, he was living at Millerton, New York. In 1925, he was living at Dover Plains, Duchess County, New York. He died Jan. 25, 1927, at the home of his daughter Pearl at Albany, New York. He was buried beside his wife at Pittsfield, Mass. Edward and Carrie had four children:
Charles A., born Jan. 9, 1866.
George W. born Aug. 17, 1871; he had died by 1915.
Howard G. born Jan. 10, 1875; died Nov. 2, 1897.
Pearl D., born June 23, 1880; married a LeClair, and lived at Albany, New York.
6. Howard L., born in 1846; in 1895 he was living at Greene, Chenango County, New York.
Sheldon (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Sheldon (7) Bryant was born Mar. 23, 1812, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. He married Ruth Chamberlain, born Oct. 22, 1813, at Ludlow, Vermont, daughter of Elijah and Ruth (Googins) Chamberlain. Sheldon's wife Ruth was a sister to Betsey Chamberlain, who married Sheldon's first cousin, Asa Bryant, son of Martin Bryant.
Sheldon moved to Ellicottville, New York, with his parents in 1828. Sheldon and Ruth moved to Great Valley in 1852. He farmed there, where his older brother, Orrin, unmarried, also lived with them. Sheldon died Jan. 2, 1886. Ruth died Oct. 4, 1908. Both are buried in the Sugartown Cemetery at Great Valley. They had four children (1-4):
1. Amanda, born in 1843; still unmarried, living at home, in 1880; then married Harlan Beecher.
2. Mary, born in 1845; still unmarried, living at home, in 1880; them married John Pratt Whittlesley. Mary died Apr. 3, 1900, and is buried in the Sugartown Cemetery.
3. Franklin Sheldon, (Frank) born Nov. 13, 1851; married Apr. 23, 1889,at
Anderson,Madison County, Indiana, to Mary Florence Prigg, born Aug. 26, 1858, at Mechanicsburg, Madison County, Indiana, daughter of Edward Campbell and
Harriet (Curry) Prigg. Frank died Dec. 18, 1922, at Saw Mill Run, Salamanca, Cattaraugus County, New York. Mary then married (2) Benjamin Kelly. Mary
died Sept. 16, 1941, at Elkdale, Little Valley, new York. Both Frank and Mary are buried in the Sugartown Cemetery at Great Valley. They had four children (a-d):
a. Otis Phillip, born Feb. 6, 1890; married Oct. 6, 1910, to Lena Reed. He died in 1976 at Chester, South Carolina, and is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley.
b. Howard Colby, born may 26, 1893; married July 15, 1923, at Lynn, Lewis County, West Virginia, to Della May Lawther. He died July 30, 1966, at Olean, New York, and is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley. His daughter is Edna (Mrs. LeRoy) Cole, 1264 Arden Road, Erie, Penn. 16504.
c. Charles Eugene, born Nov. 19, 1897; married Apr. 5, 1928, to Ruby Bowles. He died Feb. 16, 1954, at Saw Mill Run, Salamanca, New York, and is buried in the Wildwood Cemetery at Salamanca
d. Rollin, born Nov. 22, 1900; died unmarried, Dec. 12, 1969, at Jamestown, New York. He is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley.
4. Nancy E., born Mar. 3, 1854; married a Rider. She died Apr. 25, 1890, and is buried in the Jefferson Cemetery at Ellicottville.
Asa (7) Bryant
(Son of Martin (6))
Asa Bryant was born Feb. 27, 1796, at Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont, the son of Martin and Elizabeth (Sears) Bryant. Asa lived at home at least until 1820, when the U.S. census showed him still with his parents. Asa was a farmer, first at Ludlow, Windsor County, Vermont, then at Warsaw, Wyoming County, New York (1828-1850), and finally at Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisc. (1850)
Feb. 12, 1825, at Ludlow, Vt., Jonathan and Timothy Carpenter bought land from Asa and his brother Harvey. July 5, 1831, Timothy deeded the land back to Asa (Harvey had died in 1828).
Mar. 13, 1828, Asa married Betsey E. Chamberlain, of Ludlow, Vermont, the daughter of Elijah and Ruth (Googins) Chamberlain. That same year, Betsey's father bought 125 acres at Warsaw, New York on the East Hill from Ebenezer Hitchcock, and Asa and Betsey moved to Warsaw with her parents.
Elijah Chamberlain was born Apr. 13, 1783 in Mass. And married Ruth Googins, farming at Ludlow, Vt. Until 1828, when they moved to their farm on the East Hill near Warsaw, New York. There they lived until their death. Ruth died Oct. 20, 1849, and Elijah died June 23, 1860. They had been active members of the Presbyterian Church at Warsaw, Elijah being an official in the Sunday School in 1858. Ruth and Elijah had nine children (a-I):
a. Betsey, married Asa Bryant.
b. Sarah, married Thomas Bliton; they moved to Machias, Cattaraugus County, New York. They had 9 children. In 1850, their son Henry, age 10, was living at Ellicottville, New York, with Sarah's sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Sheldon Bryant.
c. Polly, died Dec. 18, 1830, age 18, at Ludlow, Vt.
d. Olive, married Thomas
Kelly, moved to Michigan. They had six children.
e. Ruth, born in 1815; married Sheldon Bryant, born in 1812 in Mass. They farmed at Great Valley, New York. Their four children were:
Amanda, born 1843; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
Mary, born 1845; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
Franklin, born 1852; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
f. Elijah Jr., born Apr. 11, 1820; remained at Warsaw, where he farmed. On May 3, 1842, Elijah's membership was transferred from the Presbyterian Church to the Methodist Church, both of Warsaw. He married Betsey Truesdell, born in 1824. Their four children were:
Adelia V., born in 1845.
Alphea A., born in 1848; married James H. Wing and lived at Warsaw.
John T., married Emma F._______; a son Kleber J., b. 1779.
Cora Isabelle,
By 1880, Elijah was working as a butcher, and had turned the farm over to his son John T.
g. Nancy M., born in 1824; married Elon (or Elan) W. Chase, born in 1827. They lived at Warsaw. Their four children were:
Edgar Adelbert, married Lucy McWethy
Three children who died young.
h. William J., born in 1826; married Julia Jeanette Lake, born in 1830, from Perry, New York. They farmed at Warsaw until after 1860, and then moved to Perry. Their children were:
Ellen J.,
Myron D.,
Mary I.,
i. Gardner H., born in 1828; he remained at Warsaw and farmed. He married Jane Lake of Perry, New York. Gardner died Mar. 18, 1857. Elijah Sr. was living with Jane and her children at the time of his death in 1860. The three children of Gardner and Jane were:
Charles E.,
Colby R.,
Gardner H.,
Asa and Betsey had the following children:
Mary, born Dec. 10, 1828; died the same date.
Mary E., born Dec. 22, 1829; die Nov. 14, 1849
Amanda R., born Dec. 25, 1831; died Mar. 1, 1843.
Spencer A., born June 15, 1834; died June 25, 1863.
Martin Colby, born Mar. 9, 1836; died Mar. 16, 1913.
Heroy Gustavus, born Apr. 7, 1840; died Aug. 29, 1885.
While Asa and Betsey worked hard on their farm in western New York, the rear and educate their children, they always found time to extend a helping hand to anyone needing aid. Asa was a leader in the church, and took advanced grounds in all of the reform issues of the day. He was a prominent abolitionist, when that party was very unpopular, and from him his sons inherited their love of country, and strong republicanism.
In 1850, when Asa's mother died at Warsaw, New York, Asa and Betsey sold their farm to Asa's brother Patrick, and with their three sons moved to a farm of 150 acres two miles northeast of Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisc. (the NW ¼ of section 3, township 7, range 13). They were accompanied by Asa's nephew, Royal Bryant, age 26, a physician, who came with them from New York to care for Asa.Asa died July 17, 1850, shortly after their arrival. How hard the past nine months had been for Betsey, with the death of her mother (Oct. 20, 1849), of her mother-in-law (Feb. 20, 1850), of her daughter (Nov. 14, 1849), and now of her husband Asa. Betsey purchased the farm on which they had settled from A. Allerton on Jan. 7, 1851, for $1950. She purchased an additional 40 acres in the section bordering theirs on the north (the SE ¼ of the NW ¼, section 34, township 8, range 13) from Isaiah Patterson on Feb. 18, 1851, for $270. Betsey died Oct. 13, 1852. Upon the death of their mother, the two younger sons, Colby and Gustavus, returned to Warsaw, New York, to live with relatives, and Spencer remained on the farm at Lake Mills.
Asa and Betsey are buried in the Rock Lake Cemetery at Lake Mills, block 9, lot 7. In the same lot are buried Eunice (widow of Spencer A.), William E., Emma A., and Edgar A. (children of Spencer A. and Eunice). Asa and Betsey have identical white marble stones, measuring about 4 feet tall, 1 ½ feet wide and 1 ½ inches thick. Betsey;s carries the inscription "Betsey E., wife of Asa Bryant, died Oct. 13, 1852, aged 47 years, 3 months", and in 1976 was still standing. On the south side of a tall old tree planted on their graves, the stone of Asa lies on the ground, carrying the inscription "Asa Bryant, died July 17, 1850, aged 54 years, 4 months"; his stone has broken in two. Three small grey markers about one feet high and 8 inches wide carry the inscriptions "Eunice 1827-1904", "Emma", and "Edgar 1863-1933". A tall, slender square monument of grey granite bears the following three inscriptions above the name BRYANT: " In memory of Spencer A. Bryant, 2nd Sargt. Co. D. 29th Wisc. Vol, died at Memphis, Tenn. June 25, 1863"; "Emma A., daughter of S.A. & E. Bryant, died Dec. 2, 1892, aged 32 years"; and "Willie E., son of S.A. & E. Bryant, died Feb. 22, 1862, aged 4 months 11 days'.
When Asa moved to Lake Mills township in 1850, settlement had been going on for the past 10 years. In 1850, the township population was 171 families comprised of 882 persons, living in 169 dwelling, with 58 farms.
A search of the early land deed records and of the U.S. census shows there were other Bryants living in Jefferson County, Wisc. before and at the time of Asa and Betsey. An early name at Lake Mills is Charles N. Bryant, son of Asa's brother, Spencer G. On Aug. 30, 1845, he bought 76 acres two miles southwest of Lake Mills. April 9, 1848, he married Louisa M. Chase. The 1850 census for Lake Mills lists Charles, age 26, farmer, born in New York; his wife Louisa, 24, born in New York, and their son, Alden S., 1 year old, born in Wisc. Charles bought again in 1851 and sold land in that same year to his father.
Another early name at Lake Mills is Edson N. Bryant (1816-1854). Jan. 27, 1847, Edson married Gertrude H. Doty at Lake Mills. By 1850, Edson was married to his second wife, Mary Jane Smith (1826-1856). The 1850 census lists Edson as a carpenter, born in Mass., and Mary Jane as born in New York. Two children were in the household: Henry, age 6, and Emma, age 3, both born in Wisconsin. Spencer G. Bryant, Asa's brother, was buying and selling land around Lake Mills in 1851, 1852 and 1857. In 1851, he sold land about 10 miles southwest of Lake Mills and bought land just tow miles east of Betsey's farm. He does not seem to have remained there, since his name is not on the census for 1840, 1850, or 1860.
Sources: a) History of Monona County, Iowa. Chicago: National Publishing Co., 1890, pp. 562-563.
b) Cemetery burial information, located in the cemetery records in the municipal building in Lake Mills, Wisc.
c) Land deed records of Jefferson County, Wisc., located in the Jefferson County courthouse, Jefferson, Wisc.
d) Family Record in a Bible given by Asa to his son Colby in 1846, when Colby was 10 years old. The Bible was a gift for having read it through. Colby handed the Bible on to his son Clarence, Mar. 13, 1887. Clarence then gave it to his uncle, William Spencer Bryant, who passed it on to his son Charles Gustavus Bryant.
e) Young, Andrew W., History of the Town of Warsaw, New York. Buffalo, 1869, pp. 33, 171, 245.
f) Boston Evening Transcript, June 17, 1932 #1156.
g) Record of Deaths in the Town of Ludlow, Vermont, 1790-1901, p. 7.
h) U.S. census, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, 1840-60
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Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981", p. 158
The Charles Bryant Family
Charles Bryant's father, John Bryant, was born in Chuer-Lebaura, England December 31, 1843. On March 31, 1864 he was married to Betsy Binning at Chuer-Wedmore, England.
In 1866 they immigrated to America and settled in Delaware County, Iowa. Here five children were born: Henry, Charles, Fredrick, Frank and Lillie.
In 1882 the family moved to Decatur County where Burl, George, Arthur and Albert were born.
Charles was born April 18, 1871, and married Lora Redd on June 29, 1892. To this union five children were born: Elsie, Dessie, Birdie, William and Enid.
Elsie married Ezra Wycoff and they had two children: Charles and Velma.
Dessie married Clarence Green and they had five children: Merle, Ray, Faye, Vaughn and Lura.
Birdie married Clarence Lent and to this union were born six children: Deles, Wanda, Emma, Clarence Jr., Patricia and Richard.
William: refer to the William Bryant family.
Enid married Charlie Sutherland and they had one daughter, Donella. She married Duane Hawk and their children are Larry and Jim......
In 1939 Enid married Paige Hagen.
"Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981", p. 159
The Frank Bryant Family
Frank Bryant, son of John and Betsy (Binning) Bryant, was born in Delaware County, July 3, 1874, and died at his home in Grand River, June 17, 1954.
On Sept. 29, 1897, he was married to Blanche McDowell. She was born Dec. 20, 1876, in Decatur County, and died at her home in Grand River, April 1966.
They raised a family of four children: Dewey Bryant (deceased), Myrtle (Bryant) Akers, Hazel (Bryant) Hopkins and Raymond Bryant (deceased).
They lived on a farm near Grand River until they retired and moved into Grand River.
also listed in this section, but the biography is not posted: WILLIAM BRYANT FAMILY
revised edition of the 1911 mercer county history book
p.23 from the list of pioneer mercer countyans who settled her up until the early '50s......
BRYANT T.H.
BRYANT JOHN
p.95 the ravanna creamery
edward bryant and D. picket became owners of the plant in 1907. it has a capacity of 10,000 lbs of milk a day and is operated by steam power.
p.121 the west side blaze of 1893
dec. 18th 1893 a large portion of the west side was consumed. (princeton)
following list of losses given by the telegraph:
Mrs. S.R. Bryant, millinery loss 300 insurance 300
==================================
p.227
judge h. g. orton was supervisor of the census of 1890 for the third congressional district. MISS MYRTA BRYANT of iowa city, iowa was his stenographer. a stenographer was then something of a novelty and the matter was commented on with much pride by the local press. "She takes down accuratley the most rapid dictation," said one of the papers. , "which she afterwards writes on the typewriter."
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.251 THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT MERCER present officers: E.H. BRYANT, trustees
THE MERCER BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL present officers: EH BRYANT, assistant superintendant
p.255
FAIR HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH northern part of mercer county, 4 miles east of mercer. prominent among early members were WP BRYANT and wife....
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THE BRYANT FAMILY
OF KENT CO., ENGLAND-PLYMOUTH, MASS.- BRYANT HILL, ELLICOTTVILLE, NY
Researched by: Edna Bryant Cole of Erie, PA.
This story begins in 1630 in Kent County, England, with a widow named Anne Bryant. Anne's husband had died, leaving her with three young boys: Thomas Bryant, Stephen Bryant and John Bryant. Among the family friends and neighbors was a lawyer, John Doane, a widower with a son also named John. The elder John offered to give Anne's three lads a chance in the New World if she would marry him and go there with him. John was a capable man, highly regarded, and his influence would give the three Bryant boys opportunities they otherwise would not find. So Anne consented. The six of them boarded a little ship known as the Handmaid, and two months later, October 29, 1630, they landed in Plymouth Colony.
John Doane rated highly in the estimation of Governor William Bradford and Thomas Prence. His name appears many times in the old records of the colony. He held many offices and is mentioned frequently on various committees. He had charge of settling many estates and handling the legal affairs of numerous minor children who had been left orphans. For example, in 1633, a Peter Brown died at Plymouth, leaving two daughters by his first wife and an estate of 100 pounds. The second wife refused the responsibility for the two girls; one of them was bound to John Doane for nine years. Fifteen pounds were paid from Brown's estate to help with the girl's expenses.
In Nov. 1636, John Doane was appointed a member of a committee to assist the governor in revising the laws, orders and constitution of the colony.
In Oct. 1641, Governor William Bradford bought a place bordering John Doane's place to give to Bradford's son-in-law, Thomas Southworth. The following April, 1642, Doane sold to Governor Bradford for four goats a garden place in Plymouth adjacent to Doane's own garden, and three acres of marsh meadow at Jones River. That same month, Doane, as agent for the church at Plymouth, bought a house, buildings and garden plots at Plymouth, and six acres of upland, for 120 pounds from Ralph Smyth, for the Plymouth church. Jan. 7, 1645, John Doane was licensed by the colony to sell wine, which would indicate he had a tavern or inn at Plymouth.
John Doane was not always sympathetic with the governing powers, and, was especially against certain ideas regarding intolerance often expressed by the Plymouth leaders. When the agitation arose to move the entire settlement of Plymouth across the bay to Nauset, John Doane was the chief leader and supporter of the movement. When the town was assembled in meeting, the citizens voted against the proposition. John was not to be deterred. Having bought property in Nauset some years earlier, he sold all of his property in Plymouth, Feb. 1645, including house, buildings, gardens, fruit trees and fences, to William Hanbury for ten pounds, moved to Nauset and changed the name of that place to Eastham, probably in honor of the town where he was born: Ham, East Parish, in Essex County, England. He and his son John both were still on the Eastham town list of freemen in June, 1689.
Following a practice common in those days, John and Anne bound out two of the Bryant boys to good friends. Thomas Bryant was bound out to Samuel Eddy, and Stephen Bryant to John Shaw. Offering boys financial opportunities and connections independent of, and supplementary to those, which their own parents could offer them as they grew up. The third Bryant boy, John, being the youngest, stayed with his mother and stepfather.
Thomas Bryant
On January 2, 1632, the following entry as found in the Plymouth court records:
"Thomas Bryant, the servant of Samuel Eddy, was brought before the Governor, Mr. Will Bradford, Mr. John Doane, Steve Hopkins and Will Gilson, assistants, because the said Thomas had run away and absented himself five days from his master's service and being lost in the woods and found by an Indian was forced to return; and for his offense was privately whipped before the Governor and council as fore-mentioned."
Thomas disappears at this point from history's pages. His master, Samuel Eddy, had bought his house and garden plot in Plymouth for Experience Mitchell for 12 pounds, May 9, 1631. Samuel enjoyed excellent connections with the colony's governing powers until, finally becoming disgusted with the political situation, he moved his household to Swansea, where he lived to a ripe old age. When he finally died on Nov. 12, 1687, in his eighty-seventh year, the event was recorded on the Plymouth church records, indicating he always had mentioned his membership there. His brother, John Eddy, who had come to Plymouth Colony with him, also moved out of Plymouth to what is now know as Middleboro. Eddyville, a little hamlet in that town, still bears his name.
John Bryant of Scituate
The youngest of Anne's boys, John Bryant, eventually became the head of the line now known as the John Bryant line of Scituate, Massachusetts. Over a period of 45 year, the colony records outline the life of this cantankerous man, whose chief interest seems to have been the colony's legal court. He made his court debut as a teenager in 1638, charged with drinking inordinately at John Emerson's house. He was released with admonition, but James Till was whipped "for alluring" John to drink. Three years later, 1641, he was in court "for drinking tobacco upon the highway."
The next logical step for John was to get a wife. Nov. 14, 1643, he married Mary Lewis, daughter of George and Sarah (Jenkins) Lewis of Scituate (a little settlement in the colony);John and Mary lived on land bordering her father's place, and had seven children:
John, born Aug. 17, 1644; married Mary Battles; died Jan. 26, 1708.
Hannah, born Jan. 25, 1645; married John Stodder of Hingham in 1665.
Joseph, born_____; died June 16, 1669.
Sarah, born Sept. 29, 1648.
Mary, born Feb. 24, 1649; died Apr. 8, 1652.
Martha, born Feb. 26, 1651.
Samuel, born Feb. 6, 1653; died in 1690, in Phipps' expedition to Canada, in which he served as sergeant; inventory of his estate was 47 pound.
John's wife, Mary (Lewis) Bryant, died July 2, 1655. On Dec. 22, 1657, John married a second wife, Elizabeth Wetherell, daughter of Rev. William Wetherell of Scituate. John and Elizabeth had one child:
Daniel, baptized in 1659; married Dorothy______.
When this second wife, Elizabeth (Wetherell) Bryant, died, John married a third wife in 1665, Mary Hiland, daughter of Thomas Hiland of Scituate, by whom he had eleven more children:
Elizabeth, born Aug.__, 1666; died Dec. 17, 1783.
Mary, born ________.
Benjamin, born Dec.____, 1669; died unmarried in 1701; his will, proved Jan. 5, 1702, showed an inventory of 164 pounds.
Joseph, born in 1671; he married, but the wife's name is unknown.
Jabez, born Feb. 18, 1672; died in 1697, unmarried; a letter of administration of his estate is dated June 29, 1697.
Ruth, born Aug. 16, 1673; married William Wanton, who later became Governor of Rhode Island.
Thomas, born July 15, 1675; married Mary Ewell, daughter of Gershom Ewell.
Deborah, born Jan. 22, 1677.
Agatha, born Mar. 12, 1678.
Ann, born Nov. 20, 1680.
Elisha, born in 1682.
John Bryant served on the court jury for 15 years between 1659-1681, five of those years being on the grand jury (called the "grand enquest" at Plymouth). Here are three examples of the sort of trials at which he was juryman: In 1663, Elizabeth Soule sued Nathaniel Church, who "committed the act of fornication with her an then denied to marry her." The jury found him guilty, and Elizabeth was awarded 10 pounds. In 1666, Mrs. Mary Totman went to the woods and dug up a root of a plant, brought it home, cleaned, cooked and ate it, and then died from its poison. The jury decided she had mistaken the root for a similar one she was accustomed to preparing, and her death was accidental. In 1674, one Indian had told a group of colonists living at Scituate that he would "give" them a large tract of the Indian land adjoining Scituate. When the colonists later went back to the Indian to "accept" the land, the rest of the tribe found out about the deal, threw the Indian to the ground and prevented him from dealing further with the colonists. The white men then brought the tribe to court and the jury awarded the land to the colonists (=the juryman).
The colony did buy some of its land from Indians. In 1666, John Bryant's name appears on a tax list which was drawn up to show how much each resident of Scituate had to contribute towards the purchase of Indian lands on the west edge of the settlement.
In 1659 began an eight-year court feud between John Bryant and William Randall. Randall brought John to court, charging him with trespassing on his land and selling timber belonging to Randall.Randall asked for 10 pounds damages. John was found innocent at the trial, where his own brother, Stephen, sat on the jury. Randall asked for a review of the case, which took place a year later, 1660. This time, with a different jury, Randall was awarded 5 pounds damages. The following year, 1661, John exactly reversed the situation: he sued William Randall for trespassing on his land and carrying away timber John had fell and crosscut. John asked for 10 pounds damages, but only was awarded five shillings; his brother Stephen Bryant was again on the jury. Exactly one year later, 1662, John sued Randall for "defaming him with lies and slander"; Randall had to pay him 20 shillings. In 1664, John complained to the court against Randall for not sealing a deed in reference to a parcel of marsh, which John had bought from Randall. The action was withdrawn. In 1667, Randall was complaining to the court about John, but the details of the case have been lost from the court record. Five months later, John again sued Randall for "slander and defamation." Randall had publicly charged and accused John to the authorities for suspicion of stealing planks belonging to Randall, and charging that John was cheating him in the division of planks. The court awarded John 15 pounds if Randall apologized, otherwise 20 pounds; Randall apologized.
In 1667, John charged two men with trespassing and working upon timber on the common land of Scituate. Asking 10 pounds damages, he was awarded 10 shillings.
In 1668, Joseph Turner sued John Bryant and his daughter Sarah (then 20 years old) for not appearing in court to give testimony at Turner's trial in Plymouth.
In 1681, John brought charges against five men of Massachusetts Colony who fell, squared and carried away timber from John's land without his permission. John asked for 10 pounds; the court allowed two. John asked for a review of the case three months later, asking for 12 pounds; the court awarded him five.
In 1683, John was appointed agent to prosecute anyone cutting or carrying away timber form Scituate's common land. This he did in three law suits against three separate men. One of these men was Humphry Johnson. In 1655, John had been a witness in a court case between Humphry Johnson and Tilden. After the trial, Johnson said John Bryant had given false testimony and called John "a fore-sworn, lying knave." So John sued this Johnson, asking 100 pounds damages. The next day the two men settled their quarrel privately and dropped the suit. Now in this latest suit against Johnson over timber, the jury found Johnson had a legal right to the common land. That same year (1683), John was fined 5 shillings in court "for being overtaken with drink".
John was constable at Scituate in 1662, surveyor of roads in 1673 (meaning he had the responsibility for the upkeep of the roads around Scituate), and for two years, 1677 and 1678, was simultaneously a selectman and a deputy at Scituate. In 1677 he was given the special responsibility to see that the court order against liquor was enforced at Scituate(!).
The colony government decided along the way that the colony might as well benefit from John's talent at court, and in 1663, 1664, 1671 and 1672 appointed him to committees to assist others in settling their land disputes.
Among John Bryant's children, let us follow a bit further four sons: John Jr., Daniel, Joseph and Thomas.
Stephen Bryant (1)
(Son of Anne, father of Abigail)
It is Anne's middle son, Stephen Bryant, who is the beginning of our line of the Bryant family in the New World. We mentioned him after his arrival in Plymouth in 1630, bound out by his stepfather, John Doane, To John Shaw, a friend of the Bryant and Doane families. This John Shaw had preceded the Doanes and the Bryant boys from Kent County, England, arriving at Plymouth Colony at least by 1627. May 22, 1627, he is listed in the colony records as one of 12 men drawing lots for the division of the responsibility for caring for the colony's common herd of cows and goats. July 7, 1630, John Shaw bought from John Winslow for 6 pounds a tract of firm land called Knave's Acre or Woodbee.
With a step-father who was a friend of the colony's leaders, and a master who was prospering, Stephen was in an opportune position. In a book written by Governor William Bradford, called Plymouth Plantation, the following excerpt has to do with colony affairs in 1638:
".nominated and appointed Thomas Prence, Gent.; Governor William Bradford and Edward Winslow Gent.; and assistants of the government Stephen Bryant or Doane; John Doane, Thomas Willette Gent. and John Dunham to have the power and authority for these next four years to put forth and dispose of said stock of cows to the inhabitants of the poor of the said town of Plymouth as shall be thought fit to partake therein."
Governor Bradford added the name Doane to Stephen Bryant for the purpose of identifying him as the step-son of John Doane. This committee was a select group; both Thomas Prence and Edward Winslow were to become governors of Plymouth Colony in their own right. As for the business they were to handle, an English merchant had mad a tidy profit selling necessities to pilgrims at Plymouth, and about 1626 had sent a few cows as a gift to the poor of that town. For twelve years the cows were cared for as the common property of the colonists. Now the committee was to decide who qualified for the cattle, and the assistants were to deliver the animals and get the proper receipts.
John Shaw was constable and road surveyor at Jones River in 1642 and 1644. He was a juryman at Plymouth 1638, 1641, 1643, 1644, 1648 and 1649. One of the trials he helped decide in 1648 was that of Mrs. Alice Bishop, who was found guilty and hanged for killing her four-year old daughter, Martha Clark, by slitting her throat with a knife.
John Shaw and his wife Alice (Philips) had two sons, James, who married Mary Mitchell in 1652, and Jonathan, who married Phoebe Watson in 1656, and a daughter, Abigail. Jonathan Shaw and Stephen Bryant were working together. A deed dated may 5, 1643, records a sale of 40 acres of upland "at the high cliffe" from Edward Dotey to Stephen Bryant and Jonathan Shaw for the price of 12 pounds ten shillings, to be paid in corn or cattle.
Two years later, in 1645, Stephen Bryant married the Shaw's daughter Abigail. They had eight children:
Abigail, born 1646/47
John, born April 7, 1650
Mary, born May 29, 1654
Stephen, born Feb. 2, 1657
Sarah, born Nov. 28, 1659
Lydia, born Oct. 23, 1662
Elizabeth, born Oct. 17, 1665
Mehittable, born 1669/70
A deed dated July 31, 1646, records two acres of upland meadow leased for Abraham Pierce for three years by Stephen Bryant and Samuel Sturtevant for 50 shillings per year.
In 1650, Stephen bought or was granted 100 acres of land in a spot identified now as on the eastern side of Jones River Pond (now Silver Lake). This lot of land was eventually passed along to Stephen;s oldest son, John, and through him, down through many generations of the Bryant family.
In 1651, Stephen bought 8 acres of marsh meadow for Jonathan Shaw; four months later he sold 4 of those acres to William Ford, and eight years later he sold three acres of the same to Edward Cook. Also in 1651, Stephen bought more property at " the high cliffe" for Benjamin Eaton and sold it to Edward Gray.
Among other transfers of land where Stephen Bryant's name occurs are sales to Samuel Wood,Samuel Sturtevant, Jonathan Shaw, Edward Gray and Jacob Cook, and purchases from Samuel Eddy, Benjamin Eaton and Jonathon Shaw.
These frequent deeds for Stephen Bryant's purchases and sales of land find a striking parallel seven generations later, when the brothers Colby and Gustavus Bryant were to crows the record books in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, and Monona County, Iowa, with the same sort of transactions. (believe Gustavus was a Civil War Vet, lost a leg and almost an arm).
What was Stephen doing with all of these parcels of land? William Bradford wrote in his journal that the first impression he had of the site of Plymouth Colony as he looked form the deck of the mayflower was "so goodly a land and wooded to the brink of the sea" (Mourts's Relation, p.2). Back from the coastline, the colony was a vast area of swampland extending for miles in many directions. These swamps, bogs and marshes were overgrown with cedar trees. One of the first manufacturing enterprises in new England sprang up here as the land was stripped of the cedar trees, which were made into barrels, used for shipping to England the tar and pitch into which the coastal pines were being converted. Additional cedar staves and heads were shipped to Engalnd for use as beer barrels and wine casks. Unlike other woods, cedar did not damage the flavor of the beverages.
By the year 1649 the cooparage industry had developed so rapidly that Sunday work, a grave crime in the eyes of the Plymouth Church, had become prevalent. On June 6th of that year, Stephen Bryant was presented in court for carrying a barrel to the tar pits on the Lord's Day. He was cleared "with admonition", but his brother-in law, Jonathan Shaw, was sentenced on the same day to sit in the stocks for working those tar pits.
Jan. 16, 1650, John Cary of Duxbury, a planter (i.e., farmer), sold two acres of meadow ground "lying upon the north side of Pine Point" to Stephen. John Shaw signed the deed as a witness.
In 1651, Stephen bought a cow from Samuel Cutbert for two bushels of Indian corn and two barrels of tar.
March 2, 1651, Stephen and his wife, Abigail, appeared in court to "complain against John Haward, Edward Hall, and Susannah Haward, of Duxburrow, in an action of slander and defamation, to the damages of 500 pounds." They were awarded 5 pounds.
The Plymouth records are so detailed we even read there what sort of mark Stephen used to identify his cattle (a slit on top of the left ear; his son-in-law Lieut. John Bryant used a "cut across the near ear", and what sort of gun he had " one of the longer sort of guns from Serg. Harlow".
The swamp region was filled with numerous streams and ponds alive with pickerel, red perch, trout and herring. Wild ducks, turkeys, geese and pigeons in enormous flocks helped fill the larder, as well as the pillows and feather ticks. Moose, deer, bear and rabbit provided food and clothing. Beaver, mink muskrat and skunk pelts ere bartered for necessities. This daily involvement with, and dependence upon nature found poetical expression five generations later in Stephen's descendant William Cullen Bryant and eight, nine, ten generations after Stephen, his offspring in Iowa were fishing the rivers and lakes and hunting and walking the fields and woods with a passion which is better understood by seeing this historical beginning.
Mar. 6, 1654, John Shaw's wife, Alice, died. In poor health john returned to England to die. On Jan. 30, 1663, a deed of gift was recorded in Plymouth whereby he distributed his land to his heirs. This deed reads as follows:
"Know all men by these presents that I, John Shaw, of Plymouth in New England, Senior have and do by these presents give unto my son-in-law Stephen Bryant of Plymouth all that, my whole share of land allotted unto me near unto Namassaket both upland and meadow, with all and singular, the appurtenances there unto belonging to the said Stephen Bryant and his heirs and assigns forever. Also, I do give unto my son-in-law, Stephen Bryant, another portion of land called by the name of Rehoboth, which land was formerly granted unto me lying on the south-side of Smelt River according as it is bounded and set out with all appurtences there unto belong to the said Stephen Bryant, his heirs, etc. I do declare by these presents that I do give unto my son, James, one-half my purchase lands at Cushena and one-fourth to son Jonathan and one-fourth to Stephen Bryant. Me daughter, Abigail Bryant, my bed, etc., also my chest."
On Nov. 3, 1653, Thomas and Anne Savory had indentured their son Benjamin, age 8, to John and Alice Shaw. On March 2, 1657, Thomas and Anne again indentured Benjamin, this time to Stephen and Abigail Bryant, to be "instructed in husbandry" (i.e., farming) and to receive five pounds sterling at the end of his term. This was a way for Benjamin to learn farming, and for Stephen to have cheap hired help, in the same way that Stephen himself had been indentured as a boy to John and Alice Shaw.
The Plymouth town records show that Stephen was called upon to fill certain public offices. He was appointed constable for 1663, road surveyor for 1658, 1659, 1670, 1674 and 1676, and to serve on juries in 1653, 1659-62, 1670-72, 1674-76, 1678-79, and 1681. He was on the jury in 1676 when Mrs. Bethiah Howland drowned in a tub of clothes and water; her death was judged accidental.
The Plymouth Church records, dated July 27, 1684, read as follows:
"The Church was desired to stay after public worship they if any, had any just exception of admission of Old Goodman Bryant with the church they might express it. The issue of the agitation was that nothing appeared to his calling forth to declare himself on the next Lord's Day."
A later entry reads:
Stephen Bryant, Senior, admitted to the church."
Of Stephen and Abigail (Shaw)'s six daughters, the oldest, Abigail, married Lieut. John Bryant of Plymouth. This Bryant-Bryant marriage was not at all unusual at that time, and was a practice, which continued for several generations. Mary and Sarah probably died young, or at least before marriage, as their names have not shown up in any of the records. Lydia married William Churchill on Jan. 17, 1684, and died a widow on Feb. 6, 1736. She was buried in a Churchill lot, next to a Bryant lot in the cemetery at Plympton Green. Her son William Churchill Jr. married Ruth Bryant, a daughter of Lydias brother John. Another son, Deacon Samuel Churchill, married JoannahBryant, also a daughter of John. Thus the two brothers married tow sisters who were their first cousins. Elizabeth married Joseph King on Jan. 15, 1689, and Mehittable married Isaac King, probably Joseph's' brother, on Aug. 13, 1689.
Now let us look at Stephen and Abigail (Shaw)'s two sons, John and Stephen Jr.
Lieut. John and Abigail (2) Bryant
(daughter of Stephen (1), parents of Samuel (3))
The origin of Lieut. John Bryant is not settled. Lewis Bradford, Plympton, Mass. Town clerk for 1812-1851, wrote many notes into the pages of the old Plympton town records. There he wrote that Lieut. John Bryant was the son of the John Bryant of Scituate, Mass., who had married Mary Lewis. In most Bryant genealogies this has been accepted traditionally. However, it is incorrect to take Lieut. John as the son of John of Scituate, because John, the son of John of Scituate, remained in Scituate, and there is a separate record of his marriage and children, as the preceding pages have shown. Lieut. John resided at Plympton with a wife and children different from those of the Scituate family. Left in the dark about Lieut. John's origin, we may trace our Bryant family back to lieut. John's wife, and from her to her father, Stephen Bryant, thereby arriving at a first-generation of our line of Bryant's in America.
In contrast to this lack of facts pertaining to Lieut. John Bryant's origin, there is documented evidence for the remainder of his life. In 1650 he received a grant of land, 100 acres, near Plymouth on the southern and east side of Jones River Pond, now called Silver Lake, at the same time as, and near the location of, a similar grant to his future father-in-law, Stephen Bryant.
Nov. 23, 1665, at Plymouth, Lieut. John married Abigail Bryant, born in 1646/47 at Plymouth, daughter of Stephen and Abigail (Shaw) Bryant. Lieut. John and Abigail lived in the area that was incorporated in 1707 as the town of Plympton (10 miles west of Plymouth). Just as the original Plymouth in England had a "satellite" village a few miles away called Plympton, so it was redone in the New World. On the town records, Lieut.John is called "Mariner". Harold Stanley Bryant, in his booklet William Cullen Bryant: His Ancestors and Where They Lived, conjectures that Lieut. John was related to the Alexander Bryan (sometimes spelled Bryant) sea-faring family of Milford, Conn. (there is a letter recorded in the Plymouth records, v. 5, p. 155, for Oct. 27, 1674, which shows Alexander and his son Richard were involved in Plymouth affairs) and the Lieut. John was involved in New England shipping, which was important and extensive at that time, importing goods from England and distributing them along the New England coast. The house built by Lieut. John on the shores of Jones River Pond is said to have been the largest of its times in Plymouth County.
March 2, 1668, found Lieut. John having his share in the Bryant family court actions. On that day he faced two charges. One of his accusers was Mary Crisp. Mary was in court to answer charges that she had behaved uncivil towards three other persons; found guilty, she turned around and accused Lieut. Bryant of uncivil behavior toward her. He was cleared of that charge. Next came a charge for "using reviling speeches to Edward Gray as soon as they came out of the meeting on the Lord's day". Lieut. John was fined 10 shillings. Exactly 3 months later, that scene was reversed down to the last detail: Edward Gray was fined 10 shillings for "using reviling speeches to John Bryant, son-in-law of Stephen Bryant, of Plymouth, on the Lord's day, as soon as they came out of the meeting".
Lieut. John's last court appearance other than as juror was Oct. 28, 1684, when he brought charges of "slander and defamation" against Jonathan Barnes, asking 100 pounds damage. Barnes had said John broke open his locks on his warehouse and stole a barrel and several other things. Barnes acknowledged he was wrong and the case was dismissed.
Lieut. John is in the Plymouth town records for the usual responsibilities which most of the townsmen shared at one time or another: juror (1696, 1698), road surveyor (1695), constable (1681). In 1684, the town paid him 15 shillings for gathering in the minister's rate for the preceding year, and 30 shillings for gathering in the town, country and minister's rate for that current year. In 1699 he was on a committee to see to the protection of timber on the town's common land (anyone carrying timber or lumber through town had to be able to prove it came off his own land and not off the common Land).
In 1677, he was granted an additional 30 acres of land at Jones River, and in 1701, still another 15 acres.
Lieut. John and Abigail had seven children. The births of all seven originally were entered in the Plymouths records:
Mary, born Sept. 11, 1666.
Hannah, born Dec. 2, 1668.
Bethia, born July 25, 1670.
*Samuel, born Feb. 3, 1673.
Jonathan, born Mar. 23, 1677. He married Margaret West in 1700, had 3 children: Rebecca 1702, Priscilla 1703, and Mary 1705. His second wife was Mary Little, daughter of Thomas Little, from whom Jonathan inherited a lot on Middle Street Plymouth, built a house on it and there was proprietor of "Bryant's Inn".
Abigail, born Dec. 30, 1682; married Nov. 20, 1705, to John Faunce, who was born Sept. 16, 1678, and died Mar. 19, 1766.
Benjamin, born Dec. 16, 1688; married July 31, 1712, at Plymouth to Hannah Eaton. Children born at Plympton were:
Phoebe
Marcy
Hannah; married Elisha Bryant, son of John and Mary(West) Bryant.
Micah
Jerusha
Benjamin drowned off Plymouth shore May 24, 1724, from a ship trying to make port in a storm. His wife Hannah died at Plymouth Mar. 4, 1724.
In 1695, a church was established at Plympton on what today is called the Center, or the Green. There were some forty families in the neighborhood who had been attending church at Plymouth, but found the weekly trip to burdensome. Twelve years later, when Plympton was incorporated as a legal township, a list of landowners included Lieut. John Bryant and his son Samuel.
Lieut. John died in 1731. His wife Abigail died May 12m 1715. Both are buried in the Old Cemetery at the Green in Plympton.
Sources: a) Boston Evening Transcript, Nov. 27, 1934, # 7936.
b) The Mayflower Descendants, v. 1, p. 209; v. 2, p.32.
c) Bryant, Harold Stanley, William Cullen Bryant: His Ancestors and Where They Lived. Written in 1953, this booklet was mimeographed in 1972 by Chedwato Service, RFD 3, Box 120 A, Middleboro, Mass. 02346.
d) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records.
e) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol. 35, 1881, pp. 37-39, 85.
f) Records of Plymouth Court of Common Pleas.
Deacon Samuel (3) Bryant
(Son of Lieut. John (2) father of Nathaniel (4))
Samuel Bryant was born Feb. 3, 1673, at Plympton, Mass., son of Lieut. John and Abigail (Bryant) Bryant. Samuel went to sea as a young man. Then he married Joanna, whose maiden name is unknown, born in 1672. Samuel and Joanna farmed at Plympton. Samuel was an elected deacon of the church at Plympton. Joanna died at Plympton, Dec. 18, 1736. Samuel then married Mrs. Elizabeth Cushman on Oct. 4, 1737, who was the daughter of George Sampson. Elizabeth died Apr. 17, 1755, age 52.
Samuel made his will May 25, 1744, which was probated Apr. 2, 1750. His son Nathaniel was executor of the estate and was living on the homestead. Samuel left half of his land to his eldest son, Samuel. He died at Plympton, Mar. 3, 1750. The seven children of Samuel and Joanna were (A-G):
A. Deacon Samuel Jr., born May 14, 1699; married Tabitha Ford. Samuel was a captain and operated ocean- going vessels for many years. Tabitha died Aug. 25, 1773. Samuel died May 21, 1774. Their eleven children were (1-11):
1. Abigail, born Mar. 13, 1728.
2. Joanna, born July 12, 1739; married Solomon Doten.
3. Joseph, born June 3, 1734; married Zilpah Sampson, daughter of William and Joannah Sampson. Jospeh died may 30, 1813, at Plympton. Their nine children were:
Joseph, died May 13, 1759. Age 1yr.7 mo. 4 days
William,
Rizpah, married Eleazer Thomas of Middleborough
Tabitha,
Ruth, married William Shaw Jr. of Middleboro.
Silence, married Prince Churchill; died Nov. 3, 1801, age 33
Paul, died in the U.S. Army, Nov. 4, 1791, age 21.
Lois,
Jane, married Eleazer Dunham of Carver, Mass. They moved to Paris, Oxford County, Maine.
4. Joshua, born Feb.16, 1745; he had three wives, the 1st being Lusanna Randall, whom he married in 1766, and the last was Dorcas Howard. Joshua had 14 children. Only one is known, a daughter of Joashua and Lusanna:
Lusanna, 1767-1830; married Abel Gardner (1763-1840) of Hingham, Mass.
Joshua died Apr. 24, 1799, at Plympton.
5. Lois, born June 9, 1725; married Barnabas Briggs of Halifax on Nov. 23, 1743.
6. Susannah, born Jan. 19, 1742; married Asa Cook.
7. Lydia, born May 12, 1741; married Consider Fuller, Feb. 21, 1759. When Consider died, Lydia took her family to new Gloucester, where she joined the Shakers. One child of Lydia and Consider was:
Consider Jr., born May 31, 1780, at Plympton. He went to Paris, Maine in 1801 and built a log hut north of his uncle, Solomon Bryant. Consider married his first cousin, Elizabeth Cummings, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Bryant) Cummings. He died at West Paris, Maine, in 1872. The eight children of Consider Jr. and Elizabeth were:
Christiana, born Jan. 2, 1802; married Charles B. Brooks.
Chloe, born Feb. 23, 1807; married Rufus Farrar.
Lucy B., born Jan. 20, 1813; married Eli H. Cushman.
Consider, born Jan. 25, 1815; married Sally O. Greely.
Betsey B., born Aug. 19, 1820; married Jonathan Fickett Jr.
Abigail, married Stephen Davis.
Lovica, married Stephen Davis.
Lydia Jane, married Joseph H. Briggs. Lydia Jane's grandmother, Lydia (Bryant) Fuller, and Jospeh's grandfather, Solomon Bryant, were sister and brother.
8. Samuel, born Nov. 18, 1736.
9.Sylvanus, born Mar. 20, 1730; married Sarah Sears of Halifax, Mass., Jan. 17, 1754, at Halifax. Sylvanus died Nov. 3, 1770, at Plymouth.
10. Solomon, born Jan. 4, 1747; married Elizabeth Curtis of Hanover, Mass.
11.Tabitha, born Apr. 14, 1732; married William Bennett of Middleboro, Nov. 26, 1753.
B. Joanna, born Mar. 1, 1702; married Josiah Waterman at Plympton, Feb. 21, 1723.
C. Abigail, born July 5, 1703; married Josiah Phinney or Finney at Plympton, Dec. 13, 1722.
D. Elizabeth, married Isaac Waterman (brother of Josiah) at Plympton, Dec. 23, 1725.
E. Lydia, born Mar. 16, 1708; married Thomas Sampson, Nov. 16, 1730, who was from a sea-faring family.
F. Sylvanus born Apr. 8, 1710.
Or Salvanus
*G. Deacon Nathaniel, born 1712.
Source: Boston Evening Transcript, Nov. 19, 1902 #5245.
Deacon Nathaniel (4) Bryant
(Son of Deacon Samuel (3), father of Nathaniel (5))
Nathaniel Bryant was born at Plympton, Mass., in 1712, the son of Deacon Samuel and Joanna Bryant.
A document dated July 4, 1731, lists as landowners at Plympton, Samuel Bryant and Nathaniel Bryant. In the History of Plymouth County, D.H. Hurd wrote: "These are fathers of the town and venerable names.
Nov. 8, 1733, Nathaniel married Zerviah Curtis of Pembroke, Mass., who was born Jan. 21, 1707, and who died April 21, 1790. Nathaniel died Dec. 6, 1793, and is buried in Plympton Cemetery.
Samuel Bryant's Will, made May 25, 1744, and probated Apr. 2, 1750, mentions his son Nathaniel, who was executor of the estate and had the homestead farm.
Nathaniel and Zerviah had six children, all born at Plympton (1-6):
1. Benjamin, born Dec. 25, 1734. By his first wife, Sarah, there was a son, Moley, born Nov. 5, 1759. On Sept. 13, 1768, Benjamin married his second wife, Sarah Harlow, born Jan. 5, 1736, daughter of James and Hannah Harlow. In the Harlow genealogy, Benjamin is described as "a very pious, exemplary man, and deacon of the church in Plympton for a number of years". Sarah (Harlow) died at Plympton, Nov. 13, 1808. Benjamin died may 2, 1824. They had five children:
Consider, born Dec. 6, 1764.
Aseph, born Feb. 12, 1764.
Abigail, born Feb. 2, 1773.
Nathaniel, born Dec. 4, 1776.
Benjamin, born Nov. 27, 1777; married and having children, he drowned at sea in Feb. 1804.
2. Nathaniel, born June 21, 1737.
3. Zerviah, born July 24, 1739; married Ephraim Holmes Jr., Oct. 30, 1765. The grandson of Zerviah and Ephraim was Dr. Ezekiel Holmes, for many years editor of the Maine Farmer. After Ephraim died, Zerviah married on May 4, 1804, to James Bradford of Duxbury, 6th in descent from Gov. William Bradford of Plymouth Colony (James (6), Capt. Seth (5), Gamaliel (4), Samuel (3), William (2), William (1). James Bradford was a was a ship-master and died on board his ship on the Mississippi River, above New Orleans, May 30, 1820. James and Zerviah had nine children, all born at Duxbury:
James, born Sept. 27, 1806; married Mary Ann Cobb of Taunton.
Southworth, born Aug. 10, 1807; married Asenath Thrasher of Middleboro.
Oren, born Sept. 25, 1808; married Eunice Hubbard of Waltham.
Emiline, born Aug. 21, 1809; married James Bartlett of Plymouth.
Seth, born Jan. 26, 1812.
Sarah Prince, born June 13, 1813; married Julius B. Champney of Leominster.
Catherine, born Aug. 16, 1816; died Apr. 14, 1817.
Charles, born July26, 1815; died Apr. 16, 1832,
Alden, born Mar. 17, 1818.
4. Joshua, born July 26, 1741; died Sept. 22, 1743.
5. Elizabeth, born may 31, 1744; died Sept. 15, 1747.
6. Ezekiel, born June 16, 1746; in 1768 he married Lucy Bearce, 5th in descent from Austin Bearce who came to America in 1688 on the Confidence. Ezekiel died on the Island of St. Thomas in the West Indies in 1775. He and Lucy had at least one child:
Ezekial, born Aug. 18, 1772; married on May 6, 1798, to Mercy Northrup, daughter of Enos and Anna (Drake) Northrop of Cornwall, Conn. Mercy was born in 1776, 5th in descent from Joseph Northrup of Milford, Maine, who came to America in 1639. Ezekiel farmed at Sheffield, Mass., where he died Jan. 9, 1830. Mercy died in 1869. They had at least two children (a-b):
a. Socrates, born Feb. 11, 1799; married on Nov. 9, 1826, to Jerusha Terrill, born in 1801, 6th in descent from Roger Terrill of Milford, Maine, who cane t America in 1639. Socrates farmed at Sheffield, Mass., where he died Jan. 17, 1863. Jerusha died in 1880. One
of their children was:
Edson Lewis, born Feb. 7, 1842. In the Civil War he was private and 1st Sergeant of Co. F., 23rd Conn. Infantry, 1862-63. He was a manufacturer at Ansonia, Conn. On June 14, 1866, at Derby, Conn., he married Mary Elizabeth Clarke, born Feb. 4, 1845, daughter of Merritt and Mary Ann (Hodge) Clarke. Edson died Nov. 3, 1914, at New Haven, Conn. His wife Mary died in 1930. Two children of Edson and Mary were (i-ii):
i. AnnElizabeth,bornJan.12
1869; married Oct. 15, 1891,
at Ansonia, to Theodore
Wells Bassett, son of
Sheldon andCaroline(Wells)
and Theodore had no
died Nov. 3, 1930, at
Ansonia.
ii. George Clarke, born at
Ansonia, Jan. 8, 1873;
married on Dec.7, 1898, at
Ansonia, to Florence Adele
Farrell, born Sept. 13, 1877,
daughter of Franklin and
Lilian (Clark) Farrel.
George graduated from Yale
in 1895 with a BA degree,
and from the Yale Law
School in 1897. He was
connected with his
father-in-law's foundry and
machine company from
1902-1943. He also was
President of the Ansonia
National Bank from 1938
Until his death, Aug. 28, 1947, at Lake Placid, New York. His wife Florence died Jan. 9, 1949, at New Haven, Conn. Their four children were:
Dorothy, born Sept. 21, 1899; married Albert Sessions Redway; lived at Hamden, Conn.
Geoffrey, born Feb. 1902; lived at White Plains, New York.
Roland, born Nov. 28, 1904; lived at Stoneham, Mass.
Norman, born Dec. 21, 1905; lived at New Haven, Conn.
b. Ezekiel Drake, born in 1815. He was a clockmaker. He married Lucy Tyler, who was born in 1822. Ezekiel died in 1888, and Lucy died in 1885. Their five children were:
Watson, 1842-47.
Watson Dwight, 1847-53.
William Cullen, 1849-1905.
Jessie Honor, 1854-1930; married
Franklin W. Gerard (1854-1930). Their four children were:
Franklin Bryant, born Oct.7,1881.
Jessie Bryant, born Aug. 20, 1884.
Margaret Bryant, born Aug. 30, 1887.
Raymond Bryant, born June 1, 1889.
Lucy Elmere, 1856-1915.
Sources: a) The Mayflower Descendant, v.9, p. 118.
b) Hurd, D.H., History of Plymouth County. Philadelphia 1884, p. 1109.
c) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records to 1850, pp. 44-51; 270; 272; 274; 452-54.
d) Plymouth Probate records, v. 21, p. 374.
e) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol. 4, 1850, p. 241; vol. 14, 1860, p. 232; vol. 85, 1931, p. 228; vol. 102, 1948, p. 69.
f) Virkus, Frederick A., The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Vol. 1, 1925, p. 510.
Nathaniel (5) Bryant
(Son of Deacon Nathaniel (4), father of Martin (6))
Nathaniel Bryant was born June 21, 1737, at Plympton, Mass., son of Deacon Nathaniel and Zerviah (Curtis) Bryant. He married on Feb. 21, 1759, at Plympton, to Joanah Cole, also of Plympton.
Three months after his marriage to Joanah, Nathaniel was in Capt. Josiah Thacher's Company, Col. John Thomas Regiment, which landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 11, 1759, on a maneuver in the French and Indian War, aiding the British against the French. As early as 1748, the Governor of Massachusetts had asked for a British fortress and settlement at Halifax to curb the threat of the French to Massachusetts, and the following year his request was carried out. With Halifax as a base, English forces fought to expel the French from Quebec and all of Canada. In May 1759, the troops sailed under Major James Wolfe against Quebec, which fell on Sept. 18, 1759.
The list of men in Thacher's Company records Nathaniel at Pisquet on June 24, 1760. Of the 103 men on the list of this company, 16 were from Plympton. Besides Nathaniel, these included a Stephen Bryant, listed as being at Halifax on June 26, 1760, and Ebenezer Cole, listed as being at Alesnes. This Ebeneezer Cole was Nathaniel's brother-in-law. The future father-in-law of Nathaniel's son Martin, Nathaniel Sears, of Rochester, Mass., is also on the list, and along with 12 others is marked "absconded", meaning he returned home from Halifax before being discharged. This occurred frequently, due to the miserable living conditions and meager pay in the army (see Raddall, Halifax-Warden of the North, p. 63). The original plan for Halifax was that the troops would remain there to form a strong colony, but that notion "had perished in the thin stony soil of the Halifax peninsula" (Raddall, p. 68). Governor Lawrence of Nova Scotia reported in 1760 that "every soldier that has come into the province since the establishment of Halifax has either quitted it or become a dram-seller" (Raddall, p. 68). So it was that Nathaniel returned to Plympton.
Joanah Cole was the daughter of Ebenezer Cole, born Oct. 17, 1711, 4th in descent from James Cole of Plymouth (Ebenezer (4), John (3), James (2), James (1)), and Ruth (Churchill) Cole, born Sept. 14, 1716, daughter of William and Ruth Churchill Jr. of Plympton. Like her husband, Joanah was 5th in descent from Stephen Bryant; in fact, both of her maternal grandparents were grandchildren of old Stephen Bryant.
Joanah's parents, Ebenezer and Ruth Cole, moved to Ireland Street in Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass., between 1760-65, when the town was just being settled. Ebenezer died their Dec. 31, 1790. His wife Ruth died Sept. 2, 1806. Children of Ebenezer and Ruth Cole were:
Joanah, married Nathaniel Bryant.
Rachel, married Daniel Littlefield; lived at Chesterfield, Mass.
Ebenezer, born in 1739; during the French and Indian War, he enlisted from Plympton in the May 11, 1759, maneuver to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He on Feb. 11, 1762, at Halifax, Mass., to Hannah Bryant of Halifax. He enlisted from Chesterfield in the Revolutionary Army on Apr. 21, 1775.
Elijah, lived at Chesterfield, Mass.
Barnabas, born in Plympton about 1750; enlisted from Chesterfield in the Revolutionary Army on May 3, 1775, for which service he borrowed a musket from William Buckingham.
Jesse, born in 1764; served in the Revolution from Chesterfield. Tax records show he was a resident of Chesterfield in 1787.
Seth,
Now let us pause to see where the family line is at this point. Nathaniel Bryant Jr. is a great- great-grandchild of Stephen Bryant. And his wife, Joanah Cole, is also a great- great- grandchild of Stephen Bryant. Joanah Cole came from a line where the women kept marrying their Bryant relations. Joanah Cole's mother was Ruth Churchill Cole, daughter of Ruth Bryant and William Churchill Jr., and niece of Joannah Bryant and Samuel Churchill (remember the two sets of first cousins who married?). William Churchill Jr.'s mother was Lydia Bryant, daughter of Stephen Bryant. Ruth Churchill Cole's sister, Abigail Churchill, married her first cousin, John Bryant, son of Capt. George Bryant. Well, this is getting too confusing for words! Perhaps the chart on the following page will clarify these relationships.
Nathaniel and Joanah farmed at Plympton until 1777, when they moved to Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass., where Joanah's parents were living. They were part of a group migration from Plympton to Chesterfield in western Massachusetts, looking for better land. The 1790 census for Chesterfield shows the following six households of Bryant's, all related:
Ruchsa Bryant, wife, 1 daughter
Consider Bryant, wife, 1 daughter
Patrick Bryant, wife, 1 son
George Bryant, wife, 1 daughter, 3 sons
Nathaniel Bryant, wife, 1 daughter, 4 sons
Asahel Bryant,
Nathaniel died at Chesterfield, Apr. 26, 1810. Joanah died May 1, 1821. They had thirteen children. The first eleven were born at Plympton, and the last two were born at Chesterfield. These children of Nathaniel and Joanah were (1-13):
1.Betty (called Betsey) born June 2, 1759; married on Apr. 30, 1781, to Gideon Bisbee Jr., born in Pembroke, July 27, 1755. Gideon Jr's father, Gideon Bisbee, was fifth in descent from Thomas Bisbee (Gideon (5), John (4), John (3), Elisha (2), Thomas (1)). Gideon Sr. married Rebecca Turner and had six children, all born in Pembroke. Gideon Sr. came to Chesterfield in 1755, cleared land, and returned to Pembroke. There he joined in the French and Indian War, where he died of smallpox. His widow and four of the children, including Gideon Jr., came to the land at Chesterfield, which had been made ready for them. Gideon Jr. and Betty settled on the Mount in the western part of Chesterfiled. He died their Sept. 23, 1825. Betty died Dec. 10, 1852. Their eight children were (a-h):
a. Susannah, born Apr. 28, 1783.
b. Zerviah, born Apr. 1, 1784; on Nov. 3, 1815, were published her intentions to marry Samuel Dumbolton of Grafton, New York.
c. John, born Jan. 12, 1786; probably died young, since he was not mentioned in his father's will.
d. Lydia, born Oct. 7, 1787; married_______Cowing.
e. Eli, born Nov. 15, 1788; on Oct. 11, 1811, appeared his intentions to marry Ruby Wheeler, born in nearby Cummington, July 1, 1793, daughter of Samuel and Ruby Wheeler. Their eight children were:
Laura, born Apr. 21,1812.
Norman, born Feb. 17, 1814.
Zerviah Malvina, born Nov. 16, 1816.
Samuel Wheeler, born Mar. 3, 1818.
Margette Florilla, born Mar. 7, 1820.
Harmon Dewey, born May 4, 1822.
Clarissa Mary Ann, born Feb. 15, 1824.
Ruby Honora, born Nov. 9, 1826.
f. Gideon, born Apr. 20, 1791; married in Cummington, June 29, 1809, to Lydia Gurney, born at Cummington, July 12, 1790, daughter of Asa and Molly (Reed) Gurney. Their children were:
Charles Austin, born Oct. 13, 1809.
Horace, born Aug. 18, 1811.
______, born Apr. 27, 1813.
Oliva Caroline, born Apr. 11, 1815; married Ansel Damon.
Albert, born May 27, 1817.
Julia Ann, born Aug. 14, 1819.
Infant, born Oct. 30, 1821, died Oct. 31, 1821.
g. Aaron, born May 22, 1795; died July 18, 1803.
h. Betsey, born June 17, 1798; on Feb. 14, 1816, were published her intentions to marry Alpheus Dumbolton of Grafton, New York.
2. Major Alexander, born Nov. 1761; on Oct. 31, 1785, were published his intentions to marry Susannah Halbert. They moved to Butternuts, New York. Susannah was born Feb. 5, 1766, daughter of John Halbert (1740-1786), who married in Pelham, Dec. 27, 1764, Eleanor Calester, who died in 1792. John Halbert served in the Revolution from Chesterfield. Of John Halbert's eight children, two daughters married two Bryant brother: Susannah married Alexander Bryant, and Anna, born Oct. 2, 1769, married Patrick Bryant. One of his sons, Thomas, born Mar. 11, 1772, also died in Butternuts, New York in 1857, where Susannah and Major Alexander lived. John Halbert's father, Thomas Halbert, was a cooper, born in Northern Ireland. On Oct. 18, 1731, this Thomas Halbert married Margaret Durum in Topsfield, Mass. They lived at Pelham, Mass., where their five children were born, then they moved to Chesterfield. Thomas died there in May, 1778, age 76. His wife Margaret died in June, 1780, age 69. Both were buried in the Ireland Street Cemetery at Chesterfield.
3. Rudolfus, born Apr. 23, 1763; on Aug. 14, 1786, were published his intentions to marry Elizabeth Bates of Worthington. They settled in Norwich, Mass.; the 1790 census shows them there with one daughter.
4. Colonel Patrick, born Apr. 7, 1764; married Anna Halbert. They lived on the Mount at Chesterfield.
5.* Martin, born Dec. 27, 1765.
6.Eunice, born May 10, 1767; married on Aug. 22, 1786, to Capt.Reuban Cowing, born Oct. 2, 1765, son of Prince (4) Cowing (Prince (4), John (3), John (2), John (1). Eunice died July 5, 1790, having borne three children. Capt.Reuben, on Mar. 11, 1792, published his intentions to marry a second wife, Lydia French of Chester, by whom he had nine children. Lydia died Mar. 29, 1813. On Nov. 5, 1814, Reuben published his intentions to marry RosannaCole, widow of Consider Cole. She died in Chester, Sept. 28, 1818. The three children of Eunice and Capt. Reuben were:
Eunice, born Feb. 8, 1787; died in Chester, Apr. 16, 1818.
Hannah, born May 25, 1788; died May 30, 1789.
Reuben, born Feb. 21, 1790; died May 25, 1790.
7. *Nathaniel, born May 3, 1769; married Elizabeth Rude of Norwich.
8. Royal, born Jan. 30, 1771; died Jan. 3, 1773.
9. Lydia, born Aug. 28, 1773; on Oct. 26, 1792, appeared her intentions to marry John Niles, born in Easton, Apr. 11, 1769, son of Nahum and Susannah (Cole) Niles. This Nahum Niles was a 5th descendant of John Niles (Nahum (5), Daniel (4), John (3), Increase (2), John (1). Nahum was born Oct. 15, 1739; he was in the French and Indian War from Easton in 1758. Although his first three children were born at Easton, and the seventh was born at Ware, all nine are recorded at Chesterfield. These children of Nahum and Susannah (Cole) Niles were:
Molly, born Dec. 31, 1761.
Nathan, born July 20, 1766.
John, born Apr. 11, 1769.
Susannah, died Aug. 6, 1772
Isaac, born July 13, 1775.
Lucy, born Feb. 22, 1777.
Samuel, born Sept. 23, 1779.
Ephraim, born Mar. 9,1782.
Calvin, born Oct. 24, 1784.
Nahum died Jan. 27, 1825; his wife Susannah died Aug. 3, 1821, age 78. Both were buried in the Shapley Cemetery, Lebanon, New York. Their son and daughter-in-law, John and Lydia (Bryant) Niles had moved from Chesterfield to Madison and then to Lebanon, Madison County, New York.
10. Ezekiel, born Apr. 18, 1775; married Polly Graves. They moved to Brookfield, New York.
11.Royal, born July 23, 1777; married Lydia Vining, and then her sister, Mary Vining.
12. Seth, born May 17, 1779. He married Olive Buck, born Oct. 6, 1782, oldest of the twelve children of Daniel (4) Buck (Matthew (3), Thomas (2), Lt. Isaac (1) and Mary (or Mercy) Hayford. A daughter Betsey was born in 1800 to Seth and Olive. Seth later married Lois Sloan in Sweden, New York, by whom he had at least one child, Levi Daniel, born in 1824.
13. Samuel, born Oct. 5, 1781.
Sources: a) Halland, history of Western Mass. Springfield, 1855, v.2, p. 183.
b) Gay, Gazeteer and Directory of Hampshire County, Mass., 1654-1887, pp. 207-8; 210; 212.
c) Plympton, Mass. Vital Records to 1850, pp. 44-49; 272.
d) History and Genealogy of the Families of Chesterfield, Mass. 1762-1962, pp. 68 and 92.
e) Boston Evening Transcript, May 29, 1905 #7901.
f) History of the Connecticut Valley in Mass. Philadelphia, 1879, v. 1, p. 493; pp. 504-505.
g) New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, v. 28, 1874, pp. 413-415.
h) Raddall, Thomas H., Halifax-Warden of the North. Toronto, McClelland & Stewart, 1948.
Nathaniel (6) Bryant III
(Son of Nathaniel (5) II)
Nathaniel (6) Bryant III was born May 3, 1769, at Plympton, Plymouth County, Mass., the son of Nathaniel (5) and Joanah (Cole) Bryant. In 1777 he moved with his parents to Chesterfield, Hampshire County, Mass. On Mar. 5, 1792, at Norwich, Mass., he filed his intention to marry Elizabeth Rude of Norwich, born in 1770.
In Jan., 1818, Nathaniel III and Elizabeth moved their family to Bryant Hill near Ellicottville, Cattaraugus coutny, New York, where their son Nathaniel IV had bought land the previous spring. The oldest son, Freeman, also settled on land next to his brother, and Nathaniel III settled between the farms of his two sons.
The story of Nathaniel III's journey to Bryant Hill is told in the Cattaraugus County history. It was a journey of thirty-one days. The family had with them two yoke of oxen, one horse and wagon, and two cows. While on the road, near Cayuga, they stopped at a house, intending to remain all night. The men were absent from home. After having been there some time it was discovered the house was on fire. "Nathaniel clambered onto the roof; no water was at hand, and he called for anything wet. Buttermilk was passed up to him, and the fire was extinguished after severe exertion. The house was in such disorder that Nathaniel concluded to go on further, and they went on several miles and stayed all night".
The assessment roll for Ellicottville for 1822 shows Nathaniel III and his two sons, Nathaniel IV and Freeman, all farming on Lot 5. The 1830 census show Nathaniel III and Elizabeth, and with them were one male age 15-20, two males age 20-30, and one female age 10-15.
Nathaniel III died Nov. 17, 1832. Elizabeth died Sept. 6, 1839. Both are buried in the cemetery at Bryant Hill, along with their daughter Lydia. The inscription on Nathaniel's tombstone reads:
"Death is a debt to nature due. I've paid that debt and so must you."
The ten children of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth all were born at Chesterfield, Mass. They were:
Freeman, born Aug. 6, 1792.
Nathaniel IV, born Oct. 6, 1794.
Alexander, born___6, 1796; died Feb. 17, 1799.
Susannah, born Jan. 1, 1797.
Spencer, born Oct. 29, 1801; died Oct. 17, 1802.
Rodman, born Aug. 2, 1803.
Orrin, born Jan. 8, 1808.
Lydia, born Feb. 2, 1811; died young.
Sheldon, born Mar. 23, 1812.
Lydia, born July 26, 1817; died Aug. 11, 1850.
Sources: a). History of Cattaraugus County, New York. Philadelphia, 1879, pp. 249. 253-256, 462-463, 466.
b) Information from Lois Siggelkow, 304 Brantwood Rd., Buffalo, New York, 14226. The Bryant Hill Cemetery is on the property of their summer home and has been restored by them.
Freeman (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Freeman (7) Bryant was born Aug. 6, 1792, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. He went to Ellicottville, Cattaraugus Coutny, New York, in 1817 with his brother, Nathaniel IV. After an unsuccessful attempt to settle south of the town, and an equally unsuccessful trip to Toledo, Ohio, where a malaria epidemic prevented their settlement, they purchased land near Ellicottville on what became known as Bryant Hill.
On May 15, 1818, at New Lebanon, New York, Freeman married Frances Stanton, born June 16, 1797, on Goff's Hill at Norwich, Hampshire County, Mass., daughter of Elisha and Anna (Rust) Stanton. Frances was a sister of Freeman's aunt, Anna M. (Stanton) Bryant, wife of Samuel Bryant.
Besides farming, Freeman operated a log inn on Bryant Hill where travelers could stay. It was located at the top of the hill; in 1979 its place still was marked with three large maple trees. In 1824, he was commissioner of highways, receiving eight dollars for the year's duties.
About 1830, Freeman moved to Great Valley, where in 1831, he was one of the
original members of the newly- organized Baptist Church. Ebenezer and Records
Vining were preachers for this church. In the history of Great Valley, Freeman is
counted among the early settlers. In the 1850 census his real estate was valued at $3000.
(Note: The 1821 landowner assessment at Great Valley show Edward Bryant and his
son Lewis Bryant, who owned 200 acres valued at $500, Lot 19, township 3, range 6.
This Edward Bryant's relationship is unknown, but later, Rodman and Nathaniel IV
each named a sonEdward.)
Freeman died Jan. 29, 1860, at Great Valley, and is buried there. The 1860 census
shows Frances on the farm with her son Herman L., her unmarried sister Achsah, her
daughter Antoinette, and Antoinette's son, H.P. On May 11, 1870, Freeman's widow
Frances, with her son Herman and his wife, and her sister Achsah, moved to California.
Frances died July 28, 1878, at Stonebreaker, Eldorado County, California. Her sister
Achsah died Apr. 22, 1879.
Freeman and Frances had six children; the first five were born at Ellicottville; the sixth was born at Great Valley (1-6):
1. Hulda Stanton, born Apr. 3, 1820; married mar. 6, 1846, at Great Valley, to Archibald Crary, son of Dr. Anustus Crary. She died Feb. 12, 1866, at Humphrey, New York.
2. Joseph Hector, born Nov. 5, 1822; married Sept. 3, 1850, at Ellicottville, to Jane Webster McKallor, daughter of Charles and Agnes Mckallor of Argyle, Washington County, New York. Joseph later lived at Diamond Springs, California. Their two children, born at Great Valley, were (i-ii):
i. Charles Freeman, born Nov. 20, 1852; married Nov. 9, 1885, at Ayr, Ontario, Canada, to Emily Barbara Watson, daughter of John and Elizabeth Watson of Ayr. Charles and Emily lived at Diamond Springs, Cal. They had one child, born at Diamond Springs:
James Watson, born Sept. 15, 1886.
ii. Agnes Jean, born June 11, 1854; married May 6, 1885, at Diamond Springs, Cal., to Henry Gerish Sanborn, son of Hazen and Anne Sanborn of Manchester, New Hampshire. Henry was an alumnus of Dartmouth College, and a teacher at Placerville Academy in California. Before marrying Agnes, he made a tour around the world. He died the following year, Sept. 15, 1886, at Diamond Springs. Agenes Jean died soon after, on Dec. 8, 1886. They had one child, born at Diamond springs:
Jean, born Dec. 6, 1886.
3. Antoinette Elizabeth, born Feb. 23, 1824; married at Great Valley, Aug. 15, 1850, to Calvin McIlvin, son of Amos McIlvin. Antoinette died Aug. 5, 1865. She had one son, H.P.
4. Alexander, born Aug. 22, 1826; married at San Francisco, Cal., Apr. 9, 1873, to Ellen Phillips Roberts. He died at San Francisco, Nov. 6, 1884. They had one child:
Antoinette Elizabeth, born Mar. 16, 1874.
5. Warren Elisha, born Nov. 3, 1829; married at San Fancisco, Cal., Sept., 1872, to Mary Parker. They lived at Byron, Contra Costa County, Cal.
6. Herman Leroy, born Jan. 21, 1838; married at Great Valley, May 2, 1870, to Charlotte Lorena Spencer, daughter of Elisha and Susannah Spencer of Freedom, New York. They moved to Latrobe, Cal. Their seven children were:
Frances Antoinette, born Mar. 17, 1871, at Antiech, Cal.
Clarence Spencer, born Dec. 28, 1875, at Latrobe, Cal.
Cullen Leroy, born Dec. 28, 1875, at Latrobe, Cal.
Hermia Lorena, born Jan. 4, 1877, at Latrobe, Cal.; died Sept. 1, 1880.
Eva Gertrude, born Dec. 31, 1878, at Latrobe, Cal.; died Apr. 29, 1879.
Stanley Stanton, born Sept. 1, 1880, at Stonebreaker, Cal.
Alida Leonie, born May 28, 1883, at Latrobe, Cal.
Nathaniel (7) Bryant IV
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Nathaniel (7) Bryant IV was born at Chesterfield, Mass., on Oct. 6, 1794, son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. As a young man he went to Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County, New York, where his uncle, Royal Bryant, was farming, and there he worked for a Mr. Leonard. In the spring of 1817, Nathaniel IV and his brother Freeman tried to settle on land a mile south of Ellicottville, but that land was taken. They went to Toledo, Ohio, to see about land opportunities, but there the found a malaria epidemic. So they returned to Ellicottville and settled on Lot 5, which came to be known as Bryant Hill. Besides farming, Nathaniel IV worked as a chopper for one dollar a day; the main street at Ellicottville had to be cleared of trees to its width of four rods.
The first school classes at Ellicottville were held in Nathaniel IV's home on Bryant Hill. The town's first schoolhouse was built in 1820 on Bryant Hill. The first regularly organized church at Ellicottville was the Baptist Church, organized on Bryant hill, Aug. 21, 1824. Nathaniel IV was a principal force in organizing that church, and Ebenezer Vining was the first preacher; succeeding preachers were his sons Records W. Vining and Jospeh E. Vining (the Vinings also had come from Chesterfield, Mass.). A written record, dated June 26, 1824, states, "This day, according to previous appointment, have assembled at the house of Nathaniel Bryant a number of Christian brethren. We agree to reassemble at the house of Nathaniel Bryant on Saturday, the 10th day of July, for further conference on the building of the church." Those signing were Ebenezer Vining, Records W. Vining, Joseph E. Vining, Abigail Vining, Lydia Vining, Sally Vining (the wifes of the three men, in that order), Nathaniel Bryant (IV), Annie M. Bryant (wife of Samuel Bryant, who was Nathaniel III's brother), David Putnam, Mary Putnam, Gershom R. Stanton (brother of Annie Bryant), and Daniel Huntley. Meetings of the church were held at the home of Nathaniel IV until Aug. 19, 1826, when increased numbers required relocation at the school house. In 1824, Ebenezer Vining was elder and Records W. Vining was deacon. In 1826, Records received a letter of license to preach wherever he be called; he was ordained in 1831, and that same year David Vining was chosen deacon. On Dec. 16, 1829, the church was officially incorporated; Ebenezer Vining and Samuel presided at the meeting. Freeman Bryant,Joseph E. Vining and David Putnam were elected trustees.
The jury list at Ellicottville for 1823 shows Nathaniel IV, farmer, liable to jury duty.
Nathaniel IV married Sally Chase. They lived on Bryant hill for twenty-three years. In 1841 they moved to Little Valley, New York, where they both are buried. Nathaniel IV died in 1883. Their seven children were:
Edward S.
Alvin C.
Lucy E.
Miriam
Stillman
Harlow
Laverna
Rodman (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Rodman (7) Bryant was born Aug. 2, 1803, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. Rodman moved to Ellicottville, New York, with his parents in 1818. He farmed at Great Valley, New York. His wife, Julia Blair, was born in 1810 in the state of New York. Rodman died between 1850-60. Julia was still living at Great Valley in 1870. They had six children (1-6):
1. Frances, born in 1832.
2. Cloe, born in 1834.
3. Angela born in 1838; in 1860 she was living at home, teaching school.
(called Ann)
4.Orris W. born in 1841. He enlisted into Co. M, 9th Regiment, New York Cavalry, on Sept. 21, 1864, at Ishua, Cattaraugus County, New York. He mustered in the same day at Dunkirk, New York; mustered out May 8, 1865, at Winchester, Virginia. On May 5, 1867, he married at Maryland, Otsego County, New York, to Mariette Gurney, born in 1844. They farmed at Great Valley, and later moved to Greene, Chenango County, New York, where Orris' brother Howard was living, and where Orris died on Oct. 30, 1894. Mariette died May 20, 1921. They had three children:
Effie, born in 1868.
Francis, born in 1871.
Courtney, born in 1875.
5. Edward P., born Oct. 15, 1842, at Great Valley. On Sept. 28, 1861, at Ellicottville, New York, he enrolled as private in Co. I, 37th Regiment, New York Infantry. He mustered in Oct. 9, 1861, at Elmira, New York. On May 5, 1862, at Williamsburg, Virginia, he was wounded by a musket ball, breaking the bone in his leg. On June 23, 1862, he was admitted to the New York City Hospital, where he remained until Sept. 1862. He was discharged Dec. 1, 1862. On Dec. 17, 1865, at Randolph, New York, he married Carrie Little. In 1869 they were living at new Albion, Cattaraugus County, New York. Carrie died may 8, 1898, while they were living at Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Mass. Edward was still living at Pittsfield in 1913. By 1915, he was living at Millerton, New York. In 1925, he was living at Dover Plains, Duchess County, New York. He died Jan. 25, 1927, at the home of his daughter Pearl at Albany, New York. He was buried beside his wife at Pittsfield, Mass. Edward and Carrie had four children:
Charles A., born Jan. 9, 1866.
George W. born Aug. 17, 1871; he had died by 1915.
Howard G. born Jan. 10, 1875; died Nov. 2, 1897.
Pearl D., born June 23, 1880; married a LeClair, and lived at Albany, New York.
6. Howard L., born in 1846; in 1895 he was living at Greene, Chenango County, New York.
Sheldon (7) Bryant
(Son of Nathaniel (6))
Sheldon (7) Bryant was born Mar. 23, 1812, at Chesterfield, Mass., son of Nathaniel (6) and Elizabeth (Rude) Bryant III. He married Ruth Chamberlain, born Oct. 22, 1813, at Ludlow, Vermont, daughter of Elijah and Ruth (Googins) Chamberlain. Sheldon's wife Ruth was a sister to Betsey Chamberlain, who married Sheldon's first cousin, Asa Bryant, son of Martin Bryant.
Sheldon moved to Ellicottville, New York, with his parents in 1828. Sheldon and Ruth moved to Great Valley in 1852. He farmed there, where his older brother, Orrin, unmarried, also lived with them. Sheldon died Jan. 2, 1886. Ruth died Oct. 4, 1908. Both are buried in the Sugartown Cemetery at Great Valley. They had four children (1-4):
1. Amanda, born in 1843; still unmarried, living at home, in 1880; then married Harlan Beecher.
2. Mary, born in 1845; still unmarried, living at home, in 1880; them married John Pratt Whittlesley. Mary died Apr. 3, 1900, and is buried in the Sugartown Cemetery.
3. Franklin Sheldon, (Frank) born Nov. 13, 1851; married Apr. 23, 1889,at
Anderson,Madison County, Indiana, to Mary Florence Prigg, born Aug. 26, 1858, at Mechanicsburg, Madison County, Indiana, daughter of Edward Campbell and
Harriet (Curry) Prigg. Frank died Dec. 18, 1922, at Saw Mill Run, Salamanca, Cattaraugus County, New York. Mary then married (2) Benjamin Kelly. Mary
died Sept. 16, 1941, at Elkdale, Little Valley, new York. Both Frank and Mary are buried in the Sugartown Cemetery at Great Valley. They had four children (a-d):
a. Otis Phillip, born Feb. 6, 1890; married Oct. 6, 1910, to Lena Reed. He died in 1976 at Chester, South Carolina, and is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley.
b. Howard Colby, born may 26, 1893; married July 15, 1923, at Lynn, Lewis County, West Virginia, to Della May Lawther. He died July 30, 1966, at Olean, New York, and is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley. His daughter is Edna (Mrs. LeRoy) Cole, 1264 Arden Road, Erie, Penn. 16504.
c. Charles Eugene, born Nov. 19, 1897; married Apr. 5, 1928, to Ruby Bowles. He died Feb. 16, 1954, at Saw Mill Run, Salamanca, New York, and is buried in the Wildwood Cemetery at Salamanca
d. Rollin, born Nov. 22, 1900; died unmarried, Dec. 12, 1969, at Jamestown, New York. He is buried in the Greene Cemetery at Great Valley.
4. Nancy E., born Mar. 3, 1854; married a Rider. She died Apr. 25, 1890, and is buried in the Jefferson Cemetery at Ellicottville.
Asa (7) Bryant
(Son of Martin (6))
Asa Bryant was born Feb. 27, 1796, at Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont, the son of Martin and Elizabeth (Sears) Bryant. Asa lived at home at least until 1820, when the U.S. census showed him still with his parents. Asa was a farmer, first at Ludlow, Windsor County, Vermont, then at Warsaw, Wyoming County, New York (1828-1850), and finally at Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisc. (1850)
Feb. 12, 1825, at Ludlow, Vt., Jonathan and Timothy Carpenter bought land from Asa and his brother Harvey. July 5, 1831, Timothy deeded the land back to Asa (Harvey had died in 1828).
Mar. 13, 1828, Asa married Betsey E. Chamberlain, of Ludlow, Vermont, the daughter of Elijah and Ruth (Googins) Chamberlain. That same year, Betsey's father bought 125 acres at Warsaw, New York on the East Hill from Ebenezer Hitchcock, and Asa and Betsey moved to Warsaw with her parents.
Elijah Chamberlain was born Apr. 13, 1783 in Mass. And married Ruth Googins, farming at Ludlow, Vt. Until 1828, when they moved to their farm on the East Hill near Warsaw, New York. There they lived until their death. Ruth died Oct. 20, 1849, and Elijah died June 23, 1860. They had been active members of the Presbyterian Church at Warsaw, Elijah being an official in the Sunday School in 1858. Ruth and Elijah had nine children (a-I):
a. Betsey, married Asa Bryant.
b. Sarah, married Thomas Bliton; they moved to Machias, Cattaraugus County, New York. They had 9 children. In 1850, their son Henry, age 10, was living at Ellicottville, New York, with Sarah's sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Sheldon Bryant.
c. Polly, died Dec. 18, 1830, age 18, at Ludlow, Vt.
d. Olive, married Thomas
Kelly, moved to Michigan. They had six children.
e. Ruth, born in 1815; married Sheldon Bryant, born in 1812 in Mass. They farmed at Great Valley, New York. Their four children were:
Amanda, born 1843; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
Mary, born 1845; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
Franklin, born 1852; still unmarried, living at home in 1880.
f. Elijah Jr., born Apr. 11, 1820; remained at Warsaw, where he farmed. On May 3, 1842, Elijah's membership was transferred from the Presbyterian Church to the Methodist Church, both of Warsaw. He married Betsey Truesdell, born in 1824. Their four children were:
Adelia V., born in 1845.
Alphea A., born in 1848; married James H. Wing and lived at Warsaw.
John T., married Emma F._______; a son Kleber J., b. 1779.
Cora Isabelle,
By 1880, Elijah was working as a butcher, and had turned the farm over to his son John T.
g. Nancy M., born in 1824; married Elon (or Elan) W. Chase, born in 1827. They lived at Warsaw. Their four children were:
Edgar Adelbert, married Lucy McWethy
Three children who died young.
h. William J., born in 1826; married Julia Jeanette Lake, born in 1830, from Perry, New York. They farmed at Warsaw until after 1860, and then moved to Perry. Their children were:
Ellen J.,
Myron D.,
Mary I.,
i. Gardner H., born in 1828; he remained at Warsaw and farmed. He married Jane Lake of Perry, New York. Gardner died Mar. 18, 1857. Elijah Sr. was living with Jane and her children at the time of his death in 1860. The three children of Gardner and Jane were:
Charles E.,
Colby R.,
Gardner H.,
Asa and Betsey had the following children:
Mary, born Dec. 10, 1828; died the same date.
Mary E., born Dec. 22, 1829; die Nov. 14, 1849
Amanda R., born Dec. 25, 1831; died Mar. 1, 1843.
Spencer A., born June 15, 1834; died June 25, 1863.
Martin Colby, born Mar. 9, 1836; died Mar. 16, 1913.
Heroy Gustavus, born Apr. 7, 1840; died Aug. 29, 1885.
While Asa and Betsey worked hard on their farm in western New York, the rear and educate their children, they always found time to extend a helping hand to anyone needing aid. Asa was a leader in the church, and took advanced grounds in all of the reform issues of the day. He was a prominent abolitionist, when that party was very unpopular, and from him his sons inherited their love of country, and strong republicanism.
In 1850, when Asa's mother died at Warsaw, New York, Asa and Betsey sold their farm to Asa's brother Patrick, and with their three sons moved to a farm of 150 acres two miles northeast of Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisc. (the NW ¼ of section 3, township 7, range 13). They were accompanied by Asa's nephew, Royal Bryant, age 26, a physician, who came with them from New York to care for Asa.Asa died July 17, 1850, shortly after their arrival. How hard the past nine months had been for Betsey, with the death of her mother (Oct. 20, 1849), of her mother-in-law (Feb. 20, 1850), of her daughter (Nov. 14, 1849), and now of her husband Asa. Betsey purchased the farm on which they had settled from A. Allerton on Jan. 7, 1851, for $1950. She purchased an additional 40 acres in the section bordering theirs on the north (the SE ¼ of the NW ¼, section 34, township 8, range 13) from Isaiah Patterson on Feb. 18, 1851, for $270. Betsey died Oct. 13, 1852. Upon the death of their mother, the two younger sons, Colby and Gustavus, returned to Warsaw, New York, to live with relatives, and Spencer remained on the farm at Lake Mills.
Asa and Betsey are buried in the Rock Lake Cemetery at Lake Mills, block 9, lot 7. In the same lot are buried Eunice (widow of Spencer A.), William E., Emma A., and Edgar A. (children of Spencer A. and Eunice). Asa and Betsey have identical white marble stones, measuring about 4 feet tall, 1 ½ feet wide and 1 ½ inches thick. Betsey;s carries the inscription "Betsey E., wife of Asa Bryant, died Oct. 13, 1852, aged 47 years, 3 months", and in 1976 was still standing. On the south side of a tall old tree planted on their graves, the stone of Asa lies on the ground, carrying the inscription "Asa Bryant, died July 17, 1850, aged 54 years, 4 months"; his stone has broken in two. Three small grey markers about one feet high and 8 inches wide carry the inscriptions "Eunice 1827-1904", "Emma", and "Edgar 1863-1933". A tall, slender square monument of grey granite bears the following three inscriptions above the name BRYANT: " In memory of Spencer A. Bryant, 2nd Sargt. Co. D. 29th Wisc. Vol, died at Memphis, Tenn. June 25, 1863"; "Emma A., daughter of S.A. & E. Bryant, died Dec. 2, 1892, aged 32 years"; and "Willie E., son of S.A. & E. Bryant, died Feb. 22, 1862, aged 4 months 11 days'.
When Asa moved to Lake Mills township in 1850, settlement had been going on for the past 10 years. In 1850, the township population was 171 families comprised of 882 persons, living in 169 dwelling, with 58 farms.
A search of the early land deed records and of the U.S. census shows there were other Bryants living in Jefferson County, Wisc. before and at the time of Asa and Betsey. An early name at Lake Mills is Charles N. Bryant, son of Asa's brother, Spencer G. On Aug. 30, 1845, he bought 76 acres two miles southwest of Lake Mills. April 9, 1848, he married Louisa M. Chase. The 1850 census for Lake Mills lists Charles, age 26, farmer, born in New York; his wife Louisa, 24, born in New York, and their son, Alden S., 1 year old, born in Wisc. Charles bought again in 1851 and sold land in that same year to his father.
Another early name at Lake Mills is Edson N. Bryant (1816-1854). Jan. 27, 1847, Edson married Gertrude H. Doty at Lake Mills. By 1850, Edson was married to his second wife, Mary Jane Smith (1826-1856). The 1850 census lists Edson as a carpenter, born in Mass., and Mary Jane as born in New York. Two children were in the household: Henry, age 6, and Emma, age 3, both born in Wisconsin. Spencer G. Bryant, Asa's brother, was buying and selling land around Lake Mills in 1851, 1852 and 1857. In 1851, he sold land about 10 miles southwest of Lake Mills and bought land just tow miles east of Betsey's farm. He does not seem to have remained there, since his name is not on the census for 1840, 1850, or 1860.
Sources: a) History of Monona County, Iowa. Chicago: National Publishing Co., 1890, pp. 562-563.
b) Cemetery burial information, located in the cemetery records in the municipal building in Lake Mills, Wisc.
c) Land deed records of Jefferson County, Wisc., located in the Jefferson County courthouse, Jefferson, Wisc.
d) Family Record in a Bible given by Asa to his son Colby in 1846, when Colby was 10 years old. The Bible was a gift for having read it through. Colby handed the Bible on to his son Clarence, Mar. 13, 1887. Clarence then gave it to his uncle, William Spencer Bryant, who passed it on to his son Charles Gustavus Bryant.
e) Young, Andrew W., History of the Town of Warsaw, New York. Buffalo, 1869, pp. 33, 171, 245.
f) Boston Evening Transcript, June 17, 1932 #1156.
g) Record of Deaths in the Town of Ludlow, Vermont, 1790-1901, p. 7.
h) U.S. census, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, 1840-60
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