In the process of genealogical research, we have come across a number of Bryants that we suspect might be members of the Rock Island Creek clan. For a couple of them (James Bryant and Martin Bryant), we have DNA proof but haven't been able to determine precisely where they belong in the family tree. For the rest, this page and its links serves as a collection place for research. We encourage researchers interested in these lines to reach out (rebbry49 using the address starting with "y")
1. Josiah Bryant b. ca 1771 m. Polly Lipton/Tipton/Woodson. There are family stories that Josiah was b. in Ireland but nothing to substantiate that. In fact, he was probably born in Va, as stated by son Anderson in the 1880 census. Josiah married in Charlotte Co, Va in 1794. Josiah Bryant was on the Charlotte Co tax list 1794-1796 before migrating to KY. His family was linked to the RIC Bryants in KY.
A William Bryant was in Charlotte from at least 1792-1797. (I didn’t check other years.) It’s possible that William Bryant was the father or uncle of Josiah. It’s likely this was the same William Bryant mentioned in #9 below. If so, with sufficient and careful yDNA testing, these Bryant lines will match up.
Josiah's oldest son, William, was born ca 1795 in Virginia. Josiah appears to have moved to Kentucky soon thereafter as his next son, John W., was b. ca 1797 in Lincoln Co, Ky. Josiah was listed in the Green Co, Ky censuses in 1810 and 1820. He supposedly had 4 sons: John W., Woodson, Anderson, and Silas. Based on his signature on a marriage certificate, he had a proven 5th son, William (see below). Of his daughters, only one is known: Patience. Despite statements online, this family has only 1 DNA test. It did not match any other Bryants, indicating a possible NPE (nonpaternity event) in the tested line. Hence, the need for careful and expert yDNA testing. Genealogical data also strongly suggests that Josiah was somehow related to our RIC Bryants. Why? 1. In the 1810 Green Co. Ky census, Josiah was living in the midst of a lot of families with whom the RIC Bryants had strong linkages and intermarriages (Rice, Mann, Puryear, and Benningfield). 2. After the death of RIC Anthony Bryant, his widow and children moved to Green Co, Ky where Josiah was living. 3. Two of Anthony's children (William Price Bryant and Nancy S. Bryant Higgins) migrated to Morgan and Hendricks Counties in Indiana, as did Josiah and all of his supposed sons. 4. William Price Bryant owned land in Hendricks adjacent to one of Josiah's sons. 5. The additional linkages to Josiah's son William described in the next paragraph. 6. Elijah Adams of Green Co., Ky had a daughter who married Josiah's son John W. and a son who married Willie Ware Bryant, daughter of RIC Anthony Bryant and Rhoda Unknown.
William Bryant b. ca 1795 in Va m. Anne S. Matthews in Washington County, Ky 28 Jan 1817. (Josiah Bryant signed the marriage certificate, stating that William was his son.) These are the additional connections between William and the RICs: 1. William was ennumerated in Washington Co, Ky in 1820. (RICs Rhoda Bryant and Allen Bryant were in Washington Co at the same time.) 2. Travis Coppage who signed the marriage certificate for William/Anne lived 4 houses from Rhoda in 1820. 3. William Mann who also signed the marriage certificate was either a brother or cousin of John Bluford Mann who married RIC Sally Bryant. 4. William and Anne moved to Indiana in the early 1820s. They were ennumerated in Hendricks in 1830 next door to RIC Nancy Bryant Higgins. (William was probably in Franklin Co, Ind in 1840 listed as a widower. He married Hannah Frakes Williams 5 Oct 1843 in Hendricks and then moved to Buchanan Co, Mo by 1850 where he was ennumerated near an unknown James Bryant.) 5. William was in Cass County, Mo by 1860, living a few households from RIC Sarah Bryant Moudy. 6. Sally Bryant m. John Bluford Mann named a son Josiah Cyrus Mann. (We would love to connect with descendants of William. Again, a yDNA test on this line is strongly recommended, and our research group will pay for it.) Another possibility is that the RIC Bryants might be linked through the Matthews family (or the Bailey family that intermarried with Matthews).
2. William Bryant b. abt 1757 in Virginia. After serving in the Rev War, he migrated to Georgia and married Polly Barnett. He may have been a brother or cousin of John Jr., Austin, and Anthony.
3. Ferdinand P. Bryant b. ca 1816 in Buckingham Co, Va was a likely son of John Bryant (son of Austin) and Celia. John died before 1830. Descendants included Ann, Celia, Pleasant A., William J., Ferdinand P, John I. or John J., Mildred F., Franklin Preston and Thomas. Ferdinand may have had a brother named "John," who lived relatively close in the 1840 census. Ferdinand P. was in Buckingham in 1850 (near Snoddys) and in 1860. We can't find him in 1870.
This William b. ca 1830 in the 1860 census could also be a brother of Ferdinand Sr.: http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7667&path=Virginia.Buckingham.District+1.70&sid=&gskw=Wm+Bryant
His wife was Martha and their children were Sarah, Margaret, William.
This marriage record indicates that Ferdinand's son, Ferdinand Jr., was in Rockbridge by 1874
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/21028653/person/1355212656/citation/4556439022?pg=32768&pgpl=pid
4. The various Bryants (Thomas, William Jr., John, and Wilson) who resided in the Charity Creek area of Lincoln County TN near the border of Franklin County TN, starting in the 1820s. This area became Moore Co, TN. We have a lot of data about this family that is not published--or perhaps known--elsewhere. yDNA testing for this family is strongly advised and our research group may be willing to contribute to the cost.
5. In 1820, William Price Bryant was living in Green Co, Ky with 6 extra boys in his household or kin of his wife Nancy Rice. These were not his sons or nephews. They could be the children of a cousin. DOBs for the extras: 1802-1804 (1), 1805-1810 (3) and 1810-1820 (2). All of them were gone by 1830. They may have been Bowles. Nancy Rice had a sister Winnifred m. David Bowles. David d. 1807 in Bourbon Co, KY. Some of the children might have moved in with their aunt.
6. John Bryant b. bef. 1763 with sons Walter and John m. Elizabeth McNew. Some descendants of this line previously believed that the John who married Elizabeth McNew was a son of RIC John Bryant Jr. and Judith Winfrey. That has been disproven. However, they could be distantly related RICs. John and Elizabeth lived in Schuyler, IL at the same time as Sarah Bryant Luttrell, daughter of John Jr. and Judith. Also, Luke, a probable son of John Bryant and Elizabeth McNew, had strong connections to a Lane family. Mahala, daughter of Sarah Bryant Luttrell, had strong connections to the same Lane family. This line has been short on data. yDNA testing could resolve that.
7. In 1850 a Nancy Winfrey b. 1781 in Virginia was living next door to RIC William Bryant. The Bryants and Winfreys had a longstanding relationship dating back to the late 1700s in Buckingham Co, Va. William's mother was Judith Winfrey Bryant. Judith supposedly had a sister named "Nancy"; if she remained unmarried, that could be her. Alternatively, Nancy could be a sibling of John Jr, Anthony, and Austin who married a Winfrey. In either case, William would have been her nephew. A third alternative was that she could have been related to William's wife Molly ("Ollie" "Ally"). Nancy was living with a John Colston who was apparently related to the other Colstons in Tippah Co. These Colstons could be related to a group in Jackson County, AL as well. The young children living with John Colston and Nancy Winfrey in 1850 could have been mis-ennumerated. They may be Colstons.
8. George Riley Bryant b. 1843 in Indiana. His wife, Elizabeth and son Franklin S. were buried in the same cemetery plot in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Morgan Co, Ind with most of the William Price Bryant family. The connection may be on maternal side, since only Elizabeth and son were in the cemetery. Elizabeth Gordon was the daughter of William Gordon m. Rhoda (supposedly McCormick/mack). Also, they supposedly married in Buckingham Co, Va. And it might be correct because there was a William Gordon in the 1820 Buckingham Co census. I haven't found them in 1830 but there was a William Gordon in Rockingham Co, VA that sorta/kinda fits. By 1840, William and Rhoda Gordon was in Morgan Co, IN.
9. Rev. War soldier William Bryant was b. ca 1755 in Prince Edward Co, Va. He enlisted in the Revolutionary War from Charlotte Co, Va. William married Elizabeth Harris in 1804 in Charlotte Co and was still in the county for the 1810 census. He moved to Davidson Co, Tn before 1818 and remained there for the rest of his life, dying there 5 Jul 1839. The censuses for Davidson are difficult to decipher, but it appears that William had at least two sons--Hartwell Meeking (proven per William's pension file) plus William (likely)--and probably more.
Regarding William's parentage: one possibility is that his father may have been O'Bryants who dropped or sporadically used the "O." (A common practice in O'Bryant lines.) There was a Thomas O'Bryant listed as a constable in Prince Edward County, Va in 1757 (from "History of Prince Edward County" p. 56). In the next listing (1760-1), he was cited as Thomas Bryant. Also, living in the same area as William Bryant in Davidson Co, TN in 1820 and close to him in 1830 was a Cheatham O'Bryant. (There was a family with the surname of Cheatham who lived in Charlotte Co. at the same time as Rev War soldier William Bryant.)
The Revolutionary War pension file of a Robert Bryant b. ca 1755 and living in NC mimics that of William Bryant. In the pension, he referenced an uncle in the service. That uncle could be William but it seems more likely that William was a brother, and they had another relative who also enlisted from Charlotte Co. Va. Robert was on the 1782 Charlotte Co. tax rolls. He eventually settled in North Carolina. Many trees show his father as Thomas Bryant of Prince Edward; it's unclear whether this is proven or conjecture but it certainly makes sense.
William's son Hartwell Meeking moved to Jackson Co, AL in the late 1830s (not earlier). Most of the Bryants in the county at that time were RICs. William's possible connection to the RICs is based on two things: 1. His move to Jackson following his father's death and 2. living next door to RICs in the 1860 Jackson census.
As of 11/2014, this line has only one yDNA test on this proven lineage: Hartwell Meeking Bryant b. 1808 in Va > William C. Bryant b. 1831 in TN d. 1903 in Booneville, AR > David M. Bryant b. 1858 in Jackson Co, AL d. 1921 in Booneville, AR > Francis M. Bryant b. 1876 in AR d. 1926 in Booneville, AR. The yDNA was R1b1a2. If this is verified by another yDNA test, it will rule out the family as RIC relatives. (Importantly, many trees show a William A. Bryant as the son of Hartwell M. This is incorrect. William A. was the son of Nancy Blair and Ode/Odell Lenoir Bryant.)
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The group of "strays" below is potentially linked to John Bryant Jr. m. Judith Winfrey and their progeny:
1. Due to a missing 1810 census, John Jr. and Judith probably had additional children b. 1784-5 and 1787-1802, who had departed their parent's home before 1820. Ca 1820, these women and men were probably in either Lincoln Co, TN or Jackson Co, AL but could also have been in Franklin Co, Tn. Jackson Co, AL did not have it's first ennumeration until 1830. Thus, it's also possible that there could have been RIC Bryants in Jackson Co. AL who slipped away to other areas before 1830.
2. James Bryant b. ca 1800-1812 m. Eudocia Littrell (DNA proven). We have a great deal of information about this line but it may be a while before any is posted online. James was either a son or grandson of John Jr. and Judith.
3. Martin Bryant b. 1836 m. Branham and McGeeHee. For more information, click here. (DNA proven)
4. Thomas Bryant b. ca 1810 of Lincoln, TN and Jackson, AL. For more information, click here
5. David Bryant d. 1824 in Jackson County AL with sons Jesse Wilson and Isaac. DNA testing has been done on 2 descendants of Jesse by different sons (Allen Riley and John H.) These kits match and prove the DNA of Jesse Wilson Bryant. They do not match the RIC Bryants or any other Bryants. So far, no descendants of David's other son, Isaac, have done the yDNA test. That's necessary to definitively prove the yDNA signature of David Bryant.
6. David P. Bryant of Jackson County, AL. (On 18 Nov 1835, Martha A. Bryant married Benjamin Anderson in Madison County. In 1840 there was a B. Anderson household on image 135 of Jackson. David P. was on image 133.) David P. is a common name among the RIC Bryants. We would love to connect with researchers or descendants of this line.
7. Salina Thompson Bryant b. 1824 in TN; she lived with the Thompson family in Jackson Co, AL in 1860.
9. Nancy Bryant b. 1849 in AL; she lived in the household of a Samuel F. Sharp in Jackson Co, AL in 1860.
The Sharps and Bryants both had links to the Corn family. Next door was Louis. This may be Louis Tilford, son of Randoph. If so, Nancy and Louis were not siblings.) The Sharp family has links to VA, including Patrick Co.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/sharp/messages/619.html
http://genforum.genealogy.com/sharp/messages/1581.html
http://genforum.genealogy.com/sharp/messages/604.html
http://genforum.genealogy.com/sharp/messages/2528.html
10. Mary Holly Stephens Bryant ca 1822 in TN or KY m. Mathew Wilson. The RIC Bryants had strong links to a Wilson family in Jackson Co. (Talton Bryant was living 3 households away from Mary Holly in 1850 so he's a likely sibling.) According to descendants, in 1850, the Mathew Wilson family lived in Paint Rock, a small township about 22 miles due west of Scottsboro. They moved to Arkansas by 1860. http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6016742/person/-90605009
http://genforum.genealogy.com/bryant/messages/8688.html
11. Tilman Bryant was born 1822 in TN. Trees link him to a Henry Bryant ca 1790 b. in Ga. who married a woman named Stacy. The fact that Tilman was living 3 households from Henry in 1850 in DeKalb and named a daughter Stacy verifies this. Tilman remained in Dekalb Co, AL for the 1860 census.
Meanwhile, in the 1860 Jackson Co, AL census, RIC Elisha Bryant lived in Bellefonte very close to William L. Shelton. During the Civil War, both Tilman and his oldest son James A. enlisted in a Union unit out of Tennessee. By 1866, when Elisha was dead, Tilman had moved to Bellefonte and was living just a couple of households from William L. Shelton. (Five pages away was another--apparently younger--Tilman, who was two households from a D. Bryant. We do not yet know their identities.) In Sept 1866, Tilman's son James A. Bryant married Amanda C. Shelton.
Although Henry Bryant was clearly born in Georgia, there are connections between Tilman and RICs that raise the question of whether he might have been a cousin. These are the connections: 1) When Tilman moved to JCA after the Civil War, he moved very close to the area where Elisha Bryant had lived or was still living. 2) He married into the Shelton family with whom the RICs had strong connections. 3) Tilman's ggrandaughter (James A. > David> Octavia) married into a Mauldin family in Dekalb Co. Another RIC Bryant in Mississippi also married into a Mauldin family. It's possible these Mauldin families could be the same.
12. William R. Bryant b. ca 1796 in SC/NC. He lived in Lincoln County, TN in 1836 and 1840. He may or may not be the same man who lived in LCT 1860-1880.