Based on the age of his children, Austin was definitely born before 1763. Based on all known variables, including the 1830 census, when he was probably living with a daughter-in-law, we can approximate his DOB as 1760-1762. Austin first appeared in the Buckingham Co. personal property tax rolls in 1783. We had long suspected that he and John Sr. were closely related because they lived on adjacent properties and were often listed together on the personal property tax rolls. In 2010, we began collaborating with Austin's descendant, Leah Chance, to flesh out this line and and soon proved a familial relationship through DNA testing.
So far we have not been able to ascertain if Austin Bryant served in the Revolutionary War. He probably did but records are scarce.
During the 16-year period from 1783 to 1799, Austin paid taxes only for himself and one or more horses. That changed in 1800, when he paid two tithes, one for himself and the other for a son (DOB abt. 1779). He had 1-2 wives plus 10-11 children, during a long residence in Buckingham County. Using the census information, personal property data, land tax records, etc., we reconstruct Austin’s family as follows:
Austin Bryant b. 1760-1762 d. after 1830 in Buckingham Co, Va
Wife: b. bef 1765 d. 1810-1820 m. ca 1778
1. Allen b. ca 1780-2
2. Richard b. ca 1783 d. unknown. For details, click here.
3. John b. ca 1788 [1] d. before 1830 m. Celia 1810-1815
4. Reuben b. 1789-1792 d. 20 Dec 1818 Buckingham Co. m. Sarah (Sally) Amos in May 1810. (yDNA proven) For details about Reuben, click here
5. Peyton b. ca 1799
6. Elisha b. ca 1800 d. by 1846 m. Mary Elizabeth Mahr/Moore 1821-4 in Buckingham (yDNA proven)
7. Son b. 1797-1800
8. Son b. 1801-1810
There were 2-3 girls, potentially more if older girls were married by 1810, as was Allen, if he was the man in the 1810 Buckingham census.
1. Daughter b. 1794-1804
2. Daughter b 1795-1800
3. Possible daughter b. 1810-1820, living with Elisha in 1820.
In Bedford Co, which was adjacent to Buckingham for many years, there were a number of Bryant marriages. One occurred on Nov. 12, 1801: William Peyton to Polly Bryant, daughter of Elijah, with an Austin Bryant as the Surety[2]. We don't know if this was our Austin, but he did have a son named “Peyton” born 1795-1800. Since the bride in the above marriage was a Bryant, it raises the possibility of a familial relationship to Elijah Bryant. [3].
In 1806, Austin and his brother John Jr. were co-defendants in a lawsuit brought by Cliford Garland. Mr. Garland won a judgment for thirteen pounds, sixteen shillings, and ten pence.[4]
Reuben Bryant married Sarah (Sally) Amos in May 1810 in Buckingham Co. The 1810 Buckingham Co. census indicated that Austin was over 45 and had a large household: 1 boy under 10 (unknown), 3 boys age 10-15 (Elisha, Peyton, unknown) and 2 young men age 16-25 (Reuben and John). His wife was over 45 and there was another female over 45 in the household. Add one girl under 10, 1 girl 10-15, and 1 girl age 16-25 (possibly Sally Amos). Listed separately was his presumed son Allen Bryant (26-45), wife age (16-26), 1 son under 10, and 1 daughter under 10.
Reuben enlisted as a private in Captain Macrae's Company of the 20th Regiment of the US Infantry--recruited primarily from Virginia--on 17 June 1812. He was discharged 17 Dec 1813 and continued to live in Buckingham Co where he died Dec 20, 1818. He and Sally had 4 children. For more information about Reuben and his descendants, click here
Austin Bryant appeared to make his last land tax payment for property on Rock Island Creek in 1813 but he continued to pay personal property taxes in Buckingham. Before 1820, his wife died. The 1820 census listed him in the New Canton district and had several entries for his family:
Austin (over 55) was living with a daughter 16-26 and working in agriculture.
The adjacent property owner was Peyton (16-26) in manufacturing.
His son John Bryant (26-45), in agriculture, was somewhat proximate to Austin and Peyton. His household included 3 boys under 10, 1 girl under 10, and his wife 26-45.
Elisha was age 16-26 and worked in agriculture. His household included another male 16-26, probably a younger brother, and 1 girl under 10, probably a sister.
In the 1830 census for Buckingham Co, there were no listings for Austin Bryant as head of a household. However, there was an elderly man (60-70) in the household of Celia Bryant. Given the match (same location; correct composition and age) between this household and that of Austin's son John in 1820, Celia was the widow of John and the elderly man was probably Austin. Also, according one descendant, Austin was on the tax list until 1836.
Of note: In earlier decades, there was a Bryant family in Arkansas that traced their lineage to Austin, arguing (erroneously) that he moved to Arkansas in the 1820s. For more about this speculation, click here.
Migration to Kentucky
Austin's son Elisha married Mary Elizabeth Mahr/Moore in Buckingham between 1821 and 1824. They moved to Hopkins Co, Ky before 1830 and were listed under "Elisha Bryan" in the 1830 census. They purchased 30 acres on Pond River 13 June 1836 and were listed in the 1840 census. By 1846, both Elisha and Mary Elizabeth were deceased and their children (George A., Mary Elizabeth, James Madison, Nancy Jane, Peyton Harrison, and Philip Austin had been declared orphans). Son James Madison later moved to Lamar Co, Texas. He had 4-5 wives and 21 children. We now have matching DNA results from descendants of two sons of James Madison. For more about about him, click here. Elisha's youngest son, Philip Austin Bryant, was in the 1850 census for Hopkins Co, Ky. He spent the rest of his life in Webster Co, Ky., marrying once or twice and having many children.
Austin's son Allen has been difficult to trace in part because there were 2 Allen Bryants on the Buckingham Co. tax rolls starting in 1806. He was probably the man listed in the 1810 Buckingham census as 26-44 with a wife 16-25, and a son and daughter under 10. He was certainly on the tax rolls until 1813. After that, the possibilities are limited. The first is thathe died young, perhaps from injuries incurred during in the War of 1812. The second option is that he may have followed his cousins (Anthony's children) and at least one brother (Elisha) to Kentucky. There, an Allen Bryant witnessed the will of James Graham in Washington Co. on 9 Sept 1819 and was listed in the 1820 census for Washington Co as Allen Briant (26-44) with wife (26-44), a son (under 10) and a daughter (under 10). However, this census does not match the 1810 for Buckingham. There aren't many other options. The Allen Bryant who married Massie Slayton in Barren Co, Ky in Nov 1822 was probably the son of Burrell Bryant.[5]
One alternate possibility is the Allen Bryant ennumerated in Madison Co, Illinois in 1830 as (50-59) and 1840 as (50-59), suggesting a DOB of ca 1780. In 1880, Allen's daughter Nancy E. stated that she was born in Va and so were both of her parents. An obit for Nancy said she was born in Richmond, Va in 1815.
[1] In the personal property tax rolls, his first appearance was 1809, indicating a DOB of ca 1788. The 1820 census determined his DOB as 1776-1788.
[2] Surety is the person responsible for the bond, if the marriage falls to take place. Sureties were usually a relative but not a parent.
[3] Elijah was the oldest son of William Bryant d. 1763 in Bedford. William may have migrated to Bedford from Augusta Co, VA. He named a younger son, William Jr., a minor in 1763. William Jr. may be the man who married Mary Ann Barnett 1784 in Oglethorpe Co, GA. William Jr. d. 1833 in Campbell Co., GA. Per his Rev War pension application, he enlisted in Bedford Co, VA. For more info: http://genforum.genealogy.com/bryan/messages/8456.html http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/bryan/8612/
[4] Early Buckingham County Virginia Legal Papers, 1765, 1806, Vol 1. Comp & transcribed by Jeanne Stinson. Iberian Publishing Co, 1993, Athens, GA.
[5] The marriage bond was signed by William Bailey. The Bryants of Rock Island were closely linked to a Bailey from Buckingham and living in the Wash Co, Ky area, but Massie Slayton's mother was a Bailey. (Her father was Dabney Carr Slayton.)