Francis BRYAN

                   Morgan Bryan was the patriarch of the Bryan family, one of the prominentpioneer families in America. Information on Bryan family gathered frommany sources, some of it conflicting, particularly on dates. Whereverpossible, logic was applied to resolve conflicts.

Main sources of specific events, World Tree Project, all on ancestry.com:Hand, Betty Lou Boysen, nlboysen@starstream.net; 20908, an Unknownresearcher, english@hovac.com; and Sebastian, Richard Sebastian,r_sebastian45242@yahoo.com

Born in Denmark, Morgan Bryan went from Denmark to Ireland, his father'shomeland, at age 12.  He then migrated to Pennsylvania with his brotherWilliam.  This was probably about 1718, although some give dates as earlyas 1695, because there are stories that he came in the same ship as hisfuture wife, Martha.

Morgan married Martha Strode.  Her father was probably Edward Strode,descendant of a prominent English family.  A Protestant exile in Holland,he later married a Hugenot in France.  It is generally believed that thefather, Edward, died on the voyage, approximately July, 1697. Thisprobably occurred before 24 September 1697, since the will of Edward'sfather, William Strode, of that date refers to his son as deceased. Hiswife, Joan, probably died shortly after the ship arrived in Pennsylvania,leaving Martha and her three brothers, Edward, Jeremiah and Samuel,orphans. They were possibly bound out until of age.

There is disagreement on the date of birth for Martha.  It is frequentlygiven as 1678, however, it is virtually impossible that she was born thislate, as she had at least nine children, beginning with the first in1720, when she would have been aged 42. It is far more likely that shewas born about 1696, shortly before the Strode family left for the newworld.  Martha and Morgan were married in Pennsylvania in 1719, asevidenced by his addition to the 1720 tax roll of Marlboro Township inChester Co., Pennsylvania as head of household.  Morgan would have been48 at the time of his marriage to Martha, age 23. He was a member of theNew Garden Quaker Community.

By 1724, the Bryan family had moved westward to Pequea Creek District,Pennsylvania, present-day Lancaster.

   There is disagreement on the date the Bryans moved to the ShenandoahValley of Virginia, but it was possibly as early as 1729.  ThePennsylvania Quakers, led by Morgan Bryan and Alexander Ross formed acompany for the purpose of making settlements in MD and Virginia. On 28October 1730, Governor Gooch of Virginia granted a right to survey andlay out 100,000 acres west of the Opequon River, just north ofpresent-day Winchester, Frederick Co., VA.  It was called the Bryan-Rossproject. In 1934, Morgan helped establish the Quakers' Hopewell monthlyMeeting of Frederick Town, later named Winchester, VA. It is entirelyplausible that the Edward Strodes (Martha's brother) made their way toVirginia with Morgan Bryan in the mid 1730's. Pennsylvania Archives III,Chester Co. Warranties of Land list Edward as selling 150 acres, possiblyto move to Virginia.

Because some of their children were born in Pennsylvania, and some wereborn in Virginia, their birthdates and the date of the move are crucialin determining their places of birth. Though most researchers agree onthe identities of nine of their children, some sources list variousadditional children.

From 1731-1734 the Bryans lived on a 4,000 acre plantation on Mill Creekcalled Mansion House.  Morgan left the Quakers and embraced thePresbyterian faith.  About 1745/46 Morgan moved with his wife and eightof his children up the Shenandoah Valley to the Big Lick at the head ofthe Roanoke River. Their eldest son, Joseph, remained with his own familyin Winchester.
In the fall of 1748, most of the Bryan family selecteed several thousandchoice acres and moved to the Yadkin River area of North Carolina.  The"Bryan Settlement" consisted of several thousand acres about 60 milesfrom the nearest neighbor. They claimed large acreages in Rowan Co.,parts of which are now in Wilkes Co., and some 5000 acres in thenortheast section of what is now Davie Co., from Dutchman's Creek intoFarmington, Smiths Grove, and the Bend of the River sections of the Co..Morgan was 78 years old at the time he undertook this trek through theCarolina wilderness.  An early pioneer traveler over the road the Bryansfollowed gave this description:

"People had told us that this hill was most dangerous, and that we wouldscarcely be able to cross it, for Morgan Bryan, the first to travel thisway, had to take the wheels off his wagon and carry it piece-meal to thetop, and had been three months on the journey from the Shanidore(Shenandoah) to the Etkin (Yadkin)."

Morgan and Martha lived the rest of their lives in this area, west of thesouth bank of Deep Creek, surrounded by their family. The oldest son,Joseph, sold Edward Strode 360 acres of land in 1752, when he moved toCulpepper, Va, and finally moved to NC after 1755.

Most early biographers place Martha's death in Virginia in 1747, but inthe Bryan Papers deposited by the Rev John D. Shane with the PresbyterianHistorical Society in Philadelphis is the following:
Martha Bryan died August 24, 1762.
Allenor Bryan died Oct 21, 1772
Morgan Bryan died Apr 3, 1763, Easter Sunday

The Boone and Enochs families accompanied or followed the Bryans fromPennsylvania to North Carolina.

"William Bryan who married Mary Boone was a son of Morgan Bryan andMartha Strode. Rebecca Bryan who married Daniel Boone and Martha Bryanwho married Edward Boone were daughters of Joseph and Alee Bryan andnieces of William Bryan. Ann (Nancy) Linville who married George Boonewas a daughter of William Linville and Eleanor Bryan, a daughter ofMorgan Bryan.

"For a short time after their marriage Daniel Boone and Rebecca occupieda log cabin on his father's farm, but they soon acquired land of theirown lying upon Sugar Tree, a tributary of Dutchman's creek, in the Bryansettlement, a few miles North of Squire Boone's. Here they lived forseveral years."


1759 Rowan Co. Militia List:

From the Military Collection of the Treasurers and Comptroller's Papersat the North Carolina Archives is a list of Rowan Co. men who fought todefend the area against Indian attack. Most of the men served only a fewdays and were paid a few shillings for their service. The list, however,serves as an adjunct to the 1759 Rowan Co. Tax Lists published in Willsand Estates Records of Rowan Co., North Carolina and Tax Lists of 1759and 1778. More than half the names on this list do not appear on the 1759Rowan Tax List. Those names are identified with an asterisk. In theabstract presented here the sums for payment and number of days servedare omitted. The document serves to place many persons on the frontier in1759.

"May 25th 1759. The Publick of North Carolina to Morgan Bryan to ScoutsSent Out on the Alarm of *William Pincher's being Killed by the Indians."
Morgan Bryan, Capt.


Will of Morgan Bryan: March 28th 1763
Rowan Co., N.C., Will Book A.

In the name of God, Amen; I, Morgan Bryan, of Rowan Co., North Carolina,Living in a perfect mind and memory, Blessed be to God for his mercies,do dispose off my worldly estate as followeth; viz;

First, I give and bequeth to my beloved son, Thomas Bryan, my mansionhouse and plantation, also my part of a negro by named Jack, also mywagon and wagon, horse called Black and the neccessaries belonging to thewagon and my plow and utensils thereto.Two brood mares viz: a mare calledBrown Dent and her yeard and young and her colt; two cows, one calledJosey and her calf and the other called Brown and her calf; also my bedand furniture after my decease researving a sufficient living for me ofthe land while I live.

Second; I give and bequeth to my beloved daughter Eleanor Linville, allwife's wearing apparel.

I give and bequeth unto my grandaughter, Mary Forbes, my great pot andfive shillings, Sterl.

Eight pounds proclamation to my beloved son, James Bryan. I reserve formy funeral charges and sickness.

I give and bequeth Joseph, Samuel, Morgan, John, William, James andThomas and my daughter Elinor Linville all the rest of my real andpersonal property to be equally divided amongst them together with thatpart of my estate they have already received.

I do nominate and appoint my beloved sons, John and William Bryan to beexecutors,ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last willand testement whereof I have set my hand and seal this March 28th 1763.

Signed, sealed, published and pronounced in the presence of; SignedMorgan Bryan, Jr. Morgan Bryan (L.S.]
                  

                   [Copy of Current.FTW]

[Williamson.FTW]
Birth: 1685 in Ireland
Of Ireland, birthplace not known
Re sidence: APR 1718 Bainbridge, Co. Down, Ireland
He brought a letter of reco mmendation with him to the New Worl d
(Pennsylvania) from the Presbyterian Ch urch. [The full text of this
letter is in the notes section.] 3
Residence: 1721 Donegal Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania
He was one of the first settlers of Donegal Township, Lancaster Co.,
Pennsylvania along with Patri ck Campbell. 4
Residence: AFT 1722 Salem, New Jersey
William Penn's agents w ould only grant quit-rent titles to the land. This
was unsatisfactory to Will iam Bryan, so he moved to west New Jersey near
the present town of Salem.
R esidence: 2 NOV 1731 Spotsylvania Co., Virginia
He was mentioned in the rec ords as a planter.
Residence: 1733 Spotsylvania Co., Virginia
He gives 80 0 pounds of Tobacco and 102 acres of land to his son- in-law,
Philip Bush.
Residence: 1734 St. Thomas Parish, Orange Co., Virginia
He is listed as a m ember of the first grand jury im panelled i n Orange
Co..
Death: 1789 in Roanoke, North Carolina
He died at age 104.
Burial: 1789 Roanoke, North Car olina
His tombstone reads: William Bryan Emigrant from Ballyrooney C ounty dow n
Ireland 1718 1685 - 1786 [Note he died in 1789 n ot 1786.]
Occupation:
Education: He studied for the ministry but beacuse of timidity or ioher
reaso ns, shrank from public speaking. 1[copy.FTW]

[Williamson.FTW]

Birth: 1685 in Ireland
Of Ireland, birthplace not known
Residence: APR 1718 Bainbridge, Co. Down, Ireland
He brought a letter of recommendation with him to the New Worl d
(Pennsylvania) from the Presbyterian Church. [The full text of thisletter is in the notes section.] 3
Residence: 1721 Donegal Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania
He was one of the first settlers of Donegal Township, Lancaster Co.,Pennsylvania along with Patrick Campbell. 4
Residence: AFT 1722 Salem, New Jersey
William Penn's agents would only grant quit-rent titles to the land. Thiswas unsatisfactory to William Bryan, so he moved to west New Jersey nearthe present town of Salem.
Residence: 2 NOV 1731 Spotsylvania Co., Virginia
He was mentioned in the records as a planter.
Residence: 1733 Spotsylvania Co., Virginia
He gives 800 pounds of Tobacco and 102 acres of land to his son- in-law,Philip Bush.
Residence: 1734 St. Thomas Parish, Orange Co., Virginia
He is listed as a member of the first grand jury im panelled i n OrangeCo..
Death: 1789 in Roanoke, North Carolina
He died at age 104.
Burial: 1789 Roanoke, North Carolina
His tombstone reads: William Bryan Emigrant from Ballyrooney C ounty downIreland 1718 1685 - 1786 [Note he died in 1789 n ot 1786.]
Occupation:
Education: He studied for the ministry but beacuse of timidity or ioherreasons, shrank from public speaking. 1
                  

                   [Copy of Current.FTW]

[Williamson.FTW]
ORDINANCES
"Bellevue Beautiful View" pgs. 551-552 "There is a tradition in the Bryan
Family that three brothers came over from Ireland to gether. Morgan and
William and David...while David settles at Roanoke city. T here were eight
of the David Bryan Sr. children. Only three are listed here: David Jr.,
William and Mary. David died in 1766." "Children of David and Eliz abeth
Bryan: DAVID BRYAN, JR. is the older of the two sons. Died of starvatio n
in KY in 1780. WILLIAM BRYAN Married Sarah Henry in 1778. They
move d to KY. He was killed in a battle with the Indians. There was
a son, D avid Bryan III, and a daughter Mary."
Suzanne Hawkins (Prodigy CDND60A) lists David Bryan death as 1767 spouse
Elizabeth. Children she lists are William de ath date 1780 married to
Sarah Henry, David, and Mary an infant in 1767. "Dav id Bryan's widow
later married John Bowman. Then Sarah Henry Bryan, Elizabeth dau.-in-law,
married Abraham Bowman in KY. Bowman researchers tell me John a nd Abraham
were brothers. Sarah Henry Bryan was at Bryan's Station in 1779; h er
husband William Bryan died in KY in 1780. They had a son David Bryan who
married Margaret Parker in Bourbon KY. in 1805."[copy.FTW]

[Williamson.FTW]

ORDINANCES

"Bellevue Beautiful View" pgs. 551-552 "There is a tradition in the BryanFamily that three brothers came over from Ireland together. Morgan andWilliam and David...while David settles at Roanoke city. There were eightof the David Bryan Sr. children. Only three are listed here: David Jr.,William and Mary. David died in 1766." "Children of David and ElizabethBryan: DAVID BRYAN, JR. is the older of the two sons. Died of starvationin KY in 1780. WILLIAM BRYAN Married Sarah Henry in 1778. They moved toKY. He was killed in a battle with the Indians. There was a son, DavidBryan III, and a daughter Mary."

Suzanne Hawkins (Prodigy CDND60A) lists David Bryan death as 1767 spouseElizabeth. Children she lists are William death date 1780 married toSarah Henry, David, and Mary an infant in 1767. "David Bryan's widowlater married John Bowman. Then Sarah Henry Bryan, Elizabeth dau.-in-law,married Abraham Bowman in KY. Bowman researchers tell me John and Abrahamwere brothers. Sarah Henry Bryan was at Bryan's Station in 1779; herhusband William Bryan died in KY in 1780. They had a son David Bryan whomarried Margaret Parker in Bourbon KY. in 1805."