Benjamin Franklin Bryant

1. Benjamin Franklin BRYANT,¹ son of Nathan BRYANT and Rebecca LITTLE, was born on 15 March 1800 in , Wilkes County, Georgia,^{¹^,2} died on 25 March 1857 in , Milam County, Texas,^² and was buried in "Flower Garden" On The Bryant Home Place, Milam County, Texas.

Burial Notes: On 14 March 1931, House Concurrent Resolution No. 37 was passed by the Texas House of Representatives. It reads

WHEREAS, arrangements have heretofore been made on the part of Representatives of the State of Texas to move the remains of Benjamin F Bryant, a Captain in the Battle of San Jacinto, and an honorable citizen of this State during his lifetime, from the abandoned cemetery in the County of Milam for reinterment in the State Cemetery at Austin; and

WHEREAS, arrangements have heretofore been made to have proper ceremonies in the Hall of the Househ of Reprenentatives during a Joint Session of the House and the Senate, at which time Ex-Governor Pat. M Neff has volunteered to delover the principal address; and

WHEREAS, a large delegation of the citizenship of Milam County, including school children from the cities of Cameron, Rockdale, and Buckholts, are accompanying the remains of the said distinguished citizen to the City of Austin with a view of partaking in the aforesaid ceremonies in the House of Represnetatives; therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature of Texas will meet in Joint Session Tuesday, March 10th, at 11 A. M., for the purpose of participating in said ceremonies.

Approved by the Governor, March 14, 1931

Published in the General and Special Laws of the Stat of Texas Passed by the Forty-Second Legislature, 1931,

General Notes: Benjamin Bryant customarily wore a heavy mustache and a beard that reached below his waist. When some of the young men wanted to confront a band of Indians on Little Elm Creek, Bryant promised them that if they killed all the Indians and brought back their horses, without being wounded themselves, they could shave his beard and mustache. They accomplished the feat, and Bryant met them with instructions to get the shears and razor and get to work. It is said that he never again wore a beard or mustache.

• Benjamin Franklin BRYANT went to the Georgia Supreme Court to have the name of his son, William Parker, changed to William Bryant on 22 December 1829 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia Benjamin Bryant is named as the father, but the county of residence is not given.

• He emigrated and settled on the river just above Little Rock, Arkansas in 1833 from , Pike County, Georgia. ⁴ A flood on the river destroyed his crops, and he decided to return to Georgia.

• He immigrated from the river above Little Rock, Arkansas in June 1833 to , Macon County, Georgia. ⁴ He made one crop in Georgia, and then started for Texas on 4 September 1834

• He immigrated from Macon County, Georgia on 4 September 1834 to , Sabine County, Coahuila Y Texas, Mexico. ⁴ ^,5

• He served in the military Captain, Volunteer Army of Texas in 1836 in , , Texas. ⁶ Verified by the War Department, April 13 1838

"This Certifies that Benjamin Bryant is entitled to pay as Captain in the Volunteer Army of Texas ---- from the 29th March to April 29th 1836 at which time he was Honorabley Discharged --- John Teal is fully authorised to receive the above pay per power of attorney on file in this Department.

(signed) Barnard S Bee, Dept of War"

Payment of $68.50 was made 13 April 1838

• Anecdote: Benjamin Bryant recruited a company of men to join Sam Houston, March 1836, , Sabine County, Coahuila Y Texas, Mexico. ⁷ Benjamin Bryant was unanimously elected captain of the company. The mens mounts were "Texas ponies," and they were armed with long rifles. From Polygotch Creek, they passed through Nacogdoches, and crossed the Trinity River at Robbins Ferry. They traveled from Robbins Ferry to Washington-on-the-Brazos with some difficulty, as the road was full of citizens fleeing in what later became known as "The Runaway Scrape." At Washington, they learned of the fall of the Alamo, and the massacre at Goliad. They could not cross at Washington because of the masses of people attempting to cross the other way, so they proceeded down the east side of the Brazos to Groces Ferry, arriving there on 30 March. Groce offered Bryant and his men the "Negro quarters" of his plantation for shelter - he having sent his slaves away from the possible grasp of the Mexican Army. On 31 March, Bryant crossed the Brazos and met with Gen. Houston to offer the services of his company for a 30 day enlistment (Bryant believing that the enemy would be engaged within that time frame, and the men of the company wanting to return at the end of that time to see to their farming.)

• He received Certificate No 103 for a head right grant, 15 February 1838, , Robertson County, Texas. ⁸ As a married man, the certificate entitled him to one league and one labor of land, for which he was to pay $3.50 per labor of irrigable land, $2.50 per labor of arable land, and $1.25 per labor of pasture land.

• He received Donation Land Warrant No. 314 from the Republic of Texas on 9 June 1838 in Houston, Harrisburg County, , Republic Of Texas . The warrant was for 640 ac., and was in compensation for his having fought at the Battle of San Jacinto, 21 April 1836.

• He had 640 ac. of land as authorized by Donation Land Warrant No. 314 surveyed on 22 August 1838 in , Milam County, Texas This survey was located on the Leon [River] 28 mi above Cavitts Survey." The survey was made by G B Erath, Dep. Surveyor, Milam County. M. Nutt and T Teal were the chain carriers and N. McLellan was the marker. The survey was certified by the County Surveyor on 11 October 1838.

• He served in the military Capt G B Erath's Company of Minute Men in 1841 in , Milam County, Texas. ⁶ 5 Aug to 12 Aug 1841 (8 days)
29 Aug to 12 Sept 1841 (15 days)
8 Nov to 22 Nov 1841 (17 days)

W G. Cook, Sec., War & Marine, Austin, Republic of Texas, certified his service on 27 January 1846. Payment of $20.00 for 40 days service was approved on that date.

(The annexation treaty with the US was not ratified by the people of Texas until February 1846, so the government of the Republic was still operating on 27 January.)

• Anecdote: Benjamin Bryant furnished a wagon and four yoke of oxen and chains to the Santa Fe Expedition, 24 June 1841, , Milam County, Texas. ⁶ The Quartermaster's Department authorized a payment of $600.00 for this transaction.

• He had 7,400,000 square varas of land as authorized by Certificate 103 surveyed on 7 November 1844 in , Milam County, Texas This land was his "league and labor" head right, and was located "west of the Leon [River] and south of Cow House Creek." It contained 4 labors of arable land, and the rest was pasture land. The surveyor was J. Snively, Deputy Surveyor of Milam County, and chain carriers were Thos. Waring and Geo. Resley. The County Surveyor certified the survey on 11 February 1845. The survey was transferred and certified "Correct on Map" in February 1846, and the final patent was received on 4 March 1847.

• Anecdote: Benjamin Bryant was appointed Administrator of the estate of William Bryant, Deceased, 30 December 1844, Cameron, Milam County, Texas. ¹⁰

• Anecdote: Sam Houston wrote a letter to "Maj Benj Bryant, Indian Agent," regarding a meeting to be held beteen Sam Houston and the chiefs of the Lipans and Toncawas, 19 February 1845, Washington, Washington County, Texas. ¹¹

• Anecdote: Anson Jones, President of the Republic of Texas, signed the deed for Benj. Bryants donation land., 8 February 1846, Austin, Travis County, Texas. ⁹ The deed states that the land is 28 miles above the Cavett Surveys, in Milam County. A note in the margin shows that the land is in present-day Coryell County.

• Anecdote: Anson Jones, President of the Republic of Texas, signed the deed for Benjamin Bryant's head right grant, 10 February 1846, Austin, Travis County, Texas. ⁸

• Anecdote: Petition of Benjamin Bryant to the State of Texas, 17 November 1849, Austin, Travis County, Texas. "TO THE HON. SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

"The Petition of Benj. Bryant a citizen of Milam county respectfully represents that he is one of the first settlers of the County of Milam and by his industry and economy has accumulated a considerable estate. Petitioner represents that he has ever been ready at the call of his country and has on all occasions contributed his pesonal services and his ____ to aid his country in her struggles for independence. He represents that by an unfortunate association he has five children born out of lawful wedlock, to wit: Napolean Lafayette, Amanda Anna, Eliza Ann, Samuel Houston, and Rebecca, children of Rebecca Parker. He prays the Legislature that they may be permitted to assume his name and to interit his estate as legal heirs.

Little River, Milam County Texas Nov 17th/49.
Signed - Benjamin Bryant"

• Anecdote: Applied for relief in the de Peña claim that overlapped his grant, 17 November 1849, , Milam County, Texas. ¹² The following note accompanied the application :

"Mr. James Anthony
"Dear Sir:

"I send you the within petition and ask of you as an especial favor to try to get something done in my behalf.

"Your prompt attention to this will be much obliged

"Your friend
"Benjamin Bryant"

The enclosed petition reads as follows:

"State of Texas)
Milam County) We the undersigned know that Benjamin Bryant was the first permanent settler in his neighborhood on this frontier & we know that most of the facts within stated are true & we pray your Honbl Body to grant him the relief asked for." The signatures of 31 of his neighbors accompany the petition.

Also included is the following statement:

"To the Heonbl the Legislature of the State of Texas

"The undersigned Benjamin Bryant a citizen of Milam County in the Said State respectfully showeth that over thirteen years ago in very dangerous times on this frontier he removed to & settled at his present residence on Little River & has there continued to reside ever since having previously located his head right upon the land settled by him as aforesaid believing the same to be entirely vacant & unappropriated. & he has since had his said land surveyed & his field notes recorded & returned to the General Land Office for patenting which the commissioner of the General Land Office refused to do alledging that the same had been granted to one Peña. About this time your Petitioner learned that other persons claimed his home & land so located by him as being embraced in an eleven League claim granted to said Peña. Wishing to retain his home & to avoid all litigation in the courts about his land although he had no confidence in the validity of said Peña's claim he purchased the same so far as covered by his head right as aforesaid. and yet the Commissioner of the General Land Office refuses to give him a Patent for his land. He further showeth that he still has no confidence in the validity of said Peña's grant, but wishes a Patent from the State for his head right located as aforesaid He therefore prays your Honbl body to pass an act for his relief requiring the Commissioner of the Gen L Office to issue to him A Patent for his said land &c And as in duty bound he will ever pray. (signed) B. Bryant

Benjamin married Roxanna PRICE,¹ ^,2 ^,13 ^,14 daughter of William PRICE and Mary BROWN, on 10 December 1820 in , , North Carolina. Roxanna was born on 8 March 1802 in , Martin County, North Carolina,^{¹^,2^,13^,15} died on 10 November 1874 in , Milam County, Texas,^² and was buried in "Flower Garden" On The Bryant Home Place, Milam County, Texas.

Burial Notes: Texas House Concurrent Resolution No. 37 (14 March 1931) also provided for the re-interment of Roxanna (Price) Bryant beside her husband in the State Cemetery in Austin.

6 F v. Sarah BRYANT ³⁷ was born about 1832 in , , Georgia and died about 1836.

Benjamin had a relationship with Rebecca PARKER. Rebecca was born about 1805 and died in 1849 in , Milam County, Texas.

General Notes: Rebecca Parker is found living alone next door to Benjamin and Roxanna Bryant in the 1835 Mexican Census, Sabine District. Rebecca was associated with Benjamin in Pike County, Georgia, and relocated with the family to Texas in 1834. She and Roxanna bore children to Benjamin over a period of several years. My grandmother, Verna B (Raney) Williams, a great-grandchild of Benjamin and Roxanna, grew up at Bryant Station, Milam County, Texas, on the original Ben Bryant League. She knew several of Rebecca's children, and knew that all children of both families had been reared in Roxanna's household. Her understanding of the situation was that Rebecca was a "house servant." Some years before his death, Benjamin went to court to acknowledge legally the children of his "unfortunate assocation" with Rebecca Parker.

It is my belief, based on my grandmother's actions and attitude, that the "unfortunate association" language was merely a legal formality, and that all the children of Benjamin Bryant grew up in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect within the family. ⁵⁴

9 M i. William Parker "Bill" BRYANT was born in 1823 in , Wilkes County, Georgia and died before 20 December 1844 in , Milam County, Texas.^⁵⁵

General Notes: Bill and Jesse were probably the two "Bryant boys" who participated in the Indian fight on Bird's Creek in 1839.

• Legitimized by Act of Georgia Legislature: Legitimized by Act of Georgia Legislature, 22 December 1829, Milledgeville, Baldwin County, Georgia. ⁵⁶ An act to change the name of William Parker to that of William Bryant...

Sec 2 An be it further enacted that said William Bryant is hereby declared to be fully and completely legitimized and entitled to all the rights and privileges which he would have been entitled to, had he been born in lawful wedlock; and fully capable of taking, inheriting and receiving all kind of property by virtue of the statue of distribution of this State; so far as regares the estate both real and personal of Benjamin Bryant, the reputed father of the said William Bryant : Provided this act whall not enable the said Willaim Bryant to inherit to the exclusion of any child or children of the said Benjamin Bryant, born or who may hereafter be born in lawful wedlock.

• Capt G B Erath's Company of Minute Men: Capt G B Erath's Company of Minute Men, 1841, , Milam County, Texas. ¹⁰ Payment was authorized for 5-12 Aug 1841 (8 days), and for 27 Oct-21 Nov 1841 (26 days). W G. Cook, Sec., War & Marine, Austin, Republic of Texas, certified his service on 27 January 1846.

Payment of $34.00 for 17 days service was made to Benj.Bryant, Admn, on 27 January 1846.

(The annexation treaty with the US was not ratified by the people of Texas until February 1846, so the government of the Republic was still operating on 27 January.)

• Acted as assignee to receive funds owed to his father: Acted as assignee to receive funds owed to his father, 26 June 1841, Austin, Travis County, Texas. ⁶

Bill married Priscilla WILLIAMS,³⁷ daughter of John WILLIAMS, about 1843 in , Milam County, Texas.³⁷ Priscilla was born about 1828.^³⁷

Marriage Notes: Many researchers report this marriage. I have never found any proof of this marriage, independent of the statements of these researchers. This may be because of the Milam County Court House fire, or this marriage may simply never have happened. At any rate, there were no children of William Bryant mentioned by Mrs. Blankenship in her affidavit, nor have I ever found children of an appropriate name and age in the 1850 census. I report it here to keep the information for future research.

First Generation

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