Daniel Bryan, son of James and Mary (nee Goodge) Bryan, was born November 2, 1835, could have been Nov. 11 ?near Uniontown, Pa., and died September 17, 1915, and is buried in the cemetery at Oberlin, Kansas, where his second wife also is buried.

Daniel met and married a Miss Miriam Stewart (pronounced like "Myrom"), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton and Sarah Stewart, farmers, near Dawson, Pa., on or about the year 1861, actually 1860. The 1850 census lists his name as Daniel Bryant, 15 years, farmer, attended school. Miriam also attended school in Fayette Co. More info on Mirriam Stewart's Family.

In the year of their marriage, the 1860 Tyrone Twp. Fayette Co. PA Census shows that Daniel (24 years) and Miriam (19 years) were living with James (56 years) and Sarah (60 years) Stairt.

Miriam was born in the year 1839, and died August 11, 1867, in her twenty eigth year, and is buried in the cemetery at Bryan Church, about two miles from Dawson, Pa., where many of the Bryans and their connections are buried. Nearby there is the grave of Alex. H. Stewart, died April 19, 1867 aged 23 yrs 7 mo 4 days.A suitable gravestone marks her grave. The cemetery was once a part of the James Bryan farm, including ground about the church, which was a frame building of medium dimensions. (The Bryan Church from a bulletin in 1992 is shown on left.)The virgin woods about it were landscaped for church gatherings. I understand that the original church was moved to Dawson and rebuilt there and a new structure built in its place on the Bryan Church plot. If this is not correct, I should be notified. When I visited the spot several years ago, I took camera pictures of the church and ground, and graves of the Bryans.

Daniel was a farmer in his younger days, and as I understand continued farming during the greater part of his later years. He was known always as a devout Christian man and never was afraid to confess his convictions before his fellow man. He loved all mankind and was ever ready to administer to the welfare of others. He would go out of his way or quit his work to pray for a friend or an enemy in need of spiritual assistance, or to help someone in need of a friend. With this background of faith in God, his children received their inspiration to follow in his footsteps.

The issue of this union were three sons, namely: James Elmer, (1863); William Stewart, (1864 or 1865); and Martin Francis, (1866).

After Miriam's death, the year following the birth of her son Martin Francis, Daniel had to be both father and mother to his three little boys. No doubt he received some help from relatives and friends, but his was the responsibility to care for them and to give them a start in life to meet the difficulties they must face when they grew to manhood. At that time he was a young man of thirty-two, and it appears that he looked toward the West, and Daniel seems to have been influenced by rumors of great opportunities in other fields, for he left the East and migrated westward into Ohio or Indiana and into Illinois. His first stepping place is not definitely known, but data shows that for a while he lived at or near Toulon, Illinois.

Here at Toulon, Daniel met and married his second wife, a Miss Harriet Rhodes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hough and Julia nee. Kingsley Rhodes of Toulon, Illinois.

Payton Bryan found the following listing of Harriet Rhodes: Elmira Township, Stark County, IL. "Osceola school house, a brick structure, was presided over by Miss Harriet J. Rhodes, in June 1856. She received $3 per week and board, and taught thirty-five pupils. The inspector failed not to notice 'the vicious habit of chewing gum'".

Harriet Rhodes, wife of Daniel, was born February 19, 1837, and died October 18, 1901, and is buried in the cemetery beside her husband at Oberlin, Kansas.

After his second marriage Daniel for some reason moved to Iowa, near Panora, and engaged in farming. It is presumed that he rented a farm for the season as was the custom of that day, and that he probably lived in several different sections of Panora district for several years.

Daniel met another Daniel Bryan at one of his addresses, and to avoid mis direction of his mail, he adopted the middle initial "S" to his name, this letter being the first letter in the name of the person after whom he was named. The person (namesake) must have been Daniel S---y.

To this second marriage of Daniel with Harriet Rhodes, he became the father by her of a son Hugh (born March 8, 1872, Iowa)and a daughter, Mary (born June 9, 1873 - Mary was still living in 1941.). The place of birth is not given, nor the occupation of the father, but it is likely he was engaged in farming.

Just where Daniel lived after he left Panora, Iowa, is not stated, but it is known that he moved to a farm, probably purchased, near Oberlin, Kansas, where he lived until his death.

Source: Payton Bryan: Federal Land Deed: On 10 Dec 1897, 160 acres in Decatur Co. KS was granted (Timber-Culture Certificate No. 1662, Application 7264) to Daniel S. Bryan "to encourage the Growth of Timber on the Western Prairies". Recorded at General Land Office in Colby, KS.

1910 Census Liberty Twp, Decatur Co., KS: Daniel Bryan; 72 yrs; widowed;...living with Galey & Mary Cornwall.

We shall now return to the time of Daniel's first marriage and speak of his children in their order of age as data at hand will permit. They follow:

Rev. James Elmer Bryan, son of Daniel, was born in May 7, 1863 near Dawson, Pa. James spent his early years with his brothers on the farm and attended the local one-room school a few months of the year. When Daniel moved West to Toulen, Ill., James and his brother Martin accompanied him, the other son, William Stewart, being left with his grandparents, James and Mary (nee Goodge) Bryan, as data seem to point. We doubt the father left his son with the idea of having him join his brothers at some later date.

It is not clearly known just when James decided to follow the urge to become a minister of the Gospel. He may have received the inspiration thru his father or thru the influence of some friend. His father Daniel was given to the idea of a good education for his children, but could not always lend the idea support. But without read funds for such a venture, it took a strong willpower to begin the long course of study and training necessary for a minister. James seemed to have that will and determination. What difficulties he had to overcome as he went along can only be imagined. He must have had very little assistance from his father, as money matters go, for money was scarce in those days on the farm, and must have earned his own way, step by step, thru high school courses to receive his bachelor degree, and later his master degree from Denver University, Denver, Colorado. How he came to choose Denver, so far away from his father's home, is not known. Later, James completed his course for the ministry at Garrett, located at Evanston, Ill. He delivered his first sermon in about the year 1886, when he was twenty-three years old. He served in the Des Moines Conference from 1890-1902: in the Colorado Conference from 1903-1914; and in the Kansas Conference from 1915-1918; and probably others. He was pastor at Cottonwood Falls, Kansas in 1915-1918. He remained in the ministry continuously for forty-four years, until his retirement in 1930. He now resides with his wife at 3884 South Lincoln Street, Unglued, Colorado. At last report, he still serves occasionally as a supply to regular pastors in his district. In 1943, he sold his home and went ot live with his daughter Lynn.

Sometime during his early ministry, James met and married Miss Hattie Lincoln Wright, daughter of Rev. George and Mrs. Wright (place not given), December 26, 1888. To this union were born the following children: Roy Elmer, Helen Marie, Paul (deceased), and Lynn Eugene.

Roy Elmer Bryan, son of Rev. James E. Bryan. was born about the year 1890 (exact date not given). He met and married Miss Bertha Johnson (parents, place, date, occupation, not given). It is known that Bertha's mother lives with her, data two years old.(in 1938)

To this union was born one daughter named Jeane E. Bryan. There may have been further issue. Their present address is 2116 Meek Street, Des Moines, Iowa.

Helen Marie Bryan, daughter of Rev. James E. Bryan, was born about the year (not given, assume 1892), place unknown, (Best to ignore the rest of this sentence.), parents not given, but she was likely a Miss Gooding. She met and married one W. D. Gooding, probably of Denver, Col. It is noted that Mr. Gooding has a brother and a mother living in Denver. No issue reported. Their address is No 510 Garfield (St. or Ave.?), Denver, Colorado.

Lynn Eugene Bryan, son of Rev. James Bryan, was born (date and place not given--assume year 1894). He met and married Miss Wilma Hutchinson (date, place not given, but likely Pomona, Kans., as I get it, for her mother is said to be living there, Ed.) No issue reported. Their present address is Columbine, Colorado, CARE Three Forks Ranch.

Note--I would suggest that all these omissions be supplied so as to make the document historical. Dates, and where children born, dates of marriage, parents full names and a residence and occupation, occupation of husband or wife, etc. Any other information of a historical character.--Ed. Such corrections can be written on separate sheet and sent to Wm. H. Bryan, 749 Chenange St., Binhgamton, N. Y., and the information will be inserted in the next copy got out.

William "Stewart" Bryan, son of Daniel, was born on a farm near Dawson, Pa., about the year 1864-1865. His mother, Miriam, died in 1867, leaving three small boys to survive her, of whom Stewart was the second in age, less than three years old. For a part of the time Stewart was cared for by relatives, but the father saw to their comfort and only accepted assistance when he thought the best interests of his children were assured. Stewart may have been placed with his grandmother Bryan in 1868, for she was left a widow in 1867, by grandfather's death in 1867. Anyhow, it appears that Stewart was raised by his grandmother Bryan, down on the farm near Dawson, Pa.

Young Stewart (his first name William was not used) got his primary education in the one-room school of his neighborhood, and his religious training from his grandmother and from the local church's Sunday School lesson. It is said that he was an apt pupil, and a willing boy to help do the chores about the farm. He had a disposition to read, and his grandmother and her daughters at home gave him what help they could. There was always some good book or periodical about the house, and more could be secured.

Stewart's urge for knowledge helped to shape his future life. When he was about seventeen years old he was sent to the normal school at California, Pa., now a state teachers college, where he studied for two years to be a teacher. He was the honor graduate of his class, his average grade being 99.6 per cent it is said.

Soon after his graduation he became a member of the normal school faculty as a teacher of mathematics, and he held that position for a number of years.

One of Stewart's students at the normal was a Miss Bell H. Hartranft, who finished the normal course with honors a year or two later. Either before Stewart resigned his professorship at the normal or soon after, Miss Hartranft became the wife of William Stewart Bryan (Date and place of marriage and parents of bride not given-Ed.)

A year or two after his marriage, Stewart was appointed supervising principal of the Brownsville, Pa., schools, his duties being about the same as a superintend of schools would have been. I believe that he held the Brownville position for about ten years. In 1896 Stewart resigned his position at Brownsville to accept the superintendency of schools at Carnegie, Pa., not far from Pittsburgh, Pa. After several years at Carnegie, Pa., he resigned from his position and accepted a position as first assistant county superintendent of schools, at Allegheny County, with offices in Pittsburgh. County superintendent of schools, Dr. Hamilton, had said that he appointed his assistants because they were men or women who could do things. So Stewart must have impressed Dr. Hamilton that he could "do things."

The evening of October 15th (it might have been the 14th), 1917, Stewart was scheduled to give a lecture or talk before a gathering of persons at a nearby hall or school house. He and his wife were in their automobile on route to keep the appointment. As Stewart turned his car into a branch road, leading up to the hall or schoolhouse, his car came head-on into a team and wagon without lights. The car was moving not much faster than the team of horses, but the rearing of the horses caused the wagon tongue to reach out and it thru the front of the car, and in some way seriously injured Stewart. When the hospital ambulance came, Stewart entered without assistance. That night or early the next morning, he died of internal hemorrhage, it is said. Thus ended far too soon the career of a promising educator and a beloved father and husband, and a leading M.E. Church worker at Carnegie, Pa.

Sometime after the death of Stewart, his widow accepted a position as assistant librarian at the Carnegie Library in Carnegie, Pa. She may have been promoted to librarian later. She has held that position to the present time, unless she has resigned within the past two years. her home address is No. 513 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie, Pa.

To the union of William Stewart Bryan and Bell H. Hartranft there were born: Helen and William H.

Helen Bryan, daughter of Stewart, met and married one John T. Laeber, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Laeber of Boston. Mass. John Laeber was a college bred man of consider ability.

When the writer last saw him, probably eighteen years ago, he was a member of the Chenley High School faculty at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, teaching mathematics or Science.

To this union were born two boys and two girls, namely: John Stewart (Laeber), Helen Alden, William Bryan, and Isabel Jane.

There is no report concerning these children excepting that their son John Stewart Laeber was in his junior year at State College, State College, Pennsylvania, in 1938. The address of the Laebers was Grafton, Pennsylvania, but the family could be reached by addressing Mrs.William Stewart Bryan, 513 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

William H. Bryan, son of Stewart, met and married a Miss Cora B. Stewart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Stewart of Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania May 22, 1917, solemnization being at the bride's home, administered by the Rev. DR. Montgomery of the Sharpsburg Presbyterian Church. The marriage announcement gave this address as Grafton, Pennsylvania.

To this union were born six children, namely: Jean Isabel, William Stewart, Betty May, Jack Monroe, Melvin and Richard. There are no data concerning these children.

Martin Francis Bryan, son of Daniel S. and Miriam Stewart Bryan was born April 28, 1866, and died December 15, 1917, in his 52nd year: and is buried in the cemetery at Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa.

Martin, being the youngest of the three brothers, was kept close to his father, but when he grew older his is said to have made his home with his Grandmother Rhodes at Toulon, Illinois. Grandmother Rhodes, however, had married a second husband by the name of Riste and had a son named Martin Riste, who would be a half-brother of Daniel's second wife. How long Martin remained with his grandmother is not known, but it must have been a few years, for we find him again with his father in Iowa, attending the Guthrie County High School, located at Panora, Iowa, from which he was graduated well up in his class in scholarship.

Obituary found in scrapbook... Obituary of M.F. Bryan Martin Francis Bryan was born near Dawson, Fayette county, Pa., April 28, 1866 and died in Stuart, Iowa, December 15, 1917. He was left motherless when but a babe, and when a small boy came with his father to Illinois and two years later to Iowa, and was reared to manhood on a farm midway between Dale City and Panora. He attended high school in Panora, and after graduating chose farming as his life avocation. He was married to Frances Belle Thomas January 1, 1895, and to this union were born three children, Lulu, Harold and Frank, who with the wife and mother are left to mourn his departure. Of his own relations one brother, Rev. E. J. Bryan of Cottonwood, Kansas, a half-brother, Hugh Bryan of Ness City, Kansas, and a half-sister, Mrs. Mary Cornwell, of BOberdlin, Kansas, survive him. He has lived in and near Stuart for the past twenty-three years and has during that time made a host of friends. He was a hard worker, straightforward and honorable in business transactions, a good citizen, a true friend, an earnest christian, and a kind husband and father. His illness resulting from paralysis lasted nearly two years, and while he was not a great sufferer, the inability to speak or work made his affliction hard to endure. But God's grace was his sufficiency and he died as he had lived, trusting him who never fails or disappoints. "Asleep in Jesus,: he rests from all his earthly labor and "his works do follow him."

Martin loved nature and all things spiritual and followed in the footsteps of his father in the belief that we live our lives here on earth in order to enjoy a spiritual existence in a life hereafter. While he never accumulated a vast amount of earthly wealth his life of service to those he loved remains in the minds of those who knew him as a monument which time cannot deface. His one diversion was fishing and occasionally he would take his family or his two boys and spend all day on the banks of the South Racoon river, a small streams a few miles north of the home place. His untimely death at the early age of fifty-one years was the result of a sun-stroke followed later by a paralytic stroke from which he never recovered. His widow and four children survived him.

During his twenty-ninth year he married Miss Frances Belle Thomas, daughter of Moorman and Sarah J. Reynolds Thomas of Menlo, Guthrie County, Iowa. Miss Thomas was a graduate of Menlo High School in 1889, not long after Martin was graduated from the Panora High School, the two schools being in nearby districts. It is quite possible that they became acquainted at school events.

To the union of Martin Francis and Frances "Belle" (pictured right), there were born three children and one other daughter was adopted. Namely: Lulu Belle, Charles Harold and Francis Paul. Miriam Christine was the adopted daughter. Martin Francis Bryan passed in 1917 and is buried in the South Oak Grove Cemetery, in Stuart, Iowa.

Lulu Belle Bryan, daughter of Martin Francis and Francis Belle Thomas Bryan was born November 12, 1896, one mile south of Menlo, in Adair County, Iowa. She received her early education in the public schools at Stuart, Iowa to which her parents moved when she was about five years old. During her early life Lulu devoted much of her time doing more than her bit in promoting the scholastic civics and religious life in the community. This experience served her well in her chosen work in later life. She graduated from the Stuart High School in 1916 and four years later received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson College, a Methodist School at Indianola, Iowa. After teaching in the public schools in several Iowa communities she finally accepted a position teaching in the Browning Home and Mather Academy at Camden, South Carolina, a school for colored children provided by the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church. At this writing (1941) Lulu is Principal and Superintendent of the Browning Home. She is not married. Her present address is in care of the school.

Lulu Belle Bryan passed away January 11, 1998 in the Brooks-Howell Home for Retired Missionaries and Deaconesses, Asheville, North Carolina. She was 101 years old. She was buried next to her parents, Martin Francis Bryan and Frances Belle (Thomas) Bryan, in the Stuart Cemetery, Stuart, Iowa. Lulu Belle Bryan was awarded the highest medal of Merit for a Deconess in the Methodist Church.

Rev. Charles Harold Bryan, son of Martin Francis and Frances Bell Thomas Bryan, was born December 4, 1897, one mile south of Menlo, in Adair County, Iowa. Charles seems to be preserving the chain of careers which have been the pride of the Bryan ancestors for generations, in that he has chosen the work of the Ministry as his life work, a tradition well worth continuing. Harold also received his early education in the Stuart public schools graduating with his sister in 1916. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1918 and at the end of the World War (1917-1918) he entered the Liberal Arts school of Grinnell College, a Congregational school at Grinnell, Iowa. Four years later he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from that school. Between graduation and the time he decided to enter the Ministry he worked in the home office of the Bankers Life Insurance Company in Des Moines, Iowa. His training for his chosen work was completed at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He served in the Indiana Conference at Goodland, Indiana, later at Danville, Illinois and at the present writing (1941) he is pastor of the Olivet Presbyterian Church at Marion, Illinois. His present address is 6 No. Michigan Avenue, Marion, Illinois.

While living in Iowa, Rev. Charles Harold Bryan met and married Miss Alice Dorothy Olson of Waterloo, Black Hawke County, Iowa on November 28, 1923. Alice Olson was born June 27, 1901 at Parkersburg, Butler County, Iowa. These two were college friends at Grinnell, College.

To the union of Charles Harold and Alice Dorothy Olson Bryan were born the following children: Bonnie Jean, born August 27, 1924 at Waterloo, Black Hawke County, Iowa; Charles Leslie, born July 30, 1927 at Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; and Faith Louise, born October --, 1937, at Goodland, Indiana.

Francis Paul Bryan, son of Martin Francis and Frances Belle Thomas Bryan was born October 2, 1899, three miles west of Stuart, Iowa . Although not on the same farm as that on which his brother and sister first saw light of day Francis Paul was also born in Adair County but both farms were located adjoining the road which separated Adair and Guthrie Counties, which road also bisects the community of Stuart, Iowa. At the age of two he moved with his parents to Stuart, Iowa and it was here that Frank (by which name he was always known) grew to manhood and graduated from the Stuart High School in 1918. He enlisted in the U.S. Army October 1st of that year and at the close of World War (1917-1918) he entered Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa.

Hugh Bryan was born in guthrie County Iowa in 1872. Hugh and his sister Mary, both attended school in Iowa. By the 1900 Census, he was 28 years old and living in Liberty Twp, Decatur Co. Kansas. His occupation is recorded as farm laborer. By the 1910 Census, he is listed as a Black Smith, living with Galey and Mary Cornwell and Daniel Bryan, still in Liberty Twp, Decatur Co. Kansas.

Mary Bryan was born in 1873 in Iowa. By the 1900 Census, she too had moved to Kansas. She married Mr. Galen Cornwell. Eventually, her brother and widowed father both came to live with her and Galey in Kansas.