USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 60
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 60
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John Bryant. - This name occurs so frequently in the early records of the Saco valley towns, and so disconnected from any mention of others of the Bryant family, that I cannot state with any claim to authority, how many there were at the time who bore it. A JOHN BRYANT, in Biddeford, pays £4 for his lot of land there Sept. 15, 1728. Previous to 1730, a man of this name had sold to Capt. Thomas Smith, of the Saco river block-house, eight thousand of merchantable shingles, for the repairs of that early fort, but in the account there was no mention of his place of residence. The name of JOHN BRYANT stands on the pay-roll of the elder John Lane, who commanded at Fort Mary, at the mouth of Saco river, in 1756, when his age was stated as 21; his late place of residence, Berwick, and the place of his birth, "Ipswidge." The name of JOHN BRYANT appears on a call for a proprietors' meeting in Narragansett, No. I, now Buxton, Dec. 12, 1743. He was styled a "proprietor of said town- ship," and was, as I suppose, identical with the first settler of that name men- tioned by Williams in his centennial address of 1850.
David Bryant was in Biddeford as early as 1724, and by wife Elizabeth had children born there as follows:
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
I. STEPHEN, b. Mar. 8, 1724; d. Apr. 9, 1814.
2. SUSANNAH, b. Mar. 23, 1727.
Maj. Stephen Bryant served in the Revolution. He was b. in 1759, and d. Mar. 18, 1823. He was probably the one who m. Miriam Davis, Nov. 8, 1778; resided in Saco. Eight children.
I. SUSANNA, b. Sept. 10, 1780 ; m., Apr. 14, 1804, Robert Gray.
2. MIRIAM, b. June 30, 1785 ; m. July 29, 1821, to Andrew Long. She had the births of children recorded in Saco as follows :
1. JAMES, b. May 7, 1807.
Il. CAROLINE, b. Apr. 8, 1809.
III. MARY E., b. Mar. 21, 1813.
IV. SUSAN G., b. Mar. 10, 1816.
3. JAMES R., b. Mar. 9, 1787 ; m., May, 19, 1808, Hannah Whitney, who was b. June 10, 1790, and d. in 1838. He d. Dec. 29, 1828. He had :
I. LEANDER, b. Feb. 12, 1809; m. Betsey Randall, and had Augustus B., b. May 18, 1835 ; Mary R., b. Apr. 18, 1837; Almon f., b. Feb. 1. 1840; d. Dec. 19, 1850; George H., d. Dec. 24, 1877, aged 35. Mr. B. d. Jan. 1, 1862; his wife d. Nov. 1, 1887, aged 78.
+ LYDIA, b. Jan. 9, 1787.
5. SARAH, b. Dec. 8, 1791.
6. PAULINA, b. Nov. 13, 1793.
7. FOXWELL C., b. Apr. 9, 1797 ; m. Mar. 25, 1818, Elizabeth Adams, of Limerick. He resided in Saco, where he was for many years in the ice business. His portrait may be seen at the York Institute in Saco. He d. in 1892, aged 95 years. Children as follows :
1. ABRAHAM, b. Aug. 22, 1816; d. Sept. 13, 1835 (first wife).
II. JEREMIAH, d. June, 1822.
III. CHARLES S., b. Sept. 15, 1822.
IV. STEPHEN, b. Dec. 31, 1824.
V. ELIZA, b. Jan. 25, 1827.
VI. ABIGAIL, b. Jan. 31, 1829.
VII. HENRY, b. Jan. 25, 1833- Some died in infancy.
9. EUNICE, b. Dec. 12, 1799.
IO. ELIZABETH, b. Dec. 20, 1801.
II. STEPHEN, 3d, b. Sept. 20, 1803.
David Bryant was an inhabitant of Saco, b. Nov. 28, 1762, and was, I think, a son of Stephen, Sr .; wife's name, Sarah; d. Mar. 6, 1825; wife d. Dec. 27, 1822. Issue:
I. SARAH, b. July 17, 1787.
2. JOHN, b. Aug. 20, 1789; m. Apr. 1, 1814, to Sally Whitney (?).
WILLIAM, b. July 5, 1792.
4. DAVID, b. Oct. 22, 1793.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
5 THOMAS, b. Dec. 1, 1796; m. Dec. 8, 1816, Sally Cowen, and had issue, three children. He d. at the "pest-house," near the Lower Ferry, in 1836.
I. LUCINDA P., b. Dec. 12, 1816, } twins.
11. JANE M., b. Dec. 12, 1816,
III. ISAAC, b. Mar. 4, 1805.
6. MARK, b. June 22, 1798 ; m. June 26, 1823, to Mary Goodwin.
7. HANNAH, b. June 4, 1700.
8. MARY, b. Apr. 30, 1803.
9. DORCAS, b. Mar. 4, 1805.
Daniel Bryant, b. Dec. 26, 1758; m. Sarah, dau. of Lieut. Samuel Mer- rill, of Buxton (she b. May 1, 1765), May 23, 1782, and had issue, nine chil- dren. He settled on land in the northern section of Saco, on a cross road near "old Ben Grant's," called " Mutton lane"; a soldier of the Revolution. No mention of parentage is found ; supposed to have been a brother of David, Ephraim, and Jarathamell. No record of his death. Children:
I. RUTH, b. Dec. 28, 1784; m. James Bickford, who lived between Bux- ton Centre and the Hains meadow, the well-known "potter."
2. TIMOTHY, b. June 25, 1787; m. Mar. 19, 1813, by Rev. Benjamin Cogswell, Betsey Chute, of Scarborough, who was b. Mar. 13, 1793. Mr. Bryant went to Jay, Me., soon after marriage and was all his life a farmer. He d. July 28, 1863 ; his widow d. in Madison, Nov. 7, 1882, aged 89. Children's names will follow:
1. WILLIAM, b. Mar. 20, 1814; m. June 27, 1841, by Rev. Ira F. Thurston.
II. FRANCIS, b. June 20, 1816; in. Mar. 10, 1845, by Rev. Benjamin Foster, to - -; d. Feb. 13, 1863.
III. MATILDA, b. Dec. 28, 1818; m. June 7, 1840.
IV. SARAH W., b. Jan. 1, 1822 ; m. Aug. 23, 1843 ; d. Feb. 5, 1892.
V. TIMOTHY, b. Oct. 4, 1824 ; d. Aug. 28, 1826.
VI. HANNAH, b. May 14, 1827; d. Mar. 23, 1840.
VII. TIMOTHY, b. July 26, 1830; m. Mar. 22, 1855.
VIII. ABEL, b. Oct. 6, 1834; d. Apr. 3, 1835.
IX. HANNAH, b. Jan. 17, 1840 ; m. Aug. 22, 1866, by Rev. Butler, of Skowhegan.
3. DANIEL, b. Feb. 9, 1790. -
4. REV. WILLIAM, b. July 17, 1792; m. Mary D. Emery, who, as his widow, d. Jan. 13, 1879. These had eleven children, six reaching maturity. Mr. Bryant early developed the taste for military service that was so notice- able in this branch of the family, and entered the army in the war of 1812. He acquired a good education at the common schools and the Saco Academy, and engaged in teaching at an early age. He entered the gospel ministry and traveled as an evangelist many years; was a man of public spirit and prominence in civil affairs; served in the legis- lature, as selectman, town treasurer, and on the school committee. In conference business relating to church interests, he was a cautious and
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
judicious counselor ; d. in Kennebunk, where he made his home for many years, Jan. 9, 1876, at the age of So.
I. SARAH P., b. Oct. 11. 1824.
II. CAPT. SETH E., son of Rev. William, was b. in Rochester, Mass., Mar. 14, 1826, and received a common-school and academic educa- tion. He was clerk, stage owner, merchant, and, for many years, col- lector and inspector of the port of Kennebunk, where he resided; was selectman and assessor upwards of sixteen years; trial justice and notary public; secretary of the Republican county convention for more than twenty years; was a sound temperance man and a staunch advocate of prohibition. He twice enlisted during the Civil war, serving as a captain in the 27th and 32d Maine regiments. Captain Bryant's wife, to whom he was m. Nov. 2, 1850, was Mary E. Wormwood, of Kennebunk, by whom he had three sons, two of them, Charles E. and Walter, surviving.
III. WILLIAM H., b. Mar. 26, 1828.
IV. ORVILLE I)., b. Aug. 1, 1829. He was a lieutenant in the 27th Maine regiment volunteer infantry ; now overseer in the mills at Biddeford.
5. ELIZABETH, b. Apr. 11, 1795 ; m. Samuel Elden, of Buxton, and had a family.
6. ABEL M., b. Feb. 4, 1798.
7. SARAH, b. Dec. 14, 1801 ; m. William Harmon.
8. MARY, b. Aug. 27, 1804; m. Jonathan Redlon, of Buxton.
9. ALVAN, b. May 4, 1807.
Stephen Bryant, of Biddeford, m. Ann - and had children named as follows :
I. CATHARINE, b. Nov. 13, 1803. .
2. HARRIET, b. Mar. 19, 1805; m. Solomon Hopkins, Dec. 14, 1826.
3. BENJAMIN F., b. Sept. 21, 1808 ; m. Sarah and had by her three chil- dren. His wife Lucy d. Nov. 14, 1833. Here may be an error of date.
I. WARREN, b. Feb. 18, 1832.
II. GEORGE, b. Sept. 17, 1833.
III. LUCY A., b. July 12, 1837.
4. CYRUS, b. Aug. 3, 1811 ; d. Jan. 2, 1817.
5. LYDIA A., b. Mar. 6, 1815.
6. LUTHER S., b. Mar. 1, 1820. He early engaged in real estate specula- tion and has for many years been associated with Rishworth Jordan, of Saco, as owners of tenement houses and other property in Saco and Biddeford. He made his home at the hotel known as the Biddeford House for some years subsequent to his mother's death, and then owned and occupied the imposing residence built by the late Charles Hardy, Esq., near the city square. His wealth was rated by many at more than half a million ; never married; deceased, 1894.
NOTE-Dea. Nicholas Nason m. for his first wife Sally Bryant, of Kennebunk, I think a sister to Elder William; but Mrs. William Elden says Sally m. William Harmon.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
Jarathamell Bryant, a brother of Ephraim, Ist, of Saco, was m. Sept. 4, 1759, in Biddeford, to Sarah McClucas. He served in town offices in Saco up to 1796. The baptism of three of his children is recorded in records of Rev. John Fairfield's church; the other five were baptized by Rev. Paul Cof- fin in Narragansett, No. 1, now Buxton. He was employed as "chainman " with Ephraim in the latter town in 1793. He probably returned to Saco; served in army of the Revolution. This scriptural name, spelled in old doc- uments "Jarathaway," "Jerathawell," and " Jarathamell," should be "Jerah- meel." Mr. Bryant d. in the family of Daniel Kimball, in Buxton (who m. his daughter). Children as follows:
I. HANNAH, bapt. in Saco, Nov. 20, 1763 ; m. Oct. 12, 1795, to Amos Gordon, of Hollis.
2. MIRIAM, bapt. in Saco, Oct. 12, 1766; m. Aug. 6, 1792, to Robert Dearborn, in Saco.
3. ROSANNA, bapt. in Saco, May 28, 1768; m. Jan. 27, 1791, to Timothy Tibbetts.
4. SARAH, bapt. in Saco, Nov. 11, 1770; m. May 30, 1791, to James Woodbury.
5. JOHN, bapt. in Buxton, Apr. 5, 1772.
6. Lucv, bapt. in Buxton, July 3, 1774.
7. ELIZABETH, bapt. in Buxton, Aug. 25, 1776.
8. JOSEPH, bapt. in Buxton, June 27, 1779 (b. Apr. 1, 1779); m. Charlotte , who was b. Jan. 18, 1782, and had births of the following named children recorded in Saco:
I. DEMAS L., b. Jan. 6, 1801.
1I. NAOMI, b. Jan. 17, 1803.
III. MARY, b. Dec. 2, 1804.
1V. APPHIA, b. Apr. 5, 1807.
v. CHARLOTTE, b. Mar. 12, 1809.
VI. ALLISON L., b. Dec. 27, 1811.
VII. CATHERINE, b. Apr. 6, 1813.
VIII. FRANCES, b. July 28, 1815.
IX. OLIVER, b. Sept. 26, 1817.
x. MAHALA M., b. Oct. 25, 1819.
9. SAMUEL, bapt. in Buxton, June 27, 1784.
Ephraim Bryant, brother of Jarathamell, was b. July 10, 1739; m. Dec. 9, 1762, Hepzibah Sayer (Sawyer? ), and was for many years an inhabitant of Saco, and several children by his first wife were born there. He served in several minor town offices until 1793, when his name disappears from the records. He removed to the town of Buxton about this time, and was em- ployed with his brother, Jarathamell, to carry the chain when the lots were surveyed. His second wife, Lydia Hovey, was b. Oct. 6, 1754, and d. at the age of seventy-two. Mr. Bryant was a soldier of the Revolution. He removed to Eaton, N. H., with his sons, when advanced in life, about 1820; was for many years afflicted with a cancer and d. Apr. 12, 1831, in his 93d year. He
531
BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
and Lydia were laid to rest in the "Thompson burying-ground," so-called, in Eaton. Ephraim was a short, thick-set, and heavy man; his complexion fair, face florid. Children by two wives as will follow :
I. SARAH, b. Mar. 19, 1765.
2. EPHRAIM, b. Nov. 15, 1768; m., May 30, 1787, Martha, dau. of Joshua Kimball, and lived many years in Saco, where the births of his children were recorded. Subsequently removed to Raymond, Me .; entered the army during the war of 1812 and did not return. His widow d. at the home of her dau. in Lovell, Me., in 1860, aged go years. Childrens' names will follow :
I. JOANNA, b. Nov. 15, 1787; m. John Hodgdon, of Wells.
Il. MEHITABLE, b. July 27, 1789; m. William Wentworth, of Casco, and had eight children.
1II. JOSHUA K .. b. July 23, 1791 ; m. Sarah Smith, of Raymond, Me., and had one child.
IV. SALLY, b. Apr. 23, 1793; m., Feb. 18, 1812, in Saco, to Benjamin Wentworth; had five children; d. Aug. 21, 1821.
V. WILLIAM, b. Mar. 31, 1795; m. Rebecca Spiller, of Raymond ; d. Dec. 26, 1819. Two children.
VI. OLIVE, b. Feb. 26, 1797; m. Jacob Stiles, and lived in Stoneham, Me. Eight children.
VII. LYDIA, b. Dec. 25, 1798; m. Nathaniel Evans, of Lovell, Me., and had eight children.
VIH. HANNAH, b. Sept. 10, 1800; m. William Bragdon, of Limington ; had five children.
IX. DAVID, b. July 31, 1802 ; m. Nancy Nason ; lived in Oldtown, Penob- scot county. Six children.
x. MARY, b. Aug. 26, 1804; m. Elias Wait; resided in Wilton. Two children.
XI. MARTHA, b. Sept. 29, 1806; m. Edward Towle, of Boston; lived there. Two children.
XI1. RUTH, b. Sept. 20, 1808 ; m. Peter MacAllister, of Lovell, Me. Twelve children.
XIII. BETSEY, b. Sept. 23, 1810; m. Nathan Andrews, of Lovell, and had ten children; living in 1893.
3. OLIVE, b. Apr. 8, 1770.
4. WILLIAM, b. July 10, 1772.
5. DAVID, b. Apr. 15, 1775.
6. STEPHEN, b. Aug. 9, 1777
7. JAMES, b. Aug. 28, 1780; m. Oct. 7, 1804, to Olive Patterson, of Saco, who was b. Mar. 14, 1784, and after a residence in that town for several years, moved to Hartford, Me., subsequent to 1812. He was known "down east" as "Captain Jim," having been master of a merchant ship. He had a family of ten children (reported), six of them b. in Saco. Capt. Bryant is said to have been "an aged man " at time of decease.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
I. OLIVE, b. June 10, 1804: m. John Ferris.
Il. DAVID, b. June 22, 1806; m.
III. SARAH, b. Apr. 9, 1808.
IV. JAMES, b. Dec. 14, 1810.
v. RUFUS, b. Apr. 16, 1812, at Saco, Me .; m. in Wrentham, Mass., Dec. 28, 1837, Lucy Ann Howard, who was b. Oct. 18, 1808, in Bridge- water, Mass., and settled in Hartford, Me., where he is now (1893) living, as a farmer; his wife d. July 25, 1873. Children as follows :
(1). Olive, b. May 18, 1838, in Wrentham; m. Francis Gordon, and resides in Hartford, Me.
(2). Rufus, b. Mar. 22, 1841 ; m. Ella Ryson (?), and lives in Lynn, Mass.
(3). Eugene, b. May 14, 1848; m. Nellie Leighton, of New Glouces- ter, Me., and lives in Hartford.
(4). Lizzie, b. Jan. 10, 1850; m. Eben Andrews and lives on the home- stead.
(5). Frank H., b. Oct. 16, 1853 ; m. Nellie Warren. Lives in Canton, Me.
V1. DANIEL.
VII. EPHRAIM.
VIII. SYLVANUS.
IX. HANNAH, m. John Marshall, of Mechanic Falls, Me.
x. BELINDA, mn. James House.
8. AARON, b. Nov. 31, 1783 ; settled in St. George, Me.
9. HEPZIBAH, b. Aug. 29, 1791; m. Enoch Robinson, of Conway, N, H .; she d. in 1875, aged 84.
10. SAMUEL, b. Mar. 1, 1794; d. a child.
II. JOHN H., b. Oct. 14, 1795 ; m. Sally Cilley, and settled in Eaton, N. H., when a young man; served in war of 1812; a man of medium height and size; face florid; great worker. He left his mowing-field, went to the house, laid down and d. almost instantly, with heart disease, Sept. 2, 1868; widow d. May 9, 1864. Seven children as follows :
1. EPHRAIM, m. Mary Ann, dau. of Thomas Drew, and had a numerous family. He resided for many years on a farm in his native town of Eaton, N. H., until his buildings were burned down ; he then re- moved to Chatham, where he engaged in milling. He had served as selectman; man of medium size; d. June 29, 1892. Children as follows :
(1). Lorenzo, d. young.
(2). Francis A., d. young.
(3). Charles H., m. Sarah H. Brooks, and has issue. He resides in Eaton, N. H. ; farmer; great worker ; medium-sized man ; com- pact ; very muscular ; dark hair and brown, heavy beard ; florid face ; a very kind-hearted fellow whose company is pleasant.
(+). Ephraim.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
(5). Lorenzo.
(6). Eliza.
(7). Samuel.
II. JOHN S., b. Jan 10, 1824; m. July 6, 1850, Augusta Hart, who was b. Jan. 1, 1834, and has issue five children as will appear. He resides on a farm in Eaton, N. H .; a man of intelligence and good ability; has served as selectman several years; medium size and of dark complexion.
(1). Julius J., b. Nov. 23, 1854; married and lives at Freedom Village, N. H.
(2). Albert C., b. Aug. 5, 1856.
(3). Ernest, b. June 4, 1859.
(4). James P., b. Mar. 4, 1865.
(5). John, b. Nov. 22, 1867.
III. SAMUEL, m. Emily Day and had five children.
IV. RICHARD, m. - Wakefield; residence, Amesbury, Mass .; carriage maker.
V. DARIUS, m. Lucinda Day.
VI. Lucy, m. Freeman Grant and resides at Bridgton, Me.
VII. HANNAH, m. Smith Gray, of Denmark, Me.
12. SAMUEL, b. Sept. 25, 1797; m. Patience, dau. of John and Betsey (Gould) Dennett, of Buxton (she was b. July 16, 1797; d. Feb. 12, 1853). He settled in Eaton, N. H., at same time of his brother John's removal thither, but did not long remain. He lived near Saco line. Second wife, Roxanna, had issue. He d. Dec. 17, 1864. Children as follows:
1. DAVID D., b. Feb. 24, 1819 ; m. and resides at Lind, Waupaca Co., Wis.
11. NATHANIEL H., b. Oct. 30, 1821.
111. EUNICE, b. Dec. 10, 1823 ; m. - Philpot and resides at Wyoming, Mass .; widow.
IV. FRANCIS A., b. July 13, 1829.
v. MARY J., b. May 9, 1834 ; m. - Hopkinson; residence, Wake- field, Mass.
VI. IDA L., b. Jan. 1, 1857.
VII. CYRUS A., b. Dec. 22, 1858 ; at Saco.
VIII. ORINDA E., b. Apr. 11, 1862.
13. LYDIA, b. May 15, 1800; d. in infancy.
14. LYDIA, b. Jan. 19, 1803 ; m. - Goldthwait.
15. MERCY S., b. Feb. 25, 1806; was 13 years of age when her parents moved from Buxton to Eaton. She was a spinster; lived at home until decease of her parents, then made her home with John S. Bryant, where her portait, representing a woman of great beauty, may be seen. She lived to old age.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
SCARBOROUGH BRANCH.
John Bryant made his will in Scarborough, Oct. 12, 1759, and says therein: "Being sensible that I cannot continue long in this life by reason of the hurt I have this day received in my body." He mentions wife Mary and four grandchildren surnamed Fly. Children, far as known :
I. MARY, m. John Fly, Jan. 2, 1736 ; was dead in 1759.
2. SUSAN, m. Robert McLaughlan, Nov. 28, 1736.
3. TEMPERANCE, m. Benj. Hartford, Dec. 9, 1737.
4. ELEANOR, m. Watson.
5. JOHN, who made his will in Scarborough, Apr. 22, 1756, and appointed his " honored father," John Bryant, the preceding, his executor. His wife's name was Elizabeth, but, as she is not mentioned in the will, we suppose she predeceased her husband. The baptism of their children was recorded in the church registers of Scarborough, as follows :
I. SAMUEL D., bapt. July 11, 1736; m., Dec. 14, 1758, Elizabeth Har- mon; received half of father's estate by will in 1756, and probably lived on the homestead. I have no record of issue.
II. BARTHOLOMEW, bapt. July 11, 1737 ; m., Jan. 25, 1763, Eleanor Brook- ings, and removed to Machias with the colony that settled there from Scarborough. He had received forty acres of land by his father's will of 1756, being then "under age." He had a numerous family whose posterity is now scattered through eastern Maine and into other states.
(1). Joseph, m., first, Lydia Beal; second, a Plummer, and had issue, the following: Sarah, m. Thomas Bryant; Otis; Olive, m. - Johnson; Laura, m. James Gross; Elmira, m. - Grant.
(2). Thomas, m. Laura Seavey and had three children, Wilmot, Coffin, and John.
(3). Samuel, m. Elizabeth Bowers, and had seven children, named as follows : Bartholomew, Joseph, William, Thomas, Martha, m. George Davis; Samuel and Sarah.
(4). Stephen, taken prisoner in the war of 1812; d. in Dartmoor prison.
(5). Patience, m. Stephen O. Johnson.
(6). Martha, m. Thomas Miller.
(7). Hannah, m. Pelham Drew.
(8). Rebecca, m. William Bridges.
(9). Lydia, m. Richard Wescott.
(10). Sarah.
III. CHARITY, bapt. Aug. 25, 1737; m. -- Holmes; mentioned in her father's will as "under age;" 19 years of age in 1756.
IV. MARTHA, bapt. Nov. 11, 1739; m., Oct. 2, 1766, Abial Sprague.
v. ELEAZER, bapt. Jan. 17, 1742; was to receive by his father's will of 1756, "five pounds, to be paid by brother Bartholomew, when of age."
VI. REBECCA, bapt. Apr. 15, 1744; m., Aug. 22, 1769, John Cotton.
535
BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
VII. JOHN, b. in 1744; being a small lad at the time of his father's death, went to live with his Aunt McLaughlan, where he remained till maturity. He m., Dec. 1, 1772, Elizabeth Fly, his cousin, and settled in Scarborough, where his children were born. He removed to the plantation of Little Falls on the west side of Saco river as early as 1790, being one of the seven purchasers of a moiety, or half of a tract of land called the Dalton Right, which consisted of eleven hundred and sixty-six acres lying northwest of the " College Right," so-called. Mr. Bryant's two sons, John and Robert, settled on the west side of this land and each built a small log-house there. The parents lived with Robert. These dwellings were situated upon a moderate eleva- tion upon the old road that led from Saco river to Little Ossipee, now the town of Limington, between the house of Mr. Temple and that of Caleb Kimball, who, as a co-purchaser in the Dalton Right, removed from Scarborough about the same time. [There was probably some kindred connection between the Kimballs and Bryants; the name Eleazer occurs in the two families. Was not old Mrs. Kimball a Fly ?] The brook known by the several names of " Young's meadow brook," " Ridlon's brook," " Martin's brook," and "Aunt Judy's brook" was the boundary line between the Bryants and Kimballs, and upon its verdant bank, under the great pines, their wives hung their big kettles upon the wooden cross-bar, and there "went to the washing." The dwellings were pleasantly located near cool, never-failing springs of water, overlooking a fertile vale. I have not learned the date of the removal of the Bryants from this place, but it was probably soon after the war of 1812, as John, Jr., went into the army and was killed. The old folks removed to Limerick and lived with two maiden daughters there during their declining years. Mr. Bryant d. Sept. 21, 1830, aged 86; his widow d. Dec. 20, 1832, aged 86. Children eight in number :
(1). Robert, b. in 1773 ; m. Olive, dau. of Josiah Davis, of Buxton (?) and removed to the plantation of Little Falls, now Hollis, about 1790. He built a house there, as before-mentioned, and cleared a considerable plot of ground. He sold out his share of the estate after the war of 1812, and removed to eastern Maine, set- tling in the town of Hermon, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was described by those who were acquainted with him as a short, thick-set man, possessed of great powers of endur- ance, who toiled early and late to acquire property; a careful manager of his affairs and shrewd financier. He must have been a man of fair education for the times, and could write a round, clear hand as his autograph, in my possession, proves. I have repeatedly asked his sons, now living, for his family record, but they will not respond ; consequently, I do not know the date of
NOTE .- I have found the following records in the town registers of Scarborough :
David and Elizabeth Bryant had Roger, b. Mar. 21, 1720; Mary, b. Feb. 21, 1722. Joseph Bryant m. Charlotte Libby, June 5, 1800.
Alphous Bryant, b. Feb. 12, 1778; wife Hannah, b. Feb. 12, 1774; lived in Scarborough and had children as follows: Sally, b. Feb. 21, 1805; Mary. b. June 13, 1807; Harriet, b. July 1. 1810; John b. April 19, 1815; Elizabeth, h. Der. 27, 1817: Nancy, b. Dec. 21, 1822; Margery. b. Apr. 26, 1824; Stephen and Martha, twins, Nov. 11. 1826.
A John Bryant, now living in Scarborough, may be the one born in 1815. He has descendants living.
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BRYANT AND BRYENT FAMILY.
the parents' death nor of children's births. The names are re- ported as follows: James, Samuel, Charles, John, Robert, Albert, Sally, Martha.
(2.) John, b. about 1775; m. Rebecca, dau. of Josiah Davis, of Buxton, and sister of the wife of his brother Robert. He settled upon land in the plantation of Little Falls, now Hollis, and began to clear a farm. From some old letters, written by a justice at Saco, in which he urges immediate payment for land, it would appear that the Bryants were not well-to-do. This financial pres- sure may have had something to do with John's leaving his home and small children, to enter the army during the war of 1812. According to one authority, he was shot by an Indian in ambush while quietly sitting upon a log on Sabbath morning; others hold the tradition that he fell in battle. He left a widow and three children; she was soon m. to a Bradbury, who had served with her husband in the army, and went to the "Mohawk country," dame Rumor, meanwhile, representing the whole affair, from the mysterious disposal of Mr. Bryant to the departure for the West, as pre-determined and pre-arranged. John Bryant was a good penman for his day as I find by his old papers in my possession. I have no knowledge of the fate of his children.
(3) Ralph, a roving character, was lost at sea.
(4). Samuel, said to have d. in his minority. I find that a Samuel Bryant m. Hannah Allen, in Limerick, Sept. 20, 1827 ; she and her infant d. in childbed, Dec. 17, 1833. He m. Charlotte Perry, of said town, Mar. 31, 1834, who d. Dec. 2, 1851. His subse- quent career is to me unknown. From the fact of his marriage to two wives, in Limerick, and the birth of a child there, I assume that to have been his place of residence. I do not find another Samuel to fill the place, and think he may have induced his par- ents and sisters to settle there.
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