Macon County GaArchives Biographies.....Byran, Nathan 1757 - 1835 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Harriett Fuquay dumaxeth@atlantic.net August 7, 2004, 3:35 pm Author: Harriett Fuquay Nathan Bryan and Descendants Nathan Bryan was born 16 Jun 1757 in Halifax, now Martin Co., NC, son of Jesse Bryan and grandson of William Bryan. Nathan married Rebecca Little 27 Sep 1777 in NC. She was the daughter of James Little (?) and was born 15 Sep 1760 in Bertie Co., NC. Nathan died 17 Sep 1835, Rebecca died 21 Oct 1837 in Pike now Spalding Co., GA. Nathan and Rebecca Little Bryan had 9 children: Little, Jesse, Elias, Sarah, John Lewis, Major Benjamin F., James and Mary Ann Bryan. (Source: Meredith Clapper Research) Little Bryan, son of Nathan and Rebecca Little Bryan was born 20 May 1780 in Martin Co., NC. Little Bryan married Elizabeth Magruder 15 May 1801 in NC or Wilkes Co., GA. Elizabeth was the daughter of Nathaniel Magruder. She was born 17 Jul 1781 in Martin Co., NC. Little Bryan died 10 Oct 1836 in Houston now Macon Co., GA. Elizabeth died 1 Feb 1854 in Macon Co., GA. They had 11 children: Nathan, Magruder, Gresham, Zipporah, Martha, Simpson, Allen, Amelia H., Winnifred, Mary and Erastus Bryan. (Source: Meredith Clapper Research, Administration and Guardian Bonds, Marriage Bond etc..) Nathan Bryan was born 26 Jan 1803 in Martin Co., NC and died 29 Jan 1868 in Macon Co., GA. He married Mary Lofley 5 Mar 1820 in Warren Co., GA. She was born 10 Nov 1802 in Jefferson Co., GA and died 20 Jul 1879 in Macon Co., GA. Nathan and Mary had 6 children: John Langston, Susan Elizabeth Washington, Francis Marion, Andrew Jackson, Melissa and Jasper Newton Bryan. Nathan Bryan, son of Little and Elizabeth Bryan, arrived in the area while the Indians were still there and built what seems to be the first house in the county. The old "dog-trot style" house still stands. (as of 1933 - from the "History of Macon County Georgia" by Louise F. Hays) At one time this house was a Stage Coach Stop or Tavern for the stage coach route. Nathan Bryan became a rich man. He kept his savings in a rawhide trunk under his bed. His wealth became known and his neighbors began to call upon him for loans. To make a loan the neighbor sent a boy on horseback with a note stating the amount he wished to borrow. Nathan would drop the note in his trunk, the money was sent to the borrower and the note was left in the trunk until the loan was paid. Nathan was in essence the first bank of Macon Co., GA. Nathan also represented the county in the legislature of 1842. (Source: Meredith Clapper Research - she descends from Nathan Bryan) Magruder Bryan, another son of Little and Elizabeth Bryan, was born between 1804 and 1810 in Wilkes Co., GA and died before 13 Aug 1846 in Macon Co., GA. Magruder married Martha Bryan 28 Nov 1830 in Greene Co., GA. Martha was born 1815 in GA and died sometime after she wrote her will - 28 Nov 1885. Magruder and Elizabeth Bryan had 4 children: William Washington, Little (Littleton) J., Martha and Elizabeth Bryan. William W. Bryan m'd Elizabeth T. A. McMurrain Little Bryan m'd Martha Ann Elizabeth Bryan Martha Bryan m'd Caleb F. Hill Elizabeth Bryan m'd Green Berry Johnson William Washington Bryan was born 5 Dec 1832 in GA. He married Elizabeth Tabitha A. McMurrain 27 Jul 1851 in Sumter Co., GA. Elizabeth was born 16 Apr 1831 in Bibb Co., Ga to John McMurrain and Lydia Pool. William died 24 Jul 1895 and Elizabeth died 15 Sep 1895. Both died in Macon Co., GA and are buried in Pleasant Grove Methodist Cemetery in Macon Co., GA. William W. and Elizabeth McMurrain Bryan had 11 children: John M. Bryan m'd Salina Bradshaw Martha E. Bryan m'd J.J. Welch Washington T. Bryan m'd Ellen Frances Wall Mirabeau B. L. Bryan m'd Martha "Mattie" Johnson Masilda Bryan m'd Joseph F. Dent Jesse Harris Bryan m'd Mary Lucinda Massey William M. Bryan m'd Annie D. Douglass Robert D. Bryan died as a young child Phoeba A. Bryan m'd James Luther Welch Minnie M. Bryan died a young child Elvira L. Bryan m'd Joseph P Mott Some of the above children migrated into south GA by 1900. Additional Comments: Sources: Meredith Clapper Research M. K. Harrison Research Harriett Fuquay Research Jesse H. Bryan Family Bible Massey Family Bibles Marriage and death certificates Obits, censuses used for some ages, grave markers, tidbits from other relatives, Wills etc.. Davine Campbell - Macon Co., GA Historian "History of Macon County Georgia" by Louise Frederick Hays File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/macon/bios/gbs113byran.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb