CAPT. J. W. BRYAN
                                Lake Charles, LA


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Source: Southwest Louisiana and Biographical and Historical by
William Henry Perrin published in 1891;  page 138.

Contributed by Margaret Moore                         
     

J. W. Bryan is descended from good old Irish ancestry, but the family has been
so long in this country, and become so thoroughly Americanized, that few of
the Irish traits now appear upon the surface. One characteristic that remains,
however, is that of sterling honesty. His great-grandfather (O'Brien,
emigrated to America when a boy and settled in Virginia; married and raised a
family there. Luke Bryan, one of his sons, and the grandfather of the subject
of our sketch came to Louisiana early in life and married Miss Rebecca W.
Berwick, in 1802 from her family Berwick's Bay derives its name. One of the
sons born to them was John Bryan, the father of Capt. Bryan, who was reared
and educated there. In early manhood he married Miss Nancy A. Lyons, and,
about 1832, settled in Calcasieu.   In 1839 he removed to Texas, and resided there until his
death, in 1844, when the family returned to Calcasieu parish.   Here Mrs. Bryan was
married a second time, to Mr. Jacob E. Harmon, by whom she had three
children.
Capt. Bryan, whose name stands at the head of this sketch, was born in this parish,
December 28, 1834.  His early educational facilities were
limited, and he belongs to that very numerous class of prominent
men who owe their education to their own aspirations and unaided
exertions to rise above the station in which they were born to
one of greater exertions and more extensive and higher
usefulness. Up to the time of his mother's death, young Bryan
spent his time farming and attending the country schools, when
here were any to attend, which in his early days were few and far
between. Not content with an occupation in which his chances for
development and usefulness were so restricted, he determined to
obtain a mental discipline which would fit him for literary
pursuits.

In this good republican country of ours, where organic laws
denounce hereditary patents to mobility, most men indulge the
vanity of pride at achievements so marked and great as those
which lead and direct a Clay or a Lincoln from the humblest
walks of life to the highest position in the councils of the
nation. The great ambition of young Bryan was to fit himself for
literary work. To this end he attended school and pursued a
literary course, teaching and studying alternately, until he
attained the age of twenty-five years. His course had not yet
been completed when the civil war came on and caused such
confusion and derangement in all the affairs of life.  Laying
aside all selfish claims and personal desires, that he might
serve his country unfettered, he quit school and in 1861
organized the militia of Calcasieu parish, for the purpose of
home protection. Early in 1862, being called on for four
companies, he organized the four volunteer companies, and within
twenty days from the time of receiving the requisition, he was
on the march to Opelousas with these companies to report for
duty, from whence the command proceeded to New Orleans, and
thence to Camp Moore, and it was there that the Twenty-eighth
Louisiana Infantry, under Col. Allen Thomas, which distinguished
itself in the battle of Chickasaw, and the memorable siege of
Vicksburg, which began on the 21st of May and was raised on the
4th of July, was organized. During the siege Capt. Bryan, being
the ranking officer of his regiment, commanded it, Col. Thomas
having been promoted to brigadier general.

Capt Bryan sheathed his sword when the cause was lost, returned
home and cast about him for `` ways and means " to repair the
ravages of the war. He resumed teaching, which  he continued for
about four years, the last three in the town of Lake Charles,
studying and improving his mind in the meantime. In 1869 he
opened a mercantile business in the town, which he followed up to
1884. In 1871 he became editor and proprietor of the Lake Charles
Echo, which he conducted with great ability until the 14th of
March, 1890, when he sold the paper  and retired  from its editorship. 
Under his management the Echo became one of the ablest and most 
popular country weeklies in Louisiana and contributed greatly to 
the building up and development of Lake Charles and Calcasieu 
parish. For some time Capt. Bryan has been engaged in the real 
estate business. He has always taken an active interest in the
local affairs of the town and parish, and he is especially noted for 
the interest he has manifested in school work. To him, perhaps, 
more than any one man is due the credit of the efficient school 
system of Lake Charles. At different times Capt. Bryan has served 
as mayor and councilman of the town, and several
times has represented his parish in the board of police jurors,
as well as General Assembly of the State.

Capt. Bryan was married to Miss Delia K. Singleton, September 9,
1869. They have three promising sons and five bright and lovely
daughters. The eldest of the latter is the wife of J. C. F.
Kyger, President of the Commercial College, of the Baylor
University, Waco, Texas.