Bryan W. Bailey.  Winn Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies
120 Ted Price Lane
Winnfield, LA  71483
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Bryan W. Bailey


Bryan W. Bailey was born in Winn Parish in 1869, the son of Georgia immigrants.
The Bailey property was located about eight miles south of Winnfield off the 
Old Alexandria Road, or Old Military Road.  Mr. Bailey received little formal 
education but was an avid reader to his death, and was very much self-educated.
He published one of the early parish newspapers, "The Comrade," and he and his 
wife ran the Bailey Hotel just south of the courthouse for many years.  
He was also involved in the banking business locally. 

In 1900, B. W. Bailey was elected sheriff of Winn Parish on the Populist 
ticket and was the last local politician elected from that party, which soon 
ceased to exist.  In the early 1900s, Mr. Bailey promoted oil drilling in the 
parish.  He was instrumental in getting the Northwest Louisiana Game and Fish 
Preserve started by securing legislative funds to build a dam on Saline Lake.  
He pushed for good roads and was partly responsible for the wide downtown 
streets Winnfield enjoys.  He and Judge R. W. Oglesby aided local ladies 
about Winnfield in forcing stock owners to get livestock off city streets.  
Mr. Bailey was known as a fighter for the underprivileged.  He died February, 
1961 and is buried at Winnfield.

(Source:  Winn Parish Enterprise, and personal notes compiled by submitter, 
Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, Louisiana)