Craven County NcArchives Biographies.....Bryan, James Augustus 1839 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 29, 2008, 4:48 pm

Author: Leonard Wilson  (1916)

JAMES AUGUSTUS BRYAN

THE Bryan family name is one of that small number concerning the origin of which
there is no doubt. Brian Boru, king of Thomond and Minister in Ireland, greatest
of all the Irish rulers, by reason of his ability, became, in the year 1002,
king of all Ireland. He ruled with great wisdom and developed the country.
Finally, in the year 1014, he had to face the last and greatest efforts of the
Danish and Norwegian pirates, reinforced by the fierce Scotch Highlanders, to
overrun Ireland. The Battle of Clontarf was fought on Good Friday, in 1014. The
Norsemen and their allies were utterly defeated, leaving over seven thousand
dead on the field. Brian and his lieutenants that day turned the tide of Danish
idolatry and Odinism in Western Europe, and thus rendered a great service to the
nations that were struggling toward Christian standards. The brave old king paid
for his victory with his life, he, his eldest son Murrough and Murrough's son
Toutlough, a youth of fifteen, all falling upon the battle-field. The old king
was the undoubted ancestor of all the Brians and O'Brians of Ireland, and Bryans
of America, and some of the Birons of the Continent of Europe. The French family
of that name is also said to have been descended from him. In the old erse
language, Brian meant "the author," while Boru was an affix meaning "of the
tribute," which the king had gained by his early victories over the Danes,
compelling them to pay tribute prior to his last fatal battle. The Irish
O'Briens contend that Brian Boru was descended from Milesius, King of Spain, in
the second century of the Christian era, through Heber, the third son of the
monarch.

    The Irish Brians, or O'Briens, multiplied greatly and shared in the stormy
history of their country after its conquest by the Norman rulers of England. In
North Carolina two different families of these Irish Brians appear to be
represented. When or where the change in spelling took place cannot be
definitely stated, but it seems to have been at a recent date, the "y" certainly
not appearing before the sixteenth century.

    One of these Bryan families represented in North Carolina was founded by
Morgan Bryan, who came to Pennsylvania. With their neighbors, the Boones, they
moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina where the families intermarried. One
of them later returned Northward to the Valley of Virginia, and is said to be
the ancestor of William Jennings Bryan of our day.

    With this family our story has nothing to do beyond this mention to
distinguish them from the main family in North Carolina. This main Bryan family
of eastern North Carolina was founded by William Bryan, who married in England
about 1689 Alice Needham, said to have been a daughter of the Irish Lord Needham
of that day. His first son, Needham Bryan, was born February 23, 1690, probably
in England. About that time William came to America and settled in Isle of Wight
County, Virginia. He subsequently had two sons, John and William. With two of
his sons, Needham and John, he moved to North Carolina about 1722. Needham
settled at Snowfield, Bertie County. William remained in Virginia. The third
son, John, is the man with whom we have to do.

    John, son of William the immigrant, had a son Edward, and settled at Swift
Creek, Craven County, Virginia. Edward's wife is said to have been named
Christina. They had a son William, who married Ann Dawson. Their son John
married Elizabeth Oliver. Their son James married Rachel Heritage. James and
Rachel had two sons, (1st) John Heritage, who married Mary Shepard, and who was
the father of Judge Henry Bryan, of New Bern, and (2d) James West Bryan, who
married Ann Mary, daughter of John C. Washington, and these were the parents of
James Augustus Bryan, the subject of this sketch.

    It will be seen, therefore, that James A. Bryan is in the seventh generation
from William the immigrant, the line being William to John to Edward to William
to James to James West to James Augustus.

    Whatever grievance we may have had, may now have, or may in the future have
against Great Britain, it is very certain that we owe to that country and
Ireland a great debt of gratitude for the quality of the men sent to us in the
early Colonial period. Englishmen, Scotchmen, Welshmen and Irishmen came to a
new and wild country, where they not only had to contend with the difficulties
of the land, but also with barbarous and savage men. After the first desperate
struggle at Jamestown there was never a moment of weakness. Steadily,
determinedly, with patience when necessary, and with haste when useful, the
lines were ever advanced, and in the third and fourth generations from these
pioneers a country had not only been conquered, but a nation made. No part of
the country was richer in these strong men than the Colonies from Maryland to
Georgia, and among these were and are no better men than the descendants of
William Bryan, now scattered from Virginia to Georgia and far to the westward.

    James Augustus Bryan was born at New Bern, North Carolina, September 13,
1839, son of James West and Ann Mary Washington Bryan. James West Bryan was one
of the most distinguished lawyers of North Carolina. He gave his son every
advantage possible in the way of education. At St. Timothy Hall, Chestnut Hill,
Maryland, and at Loyola College and McNally's School in Baltimore, he was
prepared for college. He entered Princeton University and was graduated with the
class of 1860. Within less than a year after his graduation the Civil War broke
upon the country. Like the great majority of the young men of the South, J. A.
Bryan did not wait for any call upon his patriotism, but immediately joined the
Confederate Army as a private in the Neuse Cavalry. Even then, some of the
qualities which have characterized him through life had displayed themselves,
for he was made secretary and treasurer of his company, promoted by Governor
Ellis to second lieutenant of Company G, Tenth Regiment North Carolina State
Troops, and assigned duty on the Staff of General L. O. B. Branch as ordnance
officer of the district of the Pamlico, he was soon after commissioned by
President Davis as second lieutenant, Corps of Artillery of the Confederate
Army, and continued on the Staff of General Branch until the latter was killed
at Sharpsburg. Upon the promotion of Colonel Lane to the rank of
brigadier-general, succeeding General Branch, he was assigned to General Lane's
Staff, and was soon raised from second to first lieutenant, then to captain,
which rank he held until he was made major and quartermaster of the State of
North Carolina by Governor Vance. Major Bryan gave his full share of service.
After the close of the war he entered business, engaging in the manufacture of
lumber. He was nearly twenty-six years old at that time, and he tells himself
that the first dollar he ever earned was from a venture in the lumber business.
His life from that time down to the present has been one of immense business
activity. Lumbering, farming and banking have all claimed his attention, and in
all of these Major Bryan has been largely successful. He has shown himself to be
possessed of sound business judgment, of tenacity of purpose, and of industry,
and these qualities have met with due reward. He has other qualities. His
natural kindliness has greatly endeared him to the people of his community. As
an illustration of the esteem in which he is held by his people, it may be cited
that for twenty-five years he has been chairman of the Board of Commissioners of
Craven County. This long and important service is only a small part of his
valuable public service. He has represented the Eighth Senatorial District in
the State Senate, has served a term as Mayor of New Bern, is a Trustee of the
New Bern Graded Schools, chairman of the Board of Directors of the North
Carolina Women's Home, for six years was President of the Atlantic and North
Carolina Railroad, and is President of the National Bank of New Bern, the
leading financial institution of that section. Major Bryan holds membership in
the University Club, the Sigma Phi College Society and the order of Elks. He is
a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

    He has been twice married; first, to Mary Shepard, born in New Bern, March
18, 1843, daughter of Charles B. and Mary Speight (Donnell) Shepard, and who
died January 1, 1892. He married, secondly, Julia Rush Olmsted, born in
Princeton, New Jersey, August 30, 1843, daughter of George Tyler and Hannah
Boudinot Field Olmsted, and died in New Bern, North Carolina, May 22, 1915.
Major Bryan's only child is Charles Shepard Bryan, engaged in business as a
broker and manufacturer. He is a graduate of Princeton University. He married
Annie McWhorter, of Augusta, Georgia, and has three children: Gray McWhorter,
Mary and Margaret Bryan.

    For four years Major Bryan was a gallant soldier in the war. For fifty years
he has been a faithful soldier of peace. His service to his State and to his
people has been limited only by his strength and opportunity. He has grudged
nothing that could contribute in any way to the general welfare. He has gained a
high place in the community where for generations his people have been giving
good service. He deserves that degree of esteem and honor which attaches to
every man who gives his time, his substance, his ability, and even risks his
life in behalf of his country and his fellows.

    The original Bryan Coat of Arms is thus described:

    Gules three lions passant guardant in pale per pale or and argent.

    Crest: A dexter arm embowed vested gules brandishing a sword proper pommel
and hilt or.

    Motto: Lamh laidir an nachtar (The strong hand from above).


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MAKERS OF AMERICA
BIOGRAPHIES OF LEADING MEN OF THOUGHT AND ACTION

THE MEN WHO CONSTITUTE THE BONE AND SINEW OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY AND LIFE

VOLUME II

By
LEONARD WILSON,
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ASSISTED BY PROMINENT HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WRITERS
Illustrated with many full page engravings
B. F. JOHNSON, INC.
CITY OF WASHINGTON, U. S. A.
1916

Copyright, 1916
by
B. F. Johnson, Inc.

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