History, WILLIAM & Mary College Quarterly, Vol I, BRYANT BRYANT, BRYAN JAMES BRYANT SR. first lived in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. He might have sprung from the Bryants of New England, for many families came from that section to settle in southeastern Virginia or northeastern North Carolina. On February 4, 1717, JAMES BRYANT “of Albemarle" deeded certain lands in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, proving that he had already moved to North Carolina (Isle of Wight Great Book, p. 233). On April 6, 1718, he witnessed the will of CHARLES MERRITT in Chowan County (Grimes, "Abstract of N. C. Wills"). In August, 1720, he patented 100 acres on Bear Swamp (N. C. Colonial Records, II, p. 522). The will of JAMES BRYANT SR. was made in Bertie County, North Carolina, on March 11, 1731 (Grimes), and mentioned 1. WILLIAM BRYANT, son. 2. JAMES BRYANT JR., son. 3. THOMAS BRYANT, son. 4. JOHN DEW (JR.), son-in-law, and executor. He married ELIZABETH BRYANT, and for their descendants see White's “History and Genealogy of the Dew Family." 5. SARAH BRYANT married JOHN DRAKE, according to the will of the latter made in Bertie County on January 5, 1728 (Grimes). 6. MARY BRYANT married RICHARD SUMNER, whose will was made in Bertie County on April 12, 1729 (Grimes). WILLIAM BRYAN of Isle of “light County, Virginia, may have been a brother of JAMES BRYANT above. He was in Isle of Wight County as early as 1688. He left 1. JOHN BRYAN of Bertie and Edgecombe Counties, North Carolina. 2. NEEDHAM BRYAN SR. of Bertie County, North Carolina. WILLIAM BRYANT, son of JAMES BRYANT SR., lived most of his life in Bertie County, North Carolina. On March 31, 1726, he made a petition concerning some livestock (N. C. Colonial Records, II, p. 606). On September 27, 1736, he was on a commission of public claims (idem, IV, 233). His first wife was a Bridger, for on March ll, 1729, he was called brother—in—law, executor, and witness in the will of WILLIAM BRIDGER in Bertie County (Grimes). His own will was made in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, on September 21, 1749, and probated in February Court, following (Grimes), leaving 1. JOSEPH BRYANT, son. 2. WILLIAM BRYANT JR.,' son. 3. PATIENCE BRYANT, daughter. 4. SARAH MYHAND, daughter. 5. _________ MCDANIEL, daughter. 6. PATIENCE BRYANT, wife. She was the daughter of JOHN DEW, Esquire, of Bertie County. JAMES BRYANT JR. on September 14, 1734, was executor of the will of ROBERT BRASWELL in Bertie County, probated in November Court, 1736, and PATIENCE BRYANT and THOMAS BRYANT were witnesses (Grimes). On February 25, 1740, he was a juryman for Bertie and Edgecombe Counties (N. C. Colonial Records, IV, p. 521). On September 30, 1751, he witnessed the will of WILLIAM BRIDGER in Johnston County (Grimes). THOMAS BRYANT, son of JAMES BRYANT SR., was on a grand jury at Edenton on July 27, 1725 (N. C. Colonial Records, II, p. 591). He was a juror again on July 28, 1727 (idem, II, p. 704). He was executor and witness of the will of JOHN COTTON SR. probated in May Court, 1728, in Bertie County 490 Page 1 of 3 ** PAGE BREAK ** History, WILLIAM & Mary College Quarterly, Vol I, BRYANT (Grimes). On January 18, 1732, he witnessed the will of JOHN BASS in Bertie County (idem). On January 22, 1732, he was appointed Commissioner of Indian trading in the Province of North Carolina (Colonial Records, 111, p. 414). In a Court of July 13, 1733, he bound out several free negroes until they should be of age (idem, III, p. 556). On February 17, 1738, he received a grant of 400 acres in Edgecombe County (idem, IV, p. 329). He was a Member of the North Carolina Assembly (Idem, IV, pp. 414, 493, 495, 499, 559, 384, 391, 526, 529). THOMAS BRYANT, "Burgess of Bertie," was dead by April 13, 1749 (idem, IV, p. 1171). DR. JOHN BRYAN moved from Isle of Wight County, Virginia, to Bertie County, North Carolina. On March 3, 1721, he was a juror in Chowan County (N. C. Colonial Records, 11, pp. 435, 436). In 1723, he patented 640 acres in Bertie County (idem, II, p. 771). A Court of November 20, 1732, fined him 2/8/10 (idem, III, p. 573). On May 8, 1731, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Bertie County (Idem, III, pp. 223, 537), and a J. P. for Edgecombe County on April 6, 1732 (idem, III, p. 417). His will was made in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. on September 14, 1734, and probated in May Court, 1735 (Grimes), mentions 1. ELIZABETH BRYANT, wife. 2. WILLIAM BRYANT, son. 3. ARTHUR BRYANT, son. 4. DAVID HOPPER, son-in—law. NEEDHAM BRYAN SR., son of WILLIAM BRYAN, was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, on February 23, 1690, and later moved to Snowfield, in Bertie County, North Carolina. On November 11, 1711, he married ANNIE ROMBEAU. On August 24, 1732, he married SUSANNAH HARRELL, who died in 1752. His third wife was SARAH WOODWARD. (N. C. Hist. and Gen. Reg., I, 4, p. 577.) On March 30, 1721, he patented 640 acres on the Moratuck River (N. C. Colonial Records, II, p. 426). On May 8, 1731, he was a Justice of the Peace for Bertie County (idem, III, p. 223, 437). He left 1. RACHEL BRYAN married on November 6, 1741, WILLIAM WHITFIELD. 2. NEEDHAM BRYAN JR. married NANCY SMITH, daughter of JOHN SMITH and ELIZABETH WHITFIELD. NEEDHAM and ELIAS BRYAN were executors, and JOHN BRYAN a witness of the will of JOSIAH MOHOON in Halifax County, North Carolina, on January 1, 1772. 3. WILLIAM BRYAN. JAMES SUMNER, son of RICHARD SUMNER and MARY BRYANT, made his will in Perquimans County, North Carolina, on March 26, 1750, probated on May 14, 1750 (Grimes), leaving 1. LUKE SUMNER, son. 2. JAMES SUMNER JR., son. 3. SETH SUMNER, son. 4. DAVID SUMNER, son. 5. WILLIAM SUMNER, son. 6. ROBERT SUMNER, son. 7. JOSIAH SUMNER, son. 8. MARY SUMNER, daughter. 9. PENELOPE SUMNER, daughter. 10. MARY SUMNER, wife. WILLIAM BRYAN, son of NEEDHAM BRYAN SR., married in 1744, ELIZABETH SMITH, daughter of JOHN SMITH and ELIZABETH WHITFIELD (N. C. Hist. and Gen. Reg., I, 4. p. 577). Their children were. 1. WILLIAM BRYAN JR. was born in 1747 and died in 1800. He married in 1788 ELIZABETH GRAY, daughter of WILLIAM GRAY and FRANCES LEE of Bertie County. 2. HARDY BRYAN. 3. ELIZABETH BRYAN. 4. SUSANNAH BRYAN. 5. ARTHUR BRYAN. 6. BLAKE BRYAN. 7. ESTHER BRYAN. 8. JOHN BRYAN. 9. LEWIS BRYAN married NANCY HINTON, daughter of Major JOHN HINTON, of Wake County, North Carolina HUGH B. JOHNSTON, JR., Wilson, North Carolina. 491 Page 2 of 3 ** PAGE BREAK ** History, WILLIAM & Mary College Quarterly, Vol I, BRYANT ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian. This document and others can be found on our website: BMGEN We claim COPYLEFT on the documents that we publish that are our original work. COPYLEFT “rules” can be reviewed on the web site: GNU Free Documentation License In short, use what you like. But if you use our stuff, mention us as the source. Brent R. Brian Martha M. Brian BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com Page 3 of 3 ** PAGE BREAK **