Bryant - William
WILLIAM BRYANT
Whether the elements of success are innate attributes of the individual, or whether they are bred by the force and progress of circumstances, it is impossible to clearly decide; this much is certain -- a great deal depends upon the person. In the person of the worhty old pioneer, now deceased, whose name head this sketch, we have a sample of the race of people to whom this country is indebted for its development and progress. To such as William Bryant, Indiana owes much. Here and there, scattered over the broad acres of untilled and unbroken land, he and his people toiled -- cleared, grubbed, ditched, burnt and hewed -- gradually opening the way, the result of which we see today in the broad and fertile farms of Montgomery County. Such were the pioneer farmers. They did not care for public gaze or approbation -- their lot was an unpretentious one, and so they lived, quietly, happily and in the lvoe of their Master who guided their destinies.
William Bryant was born in Ross County, Ohio March 28, 1824, the son of William and Catherine Lancisco Bryant, who came to Ohio from Va in a very early day. William Bryant, the subject of our sketch came to Montgomery Co In as a boy from Ohio. At 21, his father gave him a team of horses and $500. With this nucleus he built up an estate valued at $200,000. Starting in a log cabin hewn from the forest adjoining the prairie to which he came, he started the unequal struggle for the mastery of a new country. His energy and perseverance, always rewarded with substantial profit, gave courage to others and facilitated the settlement of this part of Indiana.
The first purchase Mr. Bryant made was 40 acres of land. From his childhood days Mr. Bryant had been acquainted with the cattle business and when he came to the Hoosier state the whole land was a pasture upon which large herds of cattle grazed. As he was an expert judge of the stock he went into the business on a large scale. He traveled extensively and brought home the best he could buy. His remarkable and quick success won for him the proud title of "Cattle King," which name he was always known by and is now remembered by. He bore the reputation of an expert in the judgment of cattle, horses and sheep and his able services in this line were sought by stockmen over the whole country. It was his life work and in it he found pleasure, profit and happiness. To him his animals had individuality and without them he was lost.
Mr. Bryant continued to add more land to his original 40 acres and at the time of his death was owner of 1860 acres of fertile, tillable land.
Mr. Bryant departed this life July 12, 1906. On July 29, 1846, Mr. Bryant was married to Lydia EKHART, who was born in Ohio March 2, 1829. Both received their early training in the limit schools of their birthplace and they remained there until 1846, when they came to Indiana as mentioned before. The mother lived to an advanced age, passing away a year before her husband, July 20, 1905. Eight children were born: Mary; Jacob; Clora, married March 22, 1878 to Jacob Coyner; John E, Maria; the next died in infancy unnamed; Donna Belle who married L.E. Jenkins; and Anna. William Bryant had much faithful attention and loving care form his children. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant had been married nearly 60 years. The four daughters surviving Mr. Bryant: Mrs. Mary Taylor; Mrs. Marie Kirkpatrick; Mrs. Donna Belle Jenkins and Mrs. Anna Clark all residing in the vicinity of the old homestead. Religiously, Mr. Bryant was a member of the Campbellite Church and politically was a Democrat. Mr. Bryant was always known as an extremely temperate man having never tasted liquor or used tobacco. He detested ornamentation and a peculiarity of his was that he never carried a watch or wore any jewelry. - typed by kbz
