Needham Bryan III (1748 - 1787)

Born 4 Nov 1748 in Johnston County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Hinton) Bryan — married 1768 in Johnston County, Province of North Carolina

Descendants

Died 1787 at about age 38 in Johnston, North Carolina, United States

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Captain Needham Bryan III performed Patriotic Service in Virginia in the American Revolution.

Biography

Needham Bryan III was part of a Southern Pioneer Family.

Captain Bryan was a lifelong military man, leaving his wife to care for his children while the battle for Independence raged, always coming back to his beloved North Carolina homestead.

NEEDHAM BRYAN III, son of Needham Bryan II and Nancy Smith, was born in 1748 in Johnston County, North Carolina.

He married in 1768 SARAH 'SALLIE' HINTON, daughter of Col. John Hinton II & Grizelle Kimbrough of Johnston (Wake) County.^[1]

According to his will, he settled on Polecat Creek, thus just south of the town of Smithfield.

In 1771 Wake County was set off from Johnston Co., and the court house was moved south from Hinton’s Quarter [near Clayton] to the ferry at what became the town of Smithfield in 1777.

November 26, 1771, “Jr.” was appointed Sheriff of Johnston Co. by commission from Governor; bondsmen: Needham Bryan Jr., Sr., & Nathan Williams.^[2]

August 12, 1774, Needham Jr. was appointed one of the Committee of Correspondence along with Samuel Smith Sr., William Bryan, John Smith, Samuel Smith Jr., Henry Rains and William Ward, Esqres.^[3]

October 4, 1774, as Captain of the 5th unit, with 52 men under him, he was at the general muster of the county militia commanded by his father, Col. Needham Bryan.^[4]

Starting on April 4, 1776 he, “Jr.,” began representing Johnston Co. at the Provincial Congress.^[5] On April 25, 1776, he was given leave to absent himself, ^[6] most likely on hearing of the illness or death of his father.

October 1, 1777 he purchased from commissioners of Smithfield Lots 89 & 99.^[7]

Needham accumulated a large amount of land. On December 12, 1778, he was granted two tracts totally 620 acres and on December 3, 1779, 18 tracts totally over 4,400 acres.^[8]

Wednesday, December 13, 1786, while serving in the State Assembly, he resigned as one of the Justices of the Peace for Johnston County.[1]

He died a little over a month later; he was only 38. His will written January 25, 1787, was probated in the February 1787 court. For a photo of the will see Images; for a typed/readable copy see:^[9]

•wife Sarah

•son Loverd, the plantation.

•son Clement, land at Black Creek, Black Mingo & Mill creek, except 400 acres known by the name of Caseys place.

•son Benjamin, all other land and the 400 acres called Caseys place.

•daughter Sarah, 2 Negro girls, his large writing desk & 2 silver plated candle sticks.

•All personal estate was to be kept together until 1790 and money arising being used to educate his children; then all to be divided among wife and children.

•Executors: Kadar Bryan, James Hinton, John Hinton

•Witnesses: Nathan Atkins, James Hinton

May 25, 1790, the division of personal estate of Needham Bryan dec. was made to Loverd Bryan, Clement Bryan, Benjamin Bryan & Sarah Bryan.^[10]

Widow Sarah had died by then, for at the same time the administration of the estate of Sarah Bryan, dec. was granted to Loverd Bryan, bond £1000 with Hardy Bryan Esq. & Joseph Boon, security.^[11]

Children:

1. LOVERD BRYAN (1769-Jan 4 1798]) m. Elizabeth Green, dau. of Col. Joseph & Sarah (Whitfield) Green, grddau of Wm & Rachel (Bryan) Whitfield. Elizabeth m2 Probert Collier.
2. CLEMENT BRYAN (Oct 13 1770-Jan 31 1839) m. Aug 19 1792 cousin Edith Smith of Cumberland Co. Moved to Georgia.
3. BENJAMIN BRYAN (1769or71-1863) m. Jan 14 1800 Mary (Sasser) Stevens, widow of William Stevens. Moved to Georgia.
4. SARAH BRYAN (Apr 1 1779-Mar 1 1815) m. 1798 John “Jack” Hinton IV, son of Maj. John Hinton III & Pheribee Smith. Lived in neighboring Wake Co NC.

Sources

1. ↑ Whitfield, Emma Morehead, Whitfield, Bryan, Smith and Related Families, Vol.2. Westminster, Maryland: The Times Incorporated, 1950; Page 17.
2. ↑ Haun, Weynette Parks, "Johnston County, North Carolina Abstracts: Deed Books” #399:John.Tr-1:168.
3. ↑ https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr09-0297#p9-1032
4. ↑ https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr09-0312#p9-1076
5. ↑ https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr10-0250#p10-500
6. ↑ https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr10-0250#p10-542
7. ↑ Haun, 3#333:John.I-1:218.
8. ↑ Haun, various.
9. ↑ Needhams will: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/wills/nbryan.txt
10. ↑ Ross, Elizabeth E., "Johnston County North Carolina, Will Abstracts 1746-1870, Vol.1:160,165.
11. ↑ Ross, Vol. 1:174.

• https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A016274
• General Muster of Johnson County Militia
• 1810 U S Census
• North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 for Needham Bryan
• Johnston Original wills, Adams, A J - Finch, H H. See copy of will in images of this profile.