John Henry Bryan (1824 - 1900)

At the age 5 John’s father died of unknown causes, the next day his mother also died. John was taken in by his Aunt Tempie Manning and was raised by her for a number of years. Upon his father’s death the children were willed acreage of the family farm in Bertie County, the farm was divided as followed:

Reubin: 24 acres, William P. 70 acres, John H. 365 acres, Little Barry 36 acres, James 78 acres, Eliza 46 acres, John Whitehurst (Betsy Bryan’s Husband) 33 acres.

In 1863, as the friction between the North and the South grew John Henry enlisted with the Union side on January 21 at Washington, North Carolina. He was enlisted by Col. Lyman into Company “A”, 1st Regiment of the North Carolina Volunteer Infantry. John was 38 years old at the time, 5’8” tall, had a light complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. From March to October of 1863 he was present at roll call. In November and December of 1863 he was on special duty as a guard at Fort Renshaw.

He was home on leave in January or February of 1864 , as James A. was born November 26, 1864 at Bethel.

John mustered out of the Union Infantry at New Berne, North Carolina June 27, 1865, at the close of the war. His clothing account was last settled January 20, 1864 and he had drawn $41 since then. John was due $100 and owed the US for one Jr. Muskett and attachments which cost $6.00. He returned home to Bethel after the war and continued to farm. Mack Chester was born in 1871 and finally Elisha in 1873. John applied for his pension in 1891 at the age of 65 and at that time was deaf in the left ear. He also suffered from the effects of sunstroke and had shaking hands and head. John’s statement on how it happened –

“About 10 years ago while plowing on my farm, a very hot day, I fell in the field, and could not get to my house in an hour or so. Since that time I have been unable to work in hot weather having to stop as soon as I feel the tightness pressing in my head and the stiffling and deafness comes on.”

Dr. Nicholson diagnosed him with frequent headaches, vertigo, chronic conjunctivitis, and paralysis agitraus.

John died May 18, 1899 at the age of 74, His doctor Fernando G. James, M,D. stated in a sworn statement "he had been sickly for sometime previous to his death, but died from the effects of a fall from the house a few hours before his death."

Margaret Bryan applied for widow's benefits June 19, 1899. Richard Carson and Jesse carson went with her to the Justice of the Peace, D.C. Moon, in Bethel to verify her identity.

Margaret’s sworn statement dated February 15, 1900 stated:

“I never was married before I married my husband John H. Bryan who died May 18, 1899. I never have married (since the death of my husband) and was living with him at the time of his death. I matted to said John H. Bryan, Deceased, June 1848. My maiden name before marrying was Margaret Teel.” (National Archives, Washington D.C)

She could not sign her name and marked the sown statement with an “X” as she did on the delectation for Window Pension.

Margaret Teel Bryan received $8.00 (approx. $200 today) on 4 May, 1900 from the government for widow’s pension. She died 19 June 1900 at the age of 71 in Bethel, NC.

“Jackie and his wife, Margaret, owned and lived on what is now the Carson farm on which the Bethel cemetery is now located in North Carolina. They are buried in the Bethel cemetery but there is not a marker to the grave. I have heard that the Bow Bunting lot is where they are buried. They lived on the carson farm in the house that continues to be known as the Jackie Bryan house. He later bought house in Bethel. It is the one owned by Mrs. Will Backer. This is where he was living when he died.”