John Bryant (1785 - abt. 1857)

Born 1785 in South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 1857 at about age 72 in Madison, Georgia, United States

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Biography

John was born in 1785. He passed away about 1857.

We only know his wife was named Elizabeth/Betsy through church records. No other information about here is known.

Paper Trail

First records for him (that we know for sure at least) are an 1812 Madison Co., GA jury list 1 year after it was formed from Jackson, Franklin, Elbert, Oglethorpe, and Clarke counties. From there he's in the 1813 tax digest for Madison, he's not in the 1817 tax digest but I believe I've found him in every other recorded/surviving/digitized tax digest up until 1857 when I suspect he died (though can't be certain since I found no probate records). He's also found in each of the census records from 1820-1850… 1820-1840 suggest he was born 1781-1790, this also matches the 1820 census record that lists a daughter born around 1805-1810. In the 1850 census he is listed as being born 1795 in South Carolina. I suspect the previous census ranges are more accurate for his birth year.

He seems to be the only Bryant in Madison when it formed until 1822 when Mason Bryant is found, that entry mentions

I strongly suspect Mason Bryant is related (I have since likely matched Y DNA between a descendant of John Bryant and Mason Bryant quite closely). He's the next Bryant to appear in Madison Co., GA in the 1822 tax digest (though he was married in Elbert Co., GA in 1816, the land John Bryant gets was formed from Elbert). In the 1820s tax digests it lists that Mason owned 100 acres of land that were granted to him bordering Berryman. I know in 1834 I've found a land survey where he got land next to a Berryman, but I haven't found an earlier grant (at least yet). His 1834 land grant was a block of land that surrounded John Bryant's land on 3 sides. Seems pretty likely they are related. Based on census records Mason's full name seems to be Mason Allen Bryant and in Madison Co., GA both Mason and John are living near Mason surname families that come from Virginia (one is named Allen Bryant so maybe shared Mason and Allen surname ancestries?). "Mason Bryant" seems to be a pretty unique name, not many of those anywhere at this time.

Research

Following a potential trail (would appreciate any help or assistance).

It starts with a very uniquely named person who I believe is Achilles Bryant. He is found in the 1798 and 1801 Jackson Co., GA Tax digests and then disappears. Unfortunately his name is creatively spelled each time so I suspect finding records for him will be difficult. He seems to be unaccounted for in any genealogies I find online. We'll get back to him.

There's 1807 marriage record in Jackson Co., GA where a John Bryant married an Elizabeth Crockett.

This could by my John Bryant since his oldest known child (according to the 1820 census) was born 1805-1810 so that marriage date would fit perfectly. Madison Co., GA was formed partially from Jackson Co., GA so it's definitely in the right region. On the other hand there were multiple John Bryants in the region at that time so this might not be him, my John might have been married in South Carolina before coming. Unfortunately I have yet to find any record suggesting who his wife might be, she seems to be in census records from 1820-1840 but not in 1850, so I assume she died.

Assuming my John was the one who married Elizabeth Crockett we see both a John Crockett and Samuel Crockett in Jackson and Franklin County Georgia in 1803-1809. I believe there are records of another Crocket family who were in the region and I believe were supposedly massacred by Indians. Elizabeth could be from any of them. In this theory I'll assume she was related to John and Samuel, maybe a sister or a cousin. Crockett researchers suspect John and Samuel were related, they both seem to end up in Franklin Co., TN by the 1820 census. John Crockett apparently married a Mary Cowan and Cowan families travel from Northern Georgia to Franklin Co., TN as well.

The other thread I follow is another family in Northern Georgia and tied to Madison Co., GA. Specifically an Isaiah Hales and his sons, including a John Hales who apparently was married to an Elizabeth Spicer in Madison Co., GA. Isaiah Hales was a preacher and I believe John Bryant and/or Mason might be connected to some of the same Church/religious circles.

In the 1809 (and surrounding time period) tax digest there are many Bryants in all the counties that formed Madison, multiple Johns, the ones I point out here seem unaccounted for in genealogies however so they are suspects for me. In the 1809 in Jackson Co., GA tax digest there is a John Bryant, Joshua Bryant, and a Mary and husband Richard Bryant on Allen's Fork off of the Oconee River. Seems they lived near eac hother so are likely related. What's especially interesting is there doesn't seem to be many Joshua Bryants at this time period anywhere in the records. In the 1820 census I see really only 7 entries in the entire nation for Joshua Bryants (and name variants).

This leads to the next breadcrumb. In the 1812 Franklin Co., TN Tax Digest there we see some familiar names. Richard, Joshua, John, and Mason. In particular there aren't many Mason Bryants floating around so I think it seems likely it's the same one, also the rare Joshua Bryant name combo as well.

Is that John my John? If so he was back in Madison by the 1812 jury list and 1813 tax digest. It could be a John Bryant cousin or other relation also, obviously John is a very common name. Could even be a John that came of age between 1809-1812 to now be on a tax list. It could also be the one that married Elizabeth Crocket and though the Mason connection suggests these Bryants are related to my John but maybe my John didn't marry Elizabeth Crocket.

Also on that 1812 Franklin Co., Tax digest is John Crocket and multiple Cowans.

By 1820 we see both John Crockett and Samuel Crocket in Franklin Co., TN. There's also a John Bryant there who matches the same age range as my John Bryant; however my John Bryant is in Madison Co., GA in 1820. The census images don't seem to show a date for transcription for either of these specific counties census records. I guess it's possible John could've been in one place and traveled to the other by the time both census records were taken. I did notice I couldn't find John Bryant on the 1817 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest, maybe he bounced between Tennessee and GA? Mason seems to have done so (if it’s the same person), in fact Mason bounces around 1830-1860, he's in a different Georgia county each time, in 1850 he's in Alabama and he's back to Georgia in 1860 living with a likely sister or other Bryant relation. I also can't find Mason in the 1820 census and he doesn't show up in Madison Co., Tax Digests until 1822. Maybe John bounced over to Tennessee or elsewhere and then back to Madison two years before Mason came back. A probable son of Mason's a Jason Bryant listed in two census records he was born around 1820 in South Carolina, so if he is indeed Mason's son then Mason and family stopped in South Carolina for a breif period.

In 1820 in Hickman Co., TN we see Achilles Bryant, Joshua Bryant, and Mary Bryant. Seems likely it's the same Achilles and Joshua and Mary seems likely Richard's wife since Richard seems to have disappeared, I'm guessing he's deceased by now. How does Achilles fit in? Don't know. This is the last record for him I've found. He's listed as 45+. Since he was in a 1798 tax digest he must be born before 1780. He could be a father of John and Joshua (one of the Johns if there's more than one), maybe an uncle, cousin, etc.

We also see the Hales family in Hickman, TN. In fact that Hales family is listed very near Joshua and Mary Bryant and Achilles is just on the next page.

By 1822 Mason is back in Madison Co., GA.

In 1830 you still see the Bryants and Hales in Hickman Co., TN.

According to other online research John Hales dies in 1835 in Graves Co., KY, which borders Hickman Co., KY.

In 1840 you find Joshua Bryant and William Hales in Hickman Co., KY. There's also a younger Richard Bryant likely a son of Joshua (or nephew).

So now Joshua Bryant and William Hales both came from Northern Georgia, went to Hickman Co., TN at roughly the same time and then to Hickman Co., KY at roughly the same time.

What helps confirm this trail is in 1850 Joshua Bryant is listed in Hickman Co., KY. He's listed as born 1780 in SC (my John Bryant and Mason Bryant both said they were born in SC as well), his oldest children are listed as born in Tennessee and his youngest two as born in KY.

William Hales is listed as born in 1809 in GA. Again his oldest children are listed as born in TN and youngest in KY.

So the summary is I believe Achilles, Joshua, Richard & Mary, and Joshua Bryant are related to my John Bryant and Mason Bryant. There may or may not be more than one John Bryant. One related John Bryant married an Elizabeth Crocket in Jackson Co., GA in 1807. By 1812 most of these Bryants (if not all) had gone with the Crockets and Cowans to Franklin Co., TN. Then around 1818 is the Hales went from Clarke Co., GA to Hickman Co., TN and the Bryants met or followed them there. Then Joshua followed or went with the Hales (possibly others too I imagine) to Hickman Co., KY.

It seems most of that is the best explanation for the data. The biggest question is where does my John fit in. Is he the John in the 1809 Tax Digest, is he the John who married Elizabeth Crocket, is he the one in 1812 Franklin Co., TN, is he the one in 1820 Franklin Co., TN? The last two seem less likely, but possible… the first two might be less likely if he isn't the same one that followed them over. Mason seems to be the biggest link between my John and them so they are likely related somehow… At least that's my theory.

1798 Jackson Co., GA Tax Digest

Archilas Briant

1801 Jackson Co., GA Tax Digest

Archilous Bryant

1803-1805 Franklin Co., GA Tax Digest

Crockets:

Samuel Crocket - Could be a brother or a cousin of Elizabeth who m. John Bryant

1807 John Brient married Elizabeth Crocket

1809 Jackson Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants All living on Allen's Fork

John Bryant Joshua Bryant Mary Bryant for husband Richard Bryant

Crockets:

John Crocket - Could be a brother or a cousin of Elizabeth who m. John Bryant

1812 - Franklin Co., TN Tax Digest

Bryants:

John Briant - Is this my John Bryant, did he go back to Georgia and settle in Madison Co., GA? If so then it would have been that year since he was on the 1812 Madison Jury List

Mason Briant Thomas Briant Joshua Bryant Richard Bryant William Bryant

Crockets:

John Crockett

1813 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants:

John Bryant

1813 John Hales married Elizabeth Spicer in Madison Co., GA

1815-1817 Clarke Co., GA Tax Digest

Hales:

Isaiah Hales John Hales - son of Isaiah James Hales - son of Isaiah

(more Hales as well, these are the relevant ones)

1816 Mason Bryant married Catherine Raines in Elbert Co., GA

1820 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants: John Bryant

1820 Madison Co., GA Census

Bryants: John Bryant

1820 Madison Co., GA Land Grand for John Bryant

1820 Franklin Co., TN Census

Bryants:

Henry Bryant

John Bryant - Age range of oldest adult male is 26-44… so b. 1776 - 1794. Oldest female is the same age range. Though if it's the same person that's in Franklin in 1830 they might be much older.

John Obryan - Age range of oldest adult male is 26-44… so b. 1776 - 1794

Crockets:

John Crocket Samuel Crocket

1820 Hickman Co., TN Census

Bryants:

Archille Briant Joshua Briant Mary Briant (1 female 26-44, 1 female 45+, 1 male slave 14-26)

Hales:

Isaiah Hales John Hales James Hales

1821 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants: John Bryant

1822 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants:

John Bryant Mason Bryant

1823-1830 Madison Co., GA Tax Digest

Bryants:

John Bryant Mason Bryant

1827 Hickman Co., TN Land Grants

Joshua Bryant - 4 Jun 1827 - 6000 Joshua Bryant - 4 Jun 1827 - 6001 Achilles Bryant - 29 Nov 1827 - 7366

1830 Madison Co., GA Land Grant for John Bryant

1830 Madison Co., GA Census

Bryants:

John Bryant Mason Bryant

1830 Franklin Co., TN Census

Bryants:

John Bryant - Age range of oldest male 70-79… b. 1751 - 1760, oldest female is 60-69. If this is the same John Bryant that was listed before maybe he is actually much older, if not then this one came and the other one left or died?

Abner Bryant Moses Bryant William Bryant James L Bryan

1830 Hickman Co., TN Census

Bryants:

Joshua Bryant John Bryant - 20-29, likely a son of Joshua

1830 Humphrey Co., TN Census

Bryants:

Richard Bryant (male 20-29…) Maybe a son of either Joshua or Richard John H Bryant (male 20-29…) Maybe a son of Joshua John Bryant (male 60-69 … b. 1761-1770)

Hales:

Isaiah Hales John Hales James Hales William Hales - son of Isaiah

1834 Madison Co., GA Land Grant for Mason Bryant, land bordering John Bryant

1835 Graves Co., KY - John Hales died (Graves is neighboring and was formed partially from Hickman Co)

1838 Humphrey Co., TN Land Grants

Richard Bryant - 11 Jun 1838 - 15040 Richard Bryant - 9 Dec 1839 - 16095

1840 Madison Co., GA Census

Bryants: John Bryant John P Bryant James C Bryant James C Bryant

1840 Coweta Co., GA Census

Bryants: Mason Bryant George W Bryant Obediah L Breant

1840 Hickman Co., KY Census

Bryants: Joshua Bryant Richard Bryant Elihue Bryant J H Bryant - Maybe a son of Joshua

Hales: William Hales

1850 Floyd Co., GA Census

Bryants: Allen Briant b. 1790 SC (I believe Mason's full name was Mason Allen Bryant). His wife is listed as Catherine Briant b. 1796 SC

1850 Hickman Co., KY Census

Bryants: Joshua Bryant b. 1780 SC

The oldest child in his household is a William Bryant b. 1833 in TN

Also two other households. Guessing sons of Joshua.

Richard Bryant b. 1803 GA John Bryant b. 1805 GA

Children of his born 1830-1846 were born in TN, the last two were born in KY.

Hales: William Hale b. 1809 GA

Sources

• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGB-ZTJ : 11 August 2017), John Bryant, Madison, Georgia, United States; citing 107, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 19; FHL microfilm 7,039.