798Hi,

I sent this to Jan Kelley in response to her information request concerning Sarah Boone Wilcoxsin and then thought that others might be interested as well.

J. Daniel Paxton

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From: paxton@oberlin.net <paxton@oberlin.net>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 08:53:29 -0400
To: Jan Kelley <bhdjkelley@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [BOONE-L] Sarah Boone Wilcoxsin

Hi cousin Jan...

Here is what I have on your Bryant/Wilcockson connection:

The marriage is given in Draper Manuscript 23C47,48,49, in a letter to Lyman C. Draper from Jeremiah F. Wilcoxen, 1861, in which he states that he was "a son of Capt. Elijah Willcoxen, that said Capt. Elijah Willcoxen was a son of Samuel Willcoxen, that said Samuel Willcoxen was a son of John and Sarah (Boone) Willcoxen, said Sarah Boone being a daughter of Squire Boone and sister of Daniel Boone; that Samuel Willcoxen had several brothers and sisters, one of whom, Rachel, married William Bryant."
William Bryant is a controversial figure in many respects and the reader who wishes.to study his life and activities further is referred to early issues of the Missouri Historical Review.
Questions which have arisen are: 1. When and where was he born? Did he establish Bryant's Station? Who were his children? What was his Revolutionary War Service?
This account of his life and military service appears in "The Boone Family", by Hazel A. Spraker, 1922, pp. 107-8. It was taken from "Bryant's Station and Its Founders" by a descendant, T. J. Bryant of Wheatland, Wyo. (Mo. Hist. Rev. Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 37-51) The list of his children and all descendants was given by T. J. Bryant to Mrs. Spraker.
"Married William Bryant (b. 1739 in Wales; died Oct., 1834 aged 95
years in Boone Co., Mo.)
"According to well-established tradition William Bryant of Bryant's Station, Ky., accompanied by a brother named Benjamin Bryant, came from Wales to the shores of the New World in 1764, when they were young men. Benjamin settled in Virginia, while William Bryant chose North Carolina, in the region of the Upper Yadkin River, for his home. In this region he lived for several years, married and acquired property, and here he became acquainted with the Boones, Bryans, Wilcoxes, Callaways and other pioneer
families in that section. Sometime prior to 1775 he accompanied Daniel Boone into Kentucky as far as the North Fork of the Elkhorn Creek, where the two men made camp and hunted and explored several weeks before returning to the
Yadkin in N. C. 'Early in 1779 William Bryant led a party of emigrants into Kentucky, stopping at Boonesboro for supplies, and continuing to a point about five miles northeast of Lexington, where they erected and fortified a
number of cabins, and the place was from that time forth known as Bryant's Station.' He was a soldier in the Revolutionary Army, but his service was omitted in 1779, probably because of this migration. No doubt William Bryant's wife Rachel went with him to Kentucky, for they settled at Bryant's Station in Fayette Co., and later removed to what is now Estill Co., Ky. From there, in about 1816-20 they went with their younger children to the
new and promising land beyond the Mississippi, locating at Femme Osage, Mo., not far from the Boone settlement in Callaway Co. Here Rachel (Wilcox)
Bryant died, and her husband removed to Boone Co., in 1821.
"William Bryant married a second time a young woman named Nancy Wood, by whom he had children, none of whom lived to maturity. He died in Boone Co., and is buried near the site of the vanished town of Stonesport.
"His will is recorded in Deed Record A. p. 292, Boone Co., Mo."
"MILITARY RECORD OF WILLIAM BRYANT

"He joined the Continental forces and served for a time in the War of Independence. While serving as such, he was captured by the British and placed on board a prison ship in Charleston Harbor. One night he dropped silently into the waters of the harbor, swam ashore and returned to the American lines in safety. During the Revolutionary struggle in Kentucky, he held the rank of Captain under Cols. Todd and Boone. The following is found in the Colonial Records copied from the records of soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War, in Philadelphia: 'William Bryant, Private in Blounts Com.; date of Com. or enl. 26 Apr., 1778; period of service 2 1-4 years,
omitted in 1779."'
This list of his children appears in "The Boone Family": Jeremiah Bryant, b. 20 Aug., 1791
Hiram Bryant, m. Sarah Evans, in Ky.; moved to Mo., then back to Ky., where he died at an early age.
Hurum Bryant, d. Boone Co., Mo.
Thomas Bryant, b. 10 Jan., 1795
Benjamin Bryant, d. Boone Co., Mo.
Rachel Bryant, m. and d. in Ky.
Susan Bryant, m. William Ramsey, Boone Co., Mo.
Henry Bryant, b. 1802; d. 1840 in Boone Co., Mo.
Original research by the compiler of this book has been hampered by the fact that the names Bryan, Bryant, Briant are confused in many records in various Court Houses. Three legal documents have been found which seem to pertain unquestionably to this William Bryant: Pension record, Will, Administration of Estate granted. These appear below.

PENSION RECORD OF WILLIAM BRYANT

William Bryant or Briant. Pension Number S 16660 North Carolina. State of Missouri, County of Boone, 6-25-1833 personally appeared in court before David Todd Judge of Boone Circuit Ct. William Bryant, a resident of said county - age 79, states he entered service under the followingofficers: that he entered in Rowan County, North Carolina, 10th February 1780 - as a militiaman, or rather as a volunteer, for he was not drafted under Captain Enoch Enochs; and was sent to a place called Goose Creek to guard prisoners and wagons and munitions of war, 30 miles from Charleston, and while so engaged was captured by scouting parties, said to belong to Tarlton's dragoons. - served eight months as a private soldier. In the following winter last of Jan. 1781 again turned out under Capt. Hemphill, - after pursuing the tories sometime fell in with Genl Green just before the battle of Guilford C H. in which he was personally engaged - about 30th March, 1781 he enlisted as a private soldier in the regular army under Capt. John Dial under command of whom he continued until the close of the war. He was discharged 1782 - states he was born in Orange Co., No. Car. 1754 (Seventeen and fifty four) - that since the close of the Revolutionary war he has lived in the counties of Fayette Co., Ky., Madison Co., Ky., Estill and Montgomery Cos., Ky. and afterwards in the counties of Calloway and Boone his present residence in the state of Missouri. - affidavit of Thomas Campbell a clergyman residing in Boone Co., Missouri and Richard Gentry, resident of the same county state they are well acquainted with the soldier - Rev. Campbell had known him between forty and forty-eight years. Mr. Gentry had known him 30 years. The administrator of the estate of William Bryant, whose name was John Ellis, wrote a letter to the Pension Commissioner in 1846, Jan. 31, stating he sends the papers of William Bryant for the purpose of obtaining the balance due his heirs- he answered that the papers he enclosed printed instructions should be strictly complied with and when the vouchers should have been prepared they should be forwarded to P. Wagner, Esq. Third Auditor of the Treasury. The papers are herewith returned." (Missouri Genealogical Records. Vol. 1. Missouri Pensioners, Annie Walker Burns, p. 15A)

In the.name of God, Amen.
I William Bryant of the County of Boone and State of Missouri do make my Last Will and Testament. In the first place I bequeath unto my son Henry Bryant a negro girl named Sarah at or after my death. Also unto my son Thomas Bryant a negro child named James or Jim. Also unto my wife Nancy I bequeath a negro, man named Peter & a negro woman named Joan during her natural life time - then the said negroes to be equally divided between my children begat of her boddy if there should be any. If we shall have none then the said negroes to revert to my lawful heirs. Also to my son Benjamin Bryant I bequeath the sum of one Dollar at my death. Also to my son Huram Bryant I bequeath the sum of One Hundred Dollars should there be so much left after my death. Also unto my son Jeremiah Bryant I bequeath the sum of 100 dollars at my death should there be so much left after paying my other legal demands. Also unto my sons William and George Bryant fifty dollars each should there be property left at my death. Also unto my daughter Elizabeth Shifflet fifty dollars.
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty-seventh day of September, 1824.
his
William X
Bryant (seal)

mark
Attest:
P. W. Dillon
Patrick Lamb

John Ellis makes application to the Clerk of the County Court of Boone County, State of Missouri for letters of administration on the estate of William Bryant of said county deceased, and renders the following list of the heirs as far as he can state, viz Hiram Bryant's heirs of Boone County. Heirs of Jeremiah Bryant dec'd of said county. Henry Bryant of said county.
Susan Hutcherson place of residence unknown. Hiram Bryant who is supposed to be dead resided in the State of Kentucky. Thomas Bryant residence unknown. Ben Bryant residence unknown.
The above is all the heirs of the said William Bryant dec'd, his first marriage, to the best of this affiant's knowledge. This affiant further states that he thinks that there are some three or four other children of the dec'd by the 2nd marriage, but he is unable to state their names and residence and further that the said William Bryant died without a will, that he will make a perfect inventory of and faithfully administer all the estate of the deceased and pay the debts as far as the assets will
extend and the law direct and account for and pay all assets that shall come to his possession or knowledge.

John Ellis
Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 29 Sept.
1845.
W. Woodson, Clerk

There are three sources which provide names of the children of William Bryant: 1. The list quoted from "The Boone Family," as compiled by a descendant almost 100 years after the death of William Bryant; 2. Those named in the Will of William Bryant; 3. Those named by John Ellis when he was trying to settle the estate. All of these children were born to his first wife, Rachel Willcockson; some were born to the second wife, Nancy Wood, but did not reach maturity. It seems most likely that William, George
and Elizabeth, mentioned in the will were not living in 1845 when Ellis was settling the estate. The three lists considered together give the following list. CHILDREN: (Order unknown.)


+45 Jeremiah Bryant
+46 Hiram Bryant
+47 Hurum Bryant
+48 Thomas Bryant
49 Benjamin Bryant. When John Ellis was settling the estate of William

Bryant in 1845, he mentioned that the residence of the son, Benjamin Bryant, was unknown. The author found this reference which may apply to him. "Benjamin Bryant came here in 1843 as a trusted employee of the trading company. One of the first county treasurers, deputy
sheriff, constable, and for a number of years justice of the peace for Des Moines township. The first marriage license issued in Polk Co., Iowa, was to Elvira Birge and Benjamin Bryant in Franklin
Twp., June, 1846. She died a few years later and he remarried. He died 1866. ("Annals of Polk Co., Iowa and Des Moines," by Will Porter. Des Moines. 1898. p. 129)
50 Rachel Bryant, m. and d. in Ky.
51 Susan Bryant, known as Hutcherson in 1845.
+52 Henry Bryant
53 William Bryant
54 George Bryant
55 Elizabeth Bryant, m. Shiflett; prob. no heirs survived.

I hope that you found this both interesting and informative.


Take care,

J. Daniel Paxton