1929 City Directory, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

Phillip Alexander (Alex) Bray was the son of Joseph Daniel Bray and Julia K. Manning. At the time of the 1929 city directory, Alex was 31 years old and was still living in the household of his parents. Joseph Daniel Bray was the son of John H. Bray and Margaret Messamore. John and Margaret were first cousins who married.

John H. Bray was the son of my third great grandparents Edward Payne Bray and Anna F. Messamore. As such, John was the brother of my second great grandfather Joseph A. (Joe) Bray, and Joseph Daniel Bray was the first cousin of my great grandmother Mary Mahala Jane (Mahala or Haley) Bray.

Margaret Messamore was the daughter of James Messamore Sr. and Sarah (Sary) Heath and the granddaughter of my fourth great grandparents William/Wilhelm Messamore and Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May. As such, James Messamore Sr. was the brother of my aforementioned third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore, and Margaret Messamore was the first cousin of my aforementioned second great grandfather Joseph A. (Joseph) Bray.
Miss Anna Lou (Annie) Bray was the daughter of Fidello L. Bray and Elizabeth A. (Lizzie) Owens, and the granddaughter of Edmond Edward Bray and Elizabeth Sullivan. Annie was 32 years old at the time of the 1929 Knoxville City Directory. The family was from Hawkins County. I have no reason to suspect that they were related to my Bray family.
I have no data on Frances Bray.
George Samuel Bray was the son of my second great grandparents Joseph A. (Joe) Bray and Ferriba Salina (Salina) Moore. As such, George was the brother of my great grandmother Mary Mahala Jane (Mahala or Haley) Bray. George's wife was Lucille (Lou) McDaniel.
I have no data on Herbert Bray.
Joseph Daniel Bray was the son of John H. Bray and Margaret Messamore. See the entry above for Phillip Alexander (Alex) Bray for a description of how Joseph was related to my Bray and Messamore ancestors. Joseph's second wife was Julia K. Maning.

Elizabeth A. (Lizzie) Owens was the wife of the aforementioned Fidello L. Bray. Fidello and Lizzie were married in 1895 and divorced before 1900.

Adoniram Judson (Judson) Bryan was not one of mine. His line goes from Maryland to Halifax County, Virginia to Wilson County, Tennessee to Knoxville. Judson's wife was Emma Love Tinsley.
I do not have any data on Benjamin Bryan and his wife Alice.
Charles Milton (Mitt) Bryan was the son of my second great grandparents William Allen (Will) Bryan and Malissa E. Underwood. As such, Uncle Mitt was the brother of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan. Uncle Mitt's wife was Faye Louise (Faye) Coy.

Clarence J. Bryan was not one of mine. He was 21 years old at the time of the 1930 census. He was the first cousin of Adoniram Judson (Judson) Bryan (see above). As such, Clarence's line goes from Maryland to Halifax County, Virginia to Wilson County, Tennessee to Knoxville.
Edna Omage Bryan was the daughter of my great grandparents William Harley (Harley) Bryan and Nancy Virginia (Nanny) Harrison (see below for the entry for Nanny Harrison Bryan). As such, Aunt Edna was the sister of my grandfather Emmert Oral Bryan (see below for Emmert's entry). Aunt Edna was living in the household of her brother Emmert.
Emmert Oral Bryan was my grandfather. My grandmother Ruby Priscilla Cox died in 1925. My grandfather's second wife was Ella Kate (Kate) Nottingham.

Frank A. Bryan was born about 1881. I do not know who his parents were, but I have no reason to suspect that he was one of mine. His wife was Anna Flora (Flora) Hines. The 1920 census lists Frank as the nephew of Jane W. Taylor, but the Frank's wife was listed as the niece of Jane W. Taylor so it's not possible to know just from the census entry whether it was Frank or his wife who was related to Jane W. Taylor.
I do not know who Frank N. Bryan was. I have no reason to suspect that he was one of mine.
Alfred Glenn (Glenn) Bryan was the second great grandson of William Bryan and Lucy Cate. William was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Thomas C. Bryan Sr., and Lucy was the sister of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Cate. The children of William and Lucy were the double first cousins of the children of Thomas and Nancy. William and Lucy moved to McMinn County after they were married in Sevier County. Glenn or one of his ancestors must have made their way back up to the Knoxville area. Glenn was 22 years old in 1930, and was living in the household of his parents Joseph Milton (Joe) Bryan and Meta Mae (Mae) Smallin.
John Hundley (Jack) Bryan was born on 4 Jun 1902 in Evansville, Indiana and his parents were Joseph A. Bryan of Calhoun, McLean County, Kentucky and Jesse J. Davidson. I have not been able to track the family any further, and I have no reason to suspect that Jack was one of mine. I would expect that he moved to Knoxville because of his job with the News-Sentinel.
James Wiley (Wiley) Bryan was the son of John Martin Bryan and Clemmie Ann Estes (see above). Wiley married Bertie Lucille Fletcher about 1925, but I have not yet located their marriage record.

Jerome Hamilton Bryan and Julia Emory were both born in Sevier County about 1885. Julia was the daughter of David Emory and Modena A. Dewberry, but I do not know who Jerome's parents were. His 1950 death certificate listed both of his parents as ";don't know". He almost certainly was not one of mine, but neither have I been able to connect him to the Franklin Bryan family of Sevier County. My best guess is that Jerome was the son of John Wesley Bryan and Mary Ann McNutt. Mary Ann appears to have died before 1885 and John appears to have remarried in 1885. If so, then the further best guess is that Mary Ann died giving birth to Jerome, and that Jerome was raised by relatives. John Wesley Bryan was the son of David Anderson Bryan and Frances (Fanny) Acuff, and David represents a third and very small Bryan family in Sevier County.
Joseph Milton (Joe) Bryan was the great grandson of William Bryan and Lucy Cate. William was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Thomas C. Bryan Sr., and Lucy was the sister of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Cate. The children of William and Lucy were the double first cousins of the children of Thomas and Nancy. William and Lucy moved to McMinn County after they were married in Sevier County. Joe or one of his ancestors must have made their way back up to the Knoxville area. Joe's wife was Meta Mae (Mae) Smallin. Joe and Mae were each about 49 years old in 1929.
Julia Emory Bryan was the wife of the aforementioned Jerome Hamilton Bryan. She appeared in the entry for Jerome as his wife, and also appeared a second time here separately. I believe she appeared a second time because the City Directory got information both from door to door canvassing and also from employers. Julia was the daughter of David Emory and Modena A. Dewberry.
Rachel Louise (Lou) McMahan was the widow of William Braxton Bryan who died in 1924. William was the son of Franklin Bryan and Susannah Compton of Wear's Valley in Sevier County, which was not my line. Lou was the daughter of John Calvert McMahan and Dicy Waters Ault.
Mary Amanda Bryan was the daughter of Thomas Allen (Allen) Bryan and Ida Bell Cate. Mary married Charles Lafayette Logan on 23 Dec 1930 in Knox County.

Allen was the son of William Enyard (Enyard) Bryan and Amanda Keener, and the grandson of my fourth great grandfather Thomas C. Bryan and Nancy Cate. As such, Enyard Bryan was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan, Allen was the first cousin of my second grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan, and Mary Amanda was the second cousin of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan.

Ida was the daughter of Elisha Porter Cate Jr. and Mary Jane Drinnen, the granddaughter of Elisha Cate and Mary Elizabeth Newman. Elisha Cate was the son of John Cate Jr. and the grandson of fifth great grandparents John Cate Sr. and Mary. Mary Elizabeth Newman was the daughter of Joseph Newman and Catherine (Caty) Cate and the granddaughter of my fifth great grandparents William P. Cate and Mary Enyard. With Two different Cate lines for Ida Bell Cate, the relationship gets messy to describe.

John Cate Jr. was the brother of my fourth great grandfather Joshua Cate and Caty Cate was the sister of my fourth great grandfather Nancy Cate. As far as I know, these two Cate lines do not have common ancestors. Elisha Cate was the first cousin of my third great grandmother Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate, and Mary Elizabeth Newman was the first cousin of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan. Peter and Polly Ann were husband and wife. Elisha Porter (Porter) Cate Jr. was the double second cousin of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan. Ida Bell Cate was the double third cousin of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan. And finally, Mary Amanda was the double fourth cousin of my grandfather Emmert Oral Bryan.

I believe that Marie E. Bryan might have been the wife of Thomas Eugene (Gene) Bryan, but I have not yet been able to confirm it. The couple does not seem to have appeared in the 1930 census, nor can I find their marriage record. Gene was the son John Greenwood/Greenberry Bryan and the grandson of my third great grandparents Peter H. Bryan and Mary Ann (Polly Ann) Cate. As such John Greenwood/Greenberry Bryan was the brother of my second great grandfather William Allen (Will) Bryan, and Gene was the first cousin of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan.
Nancy Virginia (Nannie) Harrison was my great grandmother. At the time of the 1929 City Directory, she was the widow of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan. Also living in the household in 1929 were Nannie's daughters Edna Omage Bryan (see above) and Willie Josephine (Bill) Bryan (see below). Nannie's son Emmert Oral Bryan (see above) and her other daughter Lydia Ethel (Ethel) Bryan were already married and living in their own households in 1929.
At the time of the 1929 City Directory, Rachel Louise McMahan was the widow of William Braxton Bryan. William was the son of Franklin Bryan of Weir's Valley in Sevier County. This was a different Bryan family than my Bryan family in Dumplin Valley. Rachel was the daughter of John Calvert McMahan and Dicy Waters Ault.
Retta Kidd was the widow of Martin Luther Bryan who had died in McMinn County in 1929. Both Martin and Retta were born about 1859 in Ohio. Retta was the daughter of William Kidd and Phoebe Springer. Martin was the son of William Ayres Bryan and Sarah A. Adams. I know nothing further of the family, and I have no reason to suspect that they were related to any of the other Bryan families from Sevier County.
Rhea O. Bryan was the daughter of Martin Luther Bryan and Retta Kidd (see above). At the time of the 1929 City Directory, Rhea was still living in the household of her mother.
Rufus A. Bryan was the son of William Enyard (Enyard) Bryan and Amanda Keener. Enyard was the son of my fourth great grandparents Thomas C.Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate. As such, Enyard was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan, and Rufus was the first cousin of my second great grandfather William Allen (Allen) Bryan. Rufus's wife was Martha Cordelia (Cordelia) Elder.

Cordelia was the daughter of John Underwood Elder and Sarah Mount and the granddaughter of Charles Thomas Elder and Elizabeth Underwood. Charles Thomas Elder was the son of William Elder and Rebecca Cate, the grandson of Charles Cate Sr. and Sarah Baldwin, and the great grandson of my seventh great grandparents Capt. Robert Cate and Elizabeth Wyatt. As such, Charles was the brother of my sixth great grandparents John Cate and Catherine. This was not "the" John Cate Sr. who founded the Dumplin Valley Baptist Church. It was a different John Cate. And as such, Rebecca Cate was the first cousin of my fifth great grandfather William P. Cate, and Charles Thomas Elder was the second cousin of my fourth great grandmother Nancy Cate. Elizabeth Underwood was the daughter of my fifth great grandparents Thomas N. Underwood. and Mary Ramey.

Robert Otey (Otey) Bryan was the son of James Thomas R. (Thomas) Bryan and Achsa Mae Freeman, the grandson of Robert Reedy Bryan and Rebecca Adaline Langford, and the great grandson of my fourth great grandfather Thomas C. Bryan Sr. and Nancy Cate. As such, Robert Reedy Bryan was the brother of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan, Thomas was the first cousin of my second great grandfather William Allen (Allen) Bryan, and Otey was the second cousin of my great grandfather William Harley (Harley) Bryan.
Thomas Beauregard Bryan was born 5 Apr 1861 in Georgia. Thomas's wife Demaris Dyal was born on 16 Oct 1876 in Georgia, and was the daughter of Elijah Dyal and Florida J. Nail. Thomas was the grandson of Frederick Bryan of New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina, and there is no reason to suspect that he was connected to any of the Bryan families from Sevier County.
I suspect that Thomas E. Bryan was Thomas Eugene (Gene) Bryan, son of John Greenwood/Greenberry Bryan and the grandson of my third great grandfather Peter H. Bryan. However, I do not have sufficient data at this time to prove it one way or the other (see the information above for Marie Bryan).
There has to be some sort of typographical error or other error associated with the William Bryan who was living at 306 E. Morelia Avenue. That was the household of my great grandmother Nancy Virginia (Nannie) Harrison and her daughters Edna Omage Bryan and Willie Josephine (Bill) Bryan. There was no William Bryan in the family at all, let alone no William Bryan who would have been living in the household in 1929. Here's my best guess. The City Directory obtained their information both by canvassing individual households and by canvassing employers. It seems likely that the information about Miss Willie J. Bryan was obtained from the household canvass and that the information about the William Bryan who was working at Standard Knitting Mills came from the employer canvas. I know that Aunt Bill worked at Standard Knitting Mills. So I suspect that in the canvassing of Standard Knitting Mills, the information about Willie Bryan who lived at 306 E. Morelia Avenue morphed into William Bryan who lived at 306 E. Morelia Avenue.
William Ernest (Ernest) Bryan was the son of William Braxton Bryan and Rachel Louise McMahan and the granddaughter of Franklin Bryan and Susannah Compton. Ernest's wife was Bertie Varena Baker. This Bryan family was from Wear's Valley in Sevier County rather than from Dumplin Valley, and was not related to my Bryan family.

Willie Josephine (Bill) Bryan was the daughter of my great grandparents William Harley (Harley) Bryan and Nancy Virginia (Nanny) Harrison. As such, she was the sister of my grandfather Emmert Oral Bryan. At the time of the 1929 City Directory, Aunt Bill was living in the household of her mother and her sister Edna Omage Bryan (see above).
Wyatt G. Bryan was the son of Thomas Beauregard Bryan and Demaris Dyal (see above). They were from Georgia and there is no reason to suspect that they were related to my Bryan family. Wyatt was 20 years old in the 1930 census. The census listed his name as Wyatt G. Bryan and the City Directory listed his name as Wyatt J. Bryan.
William Rufus (Rufus) Bryan was the son of Thomas Allen (Allen) Bryan and Ida Bell Cate (see above for more information on the family). Rufus married Ethel May Mowery in 1923, and they had four children before the time of the 1929 City Directory. I do not know why Ethel was not listed, except that perhaps the information about Rufus came from the City Directory's canvassing of Standard Knitting Mills rather than from their canvassing of households. That theory makes sense because the family was living in Knox County in the 1930 census, but they were living outside the city limits and they were living closer to Sevier County than they were to downtown Knoxville.