Sixth Generation

400. Felix Grundy Bryan^3,52,176,362. Birth: 14 February 1869, Bradley County, Tennessee.³⁶²

Census: 1870, Bradley County, Tennessee, James C. 1 m w TN.

Census: 1880, Bradley County, Tennessee. Felix 11 son, male, single, white, laborer, born TN, father and mother born TN.

Death: 14 February 1901, age 32, Knickerbocker, Tom Green County, Texas.

Felix's real name was James Columbus Bryan. He was named for two uncles, James Columbus Bryan and Columbus Horton. In the 1870 census he is listed as James C. Bryan. One day he announced to his parents "My name is Felix Grundy". Felix Grundy was a famous lawyer and orator of the time. So, he was known thereafter by the name he himself chose.

Felix contracted tuberculosis like his brother and died when his youngest child was 13 months old. His wife died of tuberculosis 8 months later.

Their children were raised by Sulen McMurrey's parents.

The following is all from Elizabeth Cate Manly:

From a letter to Beulah Julian Cate, dated Aug. 5, 1958, I quote:

"Dear Cousin Beulah and All,

"Last Monday afternoon When I got home from work I asked Mary Lillian if I had gotten any mail She told me to sit down, that she'd read me a letter which had come that day, addressed to Mrs. Lela Shambaugh, Rossville, Ga. Well, I almost fainted until I found out who it was from. It was from Mrs. J.T. (Lucille Bryan) Dabney, of Livingston, Texas - yours and mother's first cousin. She said that she planned to write this letter for twenty-one years. I had been that long since she had last heard from any of her cousins back here. Her letter was most interesting, and her life has been a rich, full one it seems. She is planning a vacation trip to the Smokies (she and her husband) and would like to meet some of her cousins and learn more about her father's family. Her husband is a dentist. She has two sons. One is a doctor who has offices with his father in Livingston. They live next door and have two small sons. The other is an engineer. He, his wife, and two little girls live in Crockett, Texas. Her sister Suline lives at Mission, Texas down on the border. I wrote right back to her and insisted that she come here before going to the Smokies. How I'm looking forward to her answer. If she comes, I hope we Bryans can get together and get acquainted.

"I'm at work and must get busy. Love to all, your Georgia coz,
"Mary Alice" (Mary Alice Shambaugh Dantzler)

We were all so surprised and happy to have made connection with Uncle Felix Bryan's family. He and Uncle Joe had gone to Texas as young lawyers. There he wooed and won the lovely Sulen McMurrey. His daughter told this story of their courtship: It seems he was staying very late at the McMurreys one evening. Mrs. McMurrey came in the room where the young couple sat and asked, "Mr. Bryan, how do you like your eggs?!" He contracted tuberculosis and died when their youngest child was thirteen months old. His wife also took the dread disease and died eight months later. This left the rearing of the three children to their maternal grandmother, with all their father's family in Tennessee and Georgia - a world away in those days, and the folks in Tennessee and Georgia lost touch with them.

To make a long story short, on August 31, 1958 there was a Bryan Reunion at Tasso, near the old Peter L. Bryan home. It was held at the Methodist Church, for which Peter Bryan had helped haul the logs (for the first building). After a bountiful lunch, and informal program, and much reminiscing, several of us went to the Bryan home, then in a sad state of repair and since demolished. Present that happy day were Dr. Joe* and Lucile Bryan Dabney, Beulah Julian Cate*, John W., Christinia, John P., Jas. J., Paul C., Paul L. Cate, Frank, Elizabeth, Frances, and Julia* Manly, Andrew* and Gussie Bryan Spradling*, H.L. and Bertha Bryan Buice, H.H.* and Marie Bryan Morelock*, Mary Alice Dantzler, Margaret Dantzler, Franklin Marcia Shambaugh*, Tom Bryan, George* and Ethel Bryan*, Robt. B. and Anne Bryan, Troy and Gladys Bryan McNabb, Lillian McNabb, Otie Bryan*, Hattie Bryan Green*, Betty and Diana Higgins, Sallie Bryan Moore, Irene Moore Renner, Luther Morelock*, J.L. Ledford*, Kathleen Ramsey Mills, Jas. N. Hill*, Grover C. Lee*, Maude Lee.* Most of the above-named were relatives; some were former pupils of Felix G. Bryan, who had been a beloved school teacher in Bradley County as a young man.

Those with names marked with asterisks have already gone to the Great Beyond, 1978.

The Dabneys' coming to Tennessee again in May 1972 provided inspiration for getting as many Bryans together as possible for a brief reunion. They came to Nashville first, visited Sam Bryan, the Buices, and the John W. Cates. On Saturday afternoon May 27 several of us went to Coile and Horton's Campground in McMinn County. Then others joined us at Tasso for Memorial Day on Sunday. We had a delightful al fresco supper at Joe and Mary Katherine Ledford's later. The Ledfords offer their special brand of gracious hospitality to the cousins each year in this manner. Katherine and J.L. Ridley, Henry Kinder, Mary Lou and Howard Meadors, Mae Keith and Robert Smith were others of the connection that were present that day.

Since 1958, several of us have visited the Dabneys in Livingston, and have enjoyed their hospitality, which, like so many things in Texas, is big and sincere. "Lucie", as we fondly call her, is quite a genealogist, and has proved that we can trace our ancestry to four Revolutionary War soldiers: Peter Bryan, John Cate, Sr., John Needham, and Daniel Horton. (We are also eligible for the Daughters of 1812 and U.D.C. - Elizabeth Cate Manly)

Lucie had not known that her father, Felix G. Bryan, had been named originally for two uncles: James C. Bryan and Columbus Horton. (In the 1870 Census he is listed as James C. Bryan.) One day when he was very young, but old enough and smart enough to understand the talk of the day, he came into the room where his parents were sitting and announced: "My name is Felix Grundy". Felix Grundy was a famous lawyer and orator of the time. So, he was known thereafter by the name he himself chose.

BBJ kept enlarged pictures of her young son Waldo and her two handsome young brothers in her bedroom. I always knew that these three who died years before their time had a special place in her heart.

The following lines do not purport to be poetry, but they do tell quite a bit about many of the Peter L. Bryan family. They were written for a spend-the-day visit at May Crow's about 1942. I stayed at home with my invalid father, in order that Beulah Julian Cate, Rosann Cate Frazier could go.

THE COUSINS

Long years ago Ann and Peter Bryan raised a nice family, numbering nine.
Now they've one and all passed away, but some of their children have met today.
And when these Bryans perchance to meet
You may know they'll have fun and plenty to eat.
First is our hostess, the gifted May Crow; a more talented person no one can know.
And we want to thank her as best we can for gathering together the Bryan clan.
We miss Ann Neil of the flashing black eyes.
If she should walk in, what a nice surprise!
And then there are cousins who couldn't come,
For they call Atlanta and Texas their home.
McFarlands and Rossville mean one and the same, for far and wide is known that name.
We miss Lucy Hashberger in work and in fund, but she lives on in the life of her son.
Then there's Lela Shambaugh with her wisdom and wit.
No matter what happens she can copy with it.
Golden-haired Ola married a Cook; at her pretty daughters we all like to look.
Then the two boys, Roy and Clay, with wives Mitt and Marie are McFarlands to stay.
What a nice family had Uncle Dan and Aunt Kittie!
That Sam couldn't be here is really a pity,
For he's named Bryan, the only one. Sweet Lela Kinder to Heaven has gone.
There's not another Gussie Spradling that you'll find-
She's thoughtful and pleasant, nice and kind.
Jolly Marie's last name is Morelock; we like her so much to her house we flock.
Unselfish Bertha is ever so nice. After much deliberation she chose to be Buice.
The oldest cousin is little Beulah Cate.
Her eyes still twinkle and she walks fast and straight.
In spite of all that she's been through, 'tis not very often that she gets blue.
"Aunt" Gussie Bates, Mae Keith and "Mammy", and of course dear "Uncle Bart" *
Are not blood kin, but they too are of our gathering a part.
The second generation I surely should mention; also the third claims some attention
But, ladies and gents, they're like sands of the sea,
So for the time being, I'll just let them be! (Elizabeth Cate Manly)

*Miss Gussie Bates, half-sister of Kittie Bates Bryan; Mae Keith Bates Smith, he niece; Mrs. Callie Keith, Mae Keith's grandmother; Rev. Bartow McFarland, brother of James R. McFarland.

Felix Grundy Bryan and Suleen Messina McMurrey Marriage: before 1896, Texas.

Suleen Messina McMurrey^3,176,362. Birth: 13 February 1872, Texas.³⁶²

Death: 5 September 1901, age 29, Coldspring, San Jacinto County, Texas.

Felix Grundy Bryan-734 and Suleen Messina McMurrey-735 had the following children: