Home Surname List Name Index Sources | Fourth Generation51. William Bryan3,4,16,20,51,52. Birth: 25 September 1793, Jefferson County, Tennessee. He was born in what became Sevier County in 1794. A number of researchers list his middle initial as "G", but I have been unable to find a primary source for his middle initial. He appeared in the tax list in 1800 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Capt. Carson's Company, William Bryan, 1 white poll. Residence: 1813, Sevier County, Tennessee. He signed a Sevier County petition to the Tennessee General Assembly requesting debt relief. Census: 1830, Sevier County, Tennessee, page 113, line 4, Sevier County, Tennessee, 1830 00-04 1 1 1826-1830 William Bryan Jr., Elizabeth Emaline Bryan Residence: about 1835, McMinn County, Tennessee. William and Lucy moved from Sevier County to McMinn County about 1835. Death: 5 September 1839, age 45, McMinn County, Tennessee. He and Lucy died within eleven days of each other, probably of typhoid fever. Charles W. McDonald and Lucy's brother Charles Cate were appointed guardians of the 8 minor children. Later Pleasant B. Bryan and Peter L. Bryan were guardians for the minor children. Burial: about 6 September 1839, Hopewell Baptist Church, Coile, McMinn County, Tennessee.52 Grave marker: Age 45 years, 11 months, 10 days. The church is near Riceville. The following is from Elizabeth Cate Manly p.28: William Bryan, son of Peter Bryan (1755-1815), is not as well-known as his father. Yet in the brief span of his life, 1793-1839, he had served his country as a soldier, and had come to lower East Tennessee soon after McMinn County was organized. At his death at the age of fifty-four,he had real estate and slaves enough to leave each of his nine children "a slave or $1,000", BBJ said. Court records bear out the truth of her statement. He and his wife, Lucy Cate Bryan, died within eleven days' time, probably victims of typhoid fever. They left one son twenty-one years old, the remaining eight children minors. William Bryan was a native of Sevier County. He was a Quartermaster in the War of 1812-14, serving under Capt. Isaac Williams of Dandridge (McCown & Burns, Soldiers of the War of 1812 Buried in Tenn., p. 14; GSA Records). By 1834/5 he was in McMinn County (McMinn Co. DB A, p.73, Grant #3172). He married Lucy (Lucinda) Cate of Jefferson Co., with John Cate, Sr. as Bondsman. Lucy's mother, Mary Enyard Cate, had died, so she was evidently living with her grandfather at the time of her marriage (Jefferson Co. Marriage & Lichens Book, p. 105, #1344). A war record is GSA BLW7 55-160-84161- War of 1812. All of William Bryan's children are named and their birth dates are given. Seemingly sad incidents have been of inestimable worth in preparing this family history: the suit William Cate's second wife brought against his children, thereby naming them; the court records involving the care of minor heirs of William and Lucy Cate Bryan, for example: "Commissioners appointed to divide the lands and negroes of Wm. Bryan, decd. "Allotted to James Bryan and Peter Bryan all the lands on the SW side of Mouse Creek, NW quarter section, 2nd township, 3rd range, west of meridian (McMinn DB J, p. 348), other property to Pleasant and Thomas Bryan, to Mary Bryan Wasson, a negro boy Jacob; to Elizabeth Emeline Bryan, a negro girl Sarah Jane; to Nancy Maria, a negro woman Carender and boy George; to Allen, a negro boy; to William, a negro boy Bradley. Chas. W. McDonald and Chas. Cate, brother of Lucy Bryan, were appointed guardians first. Later Pleasant B. Bryan and Peter Bryan were guardians for the minor children. In 1850 they sold 100 acres on Mouse Creek to Wm. G. Horton, brother-in-law of Peter Bryan (McMinn DB J, p.412). It is of interest that the negro woman Carender (known affectionately as "Aunt Class") and her children Bradley and Harry had been sold to "Wm. Bryan of Sevier County" by his father-in-law, William Cate of McMinn County, for the sum of $500 on the 22 May 1833 (McMinn DB D, p.55). September 22, 1962 was a never-to-be-forgotten day for three of William and Lucy Cate Bryan's descendants: Mary A. Shambaugh Dantzler, Marie Bryan Morelock, and the writer. We set out early for Horton's Campground in McMinn County, hoping that we would find the burial place of the Bryans. Serving as our guide was Mrs. Carruth of Riceville, a friend of Cousin Ann Grubb, familiar with the section. A citation in a book of cemetery inscriptions had given the clue: "Located 1 and 1/2 miles SW of Coile, 5 miles S. of Athens, the Baptists established Hopewell Church in 1835. The church later moved to New Hopewell. No one has been buried at the first site for about 100 years, it being low. Mr. Lee Cate donated the land for the church and cemetery (McMinn Tombstone Inscriptions, Vol. I, p.327 (Boyer)). We found a few grave stones behind a private residence, and when we could decipher the names of William and Lucy and others of their family connection, we felt that we were indeed on holy ground. Our pride in our heritage and accomplishment in finding the site was mingled with a pang of regret that we had not known earlier of the place. Some of the stones were broken and moved from their original places. The record stated that there were at least 50 unmarked graves. Since 1962 several of us have been back more than once. William Bryan and Lucinda (Lucy) Cate Marriage: 28 May 1817, Jefferson County, Tennessee.20,53 William Brian to Lucey Cate 05/18/1817, John Cate Jr. bondsman. Elizabeth Cate Manly has the bondsman listed as John Cate Sr. I need to look at the bond myself to see if I can tell for sure it was John Cate Sr. or John Cate Jr. But in any case, it it not clear why John Cate Sr. or Jr. was the bondsman since there is no proven relationship between the John Cate Sr. line and Lucy Cate. On the other hand, the bondsman may really have been Lucy's brother John E. Cate. Lucinda (Lucy) Cate1,3,4,51,52, daughter of William P. Cate and Mary Enyard,. Birth: 24 February 1795, Jefferson County, Tennessee. She was christened on 28 May 1817 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Since the date for this christening is the date for her wedding, the record for the christening may be a record for a wedding which was entered incorrectly. Residence: about 1835, McMinn County, Tennessee. William and Lucy moved from Sevier County to McMinn County about 1835. Death: 16 September 1839, age 44, McMinn County, Tennessee. She and William died within eleven days of each other, probably of typhoid fever. Charles W. McDonald and Lucy's brother Charles Cate were appointed guardians of the 8 minor children. Later Pleasant B. Bryan and Peter L. Bryan were guardians for the minor children. Burial: about 17 September 1839, Hopewell Baptist Church, Coile, McMinn County, Tennessee.52,54 Grave marker: Age 44 years, 6 months, 22 days. The church is near Riceville. William Bryan-98 and Lucinda (Lucy) Cate-545 had the following children:
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