My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Barton County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Judge James S. Bryan, general merchant, at Kenoma, Barton County, Mo., was born in Polk County, Mo., in 1839, and is a son of Weston and Jane (Zumwalt) Bryan, who were born in Virginia and Missouri, respectively. The former came to St. Louis County, Mo., after reaching manhood, and, after residing there a short time moved to Polk, and from there to Dade County, where he died in 1844, at the untimely age of thirty-five years. He was a plasterer by trade, and he and wife became the parents of eleven children, of whom Judge James S. Bryan is the fifth in order of birth. At the age of ten years he left home, and began making his own way in the world, and until the war broke out was engaged in carpentering. He then served three years and nine months in the Federal army, and received his discharge from the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, and is now receiving a pension of twelve dollars per month. After the close of the war he resided in the vicinity of Kansas City for about five years, and then located in Taney County, Mo., where he was elected probate judge and presiding judge of the county court for four years, but resigned before his term was finished, and went to Dade County, where he purchased land to the amount of 100 acres, which he was engaged in tilling for twelve years. He was then in the employ of the Gulf Railroad and the Adams Express Company for a short period, and has since been a resident of Kenoma. In 1858 he was married to Miss S. J. Harlin, who was born in Kentucky, and by her is the father of the following children: Jane E., wife of W. T. Cannon; James W., M. S. (deceased); Amanda J., wife of Mr. Jarrel; Ida B., wife of J. Byrket; Mary S., Rebecca T. and Sarah A. (both deceased), Martha E., G. G. (deceased), and Dora H. The mother of these children died in April, 1884, and in July, 1886, Mr. Bryan married Miss R. J. Wall, who was born in North Carolina. The Judge is a member of the G. A. R., a Republican in politics, a member of the I. O. O. F., and belongs to the Missionary Baptist Church. He is a licensed preacher, and an advocate of truth.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 166 biographies included in The History of Barton County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Barton County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Barton County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.