BRYAN FAMILY HISTORY - Interactive Family Histories

8-20 INTERACTIVE FAMILY HISTORIESJohn Bryan, Sr. was issued letters of administration supports the connection ofthe deceased John Bryan to John Bryan (1). Additionally, the 1776 will ofJames Orten states that James Orton had a son named, John Orton. Therefore, itappears that Rebecca’s brother, John Orton, posted bond.There appears to be a major descrepency in the above account. In 1787, therewas a “John Bryan, Jr.” living near John Bryan (1). If John Bryan, Jr. died in1781, then it would appear that this would be John Bryan, III. However, if JohnBryan, Jr. married Rebecca Orton in 1774, John Bryan, III would have been atmost the age of thirteen, obviously too young to own land. In 1797, “JohnBryan (the son of John Bryan)” was granted land. If this were John Bryan, IIIthen why wasn’t the fact that John Bryan was deceased mentioned. This grantfuther states that this land was “surplus of his father’s old tract (the warrant wasdated June 22, 1795)” which again supports the position that John Bryan, Jr. wasstill alive in 1795.The 1787 State Land Grant Number 1532 was issued to Benjamin Gaither for“303 acres on Hunting Creek and Bear Creek next to Robert Luckey, JohnBryan, Sr., William Williams, Daniel Sutherland, John Pinchback, RichardSpeaks, William Patrick, John Bryan, Jr., Jacob Nichols and Samuel Reed.”This implies that John Bryan, Jr. had a plantation and owned land near JohnBryan (1) in 1787. On December 7, 1797, State Land Grant Number 2513 wasissued to “John Bryan (the son of John Bryan)” for 115 acres “on the originalline and Dutchmans Creek, it being surplus of his father’s old tract (the warrantwas dated June 22, 1795).”References: 1) Marriage Book 20, Page 1273, Rowan County, North Carolina, August26, 1774; 2) Will of James Orton, Will Book A, Pages 230 and 231, Rowan County,North Carolina, October 1, 1776; 3) State Land Grant Number 1532, 303 acres, RowanCounty, North Carolina, 1787, (McCubbins abstract); 4) State Land Grant Number2513, 115 acres, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1797, (McCubbins abstract); 5) Willof John Bryan, Will Book D, Pages 1 and 2, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1797JANE BRYAN (1.4) is the daughter of John Bryan, Sr. and Sarah Bryan. SinceJean married in 1770 and was probably a teenager at the time, Jane Bryan wasborn in the early 1750’s. “Jane” Bryan married John Orton on May 26, 1770 inRowan County, North Carolina. Jane’s father, John Bryan, writes consentindicating that Jane had not reached the legal age. Robert Hughey and WilliamTemple Coles signed the marriage bond. In the 1776 will of James Orton, therewas a John Orton listed as the son of James and Jane Orton. John Bryan,Elizabeth West and Samuel Young witnessed the will.It is believed that John Orton is the son of James Orton (born 1725) and Jane(Bryan) Orton (born 1727). John Orton’s brother, James Orton (born 1750), wasthe grandfather of William Reed Orton who married Rebecca Huey (1.8.6).William Reed Orton was born in 1802 and is the son of James Orton (born1773) and Elizabeth (Renshaw) Orton (born 1776). William is the grandson ofJames Orton (born 1750) and Elizabeth (Taylor) Orton (born 1754). JohnOrton’s brother, Joseph Orton, married Jannet Bryan (1.5). John Orton’s sister,Rebecca Orton, married John Bryan, Jr. (1.3).