A.M. Bryant Homeplace

A.M. Bryant Homeplace. . A.M. Bryant (1818-1889) moved to Texas in 1853 with wife, Clarissa Young, and four children. One died on the trip. Clarissa died in 1854. A daughter died later both buried in the Kentuckytown Cemetery. The home was erected on this site in 1855. With his second wife, Susan Binkley, of Sherman, he reared his son, David E. Bryant, and their three children Charles W., Columbus B., and Mollie. David E. was federal judge of the Eastern District of Texas from 1890 το 1910. David's son, Randolph D. Bryant was judge of this same district from 1931 to 1951. Charles W. farmed and was mayor of Whitewright. Columbus B. was the first cashier and later president of the First National Bank, Whitewright. Mollie married William King, postmaster, and president of the First National Bank. A.M. Bryant farmed and accumulated 1000 acres of land, he also raised and marketed mules and died in a wagon runaway. Active in Masonary and the Republican Party, he was against secession but loyal to Texas. According to local legend his views caused a near encounter with the Quantrill Gang, which was prevented by the intervention of his neighbors. In August, 1865, Gov. A.F. Hamilton appointed him presiding judge of Grayson County and a delagate to the First Constitutional Convention of Texas held June 1, 1866. Later he was elected by the citizens of Grayson County to be a delagate to the Second Constitutional Convention where he participated in two important decisions. He voted with the majority in a narrow vote of 37 to 27 against denying Confederate veterans the right to vote in elections, and he voted against splitting Texas into two or more states for which he was arrested by Union soldiers.