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Seeking to identify husband and family background of Elizabeth BRYAN, whose 1838 WILL in Greene County, TN, names three sons (John, Daniel, Josiah), two daughters (Mrs. Anna HURLEY and Mrs. Rebecca DRACE) and one grand-daughter (Elizabeth HORNER). Elizabeth's estate included 50 acres of land near Lick Spring and Warrensburg, just north of the Nolichucky River, some 20 miles west of Greeneville, in the Northern District of Greene County, TN.
“The WILL of Elizabeth BRYAN, 12 October 1838: To grand-daughter, Elizabeth HORNER, 50 acres including house and spring. Three sons: John, Josiah, and Daniel BRYAN, to get remaining land equally divided. To daughters, Anna HURLEY and Rebecca DRACE, personal estate. Will Date: 12 October 1838. Witnesses: Christopher HAUN, George MURRAY, Matthias WRIGHT. Signed: Elizabeth [“X,” her mark] BRYAN.” Source: Goldene Fillers Burgner, Compiler, Greene County, Tennessee Wills, 1783-1890. Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1981, p 50.
When did Elizabeth BRYAN die? She is separately listed in the 1830 Census (probably as a Widow) but is absent from the 1840 Census, suggesting she died in 1838-39. Who was her husband? Do Probate Records, Administrative Letters, or Estate Inventory reveal any additional details about her children, particularly Josiah?
A recurring problem is that the family surname is variously spelled BRYAN, BRYANT, and BRIANT, though BRYAN seems to prevail with the passage of time, but the original spelling is not clear. One of Elizabeth's sons (John) told the 1850 Census Enumerator that he was born in Virginia in 1775, and if this report is accurate, it places Elizabeth and her husband in VA in 1775, although the southwestern tip of VA is not far from Greene County, TN.
In the 1830 Census Elizabeth BRYAN is enumerated as living adjacent to her probable son, John BRYAN [b 1770-80], her probable grandson, John BRYAN "Jr." [b 1800-1810], another probable grandson, Wm. BRYAN [b 1800-1810], Joseph HURLEY [b 1770-80], the possible husband of her daughter Anna BRYAN [b 1770-80], John HAUN [b 1790-1000], probable son of the Christopher HAUN who witnessed her WILL [in the subsequent 1840 Census Christopher's age indicates he was b 1760-70, and he is probably the Christopher HAUN who was b 1771 in Rotterdam/Netherlands and d 1845 in Greene County TN].
In the 1840 Census for this same area of Greene Co. TN, Elizabeth is absent, but other family members are enumerated. The elderly Joseph HURLEY from 1830 is absent and his probable widow "Anny [Annie] HURLEY" is listed separately, as is their probable son, Joseph W. HURLEY [b 1810-20]. The family of Daniel PETTIT [b 1780-90] is listed, next to that of Wm. PETTY [Pettit? b 1800-10]; Wm. PETTY is a likely son of Daniel PETTIT and the Rachel PETTIT [b 1722] who married Daniel BRYAN [b ca 1811; son of John BRYAN and grandson of Elizabeth BRYAN] is probably the sister of Wm. PETTY and the daughter of Daniel PETTIT.
It is not clear how Rachel PETTIT's likely father may be related to Nehemiah PETTIT (b before 1760 & d February 1820 in Greene County TN); however this Nemiah PETTIT Sr. & his wife Susannah KEEFE (b ca 1774) had a daughter, Nancy PETTIT (b ca 1801 in TN) who on 24 January 1831 married Peter H.B. DRAIS/DRACE in Greene Co., TN. This Peter was the son of Daniel DRAIS or DRACE & Rebecca BRYAN (Elizabeth BRYAN's daughter).
This accounts for most of the names mentioned in the 1838 WILL of Elizabeth BRYAN, with the exception of her son Josiah BRYAN, who was still alive in 1838; however, I am unable to find this Josiah in Greene County TN Census returns.
Will appreciate your help and suggestions in researching this BRYAN Family of Greene County, TN.
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