HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1220-21. [Full page photograph of Mr. Bryan included with bio.]
[Campbell County]

J. LYMAN BRYAN, county clerk of Newport, is not only entitled to
consideration on his own account and for his own high qualifications, but
is interesting as the scion of a distinguished Kentucky family and the
direct descendant of the noted American pioneer and explorer of the Blue
Grass state, Daniel Boone.  Mr. Bryan was born in New Liberty, Owen county,
Kentucky, December 6, 1869, his parents being John Gano and Eunice Isabella
(Fish) Bryan.  Both of them were native Kentuckians, the former's
birthplace being Fayette county, and the latter's Boone county. They were
married in Owen county where the father pursued the calling of farmer.  He
died in 1880, at the early age of thirty-six years.
     John Gano Bryan was descended from one of the oldest Kentucky
families.  His great-great-grandfather, William Bryan, born March 7, 1833,
married Mary Boone, a sister of Daniel Boone, Kentucky's first white
settler.  Daniel Boone married Rebecca Bryan, a sister of William Bryan,
thus connecting the pioneer families in a very intimate way.  William
Boone was the first settler at Bryan Station, and that he came there many
years prior to the date given in history is evident from records at
Salisbury, North Carolina, which show that he disposed of his lands there
prior to such date.  It was in 1779 that he with his family and three
brothers, Joseph, James and Morgan, arrived at the fort.  William Bryan
headed a hunting expedition in company with eleven others and in a
skirmish with the Indians was wounded, and died in the station a few days
later, this being in 1780.  The removal to Kentucky was due to political
persecution and illegal taxation, and the Boones and the Bryans being
united by intermarriage became possessed by the desire to live in the
country, untrammeled by unjust laws.  They were attracted to Kentucky
by the fertile fields, beautiful rivers and forests and came here after a
tedious journey, becoming distinguished citizens.
     The widow of John Gano Bryan survives and resides at Newport.  Her
father, Ezra K. Fish, came to Kentucky when a young man and located in
Boone county, where he married and engaged in merchandising.  He later
became a merchant in Kenton county and was a member of the state
legislature from there several times.  He was also sheriff of Kenton
county at one time and was a director in the old Northern Bank at
Covington.  In 1861 he removed to New Liberty and remained there until
his death, which occurred February 12, 1871, his age being seventy-five
years.  He was a cousin to Hamilton Fish.  Two sons, John and Albert Fish,
served in the Confederate army during the Civil war.  Another son, Oliver,
was a graduate of West Point and held the office of first lieutenant in
the United States army.  When the Civil war broke out he resigned as his
sympathies were with the South.  He tried to join the Confederate army,
but was arrested and required to take the oath of allegiance at Alexandria,
Kentucky.  The father accumulated considerable land and owned many slaves
prior to the war.  He was the father of fourteen children.
     John G. Bryan and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom
four are living, J. Lyman Bryan, the subject of this biography, being
the eldest in the family.  When eleven years of age he came to Campbell
county with his mother, the father being dead, attended the public school,
and being the eldest, soon went to work to assist the family.  He began
as cash boy in a store; later drove a dry goods wagon; became clerk in a
dry goods store; and when about twenty years old entered the city
treasurer's office as clerk for his uncle, James H. Smith, and for four
years was practically in charge.  When Joseph M. Betz was elected county
clerk he was made chief deputy, in January, 1898, and for two years served
in this capacity.  He became the candidate for city treasurer and was
elected on the Democratic ticket, serving out a four years' term.  He
became assistant cashier and teller of the Newport National Bank, which
position he held for eight years, having taken the same two years before
leaving the treasurer's office.  In the fall of 1909 Mr. Bryan became a
candidate for the county clerkship and was elected by a majority of two
hundred and seventy.  This was remarkable, owing to the fact that only two
Democrats were placed in office that election, the Republican majority
being six or seven hundred.  Mr. Bryan succeeded Mr. Betz, whose deputy
he had been.
     In October, 1894, Mr. Bryan was united in marriage to Miss Nellie
May Randall, a native of St. Louis, Missouri.  To this union was born one
child, Gertrude Lyman, who is now about twelve years old.  The mother
died June 7, 1902.  Mr. Bryan has numerous fraternal affiliations,
including the Masons, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.  He belongs to
the Christian church.
     An appropriate honor was conferred upon the family in the person of
Mr. Bryan's sister, Fannie Belle Bryan, when she was selected to unveil
the reconstructed monument of Daniel Boone at Frankfort, Kentucky, on May
26, 1910.  The ceremonies were under the auspices of the Rebecca Bryan
Boone Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Newport. Miss
Bryan is a member of that chapter and her appointment to the honor was due
to the fact that she is the most direct living female descendant of
Daniel Boone, holding membership in that chapter.  Several years ago the
legislature appropriated funds to restore the monument, which had been
defaced by vandals, and assisted by the Rebecca Bryan Boone Chapter of
the Daughters of the American Revolution, the historic monument now
stands restored to its former beauty.

Bryan Fish Boone Smith Randall Betz
=
Covington-Kenton-KY New_Liberty-Owen-KY Owen-KY Fayette-KY Boone-KY
Frankfort-Franklin-KY Salisbury-Rowan-NC MO

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/campbell/bryan.jl.txt