Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-06-21
Maine Reratlyes of the ro.t nryan,.

Mr. EDITOR In your issue Of Wednesday,
your correspondent w. \. ID in speaking of the
Maine relatives Of the late poet Bryant. said that
DR.. Roger Bryant Of North Arson was his own
brother. have no donht your correspondent in-
tended to saw DR.. Rt,d Bryant, (proha1lv tvpo-
graphical error who once prominent citi-
zen of North AnsOn though not brother of the
poet and a matter of fact, no brother of the
poet ever resided in Maine The children of DR..
Peter Bryant Of Cummington, Mass, and Sarah
Smell his wife. were as follows Austin, born
April l6. 1913. married Ade'ine Plnmmer;
WILLIAM CULLEN horn Nov. 3, 1894, married
Frances Farchild; Cyrus, born July ~, l79S,
married Julia Everett; Sarah Smell, born July "A,
1902, married. DR.. Samuel Shaw; Arthur, horn
Nov. 2S, 1903 married Henrietta Plummer Char
lotte Louisa, born Dec 20. 1905. married Justin
Olds John Howard, born July -, 1907, married
Harriet T.. Wiswell. These were all born AZ
Cummington some of them remained at Ms-sa-
cbu,cts and Others removed to New York and
the west None came to Maine.
Phillip Bryant who married lenre Howard
Of Brdgewater, and who. was the fahe~ of DR..
Peter and grandfather of the poet had son,
who is corded on the Bndgowatcr records
as Bttd'cei, born July ,. . l165 Now may not this
have been the DR.. Beza Bryant who lived Norlh
Ausoni If so, then an unClc of the poet has re-
sided in Maine. Perhaps some os vour cores
ponlents can answer the question. NV impres
sion is that but few Of the numerous fam lies of
BRYANT residing in Maine, a.e reaves of the
roet. He was descendant in The sixth genera
ton, of Stephen Bryant, who was at Plymouth a
few years sfier its first set lement and married
Abigail Shaw of Duxbury, about 1915, Solomon
BRYANT. born in Pympton. Mass in l1I7, an ear
" ettler in Paris, and whose three sons were the
first settlers in the town Of Woodstock, Me. and
gave their name to the pond and principal village
in that town, was the fifth in descent from ste
phen Bryant of Plymouth, snd therefore dis
tant relative Of the poet. Also Stephen Bryant,
formerly of Tnrner whose daughter llaunaG he
came the wife of job Prince. ST., fa'her of job
and Noah Prince, formerly well known citizens
of Buckfeld and Turner was Of the same de
scent. There are doubtless Others IN other part,
of the State.
But there was John Bryant in Scituatc, Mass,
eslv as 1859. who martiod May, dau-h-
ter of George Lewis, and had seven sons who
grew up to manhood and had ia lilies. Of conrse
he has a numerous posteriiy and many of them
are in Maine. Of this family was Hon. Joseph
BRYANT formerly of Gas inc, afterwards Mayor of
Bangor. and we could name scores Of other Maine
families Of the same de,c'n' This family is dis
tinct from that of the poet
William Cullen Brvsnts mother wasa daughter
Of Eheuezer ard Sarah Packard Smell, an old
Bridgewater family having MANY representatives
in this State Among Others. was the late DIR.
lssachar Smell, formerly Of WiuthrDp. afterwards
of Augusta, wi ose father also named l-sachar,
was brother of Mr.. Btvants father Sarah
Packard the ms'ernsl grandmother of the poet,
born Sent. 80 1877, the daughter of Cant.
Ahal and Sarah lAmeSl facka'd OF 'rtt
Btidgcwater, and therefore the numerous Pack
ard families who trace their ancestors to Bridge
water Justly claim relation Ship to the deceased
poet. The grandmother Of the poet on The pater
nal ii e. was Silence daughter of Ahia and 81
lence (W ashburne) Howard. large number Of
the IIowards Of Maine, therefore. and all the
Washburns are relatives, in greater or lie 5 de-
gree 10 the branch of the Brvant family 10 which
the poet belonged might ttace the lineage far
ther, but this will answer for the present. since
have clearly shown that many of the Brvants
Smells. Ameses and iiowards, aud all the Pack
ards and Washburus in Maine. are crnnected with
the great poet by ties Of blood. If | have dis
proved the statement of your CORRESPONDENT, that
a brother of the poet once resided in Maine, have
fully corroborated hs remark that the poet has
many relatives scattered through the State.
Augusta, June 20. w. b. l..