New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT's FAMILY.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HIS BRoThERs AND

TO the EDITOR Of The Tribune.


To the Editor Of The Trfbuhe.
SIR; The errors in your personal ABOUT
the Bryant family In todays TRIBUNE have appeared
so often I'm the newspapers since the death OF william
Cullen Bryant, that think simple justice requires INC
publication OF the authentic facts IN the case III o
first place the handsome house " In which the hou.
John Howard Bryant dwcs in Princeton, III" IS hoI
the Gift Of bis distinguished brother Inc hne piop
ertv which John H. Bryant owns and the house Whcre
he lives were fairly earned Dy his own INDUSTRY n"u
pprseverauce. In 1885 lie purchased Of the Ohl'cu
states Government, 500 acres Of excellent Iahu III
Princeton Ill., where he has since dwelt, ana MS wealth.
ana bonors are due to his own energy aud exalted char
acter II is true that for many years he acted as age
for william Cullen Bryant in Illinois ana nc maDaeeu
his financial affairs so well that Of 100000 sent 10 MIN
nc different times for investment the SECURITIES "co
worth $4,000 at the time OF his brothers ucdIn'
though the original sum invested had been W'h'r'"
These two brothers wero very intimate and iona OF eaeh
other and for many years were accustomed 10 spen"
their Summers together in the old Bryant Homestead Oh
the CummnStOn hills.
Your " personal Contains another error In saying
that three former brothers Of William Cullen Bryant
live In Princeton" OF four brothers OF the lInsIriouS
poet who settled there only two are now hViug-Ar'ur
and John Howard.
You mistake too when you say That "onlY one MT DE-
H. Brvant has literary capacity" The literary cap"c
y was marked the other brothers but its expression
was rcressed by the cnmOssng character Of their oc
cupations IN anew country. In John ii: the literary
faculty was no Doubt the most pronounced, nut ~ ,'
had little iuc opportunity 10 follow ms natural 3tul
though he ma, produced some admirable VOTE. nav
IN nv possession manuscript po'lu ,g tIoj
BRYANT when Ee was young man which shows uecldeu
literary ability. The necessity ul gaming SuuIL, iu
thcir growing families In an III settled region conpecu
these men 10 forego that sort 81 work which was so con-
genial their minds, and Tor which they had uhq"eS
tiOnabe talents. - -, -. ,.. ,,,o ro
lowing facs concerning the family OF d. refer anu
sarah BRYANT which william Cullen was the steonn
child. Austin was born April ~ 90 m'I'r scG
Princeton. H., SlJ. where nc dcd February l. IouO
lie WIS q roman kIoc man, who-e great qlaltes "crc
only known 10 few intimate FRIENDS A. n fo'' Yya.
Of ms pTccOCilv may say illl mOli uClOIt ~ W."
three years old he began TO rcld the bpon "a "
GcuCsS at his mothers knee. ana nniSI ZEE f Ie,'
ing the whole Bible "a fortnight before ms loui =.
birthday. lie one or the earliest enoIl
and devoted patriot. Cyrus was born Jny ~ 90
and educated nj the Rensselaer, Scichtlnc SCHOOL ~
Troy He had strong taste COR tnc natural soreness
and kept up his acquaintance win tEem l!i ms uHln
In 1882 he went to Princeton with ms brother JONI,
where at!er n very useful life he dl February ~
1863 Sarah snc l-nnmet from her gifted mother-WAs
born July III 1902 and died O, CONSUMPTION December
10 ISL sac il the whom Bryant refers 10 ~ INC
lat Il ana Of his The Death or the Flowers anu
to ,vnou, ia addrs sod his sonnet beginning Az tOn
ART for the grave" Arthur horn November o. 1903,
prcatHn I'm s whore he We; lives I'm the roYCrcnt
teen of the community. In appearance aud manner ne
reminds On. OF his brother, William cullen. carry
louisa was born December 20 lsO5. went 10 iulhoJi'
1857 She was the wife uf Justin H. ODDS AID n woman
of rare worth and accomplishments. john Howard tue
STUDYING az the Rensselaer, School III Troy he spCnt
some time In teaching, went 10 JacksOnVlr HI W. lN1l
and settled permanently IN Princeton IN lS32 lie Is
gifted aud cultivated man has cld many "'e ., ts
and made some excellent contributions 10 our literature
III need nrdy nc SAID that this family IL remarkable
Though william Cullen bryant u INC OnI( hlluc W
its members that hecame widely renowned ANA Is deeply
woven IN Our intellectual aud moral history, the o,nGr
brothers had his noble type OF manhOOd ana nave iat-
fully served 10 eNaliiLg the character oI Amtlc cll-
zcshp and in pOuotug the enduring interests oi Their
Bgiigcp0rt. Conn. April 3, 1880