Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-11
tng-HOusc.

PEPPER county and added in the forming
OF the county OF Rappahannock.
The Bryan home was erected after the
fashion OF It's time with heavy ho'ched
logs and sealed with mud and mortar.
TINS IL stood weather-beatcn ana
months ago, when the family VINO now
occupy the building determined l" give
IL a more modern appearance, ana 10
patch over the ravages which uhe hdu
made They had the building weather
boarded. adding two rooms 10 inc rom
The L." or roar-end, remains III tnc
same condition as when first occupied
by the original owners. This house Is
located on Oventop mountain, spur OF
the Blue Ridge and from its altitude
II stands as a sentinel guarding the
Thornton valley. through which Winning
its way the entire length OF the valley
as a silver thread. from its source Nlbh
up in the mountains TO where II eupues
into the Rappahannock river, Is The clear
and sparkling mountain river OF morn
ION. This valley is one OF imposing
beauty and exceeding fertility dotted over
with substantial farm houses. us hllls'
Astounding with luXuriaut grasses as laI
N the eve can see, furnish erdllhg
Tor countless herds OF fat catte anu
sheep picture fit FOR an inspiration As
one looks al il to-day he can but ~onoer
why the blNd4ic NA any N.-~ w.
ever leave such country.
THE BARN is a CENTURY OLD.
The old barn stands on small emf
nence almost directly I'm 'front.' OF lhe
house Its stained. weather-beaten. ana
dnapidated appearance plainly indicates
that il has occupied its present position
Tor a century. 1t is indeed, landmark.
Its presence there is a forcible reminder
OF the struggles OF the hearty and deter
mined early settlers OF this rough ana
rugged region.
About a half mile from the old home
stead TO the west, beside narrow, rocky
road. Is 10 be seen the old Bryan meet
3ng-house. II is a large, rambling struc-
ture, In pretty much the same condltioh
IS when the organs wOrshipped tnere.
II WAS and is stiu an Old-School Baptist
.. urch. and judging from the size or
the building that sect must nave Deeh
very numerous in that section or mo
country in those days, as the house VIII
hold at least 500 people. The Bryans arc
said TO have been people OF deep religious
convictions. and the church was calleo
for the Bryans, from the fact that they
either built il in toto or were It's chieI
contributors. Upon this point the helsh-
horhood traditions are conflicting
The Bryaus are also said to have been
as enthusiastic and earnest In their at
tachments 10 the principles OF free gov
eminent and Jeffersonian Democracy as
they were in their religious CONVICTIONS
II they were not active participants IN
they were at least familiar with the
great struggle I'm Virginia for religious
freedom, and had become thofousiiy IN
bued with the spirit Of Jehersonian re-
uublicanism. In fact. IL IS said OF them
nat their religion and their love Of coun-
trv were sentiments that dominated ana
controlled their whole lives in the
minutest detail.
William Bryan. son OF Joseph T., and
.,reat-grandfather Of the candidate, died
Sn Culpeper county in 1906. BY MS Will
which was admitted TO record July II 1914
after providing for his wife, Nettie Bryan
and two maiden sisters. who lived win
him. he devised his property TO be equally
divided between his children-JaInes'
John. William Aquilia, Lucy, and Eliza
beth He was, perhaps. at the time OF
his death, some So or Cd years OF age,
James. his eldest son, was the oniy chla
married at the time OF his death, but they
all married shortly thereafter one dauEh-
Ter marrying a Mr.. Dunaway and the
other a Mr.. Baldeck. In the year after
the death Of William Bryan his real es-
fate was divided among his children, and
10 John. the grandfather Of William Jen-
nings Bryan, was allotted tract OF land
containing 2l5 acres near the town OF
Snerryvllle and by reason OF its location
perhaps, the most valuable portion OF th'
estate.
Johns MARRIAGE TO NANCY LII
LARD.
on the 10th day Of January. 1877, JohI
BRYAN was married 70 Miss Nancy Lit
lard. The ceremony was performeu Dy
Rev. Louis Conner a Baptist preacher OF
conslderable prominence In the commu-
nifty about the beginning Of the present
century. John lived on the old home
Mace until about 1896, when he sold out
and with his family removed 70 the then
western part Of Virginia, now West var
,,inia on the banks Of the Ohio, near Inc
mouth OF the Great Kanawha. The LII
lard family lived In the same neighbor
hood with the Bryans. and are suppose
20 be Of Scotch origin. A large remnant o.
the family still live in RappahannocK ahI
C,llpeper counties. They are people note'
for their vim. courage, integrity anl
nxedness Of purpose. Silas Lillard, bro
Their OF Nancy Lillard-Bryan. and fol
whom the father Of the candidate wa!
named. left Virginia about the same um'
the Bryans did He went TO Mississippi anc
became a wealthy planter. He died early
in life without issue Another brother
Captain BENJAMIN Lillard lived and diet
In Rappahannock county He was
wealthy and highly respected citizen, anS
,n All the afiairs Of life illustrated IN
high degree the Llllard characteristics o.
good sense, integrity, and straighuor
xyardness OF action. Captain Benjamin
Insard died about 1870. and his descen
dants OF the male and female line live
ia the counties OF Culpeper and Kappa
hammock. These. together with the othe
descendants Of the Iiilard family general
ly. are about all the Virginia relatives
Candidate Bryan has. Conspicuou
among these Is Hon. =. ii. OBannon
who at one time represented the county
OF Rappahanncck In the State Legislature
He IL an extensive landowner, as we.
as the leading merchant Of Sperryvile.
All the Bryan family left Virginia be
tween 1911 and 1915. James. william, an
Aquilla, the married daughter, SELLING
their ancestral estate and falling In VII
the great march Of immigration to"ar
Ohio, Kentucky. and Missouri John. ~
grandfather Of William Jennings Bryan
was the last 20 leave the old state III
sold out IN 1906. when the father OF WI
liam Jennings Bryan was years old
and started West. but. as II reluctant 4
leave hin native State. halted on IN
banks OF the Ohio. where he and his wife
Nancy, died. The wife died In 1880 and h.
IN 1896 They slept together on this triou
1 Iary OF the fathers OF waters
BRYAN's FATHER WENT TO MIS-
SOURI,.
Upon the death Of John Bryan hi
family scattered through several OF IN
Western States. Silas Lillard Bryan