Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-07-19
HE COMES FROM OLD
DEMOCRATIC STOCK
Ancestors Of William ]. Bryan Were
Devoted Followers Of Sage
Of Monticello.
SHOWED PROMISE IN BoYHooD
Democratic Presidential Candidate
Led i'll His studies and rs an
Athlctc---liis Rauid Rise
in Politics.

The ancestry OF William jennings
l'ryan MAS democratic. His fathcr
Silas J.. Bryan. was born III CGlpef-
per county, Virginia. at the ba.,,. o.
the Blue Ridge mountains. lic cailc
to Illinois when a youth OF is, set
thing finally at Salem. ON the cdse OF
Egypt. Here he made Il permanent
home, became distinguished i'm paiblic
life. married and reared Il family. oil
whom William Jennings Bryan was
the fourth ont of nine sons and
daughters, says the Chicago Ci..on-
icle.
The self-made characteristics OF the
elder Bryan have always been Il pride
to his distinguished son. Silas L.. l;ry-
an. like Lincoln. was a raiispliitcr and
Il midnight siltlent OF the law and OF
political history. He prc-cmpted q
section of land ncnr Salem and bv his
individual labor Transformed wil.ler-
ness into one of the finest country
places in the state. He read with
ayiditN. took a coprse of instruction
and graduated al McKcndrcc college
in 1919. He was then ~. During his
college course he did all kinds of
work to pay his expenses and tlition.
lie graduated with honors and three
years later was admitted to the bar.
The elder Bryan WAS IL .leifcrsonian
democrat of the old school. His Viz
gilman ancestry and early training
had instilled into his mind an aggrcs-
sivc democratic faith which the cul-
t,lrc of later years strengthened. He
M in Ia 1f ~
and was elected to the state senate in
1852, The same year in which he was
admitted to the bar. He served two
terms. declining a second nomination.
Later he WAS elected Judge OF the sec
ond judicial district of Illinois and
served for twelve years. In 1852 Si!as
Bryan married Maliah l.. Jennings.
who was born in Marion county. near
Salem, i'm 1894. Judge liryan's young
bride was from distinguished fam-
lily in Marion county.
The house where William Jennings
BRYAN was born. March 10. 1850. is on
Broadway. Salem. The house MAS
originally built of logs, hcwn by the
elder l'ryans own hands. Weather
boards were added afterward and he
Building now has Il modern appear
ished the house when semi to THE sen-
ate, but did so OF his return. n few
wears later he began work on Il slib-
:,,antial brick farnl.",ise about y mile
east of Salem. This was the pride
of Judge Bryan's life. SURROUNDED by
600 acres of splendid land The brick
mansion stands eco feet back from
the road and is approached by p.'i-
N \, of
naples Judge bryan set apart a
space for deer park and Mt the time
of his death had 4 fine herd.
Boyhood Showed Great Promise.
1T was on this farm that Young
''Eiilv" Bwvan spent the wears of his
boylood. He has little early recollec-
ION of the house in which he was
born. having left there when about >
wears old and moved 10 the farm. MI
of the Bryan children had the advan-
tage of a liberal etlucation. Up 10 the
time he WAS 10 wears old William
studied 1T lone nnder the tutelage oil
his father and mother. He then en-
tered The 'oltl college" at Salem, re-
manned there u year and afterward
attended public school. At the age
of Is he had finished with he Salem
schools and went TO .IaclSsonville.
where he attended college for six
years.
AT this period OF young Brvan's life
it is said his first ambition was to be-
come a Baptist preacher. lie grew
out of that inclination and early de-
cioed on the profession of law. He
first entered Whipple academy at
Jacksonville and at once took great
interest in public speaking. His first
wear showed him very low in deelam-
atory contest; second year, third
place: freshman in college second
prize in dcclamatorv contest; Junior
year, first prize in oratcry. He also
represented Illinois college at Gales
burg in HE state contest of 1850. talk
ing second prize with an GRAFTON ON
"Justicc" His chief sport when Il boy
was rabbit hunting and jumping. He
is said to be still fond of both. After
his graduation he won a prize for n
standing jump, covering IL feet 4
inches.
Not Gu, Out for Farm Work.
During vacation season young Bry
an used to return 10 the old farm and
work with his father and hired help
in the fields or around the big barn.
Some seasons he hired out To neieh-
boring farmers. and earned spending
money, which came handy at collage
1t is related hat on one occasion after
working all day in Il harvest icld
Young Bryan. half exhausted, lay in
he shade of a Tree near tho farm
house waiting for supper. The old
farmer happened along. He looked at
the tired Young man a momeni: