The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-12
IN MEMoRIAM
1soBEL LAMONT srEwAnr BRYAN.


Richmond and Virginia have to
mourn the loss of woman whose
death Is public calamity of serious
Importance. Yesterday at 1880 r. NJ,
Mrs. Joseph Bryan passed away. The
news will come with shocking sudden
ness to the many who loved and hon
ored her. for her Illness was of short
duration. and only to.a very few was
1t known. The loss to the community
one too great to be appreciated at
cnce, and as the entire State mourned
when her gifted and noble husband
died-not two years ago-so now the
circle of those to whom the tidings OF
Mrs Bryan's death will bring deep and
lasting sorrow extends beyond the
limits of her large family and many
friends. and reaches into homes all
over Virginia and in many parts Of the
South.
Mrs. Bryan was born August 20. 1871
and was therefore siXty-three. years
| old She was the second daughter OF
girl OF brilliant wit and wondrous
magnetism in the days OF the war--fa.
nous even then for her bonmots ana
charm of manner. On February l. 1871,
she married Joseph Bryan. younger
| prominent families in the State. sin
children came to bless this happy pair.
one of whom died in infancy; the
other five stalwart sons live to bear
testimony to the virtues Of such a
| father and mother as rarely grace this
old earth in any age.
| Mrs. Bryan's many public Interests
| kept her prominently before the peo-
pie for a number of years, but failing
health induced her to relinquish her
cherished projects one by one. and
since her husbands death She. has
lived only for her family and friends.
| finding works of public nature be-
yond her strength.
| The following are the most promi-
| nent of her benefactions: The Woman's
| Christian Association was but small
and insignificant enterprise when Mrs.
Bryan consented to serve as Its presi-
| dent. Her wise administration speed
she and her sisters, the Misses Stewart,
| of Brook Hill, united and purchased
! the house now occupied by the asso-
citation, the permanence of the !nsti-
tuition was assured While busy over
the problems arising in this noble
charity, Mrs. Bryan was persuaded to
| accept the presidency Of the Holly
wood Memorial Association. Here,
again, her wonderful power of orSani-
cation. Joined to boundless enthusiasm
for the cause. resulted not only in the
| reorganization of the memorial assoc
| citation and the development of fresh
Interest in the care Of the soldiers.
| graves, but also led to the creation of
a kindred organization-the Confed-
crate Memorial Literary Society. This
! was designed to secure museum for
Confederate relics in the Executive
Mansion of the Confedcracy.
At that time President Davis's Off
cial residence was used as public
school. and was in a most dilapidated
condition. 1t was Mrs. Bryan's genius
which conceived the idea of converting
it to this noble purpose. and it was
her marvellous capacity to initiate and
which resulted in the successful estab-
| lishment of a museum long since rec
| ognized as the most unique building
| of the Confederate capital, and one of
| the most valuable repositories of his
tory in this country.
1t was under Mrs. Bryan's direction,
and aided by Mrs. z. d. Hotchkiss,
who was elected it's president, that a
bazaar was held in the spring of 1893
from which was, realized the sum of
/ 100000. one-half of which was given
to the completion of the Soldiers and
Sailors Monument, which crowns Libby
| Hill, and one-half to the fireprooflpg
| and restoring of the Confederate Mu-
| scum.
The Woman's Christian Association
established day nursery and kinder
garten which. in honor of this many
sided Christian woman, is known as
| the Belle Bryan Day Nursery.
When the Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION was opening it's building on
Sixth and Main Streets, Mrs. Bryan
was one of a small committee of wo-
men VINO equipped the gymnasium.
! The Association for the Preservation
! of Virginia Antiquities has refused
,again and again to accept Mrs. Bryan's
resignation as it's president. 1t was
/ under her skilful administration that
| duced to build the breakwater which
has secured to Virginia and the coun-
try the site of old jamestown. fast dis
appearing as 1t was uuder the erosion
of the water The statue of John
Smith which marks the spot was q
gift from her generous hand, and all
over the state the aroused interest in
the preservation of historic landmarks,
from the days Of John Smith through