John Bryant, patriot ancestor of Michael C. Sanderson
John Bryant was a Virginian who was born in Cumberland County, January 1, 1760. His ancestry traced to the Huguenot settlement in Mannikin town, on the James River. His great grand-father was Jacques Briand, a French Huguenot who fled France around 1700. Jacques’ son, James Briand married Elizabeth LeFevre, daughter of one of the Huguenot Founders of Manikin town. Their son James Bryant (surname anglicized around 1740) married Jane Guerrant. John was their first-born son. His brother William G. Bryant was born December 30, 1765. Both John and his father are listed in the DAR patriot index (A016332 and A016323 respectively).
John first enlisted for Revolutionary War service in May 1780, being at that time a resident of Powhatan County, Virginia. He gave 15 months of service as private and sergeant under Captains Hughes and Porter and Colonels Nelson, Randolph and Good. The principal battle in which he was engaged was the battle of Guilford Courthouse, 15 March 1781. In that same engagement were his father, James Bryant, Jr., his brother, William G. Bryant, and his uncle, Thomas Bryant, who was a lieutenant and was killed, while another uncle, Isaac Bryant was wounded in the head.
The picture above is that of General Nathaniel Green instructing the Virginia Militiamen to “fire 2 shots then fall back”. Although many American patriots were killed and wounded that day, their resolve forced General Cornwallis to withdraw, setting up the later battle and ultimate British surrender at Yorktown. The British claimed victory at Guilford Courthouse but it was a pyrrhic victory.
In 1783 John Bryant moved to Kentucky where he was a civil engineer with an appointment signed by Patrick Henry, secretary of state for Virginia. He was commissioned by General Washington to survey Kentucky, and was an associate of Daniel Boone, the first white man to set foot on Kentucky soil. He was a leading surveyor in Garrard County and later served as High Sheriff.
On 25 May 1786 he married Mary Owsley, an aunt of Governor Owsley of Kentucky. Together they had 14 Children. John Bryant received a pension from the United States Government for his Revolutionary War service in August 1832. He died in Garrard County, Kentucky, 4 July 1833