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CHARLES WAYLAND BRYAN

engaged in farming. He is a Democrat, active and interested in party politics. At the present time he is farming an farm in Deuel County. He moved there15 years ago from Otoe County. He is a member of Zion Lutheran Church, the Nebraskana Society, and for 15 years has been a director of the local school board. His hobby is driving a good team of mules.

He was married to Pearl Viola Bischoff, at Talmage, on April 23, 1912. Mrs. Bruns was born at Nebraska City, June 5, 1892. They have four children: Carl, born August 10, 1915; Glenn, born February 28, 1920; Irene, born April 12, 1922; and Dale, born July 21, 1924. The children love to help their father around the farm. Residence: Chappell.

Charles Wayland Bryan

Charles Wayland Bryan, eminent Statesman and political leader of Nebraska, was born at Salem, Illinois, February 10, 1867. His father, Silas Lillard Bryan, was circuit judge of Illinois for twelve years; served two terms in the Illinois state senate and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1872. He was born in Culpepper County, Virginia, in 1822. Mary Elizabeth (Jennings) Bryan, mother of Charles W. Bryan, was born near Walnut Hill, Illinois, in 1834.

Mr. Bryan received his elementary education in the public schools of Salem, Illinois, and later attended the university of Chicago and Illinois College. On November 29, 1892, he was married to Bessie Louise Brokaw, at Salem. To their union three children were born: Silas Millard, a captain in the World War, who is a practicing attorney in Minneapolis; Virginia, who is deceased; and Marylouise, who married W. E. Harnsberger, a banker at Ashland, Nebraska.

Since 1891 Mr. Bryan has been a resident of Lincoln. From 1897-1902 he was a colonel on the governor's staff, and from 1901-23 was publisher and associate editor of The Commoner, William Jennings Bryan being editor. For several years be was editor and proprietor of the American Homestead. During the life-time of his brother, the late William Jennings Bryan, he was closely associated with him as political secretary, publisher and business agent from 1897 until his death in 1925. Also active in farming and stock raising, he is well konwn (sic) as a lecturer on economics and government.

The following is quoted in part from Who's Who in Lincoln, published in 1928: mayor of Lincoln, 1915-17; city commissioner 1921-22; governor of Nebraska January, 1923, to January, 1925; Democratic candidate for governor, 1926; also 1928. Mr. Bryan was elected governor over Arthur J. Weaver in 1930. As candidate for vice president he was on the national ticket with John W. Davis, presidential candidate.

As mayor of Lincoln Mr. Bryan established a municipal employment bureau and legal aid department for wage-earners; extended and developed city parks and playgrounds, and as chairman of the Lincoln Park board helped to establish the Lincoln Park System and Zoo. He took the first formal action in establishing the Lincoln General Hospital and contributed the first money for it. Governor Bryan advocates the initiative, referendum and recall in municipal and state governmental affairs, and advocates also municipal ownership of Public utilities to protect the public against profiteering.

As mayor of Lincoln Governor Bryan secured the Payment of widow's pensions in cash, which formerly were paid in orders on stores for goods. A city official and as chairman of the municipal ownership forces of Lincoln he secured a reduction in the price of ice, cooking gas, electric light and power rates. He established municipal coal yard and reduced the retail price of a about $4.00 a ton, making an annual saving to Lincoln coal consumers of $150,000. The legality and constitutionality of this municipal coal yard was upheld by the district and supreme courts of Nebraska.

Governor Bryan advocated and secured an amendment to the Lincoln city charter in 1924 permitting the establishment of a gasoline filling station which has operated for several years, and has resulted in a saving of several cents a gallon in the retail price of gasoline. The constitutionality of this municipal enterprise or utility has been upheld by the district and supreme courts of Nebraska, and by the supreme court of the United States. Governor Bryan suggested this plan of municipal competition to regulate monopolies after regulation through the courts had proven ineffective. He advocated government ownership and development of natural waterpower of the state and nation, such as Muscle Shoales and the Boulder project to regulate light and power rates.

As governor of Nebraska his first term Mr. Bryan reorganized the state government, reducing the number of employees more than one-half, and reducing taxes for state purposes 33 per cent as compared with preceding administrations. He established a state gasoline filling station at Lincoln and threatened to establish one in each town throughout the state, thereby securing a reduction in the price of gasoline of about 6 cents per gallon, resulting in an annual saving to consumers of the state of about eleven million dollars, which continued until the day he retired from office. He also established competition throughout the state in the sale of coal by buying coal and supplying it to towns and cities to be sold through public officials or public agents at reasonable prices, thereby saving coal consumers about $4.00 per ton, and amounting to an annual saving of about ten million dollars to the people of Nebraska.

In 1930 Mr. Bryan was again elected governor of Nebraska, the only candidate on the Democratic state ticket elected, his majority being 6500 while for the remaining state offices Republicans were elected by average majorities of about 75,000. Mr. Bryan ran on a platform pledging reduced cost of state government. After a battle for tax reduction, fought through the longest session of the legislature ever held in Nebraska, and a special session, Governor Bryan succeeded in reducing the cost of the state government twenty-five per cent or upwards of three and one-half million dollars. He also effected a reduction in the cost of road-building of thirty-two per cent by re-establishing competitive bidding, saving three million of dollars out of the yearly road funds, and building fifteen hundred miles of additional road or a total of 2700 miles of road as compared with about 850 miles for the preceding year.

When the depression, supplemented by draught in parts of Nebraska, made relief measures necessary, Governor Bryan directed that state road funds be spent for road development in the affected communities, and that the work be done by hand labor and teams instead of machinery. In this way distressed citizens could maintain their self-respect by earning money to sustain them and their families during the winter and not be compelled to accept charity or dole.

Governor Bryan helped secure and upheld the bank guarantee of deposits law in Nebraska which resulted in the payment in full to depositors of all bank deposits in failed banks during the 15 years the law was in force in Nebraska. Governor - Bryan favors a guarantee of bank deposits for both state and national banks. He is a firm believer in the Jeffersonian democratic principle of "Equal rights to all and special privileges to none."

Governor Bryan affiliates with the Baptist Church, is a member of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club. His fraternal organizations include the Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Elks. He is a member of the Lincoln Country Club. Residence: Lincoln. (Photograph on Page 172).

Steiner--Scottsbluff JAMES ARTHUR BRYAN

James Arthur Bryan

James Arthur Bryan was born at Lebanon, Illinois, June 18, 1862, son of William Jefferson and Margaret Jane Bryan.

The father was born in Wayne County, Indiana, December 24, 1827, and died at Newkirk, Oklahoma, in November, 1907. He was a prominent Republican a farmer and banker, whose grandfather came from Ireland. His wife, Margaret Jane, was born in Lebanon, Illinois, and died there in July, 1875. Her grandfather also came from Ireland. Mr. Bryan attended common country school.

In 1889 he started a grocery store in Ashland, Nebraska but gave too much credit and had too small capital so was not successful. Later in Lincoln he had the same experience. In 1907 he moved to Scottsbluff, where he located on a homestead. After proving up on his homestead he traded for the H. P. Lewis Company. He moved to Henry, Nebraska, where he started a strictly cash grocery store, which was successful for a few months. Later he sold out and moved to Lingle, Wyoming, where he started a grocery store on a very small scale. In a few months he bought a lot, built a store building, and continued in business strictly for cash for a year and a half. He then sold out and come to Scottsbluff in 1915, where he now operates a cash store.

On May 29, 1889, he was married to Ella May Hays at Lebanon, Illinois. Mrs. Bryan was born at Lebanon, Illinois, June 11, 1862, and was a teacher in the public schools of Belleville. Illinois, six years and at Ashland, Nebraska, one year. Her parents came from Scotland and Ireland, and were pioneer settlers in Illinois. Her father was James Hays and her mother was America Jane Higgins. Mrs. Bryan attended country schools at Lebanon, Illinois. She is past county and local president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union and is a member of the Christian Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan have had eight children, three of whom are living, Roland Arthur, born February 18, 1890, died September 7, 1890; Floyd Kenneth, born March 7, 1891, died June 29, 1891; Almon Victor, born July 12, 1895, married Thelda Jones; Almira, born January 20, 1895, died February 25, 1900; Lloyd McKinley, born October 12, 1896, married Jessie McCann; Margaret America, born July 16, 1898, married Earl S. Manthe; Anna Elizabeth, born November 24, 1899, died October 5, 1900; and LeRoy, born July 8, 1901, died October 3, 1901, Almon Victor is a banker and farmer. Lloyd McKinley is in partnership with his father in the grocery business at Scottsbluff. Lloyd served in the World War and is a member of the Commercial Club of Scottsbluff and the Masons. Almon is a Mason. There are four great grandchildren, Jean Ann-, Bryan, Welma Jane Bryan, Richard Earl Bryan, and Margaret Ann Manthe.

Mr. Bryan is a member of the Christian Church of Scottsbluff, the Commercial Club, is a Republican and a life member of the Nebraskana Society. Residence: Scottsbluff. (Photograph on Page 174).

Robert Raymond Bryan

Robert R. Bryan, clergyman, was born at Hookstown, Pennsylvania, March 21, 1889. He is the son of Robert Miller and Isabelle (Swaney) Bryan.

He received the following degrees: A. B., Westminster College, 1910; A. M., Princeton University, 1915. Hc attended Princeton Seminary, University of Nebraska and Columbia University.

Since 1923 he has been active in civic affairs at Omaha, where he is pastor of the Central United Presbyterian Church. Residence: Omaha.

William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan, the great commoner, was born in Salem, Illinois, March 19, 1860. Some of the Bryan ancestry is traced to Ireland and some to Wales, while other branches have followed through the Irish into English history. However, Judge Silas Lillard Bryan states that the family is of Irish extraction.

Judge Silas Lillard, father of William Jennings Bryan, was born near Sperryville in what was then Culpepper, but is now a part of Rappahannock County, Virginia, November 4, 1822.

He was elected to the state senate of Illinois in 1852 or 1853, serving eight years. In 1860 he was elected to the bench of the circuit court, where he served for -twelve years. In 1872, as a member of a convention which framed the constitution of Illinois, he introduced a resolution declaring it to be the sense of the convention that all offices, legislative, executive, and judicial provided for by the constitution should be filled by the people. Before his election to the bench and after retirement therefrom he- practiced law in Marion and adjoining counties.

Mariah Elizabeth Jennings, wife of Silas, was born near Walnut Hill, Illinois, May 24, 1834. She attended the public schools of the neighborhood and when nearly grown was the pupil of Silas L. Bryan, who was nearly twelve years her senior. She was a woman of excellent sense and superior management. Her husband's frequent absence from home threw upon her a large portion of the responsibility for the care and discipline of the family.

After her husband's death she removed from the farm to Salem. She always took a deep interest in the political fortunes of her son, William, and he always felt indebted to her, equally with his father, for counsel and instruction. After a lingering illness she died June 27, 1896.

The Bryan, Lillard, and Jennings families all belonged to the middle class. They were very industrious, law abiding, God fearing people. No member ever became very rich and none was very poor. Farming has been the occupation of the majority, while others have followed the legal and medical professions and mercantile pursuits.

William Jennings Bryan was always sturdy and happy and fond of play. One of his early ambitions was to be a minister. However, this soon gave place to determination to become a lawyer "like father." When he was six years old his father purchased a large farm near Salem, Illinois; here he studied, worked, and played until ten years of age, his mother being his only teacher. He learned to read quite early; after committing his lessons to memory he stood on a little table and spoke them to his mother. This is, perhaps, his first recorded effort at speech making. His work was feeding the deer, which his father kept in the small park, and helping to care for the pigs and chickens. His favorite sport was rabbit hunting with dogs.

At the age of ten, William Jennings Bryan entered the public schools at Salem. Not what one would call an especially brilliant student, he never failed during his school attendance. It was during his early school years that he developed an interest in the work of literary and debating societies. His father's congressional campaign in 1872 was his first political awakening, and from that time on he always cherished the thought of entering public life. His idea was first to win a reputation and secure a competency at the bar, but he seized the unexpected opportunity which came to him in 1890. At the age of fifteen he entered Whipple Academy, the preparatory department of Illinois College at Jacksonville. With this step he began a changed life. Vacation always found him at home, but for eight years he led the life of a student and then took up his profession. His parents wished him to take a classical course, and while sometimes grumbling over his Latin and Greek, he many times recognized the wisdom of their choice. Of these two languages Latin was his preference. He had a strong leaning for mathematics and especially toward geometry and believed that the mental discipline acquired through this study was later useful in argument. We believe it

© 2005 for the NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller