Tilman Holmes Bryson (1829) and Mary E. Kirby of Towns Co, GA

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I (Marty Grant) am a 3rd cousin 5 times removed to Tilman H. Bryson.

Tilman Holmes Bryson was born 15 Aug 1829 in Macon Co, NC on or near Cullowhee Creek (now Jackson County). He is a son of John Bryson and Jane Ann Rogers.

I'm not sure what the proof is that Tilman is their son. Ethel Updike did not include him as a son of John and Jane in her book: Armstrong, Branyon, Bryson and Allied Families of the South (1967) (See my commentary on that book). I'm not sure if she mentioned Tilman elsewhere in her book (it isn't indexed).

Lawrence Wood did include Tilman as their child in his book: Bryson Family of Western North Carolina 1664 to 1980 (1981) (See my commentary on that book) on page 6 and 7. This is my source for the birth and death date for Tilman and his wife, and several of their children.

Based on what little data I've seen, I have (so far) found no reason to doubt that Tilman is a son of John and Jane.

Tilman's parents moved from the Cullowhee area to Union County, GA (now Towns County) between 1832 and 1835.

Tilman Bryson obtained a marriage bond in Union Co, GA on 9 Feb 1848 to marry Mary Kirby. They were married on the next day, on 10 Feb 1848.

For some reason, they moved to neighboring Rabun County, Georgia where they were listed on the 1850 census. No other Bryson's lived in that county at that time. They were listed between several Kirby households, so those were probably Mary's relatives. Mary's parents Bailey and Elizabeth Kirby were two households away.

1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1850 RABUN CO, GA Page 323   House/Family #  104/ 104  - 597th DISTRICT Twp

BRYSON TILMAN         21 M W FARMER                     NC                   1828/1829
BRYSON MARY E         19 F W                            NC                   1830/1831
BRYSON MARGARET        0 F W 2/12                       NC                   1849/1850

In 1856 the section of Rabun County where they lived, and the section of Union County, Georgia, where they had previously lived, were cut off to form Towns County. They were found in that county for the 1860 census. They were 10 households from Thomas Bryson (his 2nd cousin 1 time removed). Tilman's parents were in the same census, but not listed nearby.

1860 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1860 TOWNS CO, GA Page 163   House/Family #  328/ 328 --  Twp

BRYSON TILLMAN        29 M W FARMER                   200 NC                   1830/1831
BRYSON MARY           30 F W                              NC                   1829/1830
BRYSON MARGARET       10 F W                              GA                   1849/1850
BRYSON ELIZABETH       6 F W                              GA                   1853/1854
BRYSON GEORGIA ANN     4 F W                              GA                   1855/1856
BRYSON JULIA           2 F W                              GA                   1857/1858
SWANSON ALEXANDER     25 M W FARMER                       NC                   1834/1835


In 1870, they were still in Towns Co, GA. They were listed next door to Uel J. Bryson, Tilman's Uncle, and also his brother-in-law, since he married a sister of Mary Kirby. Tilman's parents were just two households away on this census.

1870 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1870 TOWNS CO, GA Page 221   House/Family #  476/ 478

BRYSON TILLMAN H      40 M W FARM LABOR              25   400 NC              1829/1830
BRYSON MARY E         41 F W KEEPING HOUSE                    NC              1828/1829
BRYSON MARY E         18 F W NO OCCUPATION                    GA              1851/1852
BRYSON GEORGIA A      16 F W AT SCHOOL                        GA              1853/1854
BRYSON JANE P         12 F W AT SCHOOL                        GA              1857/1858
BRYSON WILLIAM S       8 M W FARM LABOR                       GA              1861/1862
BRYSON LUTHER S        6 M W                                  GA              1863/1864
BRYSON LAURA H         4 F W                                  GA              1865/1866
BRYSON JOHN T          2 M W                                  GA              1867/1868

Tilman and family were still in Towns County, GA for the 1880 census. His widowed mother was just 3 households away.

1880 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)
1880 TOWNS CO, GA Page 480B  House/Family #   258/ 273 -- BRASSTOWN DIST # 918 Twp

BRYSON TILLMAN H     W M  51    M FARMER               NC  NC  NC  1828/1829
BRYSON MARY E        W F  52 WF M KEEPING HOUSE        NC  NC  NC  1827/1828
BRYSON LUELLA A      W F  15 D  S AT HOME              GA  NC  NC  1864/1865
BRYSON LAURA H       W F  13 D  S AT HOME              GA  NC  NC  1866/1867
BRYSON JOHN T        W M  12 S  S WORKS ON FARM        GA  NC  NC  1867/1868
BRYSON DOCK          W M   9 S  S                      GA  NC  NC  1870/1871


Children

Tillman and Mary's children are proven by the 1850 through 1880 census records. The names are also included in Lawrence Wood's book, and he included birth dates for Margaret, Jewell and William S. Bryson. He listed who each of the children married as well.

 

Margaret Bryson was born 25 Jul 1850 (per L. Wood pg 7) in Macon Co, NC, in the Cullowhee Creek region (now Jackson Co, NC). She was home with her parents in 1850 and 1860 census. Sometime after 1860 she married William J. Haynes (per L. Wood pg 7).

Mary Elizabeth Bryson was born ca 1853/54 in Union Co, GA (now Towns). She was home with her parents in 1860 and 1870 census. Sometime after 1870 she married John B. Carson (per L. Wood pg 7).

Georgia Ann Bryson was born ca 1855/56 in Towns Co, GA. She was home with her parents in 1860 and 1870 census. Sometime after 1870 she married Harvey Craine (per L. Wood pg 7).

Jewell P. Bryson was born 22 Jun 1858 (per L. Wood pg 7) in Towns Co, GA. She was home with her parents in 1860 and 1870 census. Sometime after 1870 she married Alfred B. Cole (per L. Wood pg 7).

William Sherrill Bryson was born ca 18 Jun 1861 (per L. Wood pg 7) in Towns Co, GA. He was home with his parents in the 1870 census. He married Rhoda Jane Hooper on 2 Nov 1879 in Towns Co, GA (per L. Wood pg 7). I didn't' find them listed on the 1880 census, though much of the 1880 Towns County census was very dim, so I easily could have missed them. The list of children I have for this family is also per L. Wood pg 7.

Luella A. Bryson was born ca 1864/65 in Towns Co, GA. She was home with her parents in the 1870 and 1880 census. Sometime after 1880 she married Alfred Barrett (per L. Wood pg 7).

Laura H. Bryson was born ca 1866/67 in Towns Co, GA. She was home with her parents in the 1870 and 1880 census. Sometime after 1880 she married Moss Craine (per L. Wood pg 7).

John T. Bryson was born ca 1867/68 in Towns Co, GA. He was home with his parents in the 1870 and 1880 census. Sometime after 1880 he married Sarah Caldwell (per L. Wood pg 7).

Dock Bailey Bryson was born ca 1870/71 in Towns Co, GA. He was home with his parents in the 1880 census. Sometime after 1880 he married Priscilla Plott (per L. Wood pg 7).


Researcher List

Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):


Register Report


1. Tilman Holmes1 Bryson , born 15 Aug 1829 in Macon Co, NC (now Jackson Co, NC); died 22 Jun 1893 in Towns Co, GA, son of John Bryson and Jane Ann Rogers . He married on 10 Feb 1848 in Union Co, GA (now Towns Co, GA) Mary Elizabeth Kirby , born 3 Jan 1829 in NC; died 1 Oct 1901 in Towns Co, GA, daughter of Bailey Kirby (Rev) and Elizabeth Sherrill .

Children of Tilman Holmes Bryson and Mary Elizabeth Kirby were as follows:

 

Generation 2

6. William Sherrill2 Bryson (Tilman Holmes1), born 18 Jun 1861 in Towns Co, GA; died 5 Dec 1917. He married on 2 Nov 1879 in Towns Co, GA Rhoda Jane Hooper , born 13 Jun 1862; died 21 Aug 1939.

Children of William Sherrill Bryson and Rhoda Jane Hooper were as follows:

 

 


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