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VOL. IV. JULY, 1910. NO. 4. MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW. PUBLISHED BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI F. A. SAMPSON, Secretary, EDITOR. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $1.00 PER YEAR ISSUED QUARTERLY. COLUMBIA, MO. ENTERED AS SECOND CLASS MAIL MATTER AT COLUMBIA, MO„ JULY 16, 1907 1 ' <!*' MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW. 1 hi EDITOR FRANCIS A. SAMPSON. 1 ' Committee on Publication: '••"'•', '.'.-••• '. :- 4 •'•••& ! JONAS VILES, ISIDOR LOEB, P. A. SAMPSON. j VOL. IV. JULY, 1910. NO. 4 •:; 1| CONTENTS A i Bryant's Station and Its Founder, William Bryant, by Thomas Julian Bryant - 219 Mormon Troubles in Missouri, by Herman C. Smith - ,./ ';;.;. - 238 History of the County Press, by Miss Minnie Organ .... 252 i The Santa Fe Trail, by Prof. G. C. Broadhead 309 '•-•*• i Missouri Weather in Early Days, by Prof. G. i C. Broadhead - - - 320 i Missouri Documents for the Small Public Li brary, by Grace Lefler - - 321 Destruction of Missouri Books — ' - 328 Notes - - - - - 329 Book Notices - - . ' - - 330 Necrology - * - - 330 • i\ ' '" "• ' : ; ' J - r • MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW, VOJU 4. JULY, 1910. NO. 4. BRYANT'S STATION AND ITS FOUNDER, WILLIAM BRYANT. The following article is really but a continuation of one apon the same subject, which appeared in the October (1908) number of the Missouri Historical Review In order to fully substantiate what is therein stated, and to forever make cer tain the name of Bryant's Station, and its founder, William Bryant, this additional article has been prepared. Authorities will be duly cited as to each material statement made, and I be- lieve taat the facts herein set forth, will be found to be unim peachable. I desire, however, to disclaim any intention of as suming the role of an oracle. Nevertheless, I have long been familiar with the history of Bryant's Station and its founder, and know as every one else must know, who has given the sub ject any consideration, that certain misleading statements have from time to time been promulgated, which have given rise to some erroneous impressions, and which should now be dis. pelled, in order that there need be, at any rate, no further oc casion for confusion or misunderstanding. lt is with no vain-glorious purpose in view that I have en- (ftged to do this but in order that all the factf may be known to those, who are now, or may hereafter, be interested in the subject, ^nd to the end that the current of history may not be further diverted from its proper channel. It is my wish to 220 MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW. present the facts in their true light, and while so presenting them, to have at the same time, due regard for the rights and opinions of others; for I am convinced that in no other way can any good cause be served. For the following facts, I refer the reader, generally, to Filson Club Publication, Number Twelve, entitled Bryant's Station, and the Memorial Proceedings. And shall cite the name only, of each author quoted. In the preface to this Volume, it is said: " There has been no attempt in this Publication to reconcile differences of opinion as to the name of the famous station on the Elkhorn, nor as to the date at which it was besieged by the Indians. This difference of opinion is of modern origin and harmless in character. For ninety years our historians uni formly called the station Bryant's, and for a period yet longer gave the date of the beginning of its siege as the 15th of Au gust, 1782." (1) That this difference of opinion is of modern origin, there appears to be not the slightest doubt. That it is harmless in character, may be equally true. It is worthy of note, how ever, that the foundation for this difference of opinion was laid many years ago, at a time, and in a manner, when there was neither room nor occasion for difference of opinion as to the name, either of the station or of its founder; and it may be added, has been renewed in recent years, under such circum stances that it should be called in question, and the name of the station and its founder be made certain, beyond all doubt. Statement of Facts. I therefore desire to address myself to the facts bearing upon the subject in hand, and after considering the same, shall endeavor to point out, in no uncertain way, some palpable errors that too long have cumbered the pages of history, which errors, let us hope, will hereafter be as conspicuous by their absence, as they have heretofore been by their presence. And it will then be seen, as I believe, that there is in reality, no 1. Col. R. T. Durrett. BRYANT'S STATION AND ITS POUNDOBR. 221 good reason for difference of opinion as to the name, either of the station, or of its founder. It may be stated in the beginning that Bryant's Station, for reasons not difficult to understand, has in some instances, been called (2) by a similar, yet different name. (3) Calling it by other than its proper name, however, does not make the right name other than Bryant's Station, nor the name of its founder as other than William Bryant. I quote the following: "More than thirteen thousand acres of land in the neigh borhood of this station were entered in 1779, and 1780, by dif ferent members of the Bryan family, but none of them seems to 2. All black faced type used is the writer's. 3. See Bryan and Smith vs. Bradford, Hughes' Rep. p. 108. Bryan and Owings vs. Wallace, Hughes' Rep., p. 369. Whitledge vs. McClannaban, Hughes' Rep., p. 95. Bradford's "Notes." John Parker, et al, vs. Lewis Stephens, A. K. Marshall's JRiep., Vol. 3, p. 1073. In the latter case a copy of a land certificate, showing a land en try by John Bryan, is set out, which calls the station Bryan's. Yet, notwithstanding this fact, the Court in rendereding its opinion, in this very case refers to the station as Bryant's. It will therefore be seen that, while there were certain persons who by reason of litigation relative to land titles in the vicitnity of the station, garly began calling the station by a similar yet different name,, it would appear that their efforts to change the spelling of the name were quite generally disregarded. In this connection I would suggest that the reader, also consult the following cases, which refer to Bryant's Station: Bowman vs. Melton, Bibb, Vol. 2, p. 151. Klinkingbeard vs. Kenny, Bibb, Vol. 2, p. 512. Devour vs. Johnson, Bibb, Vol. 3, p. 409. Weathers Smith vs. John Reed, et al, A. K. Marshall's Rep., Vol. 1, p. 191. Markham vs. McGee, Hardin's Reps., p. 378. McMlllen vs. Miller/Hardin's Reps., p. 496. Matson vs. Hord, U. S. Supreme Court Reps., (1 Wheaton) p. 130. Garnett, et al. vs Jenkins, U. S. 'Sunreme Court Reps., (8 Peters) p. 72. Manifee, etc., vs. Conn's Heirs, Bibb, Vol. 2, p. 623' In the latter case, occurs the following language by the Court: "Bryant's Station, by which the other traces passed, after leaving the waters of Licking, before they reached Lexington, was a place at that early period, of at least great note and distinction as Lexington, and probably from the circumstances of the commissioners for adjust ing land claims having sat there was more so." 222 MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW. have secured the land on which this station stood, nor to have given it his distinctive name." (4) The following facts will show that the foregoing statement was not made without reason: "William Bryan, James Bryan, Morgan Bryan, Joseph Bryan, George Bryan, David Bryan, Samuel Bryan and John Bryan, each entered a portion of these lands more or less dis tant from the station, and while the entries are in the name of Bryan, some of the lands are described as being such a distance or such a direction from Bryant's Station." (5) Here, then, we come at once to the line of demarkation; a distinction being drawn in these early records, between the name of the above mentioned numerous family, and the name of the most famous of all the pioneer Kentucky stations. And the fact should not be overlooked that each is a distinct family name, and in no proper sense can one be said to be equivalent to the other, notwithstanding their similarity. It may also be added that, so well known was Bryant's Station in the for mative period of Kentucky history, it was a common practice to make reference to land locations for miles around, as being such a distance or such a direction from Bryant's Station, and entries by members of the above named family were not excep tions to the rule. The fact that the station was so widely known, and the further fact that there were so many persons of' similar name among the early settlers of that locality, several of whom had located lands some four or five miles distant from the station, not one of whom entered land in other than his proper name, really accentuates and makes certain the dif ference between the two names, and might well give rise to the belief, without further knowledge of the subject, that the dis tinctive name of the founder of the station could not have been, and was not other than Bryant. There are, however, other and still more important facts. The land certificates, which were very numerous, issued to the early settlers by the land Commissioners who held their Court 4.