John Bryant 1620 England to 1684 Scituate Massachusetts and His Three Wives

John Bryant was born about 1620 in England. His last name is often seen as Briant in records. I believe he is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family but have more work to do. He married three times and fathered a whopping 19 children.

John Bryant came to Plymouth Colony by the 1630s. He was made a freeman at Scituate in 1639. In 1643 he is on the list of Men Able to Bear Arms at Scituate. Percy Bryant wrote there is a tradition he came from Kent on the Ann and settled first at Barnstable on Cape Cod. I do not know of John’s origins. 

In 1638, John Bryant made an appearance at court when just a teenager, charged with drinking inordinately at John Emerson's house. He was released with an admonition, but James Till was whipped "for alluring" John to drink. On 2 March 1642, he was in court "for drinking tobacco upon the highway.” Perhaps “drinking” should be “smoking?”

Deane wrote that his farm was on the second Herring Brook, and in 1831 the site was ten rods east of the mill and the location was marked by an ancient orchard. His son John built the town’s first sawmill on this land and later a grist mill. 

John Bryant married, first, Mary Lewis on 16 November 1643 at Barnstable, Massachusetts. Mary was the daughter of George and Mary (Doggett) Lewis. 

Children of John and Mary, born Scituate:

1. John born 17 Aug 1644; married Mary ___; died Scituate 1708

2. Hannah born 25 Jul 1646, m. John Stodder of Hingham 

3. Sarah born 29 Sep 1648

4. Mary born 24 Feb 1649/50; died Scituate 1652

5. Martha born 26 Feb 1651/52

6. Samuel born 06 Feb 1653/54, was a sergeant in the military and died 1690 in Phipps’ Expedition to Canada 

Mary Lewis Bryant died 2 July 1655 at Scituate. 

John Bryant married, second, Elizabeth Wetherell on 22 December 1657 at Scituate. Elizabeth was the daughter of Reverend William Wetherell and Mary Fisher of Scituate.  She died between January 1661/62 and April 1664, after the birth of her daughter and before the remarriage of her husband. 

Children with Elizabeth, born Scituate:

7. Daniel baptized Scituate 5 Feb 1659/60

8. Mary born January 1661/62

I descend from Daniel who married a woman named Dorothy, maiden name is unknown. I wrote about what little I know of Daniel here. 

Deane wrote that on one Sunday morning John Bryant entered the meetinghouse late. After prayers, the Reverend William Witherell addressed him before the congregation saying: "Neighbor Bryant, it is to your reproach that you have disturbed the worship by entering late, living as you do, within a mile of this place and especially so, while here is Goody Barstow, who has milked seven cows, made a cheese, and walked five miles to the House of God in good season.” Rev. Witherell later became John’s father-in-law. I wonder if they looked back and laughed about this!

In April 1664, John married, third, Mary Highland, the daughter of Thomas Highland/Hiland. They had eleven children together, born Scituate:

9. Elizabeth born August 1665; d. 17 Dec 1683 at Scituate

10. Joseph baptized 7 July 1667; d. 16 June 1669 at Scituate 

11. Benjamin born December 1669; died unmarried in 1701 

12. Joseph baptized 16 April 1671

13. Jabez baptized 18 Feb 1671/72; died 1697 unmarried

14. Ruth, born 16 Aug 1673; m. William Wanton who became Governor of Rhode Island 

15. Thomas born 15 Jul 1675; m. Mary Ewell 

16. Deborah born 22 Jan 1676/77

17. Agatha  born 12 Mar 1677/78

18. Ann born 20 Nov 1679

19. Elisha, called youngest child in his father’s will 

After John’s death, Mary (Highland) Bryant married second Robert Stetson. 

John was a house carpenter, active in public affairs, a land owner, and a surveyor of public lands. He was a deputy to the Plymouth General Court in 1657 and 1677/78, and a selectman in 1677 and 1678. He apparently changed his ways from being tardy to church as a young man to became deacon of the Second Church of Scituate in 1669. His stature in the community indicate to me he had some education and was at least literate. His estate inventory included books, but it does not state how many he owned. 

Ephraim Kempton of Boston sold land at Scituate to John Bryant senior of Scituate, carpenter, on 24 May 1672. The parcel consisted of four acres of marsh and meadow bounded east to the North River, north by the meadow of said John Bryant, west by upland of Daniel Turner. Ephraim states that the land should be held in the manner according to East Greenwich, Kent. 

John Briant of Scituate’s will is dated 24 September 1684. Sixteen of John’s nineteen children survived him and received bequests. To sons Samuel and Daniel he left his lot of land near Barstow's tree at Grass Pond [in 1831 this was called Old Pond]. To Benjamin 20 shillings in trust of his grandfather Hiland until he turns 21. Joseph and Thomas received his house and land. Jabez [as "Jabesh"] received a lot of about 8 acres at White-Oak Plain as well as additional land including cedar swamp and 10 pounds when he reaches 21. Daughter Mary received a bed with furnishings she already had taken. Daughter Ruth to receive a bed with furnishings and 10 pounds when she reaches 18. Daughters Deborah, Agatha and Ann each to receive 5 pounds when they reach 18 or are married. Youngest child Elisha to receive 10 pounds when he turns 21. Son John 10 shillings. Daughters Hannah, Sarah, Martha, 20 shillings each. Wife Mary to receive widows thirds and all other property not named in the will unless she remarries. 

Signature from Dean's History of Scituate

The inventory of his estate was taken 11 February 1684[/85] and included: books; 400 boards at the mill; armor and ammunition; spinning wheels; beef, pork, tallow, and hogs fat; Indian corn; cotton wool, sheep’s wool, linen yarn; saddle, bridle, pillion; cord word; tobacco; a grindstone; cart, yoke, irons; woodenware, pewter, spoons, brassware, ironware; and horse, sheep, swine. His house, barn, upland and meadow were valued at 140 pounds. Three other lots were valued at a total of 28 pounds. His estate totaled 255 pounds, 19 shillings, 2 pence.

John Bryant died Scituate 20 November 1684. 

Sources:

Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs, Seventeenth-Century Town Records of Scituate, Massachusetts, V. 3. (NEHGS, 2001)  

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

Percy Bryant, NEHGR, “Descendants of John Briant, Sen., of Scituate, Mass.,” January 1894, volume 48, p. 46

Samuel Deane, History of Scituate, Massachusetts, From Its First Settlement to 1831, 1831

Plymouth Colony Records & Wills, 1633-1686, Vol. 4, pgs. 86-87