Jonathan Bryan (September 7, 1708 – March 9, 1788) was an American patriot originally from

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

but who moved

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

, where he assisted

James Edward Oglethorpe James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696 – 30 June 1785) was a British soldier, Member of Parliament, and philanthropist, as well as the founder of the colony of Georgia in what was then British America. As a social reformer, he hoped to re ...

in the foundation of Georgia's first colony. He also held several political offices in Georgia, and was a large landowner. Georgia's Bryan County was named for him, while Savannah's

Bryan Street Bryan Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Bay Street (Savannah, Georgia), Bay Street to the north and Congress Street (Savannah, Georgia), Congress Street to the south, it runs for about from a cul ...

was named in his and his brothers' honor.

Life and career

Bryan was born on September 7, 1708, in

Pocotaligo, South Carolina Pocotaligo is an unincorporated community located in northeastern Jasper County, South Carolina, United States, close to the border of Beaufort County. The community takes its name from the Pocotaligo River, a small tidal creek that separates J ...

. His brothers were middle son Hugh and the oldest Joseph Jr. The brothers' sister was Hannah, born in 1706. Bryan's father, Joseph Sr., was an Englishman from

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

. His mother died three weeks after his birth. In 1799, during the Revolutionary War, he and his son were captured and imprisoned on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

for two years. He served as a member of the

Provincial Congress The Provincial Congresses were extra-legal legislative bodies established in ten of the Thirteen Colonies early in the American Revolution. Some were referred to as congresses while others used different terms for a similar type body. These bodies ...

and of the Council of Safety. He was also acting vice-president and commander-in-chief of Georgia in 1777. He was a supporter of

George Whitefield George Whitefield (; 30 September 1770), also known as George Whitfield, was an Anglican cleric and evangelist who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement. Born in Gloucester, he matriculated at Pembroke College at th ...

, himself a supporter of slavery. Bryan's "treatment of isslaves with a respect ordinarily denied them may have contributed to the great success of his plantations." Bryan was the grandfather of

Joseph Bryan Joseph Bryan (August 18, 1773 – September 12, 1812) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's at-large congressional district from 1803 to 1806. Early life Bryan was born Sav ...

Death

Bryan died on March 9, 1788, aged 79. He was buried in the Brampton Plantation cemetery. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

soldiers raided his grave, looking for valuables they believed were hidden by locals. Bryan Street in Savannah was named in his and his brothers' honor. Bryan County, Georgia, was named solely for him. A historical marker, erected by the

Georgia Historical Society The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is a statewide historical society in Georgia. Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, GHS is one of the oldest historical organizations in the United States. Since 1839, the society has collected, examined, and ta ...

, stands in Savannah's Franklin Square, in front of the First African Baptist Church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryan, Jonathan 1708 births 1788 deaths People from South Carolina Politicians from Savannah, Georgia Military personnel of the American Revolutionary War American landowners

Life and career

Death

See also

References