67-YEAR-OLD LETTER TO TEXAS RANGER SON; WAS WRITTEN NOV. 30, 1860, BY MRS. NANCY BRYAN OF MISSOURI TO HER BOY
Newspaper, 1927.
J. W. Bryan, who lived three miles south of Lavon, showed us an old letter about 67 years old written by his grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Bryan to her son, James R. Bryan, father of J. W. Bryan. The letter was dated at Mornington, Webster county, Missouri, November 30, 1860. Her son, James R. Bryan, father of J. W. Bryan, first came to Texas in 1854 and was serving in Alf Johnson’s company of Texas Rangers at the time the letter was written.
The letter which is now yellow with age of 67 years since it was written overflowed with characteristic mother love for a son. She implored him to return to her at the old home in Missouri and she earnestly admonished him to seek salvation and live in accordance with the precepts of the Holy Book.
James R. Bryan soon afterwards enlisted in Capt. Naylor’s company in Col. Bill Fitzhugh’s regiment which entered the Confederate army from McKinney. He served through the four years Civil War with Ex-Sheriff J. L. Moulden.
After the war closed, he married in 1865 to Mrs. Mary Jane Myers, a young war widow whose maiden name was Foote and who was reared in the Millwood community. James R. Bryan continued to reside in the Lavon-Millwood community until after his death which occurred in 1878. His widow, Mrs. James R. Bryan, is still living at the advanced age of 83 years. She makes her home with her son, J. R. Bryan in the Clifft community, three miles south of Lavon.
The above referred to 67 year-old letter closes with the following acrostic from the mother to her absent son:
Dear Lord, grant that we may be
Son, mother, one in thee
Let us strive to meet above
Us that Christ our king should love.
Strive we must, or never rise
To the mansions in the skies.
Serve our Savior and our Lord
God that will his saints rewards.
Newspaper, 1927.
J. W. Bryan, who lived three miles south of Lavon, showed us an old letter about 67 years old written by his grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Bryan to her son, James R. Bryan, father of J. W. Bryan. The letter was dated at Mornington, Webster county, Missouri, November 30, 1860. Her son, James R. Bryan, father of J. W. Bryan, first came to Texas in 1854 and was serving in Alf Johnson’s company of Texas Rangers at the time the letter was written.
The letter which is now yellow with age of 67 years since it was written overflowed with characteristic mother love for a son. She implored him to return to her at the old home in Missouri and she earnestly admonished him to seek salvation and live in accordance with the precepts of the Holy Book.
James R. Bryan soon afterwards enlisted in Capt. Naylor’s company in Col. Bill Fitzhugh’s regiment which entered the Confederate army from McKinney. He served through the four years Civil War with Ex-Sheriff J. L. Moulden.
After the war closed, he married in 1865 to Mrs. Mary Jane Myers, a young war widow whose maiden name was Foote and who was reared in the Millwood community. James R. Bryan continued to reside in the Lavon-Millwood community until after his death which occurred in 1878. His widow, Mrs. James R. Bryan, is still living at the advanced age of 83 years. She makes her home with her son, J. R. Bryan in the Clifft community, three miles south of Lavon.
The above referred to 67 year-old letter closes with the following acrostic from the mother to her absent son:
Dear Lord, grant that we may be
Son, mother, one in thee
Let us strive to meet above
Us that Christ our king should love.
Strive we must, or never rise
To the mansions in the skies.
Serve our Savior and our Lord
God that will his saints rewards.
