John Bryan

Also Known As:<_AKA> Bryant

Cause of Death: murdered

He was chaplain, Jessup's Corps, Loyal Rangers, 1780-2

Res 1780 St John, Quebec; 1781 Verchere, Quebec; 1787 Elizabethtown, Leeds Co., Ontario, settled on 700-acre grant of land at present Fairfield, Town of Elizabethtown, Leeds Co., given for Revolutionary War service. Later settled in Sodus NY.

From Wilson Brown, 11/21/2004,

A bit of the context: Marsh has been forced out of Vermont, and at this point is in St. Jean sur Richelieu, on the Richelieu River opposite Montreal, where the British have a base and where their secret service is. While not a military officer, Marsh is working with the secret service on plans to pry Vermont away from the nascent United States, and, as a former Colonel in the Green Mountain Boys, Marsh has some access to the leadership. He also helps with new refugees. At the point of writing this, the chief British negotiator with the Allens, a Loyalist Vermonter named Justus Sherwood, is about to set off to have a delicate meeting with Ethan Allen, hoping to persuade him to bring Vermont to the British side. Apparently Bryan has brought some additional information that Marsh feels will make it more likely that the Allens will go along. (They almost did.)

Marsh is writing to General Frederick Haldimand, the head of the British Northern Forces, based in Quebec, and he recommends Bryan to Haldimand. There is further correspondence between Bryan and Haldimand, but I did not have time to follow it up. I didn't realize when I first read this that Bryan was William Marsh's wife's brother-in-law.

Bryan was an Angican/Episcoopal priest. Most Anglican priests sided with the king, having pledged their loyalty on consecration. He had been at Arlington, Vermont (now, anyway, it was New York at the time), which had a lot of Anglicans in it. He served as chaplain to the garrison at St. Johns. The few letters I did see from Bryan to Haldemand were trying to get more pay since he was stretched very thin. I would gather from your tree that the family later returned to New York.

Anyway, here is the letter — my transcription.

Letter to Sir Frederick Haldimand, October 10, 1780

Envelope has the following:

From 1780

Mr. Wm Marsh (substitute) for Capt Sherwood) 11th Octr Recd 14th

St. Johns, October 10, 1780

May it Plese your Excellency yesterday arrived Hear a Number of Familys – 73 Persons, Mostly Women and Children Whose Husbands are Chiefly in his Majesties Servis amoungst Whome is the Revernd Mr. John Bryan a Clergyman and Mr. Sammuel Wright By Whome I have the Inclosed Inteligence.

Your Exellency Will Be Plesed to observe that this Inhabitant Called the State of Vermont also the New Hampshire Grants has had a Long and Spirited Contest With the Province of New York Relative to the Title of Lands as Well as Jurisdiction Which has ocationed a Great Animosity Between the Two Inhabitants. I Shall not Enter into a Long Detail of the Cause of Their Dispute your Excellency Having a Previous Knowledge of The Same. When the Congress Declared the Colonys Independent Their Inhabitant Declared Themselves an Independant State also Chose Themselves a Governor and Counsill & Set up Government. Whereupon the Members of Congress for the Province of New York Represented in Congress That their Were Disobedient Fractious Riotous and Rebellious To the United States of America and Did obtain an order in Congress Directing Them to Desist in the administration of there Government Which Gave Grate Umbrage to these Inhabitance of this new State upon Which they Petitioned Congress for a Rehearing Which the Congress has Put off from Time to Time Which has Greatly Disaffected these Inhabitance Towards Congress. I have reason to Believe That This People may be Brought to Their Allegince in Case your Excellency Should be Pleased to Promis them a Separate Colony & Promote Some of Their Leaders: Should your Excellency Think this Worthy o