Needham Bryan

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bryan-1125

Needham Bryan was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, on February 11, 1690, to William Bryan and Alice MacLand, who were married in Virginia. Alice MacLand was the daughter of John MacLand and Elizabeth [1]
Needham married Annie Rambeau on November 16, 1711. In 1711, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, a deed transfers land on Nansemond River "for love and affection, 1100 lbs Tobacco and 300 pounds," to his brother John Bryan.[2] In 1722, he and his wife moved to North Carolina and settled on a farm on Albemarle Sound, Bertie County, where he died in 1770, at the age of 80 years.

Needham and his first wife Annie, who died 16 Mar 1730, had three children:[3]

1. Rachel Bryan, born June 10, 1723; married William Whitfield[4]
2. William Bryan, born Oct. 31, 1724, died 1785; married 1741[5] Elizabeth Smith
3. Needham Bryan, born 1726, died before 1777; married 1749, Nancy Smith

After Annie's death, Needham married Susannah Horrell.[6] He married a third time in 1752, to Sarah Woodward, who survived him.[7]

No evidence supports these profiles as children of Needham Bryan and Anne Bryan, and were detached on 25 May 2022.

• Hannah Gardner
• Elizabeth Williams/King

Evidence needed to support these profiles as daughters of Needham Bryan and Susanna Bryan, and were detached on 25 May 2022.

• Cecilia Bridgett Roach
• Ann Elizabeth Ingram

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In 1721, Needham patented 640 acres of land in Bertie

County on the Moratuck River. (NC Colonial Records, II, p. 426). In 1726, he purchased 210 acres called Snowfield Plantation. He and his three wives are buried at Snowfield. Needham was very active in county and state affairs. He served many years as chairman of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session and was Justice of the Peace in 1732, 1739, and 1745. Also was sheriff and commissioner for Bertie Co., in 1745. From 1750-59 he represented Bertie in the Colonial Assembly at New Bern and in 1729-30 was a church warden for Society Parish.

http://gurganus.org/ourfamily/browse.cfm?fid=13030

Will, 9/1767: will of Needham Bryan; probate 3/1770; Bertie County, NC. In the name of God Amen the Twentie Third day of September in the year of Our Lord 1767, I Needham Bryan of North Carolina in the County of Bartie farmer being very sick in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given unto God for the Same and Caling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make this my Last will and Testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be burid in a Cristian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing douting but that at the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mity power of God and as Touchon and as touchon such wordly Estate whearwith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and for me.

- I give and bequeath SARAH my dearly beloved wife one feather bed and furniture the chose of all my beds one horse choise as she likes side saddell and bridell and after her decease to go into the estate.

- Item I give to my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN the son of my son WILLIAM my still and my stock of Smiths tools.

- Item I give and bequeath to my fore gransons EZEKIL WILLIAMS LEWIS GARDNER and JOSEPH JARNIGHAN and my daughters son WILLIAM her first born each of them a Cr[torn] {a crown sterling apiece?} in apeace and that to be their shair I give and bequeath to SUSANA HARRELL one [torn] called Anny ?

- Item and bequeath to young JACOB JARNIGHAN three pounds out of my estate when sheared and after my debts is paid.

- I do lend all my hole estate to my wife and my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN

that now lives with me and after me wifes widowhood to be eaqually devided to my three children all but he has in razen? that his shear all rest to my son NEEDHAM an WILLIAM and daughter RACHELL and my son NEEDHAM and son WILLIAM and my son in law WILLIAM WHITFIELD for every one of them ot chuse them a man to vally and devide to three lots and each to take their shear and

- I do make and ordain my two sons NEEDHAM BRYAN and WILLIAM BRYAN my sole Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revouk and disannull and all and every other forms testaments and wills and legases bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before this time named or ment. In witness whereof I have heir unto set my hand and Seal this day and year above ritten. Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by me the said NEEDHAM BRYAN SENER as his last Will and testament in the presents of us the Subscribers.

NEEDHAM BRYAN, William Turner Jurat, James Turner, Joseph Turner

Proved in March Court, 1770; Bertie Co., NC, Will Book 2, page 8.

Will and Settlement of Needham Bryan, Sr., Bertie County, NC.

In the name of God Amen the Twentie Third day of September int he year of Our Lord 1767, I Needham Bryan of North Carolina in the County of Bartie farmer being very sick in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given unto God for the Same and Caling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make this my Last will and Testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be burid in a Cristian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing douting but that at the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mity power of God and as Touchen such wordly Estate whearwith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and forme. Imprimis I give and bequeath SARAH my dearly beloved wife one feather bed and furniture the chose of all my beds one horse choise as she likes side saddell and bridell and after her decease to go into the estate. Item I give to my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN the son of my son WILLIAM my still and my stock of smiths tools. Item I give and bequeath to my fore gran sons EZEKIL WILLIAMS LEWIS GARDNER and JOHSEPH JARNIGHAN and my daughters son WILLIAM hur first born each of them a cr[torn]lin and bequeath to SUSANA HARRELL one [torn] called Anny ? Item and bequeath to young JACOB JARNIGHAN three pounds out of my estate when sheared and after my debts is paid. I do lend all my hole estate to my wife and my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN that now lives with me and after my wifes widowhood to be eaqually devided to my three children all but he has in razen? that his shear all rest to my son NEEDHAM an WILLIAM and daughter RACHELL and my son NEEDHAM nad son WILLIAM and my son in law WILLIAM WHITFIELD for every one of them ot chuse them a man to vally and devide to three lots and each to take their shear and I do make and ordain my two sons NEEDHAM BRYAN and WILLIAM BRYAN my sole executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revouk and disannull and all and every other forms testaments and wills and legases bequeaths and executors by me in any wise before this time named or ment. In witness wheeof I have heir unto set my hand and seal this day and year above ritten. Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by me the said NEEDHAM BRYAN SENER as his last will and testament in the presents of us the subscribers.

NEEDHAM BRYANWilliam Turner JuratJames TurnerJoseph Turner Proved in March Court, 1770; Bertie Co., NC, Will Book 2, page 8.

In Bertie, on 15 May 1777, Pursuant to the Dimentions of an order of the Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarters Sessions....the second Tuesday in May [1777]... We the Subscribers met examined audited and setled the accounts of WILLIAM BRYAN Exec. of NEEDHAM BRYAN deceased and find a ballance due to the said deceaseds estate of four hundred and eighty and eight pounds thirteen shillings and nine pence proclamation money - which we have divided and set apart agreably to the last will and testament of the said deceased to the administrator of NEEDHAM BRYAN son of the said deceased for his part and shair of the said deceaseds estate one hundred and sixty two pounds seventeen shillings & eleven pence... and the same amount for their shares "To Rachel Whitfield daughter of the said deceased". This is signed by Noah Hinton, Samuel Moore, and Thomas House. We may assume the recent death of the elder Needham Bryan's widow Sarah, in 1776 or early 1777, terminating her life interest and allowing final settlement of the estate.

The three principal heirs of Needham Bryan, Sr., as clearly indicated in both the will and settlement, were sons WILLIAM and NEEDHAM, Jr., and daughter RACHEL WHITFIELD. Payment to "the administrator of NEEDHAM BRYAN son of the said deceased" indicates the death intestate of NEEDHAM, JR., after date of the will, 23 Sept. 1767, and before the settlement, in May 1777. This conflicts with 1784, given as year of Needham, Jr's death by Zella Armstrong [see below]. The will does not name the daughters who were mothers of "my fore Gran Sons", each of the four being cut off with a crown sterling, thus disinheriting these daughters and or their heirs and avoiding division of the estate per stirpes. The executor's accounting, as approved by the commissioners in 1777, includes payments of five minor monetary bequests: For four grandson, "To pay Ezekiel wimberly [sic] shi Legacy" and, tabulated in immediate succession, "LEWIS GARDNER do do", "JOSEPH JERNAGAN do do", and "WILLIAM BRYAN son of ANN BRYAN do do", each 8 chillings, 4 pence [the equivalent then in local currency of a crown sterling]; to "JACOB JERNAGAN, Jr. do do" 3 pounds [Bertie Co., NC Inventories and sales of estates, 1775-1790, Part I, pp. 18-19, in NC Archives, Arleigh; photocopy in compiler's possession]. Possibly JACOB JERNIGAN, Jr., is a son-in-law. SUSANNA HARRELL, legatee in the will, may be a favored niece, namesake, and or god-daughter of NEEDHAM'S second wife, said to have been born SUSANNA HARRELL. The compiler is uncertain wheather one of the above legatees and grandsons of NEEDHAM BRYAN, Sr., is really EZEKIEL "WILLIAMS", as named in the will, or EZEKIEL "WIMBERLY", as listed in the final accounting.

Jewel Davis Scarborough, in a chapter on Bryans and Gardners of Bertie [Southern Kith and Kin, vol. 2, The Davis Family and Their Connections, 1952, page 116-122], misinterpreted NEEDHAM BRYAN's will as though it named three GARDNER grandson - EZEKIEL, WILLIAM and LEWIS GARDNER. With inadequate justification, she then assigned these three as sons to MARTIN GARDNER, Jr. of Bertie, although admitting that they are not mentioned in the latter's will of 1784. LEWIS GARDNER appears in an early Bertie record as a "headright', 9 Nov 1742: "WILLIAM GARDNER proved his rights vis: WM. GARDENER, MARY GARDENER, USELFA GARDINER, NEHOMI [NAOMI?] GARDINER, LEWIS GARDENER, MARY GARDINER, whites, Pegg, black" [Bertie Co. NC Minute Book 1724-1743, pg. 193], presumably WILLIAM as head of family, wife MARY, their four children, and a slave. A conjecture, for further consideration, is that WILLIAM and MARY GARDNER are son-in-law and daughter of NEEDHAM BRYAN, Sr., and LEWIS the GARDNER grandson named in NEEDHAM's will. In 1793 a LEWIS GARDNER [died 1799] of Georgia gave ALEXANDER GARDNER power of attorney to sell two tracts of land in Bertie (Columbia Co Ga, Deed Book B, pg. 202].

Incomplete, and not altogether in agreement, are some published notes on the Bertie County Bryans: J.R.B. Hathaway, "Bryan Record", North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 1, pg. 577-84; Worth S. Ray, "The Bryan Family", Lost Tribes of North Carolina, pg. 655-58; and Zella Armstrong, Notable Southern Families, vol. 2, pg. 50-57. Malcolm E. GardnerArlington, Virginia12 November 1969

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===Notes===

From http://mywilliamssouthernroots.blogspot.com/2017/10/theorphilus-wil...

Other men with families who lived in the Flagg or Flagg Run area who also moved later to the New and Neuse Rivers area of Onslow County were Needham Bryan, Joseph Moore, Joseph Blackman, and Samuel Herring. These men were relatives as well as neighbors and they or their offspring would join Theophilus Williams in the migration south of Bertie families.

Of these men Needham Bryan was probably the most prominent. He may have been Theophilus wife's uncle. He was the grandfather of Theophilus Williams’ orphaned nephew and nieces through his brother James. Needham was married three times and died in Society Parish in Bertie County. He was very active in county and state affairs and served many years as chairman of the court of Pleas and Quarter Session and was justice of the peace in 1732, 1739, and 1745. He was also was sheriff and commissioner for Bertie County in 1745. From 1750-59 he represented Bertie in the colonial assembly at New Bern and in 1729-30 was a church warden for Society Parish.

On 3 April 1721 Needham Bryan had patented 640 acres of land in Bertie County on the Moratuck River. Needham and his wife Anne sold this grant to John Hart on 12 November 1723. The property was on the northeast side of the “Morrattacky River” adjoining Henry Jones and Samuel “Meriet”. In 1724 Needham Bryan witnesses a deed between Theophilus’ brother James Williams, who was also Needham’s son in law, to Theophilus’ cousin Joseph Moore. The property was located in “Little Roquess Swamp” [Roquist Creek] adjoining Theophilus’ brother in law Samuel Herring's property.

On 7 May 1726 Needham purchased a 210 acre farm called Snowfield plantation. Needham bought the farm from William Gray. This Plantation was in woods "betwix" Cashay & Morrattock in the Flint Pocoson [Swamp] and crossed Falling Run. He and his three wives are buried at this Snowfield plantation.

References

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=laura%5Fforget&id...
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=72777183

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Biography

Needham Woodham Bryan was born on February 11, 1690 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, USA.

Needham married Annie Rombeau Aka Rambeau. Together they had the following children: Hannah Elizabeth Bryan.

He died on January 2, 1770 in Bertie County, North Carolina, USA and was buried in Bryan Family Cemetery, Lewiston Woodville, Bertie County, North Carolina, USA.

Exerpts from other sources:.

Note: In 1721, Needham patented 640 acres of land in Bertie County on the Moratuck River. (NC Colonial Records, II, p. 426) In 1726 he purchased 210 acres called Snowfield plantation. He and his three wives are buried at Snowfield. Needham was very active in county and state affairs. He served many years as chairman of the court of Pleas and Quarter Session and was justice of the peace in 1732, 1739, and 1745. Also was sheriff and commissioner for Bertie Co., in 1745. From 1750-59 he represented Bertie in the colonial assembly at New Bern and in 1729-30 was a church warden for Society Parish..

The below was found in the Bryan Family file in the NC State Archives in Raleigh.

Will and Settlement of Needham Bryan, Sr., Bertie County, NC.

In the name of God Amen the Twentie Third day of September int he year of Our Lord 1767, I Needham Bryan of North Carolina in the County of Bartie farmer being very sick in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given unto God for the Same and Caling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make this my Last will and Testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be burid in a Cristian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing douting but that at the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mity power of God and as Touchen such wordly Estate whearwith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and forme. Imprimis I give and bequeath SARAH my dearly beloved wife one feather bed and furniture the chose of all my beds one horse choise as she likes side saddell and bridell and after her decease to go into the estate. Item I give to my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN the son of my son WILLIAM my still and my stock of smiths tools. Item I give and bequeath to my fore gran sons EZEKIL WILLIAMS LEWIS GARDNER and JOHSEPH JARNIGHAN and my daughters son WILLIAM hur first born each of them a cr[torn]lin and bequeath to SUSANA HARRELL one [torn] called Anny ? Item and bequeath to young JACOB JARNIGHAN three pounds out of my estate when sheared and after my debts is paid. I do lend all my hole estate to my wife and my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN that now lives with me and after my wifes widowhood to be eaqually devided to my three children all but he has in razen? that his shear all rest to my son NEEDHAM an WILLIAM and daughter RACHELL and my son NEEDHAM nad son WILLIAM and my son in law WILLIAM WHITFIELD for every one of them ot chuse them a man to vally and devide to three lots and each to take their shear and I do make and ordain my two sons NEEDHAM BRYAN and WILLIAM BRYAN my sole executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revouk and disannull and all and every other forms testaments and wills and legases bequeaths and executors by me in any wise before this time named or ment. In witness wheeof I have heir unto set my hand and seal this day and year above ritten. Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by me the said NEEDHAM BRYAN SENER as his last will and testament in the presents of us the subscribers.

NEEDHAM BRYAN William Turner Jurat James Turner Joseph Turner Proved in March Court, 1770; Bertie Co., NC, Will Book 2, page 8.

In Bertie, on 15 May 1777, Pursuant to the Dimentions of an order of the Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarters Sessions....the second Tuesday in May [1777]... We the Subscribers met examined audited and setled the accounts of WILLIAM BRYAN Exec. of NEEDHAM BRYAN deceased and find a ballance due to the said deceaseds estate of four hundred and eighty and eight pounds thirteen shillings and nine pence proclamation money - which we have divided and set apart agreably to the last will and testament of the said deceased to the administrator of NEEDHAM BRYAN son of the said deceased for his part and shair of the said deceaseds estate one hundred and sixty two pounds seventeen shillings & eleven pence... and the same amount for their shares "To Rachel Whitfield daughter of the said deceased". This is signed by Noah Hinton, Samuel Moore, and Thomas House. We may assume the recent death of the elder Needham Bryan's widow Sarah, in 1776 or early 1777, terminating her life interest and allowing final settlement of the estate.

The three principal heirs of Needham Bryan, Sr., as clearly indicated in both the will and settlement, were sons WILLIAM and NEEDHAM, Jr., and daughter RACHEL WHITFIELD. Payment to "the administrator of NEEDHAM BRYAN son of the said deceased" indicates the death intestate of NEEDHAM, JR., after date of the will, 23 Sept. 1767, and before the settlement, in May 1777. This conflicts with 1784, given as year of Needham, Jr's death by Zella Armstrong [see below]. The will does not name the daughters who were mothers of "my fore Gran Sons", each of the four being cut off with a crown sterling, thus disinheriting these daughters and or their heirs and avoiding division of the estate per stirpes. The executor's accounting, as approved by the commissioners in 1777, includes payments of five minor monetary bequests: For four grandson, "To pay Ezekiel wimberly [sic] shi Legacy" and, tabulated in immediate succession, "LEWIS GARDNER do do", "JOSEPH JERNAGAN do do", and "WILLIAM BRYAN son of ANN BRYAN do do", each 8 chillings, 4 pence [the equivalent then in local currency of a crown sterling]; to "JACOB JERNAGAN, Jr. do do" 3 pounds [Bertie Co., NC Inventories and sales of estates, 1775-1790, Part I, pp. 18-19, in NC Archives, Arleigh; photocopy in compiler's possession]. Possibly JACOB JERNIGAN, Jr., is a son-in-law. SUSANNA HARRELL, legatee in the will, may be a favored niece, namesake, and or god-daughter of NEEDHAM'S second wife, said to have been born SUSANNA HARRELL. The compiler is uncertain wheather one of the above legatees and grandsons of NEEDHAM BRYAN, Sr., is really EZEKIEL "WILLIAMS", as named in the will, or EZEKIEL "WIMBERLY", as listed in the final accounting.

Jewel Davis Scarborough, in a chapter on Bryans and Gardners of Bertie [Southern Kith and Kin, vol. 2, The Davis Family and Their Connections, 1952, page 116-122], misinterpreted NEEDHAM BRYAN's will as though it named three GARDNER grandson - EZEKIEL, WILLIAM and LEWIS GARDNER. With inadequate justification, she then assigned these three as sons to MARTIN GARDNER, Jr. of Bertie, although admitting that they are not mentioned in the latter's will of 1784. LEWIS GARDNER appears in an early Bertie record as a "headright', 9 Nov 1742: "WILLIAM GARDNER proved his rights vis: WM. GARDENER, MARY GARDENER, USELFA GARDINER, NEHOMI [NAOMI?] GARDINER, LEWIS GARDENER, MARY GARDINER, whites, Pegg, black" [Bertie Co. NC Minute Book 1724-1743, pg. 193], presumably WILLIAM as head of family, wife MARY, their four children, and a slave. A conjecture, for further consideration, is that WILLIAM and MARY GARDNER are son-in-law and daughter of NEEDHAM BRYAN, Sr., and LEWIS the GARDNER grandson named in NEEDHAM's will. In 1793 a LEWIS GARDNER [died 1799] of Georgia gave ALEXANDER GARDNER power of attorney to sell two tracts of land in Bertie (Columbia Co Ga, Deed Book B, pg. 202].

J.R.B. Hathaway, "Bryan Record", North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 1, pg. 577

References

• Incomplete, and not altogether in agreement, are some published notes on the Bertie County Bryans: J.R.B. Hathaway, "Bryan Record", North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 1, pg. 577-84; Worth S. Ray, "The Bryan Family", Lost Tribes of North Carolina, pg. 655-58; and Zella Armstrong, Notable Southern Families, vol. 2, pg. 50-57. Malcolm E. Gardner Arlington, Virginia 12 November 1969.
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 25 2019, 10:57:55 UTC

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• His FindAGrave entry is https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72777183/needham-bryan
• https://bryantfamilytree.com/paternal-bryant-ancestors-from-sir-guy...