I would like to have contact with a desendant of the Thomas Bryant family who was found on the 1870 Pulaski County census and on the 1880 Baxter County census. Here is the information I know: MATHENY, JEREMIAH (1870 U.S. Census) ARKANSAS , PULASKI, EASTMAN TWP Age: 17, Male, Race: WHITE, Born: AR Series: M593 Roll: 62 Page: 169 Working on farm for a Wright family Pulaski Co AR 1870 census for Eastman Township - pg 16, Household # 110, Family # 134. Thomas Bryant 46 farmer GA. Jane 37 GA. Elizabeth 17 AR. Malinda 12 AL. Stacy 11 AR. Arkansas 9 AL. Ellen 1 AR. NOTE: The apparent age of Jane (37) could indicate this is a 2nd marriage. The age of the youngest child (1) could indicate that perhaps this child is from a second marriage. Pulaski Co. AR 1870 census for Eastman Township - page 16, Household #110, Family # 135. George Bryant 19 AL farmer. Adeline 20 AL. Arkadelphia 3/12 AR. NOTE: The apparent age of George, in relationship to the children in Family 134, would indicate he could be a son of Thomas Bryant. Jane, in Family 134, may or may not be his mother. Living nearby is a Jeremiah Matheny age 17 working on a farm. The reason for this note is that then: Baxter Co AR 1880 census for Big Flat Township - page 5, Household # 23. Thomas Bryant 53 farmer TN -- --. Jane E 48 GA -- --. Elizabeth 27 single AL TN GA. J F Metheny 27 stepson widower AL GA GA. Remarks: Typhoid fever. Van Luther 25 boarder AR -- --. Joseph Luther AR -- --. NOTE: One researcher said: The age of Elizabeth and birth places of her parents indicate she is Jane's daughter; therefore, Jane is probably the mother of all the children of Thomas Bryant.) The notation that J F Metheny is a widower indicates his wife is deceased. I believe the J.F. Metheny is the same Jeremiah Matheny who was age 17 and living near the Bryant family in the 1870 Pulaski Co., census. THUS: I do not believe Jane Bryant is the mother of the Elisabeth Bryant. I believe she is the stepmother. I DO NOT have proof. Now, Jeremiah F. Matheny married Nomia(sp) Morton daughter of Dr. Thomas and Sarah Jane Beck Morton who lived in Izard, Stone and Baxter counties sometime between 1870 and 1877 as they had a daughter Nancy Arabelle Matheny born in AR on 27 Feb 1877. It is known that the mother died in either childbirth or when the child was very young. There are three of Arabell's children still alive in Texas and they all say she lived with her father and/or her paternal grandmother. If so, she shoud have been listed in the Bryant household where the father was for the 1880 census but was NOT. Other family members not as directly related as the three lised above said she was raised by Uncle Arkie - who ever that was. It is known that Arabelle's father was a traveling Church of Christ minister. That is the reason given for the moving from AR into TX, where Arabelle Matheny was listed as living when her grandfather Dr. Thomas Morton died in 1889 and his estate was settled. Arabell marr! ied Samuel F. Terry and lived all of her married life in TX where she died in 1943 and and is buried at Mart Cemetery in Mart, Texas. As we are trying to establish who the parents of Jeremiah Matheny were, we need contact from any descendant of this Thomas Bryant who might have knowledge of the Jane E. Bryant, listed as his wife on those 1870 and 1880 census records. If she was also the mother of Jeremiah Matheny we would like to know. Respectfully, Dorothy Boynton Contact: dbton@yahoo.com

That is very interesting, Dorothy - my Wright and Bryant line were from TN, and migrated to Arkansas about 1860 and 1880, respectively. My grandfather was a Bryant, and his mother was a Wright. They all lived in Pulaski County, but near Cato and Mineral Township, north of Little Rock. I may have a tree on the Faulkner County Website for the Wrights - would be happy to supply one if it would be of interest to you. Mildred B. Venitucci