Robert Bryant was born in Lake City, Florida, on October 2, 1849, to Thomas and Susan (Niblack) Bryant. He was the fourth born son and was one of eleven children born into the Bryant Family. He and his siblings were home schooled at the family residence in Lake City and he attended one year of public school before his family moved to Socrum, Florida in 1869 and established their family homestead.
He was 15 years old when the Civil War Battle of Olustee was fought on February 20, 1864, near Lake City in Baker County. This was the largest battle of the Civil War to be fought in Florida.
As a young man he became a merchant and opened a small business in Kathleen, near Lakeland, which he owned and operated for 25 years. He also established a large cattle business and became a successful business and property owner and well known builder. He established a partnership with W.D. McRae and together they developed two well known subdvisions in Lakeland and donated land to the county upon which Lakeland High School was built. In 1904 he built his first large office and retail building in Lakeland and named it the Bryant Building. In 1913, he again formed a partnership with C.W Deen, and together they built the Deen-Bryant Building, another large office building complex at the corner of Kentucky and Main Street in Lakeland. He purchased and rebuilt the Adams building and erected his 4th large building at the corner of Pine and Florida Street.
He was reputed to be one of the wealthiest and most successful business men in Polk County.
Although he was a religious man, he was never a member of one denomination but was very generous in his financial support to all the churches in Lakeland. He is well loved remembered for his generous and kind nature and for his many contributions to his community and county. Although he was keenly interested in governmental affairs, he never sought a political office and instead contributed to his community as a businessman, developer and philanthropist.
Robert Bryant passed away in Lakeland, Florida on May 29, 1925, and was buried at the Bethel Church Cemetery in Socrum.
He was 15 years old when the Civil War Battle of Olustee was fought on February 20, 1864, near Lake City in Baker County. This was the largest battle of the Civil War to be fought in Florida.
As a young man he became a merchant and opened a small business in Kathleen, near Lakeland, which he owned and operated for 25 years. He also established a large cattle business and became a successful business and property owner and well known builder. He established a partnership with W.D. McRae and together they developed two well known subdvisions in Lakeland and donated land to the county upon which Lakeland High School was built. In 1904 he built his first large office and retail building in Lakeland and named it the Bryant Building. In 1913, he again formed a partnership with C.W Deen, and together they built the Deen-Bryant Building, another large office building complex at the corner of Kentucky and Main Street in Lakeland. He purchased and rebuilt the Adams building and erected his 4th large building at the corner of Pine and Florida Street.
He was reputed to be one of the wealthiest and most successful business men in Polk County.
Although he was a religious man, he was never a member of one denomination but was very generous in his financial support to all the churches in Lakeland. He is well loved remembered for his generous and kind nature and for his many contributions to his community and county. Although he was keenly interested in governmental affairs, he never sought a political office and instead contributed to his community as a businessman, developer and philanthropist.
Robert Bryant passed away in Lakeland, Florida on May 29, 1925, and was buried at the Bethel Church Cemetery in Socrum.
Robert Bryant was born in Lake City, Florida, on October 2, 1849, to Thomas and Susan (Niblack) Bryant. He was the fourth born son and was one of eleven children born into the Bryant Family. He and his siblings were home schooled at the family residence in Lake City and he attended one year of public school before his family moved to Socrum, Florida in 1869 and established their family homestead.
He was 15 years old when the Civil War Battle of Olustee was fought on February 20, 1864, near Lake City in Baker County. This was the largest battle of the Civil War to be fought in Florida.
As a young man he became a merchant and opened a small business in Kathleen, near Lakeland, which he owned and operated for 25 years. He also established a large cattle business and became a successful business and property owner and well known builder. He established a partnership with W.D. McRae and together they developed two well known subdvisions in Lakeland and donated land to the county upon which Lakeland High School was built. In 1904 he built his first large office and retail building in Lakeland and named it the Bryant Building. In 1913, he again formed a partnership with C.W Deen, and together they built the Deen-Bryant Building, another large office building complex at the corner of Kentucky and Main Street in Lakeland. He purchased and rebuilt the Adams building and erected his 4th large building at the corner of Pine and Florida Street.
He was reputed to be one of the wealthiest and most successful business men in Polk County.
Although he was a religious man, he was never a member of one denomination but was very generous in his financial support to all the churches in Lakeland. He is well loved remembered for his generous and kind nature and for his many contributions to his community and county. Although he was keenly interested in governmental affairs, he never sought a political office and instead contributed to his community as a businessman, developer and philanthropist.
Robert Bryant passed away in Lakeland, Florida on May 29, 1925, and was buried at the Bethel Church Cemetery in Socrum.
He was 15 years old when the Civil War Battle of Olustee was fought on February 20, 1864, near Lake City in Baker County. This was the largest battle of the Civil War to be fought in Florida.
As a young man he became a merchant and opened a small business in Kathleen, near Lakeland, which he owned and operated for 25 years. He also established a large cattle business and became a successful business and property owner and well known builder. He established a partnership with W.D. McRae and together they developed two well known subdvisions in Lakeland and donated land to the county upon which Lakeland High School was built. In 1904 he built his first large office and retail building in Lakeland and named it the Bryant Building. In 1913, he again formed a partnership with C.W Deen, and together they built the Deen-Bryant Building, another large office building complex at the corner of Kentucky and Main Street in Lakeland. He purchased and rebuilt the Adams building and erected his 4th large building at the corner of Pine and Florida Street.
He was reputed to be one of the wealthiest and most successful business men in Polk County.
Although he was a religious man, he was never a member of one denomination but was very generous in his financial support to all the churches in Lakeland. He is well loved remembered for his generous and kind nature and for his many contributions to his community and county. Although he was keenly interested in governmental affairs, he never sought a political office and instead contributed to his community as a businessman, developer and philanthropist.
Robert Bryant passed away in Lakeland, Florida on May 29, 1925, and was buried at the Bethel Church Cemetery in Socrum.
