THOMAS FITZHUGH BRYARLY was the first son of Richard Samuel Bryarly and Susanna Conway Fitzhugh born on 11 October 1808 at the Family Plantation "Walnut Grove" in White Post, Frederick Co (Now Clarke Co), Virginia. Documents at Duke University state that as a child Thomas was well educated in the services of Joel Oxley in Virginia, then he completed an apprenticeship under his cousin's husband, Aquila Paca Moores in Maryland.

Thomas married his first wife Mary Lupton on 24 March 1831 in Frederick County, Virginia, and they had FOUR children that are known of:

Joseph Lupton Bryarly (1831-1902),
Susan Louisa Bryarly-Walker (1834-?),
Hester "Hettie" Esther Ann Bryarly (1836-1921), and
Mary Virginia "Jennie" Bryarly-Moore (1839-1903.

Thomas moved to Wilmington, Ohio with his first wife, Mary Lupton. Thomas' brother, Roland Thornton Bryarly wrote a letter telling Thomas about the small town of "Rowland" that he founded in Red River County, Texas, and advised Thomas to take advantage of land opportunities available for settling in Texas. Thomas moved to Texas with great ambition. Although Thomas made it to Texas with his four small children, he wrote a letter to his father grief stricken that his wife Mary passed away on 23 November 1839 near the Washita River, Choctaw Nation, Arkansas.

Thomas was married to his second wife, Minerva Ann Hodge-Oliver (also her second marriage) on 25 August 1842 in Clarksville, Red River County, Texas. Thomas and Minerva had SEVEN children during the course of their marriage:

Thomas Rowland Bryarly (1843-1858),
Richard Samuel Bryarly (1844-1910),
Rebecca Lucy Elliott Bryarly-Bolin-Mathews (1846-1929),
James Colvin Bryarly (1848-1884),
Rowland Thornton Bryarly (1850-1850),
Elizabeth Matilda Caroline Bryarly (1852-1874), and
Silas Wright Bryarly (1856-1939).

Thomas F. Bryarly was a Citizen of The Republic of Texas (1839), and a State Representative. (Source: Election Notice from the 3 September 1842 issue of the Northern Standard Newspaper for Red River County). The election notice states he was a Presiding State Representatives of Red River County for Ulysses Aiguier Place, Texas.

An interview with Thomas F. Bryarly's son Captain Joseph L. Bryarly was published in the Clarksville Newspaper on 1 June 1899, reprinted on 16 January 1948, and documented in Gateway to Texas; History of Red River County, pp. 42-43. The interview restates that Thomas F. Bryarly came to Red River County in 1839, and in 1844 they lived on what was then called Greg Creek, about 4 miles west of Clarksville, where the old Rainey place was in 1899. The interview mentions several members of the community, and how the Bryarly Family purchased a steel mill and ground their own corn meal by hand, and the Family was important in early Texas commerce through Steamboat trade between Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. Other sources also document that Thomas owned and operated a tanning business with his son Joseph Lupton Bryarly, and raised horses, pigs, sheep, and cattle.

A grave site has not been located for Thomas F. Bryarly, but it is believed that he is buried on part of the second half of the 640 acre land grant he earned based on 3 years of responsible citizenship. His grant was divided into two tracts of land 381 1/2 acres (Red River County) certified survey 13 April 1841 and 258 1/2 acres (Titus County) certified survey 3 January 1845. His file held in the Texas General Land Office states the Conditional certificate of his grant was issued on 14 Dec 1839 & the Unconditional Certificate was issued on 06 Jan 1845. If his first wife Mary had not died on route to Texas he would have received two tracts of land that were 640 acres each. A family bible states he died in March of 1873.

NOTE:
TWO INFANT DEATHS
The grave sites for two of Thomas & Minerva's (Second marriage) sons have not been located, (Probably Titus County Texas - dates from Bryarly Family Bible):
1. Rowland Thornton Bryarly
b. 27 Sept 1850 - d. 11 Dec 1850

2. Thomas Rowland Bryarly
b. 8 July 1843 - d. 1 Dec 1858

©Mark Morrow
__________________________________________________

REFERENCES:

1. 1833 volumes of Kercheval's History of the Valley (First Edition), Citizen of Frederick County, Virginia.

Wayland, John W., PhD., (1989 - Original 1927), "A History of Shenandoah County Virginia," Regional Publishing Company, Baltimore, p. 280.

2. Transcribed Copy of R. Samuel Bryarly's Will, Received from Howard D. Moore on 26 January 2006:

R. Samuel Bryarly Will Book B - Page 401, dated 01 February 1844; Codicil dated 4 January 1846; proven 27 May 1850; Qualified 25 August 1850; Clarke County Clerk's Office, Berryville, Virginia.

3. Named as a Son of Samuel Bryarly. Certified Copy of
Original Will from Clarke County Circuit Court, Berryville, Virginia. Certified by Clarke County Clerk, Helen Butts.

Will Book B - Pages 401-402, dated 01 February 1844;
Codicil dated 4 January 1846; Settlement of Accounts
dated 25 Jan 1850; Proven 27 May 1850;
Qualified 25 August 1850.

4. 30 Sept 1850 Titus Co, Texas Census, (Sheet 239, Stamped Page 120, Family #382, Line 34), Head of Household, Thos. F. Bryarly.

5. 06 Aug 1860 Lone Star Post Office, Mt Vernon, Titus Co, Texas Census, (Stamped 159, Sheet 45, Family #289, Line 28), Head of Household, Thomas F. Briarly.

6. 5 Aug 1870 Mount Pleasant, Titus County, Texas Census, (Sheet 139, Stamped Page 82, Family #976, Line 33), Head of Household, Thomas F. Briarly.

7. Maternal Grandfather's Last will & Testament; Prince William County Will Book N, pages 215-216, Thomas Fitzhugh, Signed 20 July 1829, proved 4th January 1830, and Probated 01 February 1830. Received a transcribed copy of the Will from Patsy Bradley on 13 April 2006.

8. Referenced in notes of R.E. Griffith to Samuel Bryarly III. (This record states he was born 14 October 1808).

9. (Mrs. Minerva Ann Oliver - 2nd Marriage) Microfilm Copy of: Saturday, 27 August 1842 issue of the Northern Standard Newspaper for Red River County, Republic of Texas. Thomas Fitzhugh Bryarly Married Mrs. Minerva Ann Oliver Thursday evening, 25 August 1842 by Esquire Ulysses Aiguier.

10. (Mary Lupton - 1st Marriage) Hackett, Joan D. & Good, Rebecca H., (1992), "Frederick County Virginia Marriage Bonds," Heritage Books, Inc, p.202. (Bondsman: Enoch, Fenton).

11. Vogt, John & Kthley, T. William Jr., (1984), "Virginia Historic Marriage Register: Frederick County Marriages 1738-1850," Iberian Press, Athens, Georgia, p. 63. Note: Minister, Joannes E. Jackson. (Mary Lupton - 1st Marriage).

12. Brown, Stuart E. Jr. (1983), "Annals of Clarke County Virginia," Virginia Book Company, Berryville, Virginia, Vol 1, pp. 226-236. (Documents both marriages).

13. Texas General Land Office File #210 copy of Conditional Land Grant for 640 Acres of land in Red River County, Certificate #341 marked as 2nd Class (divided into two tracts of land 381 1/2 acres certified survey 13 April 1841 and 258 1/2 acres certified survey 3 January 1845. Unconditional Grant issued 6 February 1845 is marked as 3rd Class, returned and approved 15 March 1858. Certificate #68 for 258 1/2 acres Franklin County (originally Titus County) returned 28 June 1858. Survey #1184 filed 10 Dec 1839, Patented 28 June 1858, examined and recorded 26 August 1859.

14. Texas General Land Office File #240, 2nd Class survey for Thomas F. Bryarly of 381 1/2 acres No 344 issued by the Board of Land Commission for the County of Red River for 640 acres of land dated 14 December 1839; surveyed 13 April 1841 S. W. Sims, examined and recorded 9 November 1841. Field notes 381 1/2 acres filed 12 July 1853.

15. "1840 Citizens of Texas: Volume 1 Land Grants," by Gifford White, Published Austin, Texas, 1983, p.34.
Thomas F. Bryarly owned 640 acres of land in Red River Co.
His grant was based on 3 years of responsible citizenship before an Unconditional Certificate would be issued, which could lead to patent. It shows the Conditional certificate issued on 14 Dec 1839 & the Unconditional Certificate issued on 06 Jan 1845.

16. "First Settlers of Red River County Texas," by Gifford White & The Texas General Land Office, Publisher: Ingmire, F.T., St. Louis, Missouri, 1981, p. 49.

17. "Red River County, Texas Deed Abstracts Volume I: Republic of Texas and State of Coahuila and Texas (Mexico)," Abstracted by Joyce Martin Murray, Dallas, Texas, 1986, pp. 88, 97, & 103.

18. "Gateway to Texas History of Red River County," by Martha Sue Stroud, Nortex Press, Austin, Texas, 1997, p. 43.

19. Unpublished Memories of Mary Bachman Swann, p. 1.

20. Red River County, Texas Poll Tax Records, (This was the Parent County for Titus): 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, & 1845.

21. Titus County, Texas Poll Tax Records, (This County was developed from it's Parent County, Red River and later became Franklin County): 1846-1873.

22. Bryarly Family Bible in possession of Janie Land-Gilbreth, xerox copy received 05 February 2005.

23. Thursday, 01 June 1899 article from The Clarksville News, "Capt. J. L. Bryarly Relates Some Interesting Facts of Early Days, p. 6, (Microfilm Reel 2002-1 from the Red River County Library in Clarksville, TX.

"My father died in Titus County since the war." Statement quoted by Thomas's son, Joseph Lupton Bryarly.

©Mark Morrow