This is some confusion associated with this William Bryan and Gen. William Benjamin Bryan (1724-1781) son of Needham Bryan.

Son of Sarah Bonner-Worsley (b. ca 1724, d. bet 1740-1818) and Colonel Hardy Bryan (b. Craven Co, NC, June 1, 1692, d. New Bern, Craven Co., NC, May 6, 1760).

He married August 2, 1764, Mary Susan Green (b. July 7, 1747, d. bet 1783-1842).

He married between 1758-1789 (?) Respass (a widow, b. bet 1745-1768, d. bet 1789-1840).

He married ca 1786 Mrs. Eleanor MacKay (a widow, b. bet 1736-1761, d. bet 1791-1830).

He was a member of the North Carolina Assembly in 1775; served as Sheriff of Craven County, North Carolina. Appointed Brigadier General in January 1777; resigned after the Battle of Briar Creek, Georgia, on April 27, 1779.

He had thirteen children.

1. Margaret Bryan, b. bet 1765-1788, d. bet. 1766-1859

2. Jesse Bryan, b. bet 1765-1788, d. bet. 1766-1855

3. Polly Bryan, b. bet 1765-1788, d. bet. 1766-1859

4. Ann Green Bryan, b. May 10, 1765, d. bet. 1791-1859; m. 1st Oct 9, 1785, John Allen; 2nd Oct 28, 1795, Frederick Lane; and 3rd Feb 9, 1808, Jeremiah Mastin

5. Sarah Bryan, b. Jul 7, 1766, d. Feb 20, 1803; m. 1788 Thomas Applewhite Green

6. Hollon Ann Bryan, #116543868, b. Jan 17, 1768, d. Oct 19, 1807; m. Jeremiah Mastin

7. Hardy Bonner Bryan, b. Jul 7, 1769, d. Sep 10, 1790; m. Mary Respass

8. Elizabeth "Betsy" Bryan, b. Jul 25, 1771, d. ca 1806; m. 1789 Frederick Lane

9. Mary Bryan, b. Oct 14, 1773, d. bet. 1774-1867

10. William Bryan, b. Sep 3, 1776, d. bef. 1790

11. Susan/Susanna Bryan, b. Sep 26, 1778, d. bet. 1850-1872; m. 1st Sept 17, 1796 Thomas Armstrong; 2nd Jan 28, 1807 David B. Mintz

12. Greene Bryan, #85233277, b. Sep 5, 1780, d. Mar 14, 1812; m. 1805 Nancy Ann Blackledge, #85233429, b. 1787, d. 1864

13. Eleanor Bryan, #124478429, b. Apr 27, 1787, d. Sep 1, 1829; m. NC 1804 Thomas Wadsworth (b. 1759-1787, d. 1808-1851)

Information above from LDS Family Search.

William Bryan is listed in the history "NC Patriots 1775-1783: Their Own Words, Volume 2, Part 2" as:

William Bryan, Johnston County:

Lt Colonel under Col. Needham Bryan on September 9, 1775;

Colonel Commandant, April 22, 1776;

Brigadier General of the New Bern District Brigade of Militia when Richard Caswell was elected as governor, January, 1777;

Resigned on April 27, 1779.

Known battles: Kings Mountain, Guilford Court House, Siege of Ninety-Six 1781, and Eutaw Springs.

aka William Bryant.

From LDS Family Search, WPA Cemetery Survey of 1939, findagrave contributor Nuckolls (#48091155), and Our Family Trees at:

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/27746750/person/26897239130/facts

and

https://www.ourfamtree.org/browse.php/Hollon-Bryan/p22964