Judge Henry It- Bryan
Descendant of one of eastern Carolina's
most illustrious families, he himself played
a prominent part in the years following the
War Between the States.
By GDRTKini: CARR AWAY
UJVJ VEILING of a portrait of
'the late Judge Henry Ravens-
croft Bryan in the Craven
County Courthouse at New Bern
recently recalls his courageous
conduct during Reconstruction
days in North Carolina. As an at¬
torney in private practice, before
he was later made a Superior
Court jurist, he defended a large
number of leading citizens in
Lenoir and Craven counties on
trial for alleged Ku Klux Klan
offenses in 1868, and was one of
the defense lawyers cited for con¬
tempt by the Reconstruction Su¬
preme Court of North Carolina.
Prevented by an incurable physi¬
cal disability from active partici¬
pation in the War Between the
States, he was an ardent supporter
of the Confederacy during war¬
time and North Carolina during
the critical days after the conflict.
His work, his means and his talents
were continuously directed to¬
wards making a better State. Both
his ancestors and his descendants
have also had prominent roles in
the history of North Carolina.
Judge Bryan, sixth son of John
Herritage Bryan and Mary Wil¬
liams Bryan, was born in New
Bern on March 8. 1836. His mater¬
nal grandfather. William Shepard,
was the principal owner of the
famous privateer. Snap Dragon,
commanded by the noted Otway
Burns during the War of 1812.
This vessel made an outstanding
record in capturing prizes of war.
A leading business man of New
Bern, Shepard was an uncle of
Nicholas Biddle and other well-
known Biddles of Philadelphia.
Col. John Bryan, great-grand¬
father of the jurist, was an officer
during the Revolutionary war and
a member of the provincial con¬
gress at Halifax. After serving
two terms in the State Senate, he
was elected to Congress as its
youngest member. In 1830 he de¬
livered the commencement address
at the University of North Caro¬
lina. from which he had been grad¬
uated 15 years before and to which
he sent his sons. For 45 years he
was a University trustee. He
moved to Raleigh in 1838, so that
his sons might be nearer to Chapel
Hill and his daughters could at¬
tend St. Mary’s school. Of him
it was written: “No man ever
doubted his word."
James Bryan, the jurist's pater¬
nal grandfather, was engaged in
the merchandise business in New
Bern, and owned vessels which
operated to northern points and
the West Indies. His wife was
Rachel Herritage, daughter of
Capt. John Herritage of the Con¬
tinental Line during the Revolu¬
tionary era.
Henry Ravenscroft Bryan at¬
tended the Raleigh Classical Mathe¬
matical and Military Academy
kept by JefTerson M. Lovejoy.
Then he was graduated with first
and second distinction from the
University of North Carolina in
1856. delivering the Latin Saluta¬
tory. a first-honor speech. The
following year he obtained a license
to practice law in the county
courts.
Upon his return from a trip
abroad, he married November 24,
1859. Mary Biddle Norcott. After
a bridal tour to Southern states,
he opened a law office in New
Bern. During the War Between
the States they refugeed upstate,
but returned to New Bern after
the close of that conflict.
Among the offices he held were
justice of the peace, attorney for
the Atlantic and North Carolina
Railroad and the Craven County
Board of Commissioners. City At¬
torney and Mayor of New Bern.
Presidential Elector and Judge of
the Superior Court of North Caro¬
lina.
For 16 years he was on the
bench, and when he retired at the
age of 71, he wrote: "I served the
State during my term to the best
of my ability, and endeavored to
administer justice without fear,
favor or affection. I have never
in that high and responsible office
done other than my duty as I
understood it."
As did his father, he rendered
faithful service as a trustee of the
State IJnivcrsity. where his mem¬
ory is preserved also in a tablet in
Memorial Hall. When he died in
1919. his career had been impor¬
tant enough for his memory to be
honored in an official resolution
passed by the General Assembly.
Signed by Lindsay Warren.
President Pro-Tempore of the
State Senate, and D. G. Brummitt.
Speaker of the State House, this
resolution states in part that “In
the death of Hon. Henry R. Bryan,
the State of North Carolina loses a
ublic servant who served the
tate with fidelity and conspicuous
ability for many years. ... He had
little inclination for politics, but
always took a patriotic interest
in public affairs, in his young man¬
hood serving a while as Clerk of
the Federal Court, later as Presi¬
dential Elector, and in other posi¬
tions of trust.
From 1890 to 1907 he was a
Judge of the Superior Court, and
upheld with dignity, ability and
great learning the loftiest tradi¬
tions and ideals of that court. His
private life was pure, and his pub¬
lic life was a long career of clean,
faithful, and able service to the
people of North Carolina.”
The portrait of Judge Bryan, in
the Craven Courthouse near the
tablet already erected there to his
memory, was painted by Kate F.
Edwards, noted artist, of Atlanta,
Ga. It is considered an exception¬
ally fine oil painting, remarkably
like the original. Miss Edwards
has studied art in Nashville, Chica¬
go. Provincetown and Paris, and
has filled portrait commissions in
New York. Boston. Chicago, Se¬
attle. Los Angeles. Paris and Lon¬
don.
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