William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan c. 1902, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, cph.3b33184/The City of Rogers, Arkansas

Date of Birth: March 19, 1860

Place of Birth: Salem, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Death: July 26, 1925

Place of Death: Dayton, Tennessee, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amounts of Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, Swiss-German, and French

William Jennings Bryan was an American politician and orator. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska, from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1895, and the 41st U.S. Secretary of State, from March 5, 1913 to June 9, 1915. He also represented the anti-evolution side in the Scopes Trial, dying five days after its conclusion. He was known as “The Great Commoner.”

He was the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 1896, 1900, and 1908. In 1896, he was also nominated/supported for the Presidency by the “Fusion” Populist Party, the Silver Party, and the Lincoln Republican Party; and in 1900, also by Fusion Populist and Lincoln Republican, as well as the Anti-Imperialist League. He was also, to one degree or another, a candidate for the Democratic Party’s 1904, 1912, and 1920 presidential nominations.

William was the son of Maria Elizabeth (Jennings) and Silas Bryan (Silas Lillard Bryan), who was a judge, and a member of the Illinois Senate, from 1852 to 1860. His brother was politician and businessperson Charles W. Bryan, who was Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, from 1915 to 1917, and again, from 1935 to 1937, and Governor of Nebraska, from January 3, 1923 to January 8, 1925, and again, from January 8, 1931 to January 3, 1935; and was the Democratic Party’s nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1924. William was married to writer, suffragette, and attorney Mary Baird Bryan, until his death, with whom he had three children, including Ruth Bryan Owen. Ruth was an author and Democratic politician, who was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky, from March 4, 1929 to March 3, 1933, and U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, from May 29, 1933 to June 27, 1936.

William’s paternal grandfather was John Bryan (the son of William Bryan and Lettie Asher). Lettie was the daughter of John Asher.

William’s paternal grandmother was Nancy Lillard (the daughter of John Lillard and Rachel Garrett). Nancy was born in Virginia. John was the son of Thomas Lillard and Anne. Rachel was born in Oxford, England, the daughter of Richard Garrett.

William’s maternal grandfather was Charles Waters Jennings (the son of Israel Jennings, Jr. and Mary/Polly Waters). Charles was born in Nelson County, Kentucky. Israel was the son of Israel Jennings and Charity Freeman. Mary was the daughter of Josephus Waters and Margaret Lansdale.

William’s maternal grandmother was Maria Woods Davidson (the daughter of Samuel Davidson and Sarah/Sallie Logan). Maria was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky.

Sources: Genealogies of William Jennings Bryan – https://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com