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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
ALANSON BRYAN, one of the pioneers of `49 in this county, was born in Greene County, Ohio, Feb. 8, 1808. He is a son of Morrison and Rhoda (Johnson) Bryan, who were natives of Virginia, and whose parents came from Ireland. He was bred to farm life, and received but a limited education, the feeble health of his father devolving the household cares upon Alanson, who during all his young days, and until he reached the age of manhood, was the mainstay of the family, and the prop of his father's declining years. The subject of this notice, after reaching manhood, united in marriage with Miss Easter Mendenhall, a native of Ohio. To them were born eleven children, two of whom died in infancy; one, Morrison G., died at the age of twenty-one years. John M. lives at Montezuma; Rachel, the wife of Joseph Bone, resides in Washington Territory; Dennis, William A., Bedy, Neri E, and Andrew A. live at Montezuma; Talitha, now Mrs. Homer, resides in Poweshiek County. In 1849 Mr. Bryan loaded his family and household goods into three covered wagons and started for the boundless West, arriving at Oskaloosa, this State, October 12, after a journey of thirty-two days. They settled on section 31, of Adams Township, where our subject had, the previous spring, purchased 200 acres of land. Here he lived for twenty years, following the occupation of farming, and changed the raw prairie of 1849 to one of the best improved and most highly cultivated farms in the county. In 1869 he sold the farm for $50 per acre, removed to Hamilton County, Iowa, invested a portion of his capital in a flouring-mill, and resided there for about six years, when, on account of the death of his wife, he gave up housekeeping and has since made his home with his son, Andrew A., at Montezuma. Alanson Bryan is a man of great energy and force of character, was a cautious, prudent manager, always exercising proper economy in his business, and made his life a great success. At the age of seventy-eight years he made a trip to Western Kansas, by team, merely for the purpose of enjoyment
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy