Individual Details

I might have found Arkansas in 1870, but this is doubtful. As the only lady named Arkansas in Pittsburg Twp, Johnson Co AR. Hh 149.
Wm Fesin [indexed as Fesier] age 22, Farmer, b. Miss. Arkansas, age 18, Keeping house, b. AR.
Annie, age 1, b. AR
And living in same residence:
Looper, [Given name unreadable] age 30, Farmer, b. AR. Arminda age 19, Keeping house, b. AR, and Willie age 1.
[I can't help but wonder if Arminda was a misunderstanding of the name Ardenia and this is the two sisters, both married. But there is another, and more likely, listing of Ardenia in Crawford Co with her uncle Elias Hays.]

The family gives her name as Elizabeth Arkansas Hays and say that she married William Bryant about 1870 in Arkansas [his name was John, not William, see later]. This date is doubtful given that the eldest child found was born in 1883 [see Frances below]. Bryant is said to have been born in Mississippi. They are said to have two sons: William B. "Will" Bryant, b. 27 Jan 1887, AR; died 23 May 1929; and George, b. 31 Jul 1891, AR and died 23 Jul 1951. George's birth certificate stated that his father was JOHN Bryant, not William. There was no one of the surname Bryant/Bryan/Briant in Johnson Co AR in 1870. The only William Bryant, born in Mississippi, and found living in Arkansas in 1880 was married to a Mary.

George Bryant left an Obit when he died in 1951, stating he was survived by two sisters: Belle married to Bob Skeens and Frances married to Tom McKeever.

A family file posted on Ancestry.com states this lady's name was Elizabeth Areneas A. Hays and she married John Bryant, born in Mississippi and died prior to 1910. Six children are listed as Sarah Frances, b. Jul 1883 [obviously the Frances who married Tom McKeever]; Mary Isabel Bryant, b. 13 Mar 1885 [Belle who married Robert Skeens], William B. Bryant, b. 27 Jan 1887, d. Polk Co AR, 23 May 1929; Mary Bryant, b. 1889 [believe this is Eliza J. instead - she married Robert Dalrymple and died prior to 1910], George Washington Bryant, b. 31 Jul 1891, d. 23 Jul 1951, Oklahoma City, OK, and "Lewis" Bryant, b. 1893 and listed as a daughter [I believe there was no such child and there were only five children - it's likely that the father John Bryant died soon after the birth of George in 1891.]

I found Thomas McKeever and Francis, wife, in Polk Co AR, Ozark Twp, in 1900. Thomas was age 22, born Mar 1878 in Missouri; his father born in Illinois, mother born in Missouri. Frances was listed as age 16, born July 1883, in AR as were both her parents. They had been married for one year and had no children. Curiously living with them was a Sarah Hays, Mother, age 77 and born Mar 1823 in Missouri; her father born in NC, her mother born in KY. She was a Widow, had had only one child. If this lady's age is correct, she could not possibly have been the mother of either Thomas or Frances - she would have been 55 years old when Thomas was born. Since her name was Hays she had obviously remarried since neither Thomas McKeever or Frances Bryant was named Hays. Arkansas Hays was the maiden name of Frances' mother and she was about 47, born about 1853 - her mother might have been Margaret but she's said to have died when Arkansas was very small. Perhaps this Sarah Hays was the grandmother of Thomas McKeever.


The family of Arkansas Hays Bryant has not yet been found in 1880 or 1900.

Daughter Frances married in Sevier Co AR in 1898.
1900 Census. Mineral Springs, Sevier Co AR. Sheet 5B, Hh 229
Thomas McKeever, b. Mar 1877, 28 years old, married 2 years, b. MO, father b. IL, mother b. AL
Fransie, wife, b. Jul 1883, 18, no children, b. AR, parents b. AR

Found in Ozark Twp, Polk Co AR in 1910, Sheet 8B
Household 177
Bryant, William, age 22, Married 2 time for 3 years. Born AR, father b. MS, mother b. AR. Farmer.
Bee, wife, age 22, has had 2 children, 1 living. b. AR, parents b. U.S.
Mildred, daughter, age 1 2/12, b. AR
Jacobs, John, brother-in-law. Age 17, b. AR. Father b. Illinois, mother b. U.S.
Household 178
Bryant, Arkansas, Head of household, age 56, Widowed. Had 6 children, 4 now living. b. AR, parents b. U.S. George, son, age 18. b. AR. Father b. MS, mother b. AR


Also in Ozark Twp in 1910, Household 180, is found Belle Skeens, the 4th known child of Arkansas. The household is that of Robert Dalrymple who was age 26, widowed. He was born in AR, his father b. TN, his mother b. AR. He had a son, Virgle, age 1 year 9 months, born AR. Belle Skeens was listed as Sister-in-law, age 25 [born about 1885], married 1 time for 8 years; two children. Belle was born AR, father b. MS and mother b. AR. Bertha, niece to Robert Dalrymple, was age 6; Viola was age 3 [this number has a blot and could be something else]. Robert, brother-in-law, was age 28, b. U.S. as were both his parents.
Polk Co Marriage: Robert L. Dalrymple, age 23, married Eliza J. Bryant, age 17, on 3 Mar 1907. MB K, p.387

This would complete the picture of the known children of Arkansas Hays and William/John Bryant:

Frances, daughter, born Jul 1883. Frances Bryant and Thomas McKeever were married 18 Sep 1898 in Sevier Co AR - his age given as 21, her age as 15. Mrs. Bryant [no given name] gave permission for Frances to marry.

Isabel "Belle" Bryant, daughter, was born 13 Mar 1885. She married James Robert Skieens in 1902. Belle died 24 Mar 1793 in Wright City, OK.

William, son, born 27 Jan 1887, died 23 May 1929. William Bryant married Beatrice Jacobs, age 19, on 4 Nov 1906. Polk Co AR Marriage Book H, p.285. His age given as 20. He married at age 25 to Grace Story who was then 20 on 15 Sep 1912, also in Polk Co AR, MB J p.458.

Eliza J., daughter, born 1890, died bef the 1910 census. Married Robert L. Dalrymple 3 Mar 1907 in Polk Co. He was 23, she was 17.

George, son, born 31 Jul 1891 or 1892, died 23 Jul 1951 in Ringold, OK. George Bryant, age 18, married Ertie DeWeese, age 17, on 27 May 1910 in Polk Co AR.

Possible daughter was a daughter named Mary. Some think she was the same as Belle.


Perhaps by 1920, Arkansas had died. I found still in Ozark Twp, Polk Co, AR and living next to each other, although much of the data is not quite the same:
Brayant, William, age 33, b. AR as were both parents
Gracie, wife, age 27, b. AR as were both parents. [William's 2nd wife was Gracie Adeline Story]
MILDRED, daughter, age 11, b. AR
Carl, son, age 9
Rena, daughter, age 6
Albert, son, age 3 4/12
Dorothy, daughter, age 11/12
Bryant, George, age 24, b. AR as were both parents
Ertia, wife, age 26, b. AR, parents born KY
Lamar, son, age 5
Hershell, son, age 7/12

George moved to McCurtain Ok about 1924.

1930, Oklahoma, Pushmataha Co, Kiamichi Township, Household 70
Geo. W. Bryant, age 39, 18 when married, b. AR, father b. U.S., mother b. AR
Ortie, wife, age 36, 16 when married, b. AR, father b. KY, mother b. TN
All the children listed as born in OK although the two eldest were born in Arkansas]
Lawrence, son age 16, [Lamar in 1920?]
Hershell, son, age 11
Ernest, son, age 8
Mamie, duaghter, age 5
Melvin, son, age 2
Lois, daughter, age 1/12
J. H. Denver, father-in-law, age 66, widowed, born in KY as were both parents.

A list of the children of George W. Bryant:
Lawrence Virgil, b. 17 Mar 1914, d. 8 Mar 1986
Hurshel Barner, b. 25 Oct 1918, d. 1943
Ernest Ray, b. 2 Feb 1922, d. 5 Apr 1985
Mamie Faye, b. 19 Oct 1924, d. 2 Dec 1984
Melvin Leonard, b. 1928
Lois Marie, b. 29 Sep 1927, married Ernest McIntosh
Loyd Leon, b. 25 Sep 1935, d. 17 Apr 1949
Maudie Maxine, b. 25 May 1958

Birth	1853	Arkansas
Marriage	Abt 1881	John Bryant

Spouse	John Bryant ( - 1910)
Child	Sarah Frances Bryant (1883 - 1950)
Child	Mary Isabel "Belle" Bryant (1885 - 1973)
Child	William Isaac Bryant (1887 - 1929)
Child	Eliza J. Bryant (1890 - 1910)
Child	George Washington Bryant (1891 - 1951)

Father	Martin HAYS (1828 - 1860)
Mother	Margaret R. [Hays] (1829 - )
Sibling	Ardena Frances HAYS (1851 - 1927)