Saunders County, NEGenWeb Project

Writings by Isaiah W. Bryant

   Recently I came across some writings by Isaiah W. Bryant an early pioneer of Yutan, Nebraska Saunders county and was wondering if you would be interested in posting them on the Saunders County Family Resources page on the website?

   I discovered them amongst his probate papers at the Saunders County Courthouse. They were written in pencil on a small lined tablet. I transcribed them the best that I could, leaving in the spellings that he used. Some mispellings, some probably the spellings of the day. Isaiah writes about a bent willow tree in the Platte River outside of Yutan, his mother and about the coming of spring after a cold Nebraska winter.

   The date of the writings would be approximatley 1879-81. Isaiah had given them to Dr. Fred Hullhorst to care for until his death. You may be familiar with Dr. Hullhorst as he is featured on an old photo postcard sitting in one of Yutan's first automobiles in front of the German Reformed Church of Yutan.

   The connection I have with Isaiah Bryant is shirt-tail. I will try and explain it in simplest form. Two of his nieces Inez Bryant and Katie Bryant married two of my husband's great Uncles, Edward Steele and Winfield Scott Steele. Isaiah Bryant was brother to Inez and Katie Bryants father, Abraham Bryant who was also an early Yutan, Neb Saunders County settler. My husband's grandfather was William Steele. William, Edward, Winfield Scott Steele were all sons of Samuel and Isabella Steele who came to Yutan, Neb. in 1881 from Cumberland Co. Illinois.

Thanks!
Karen Steele kaylsteele@msn.com

Yutan, Nebr. Dec. 13, 1899

For Hon Fred Hollurst of Yutan Saunders Co. Nebraska

Yutan Saunders co. Nebraska Saturday December the 9, 1899 in care of Hon Dr. Fred Hullhorst

   Lines written for Willie, Tommie, Maud and Daisy Darr and Cora Leonard by Isaiah W. Bryant some eighteen or twenty years ago and the very widest from the truth almost imaginable.

   The bent willow tree now almost dead and standing five or six feet out in the shallow watter in the Platt River about seventy steps below where the section line on which Ed Steele, Willie Parmenter and Griffin lives upon or between Section twenty five and twenty six Town 15 Range 9 Saunders county.

     The Bending Willow

The spring time has come with it's music and glee
The flowers are springing where winter has trod
But it brings not the hours by the bent willow tree
When we gathered the shells from the sod

The river is winding swiftly along
The birds are as happy and free
But I herd not its watters I hear not their song
Wih no one to listen but me

Yet pleasing memories vise and wen
Can we forget them ever
I know our hearts contained not then
One vowing wish oh never

Bright shells now line the grassy shore
And other feet may press
The yeallow waves will dance no more
In just such happiness

The leaves that deck the forests now
And every gentle flower
To each other yet with veberence bow
In memory of that hour

The verry wind that blows
How can it ever forget
The latest sigh that shuts the rose
Will speak in whispers yet

Now curling vapours of the morn
Are floating on the shore
Are ever idlin lost and lorn
To sea us here no more

Then mounting on bright realms of air
They bear our names on high
And dwell forever there
Yet leave it with a sigh

Now haste the clouds from the misty deep
To gloom each hill and dale
Bourn on the winds that never sleep
Yet all can not avail

And too the broad and arching skies
In sorrow now appears
Not all the vibers where everything vise
Can bear away its tears

Through all creations vast domain
Where thought can go or time can be
Is heard one deep an sad refrain
Whoose echoes reach eterinity

Despite of all the gests and geers
We will crown this famous river
It's glittering sands for coming years
Shal live in song forever

Still rolls on Nebraskas river
The moon once more unbinds its quiver
And the star light gleams forever
As upon its sands before
Still we feel a touch of sadness
Grief and passions wanning madness
Gleaming with each moments gladness
As its yeallow waves now lash the shore

I have wandered down by the bending willow
To watch again each invowing billow
Toss the falling leaves so brown and yeallow
Where happily there did once we stray
I am lonely now my heart is sighing
Fair summed charmes are fading dieing
Its scented beauties around are lying
And my dearest friends where now are they

Some have watched the billows motion
As it rolled or rose in deep devotion
upon the foam embroidered ocean
And found a new and stranger shore
Others have their course pursued
O'er many a lowsome solitude
Or traversed mountains wild and rude
Perhapse to mete on earth no more

Thrice happy moments bluest ever
Fond bond ties why must you sever
And oh! Swift golden hours no more forever
Can you ease my heart of pain
Oh! Precious moments fleeting soon
Lend your enchantment once to tune
One soul enspiring strane

Is it ever thus with every pleasure
That a bitter cup holdes half the measure
And dross be found with every treasure
In this bright world of ours
No memory of the glad life of spring
When leafy woods wih musics ring
The pleasures of the past will bring
And roam again its happy bowers

An Accrostic to the Memory of a
Sacred mother

If I could hear that voice once more
So sweetly thrill as in days of you before
A low pathetic gentle power
It would soothe my spirits darkis hour
A wonderous power a gift divine
how doth my spirit for it pine

W. Bryant

A word picture of the character of Nebraska but most particularly for the last hard storm before the opening of spring some two years ago the exact date is in the other papers of mine.

Dark rolling clouds and dread alarms
And frozen tempests sweeps
Imprisoned still in icy arms
Sweet spring and summer sleeps

Yet soften o'er the clouded skies
Does a warmer light appear
As recording in each mornings vise
Returning spring and summer nere

Resounding notes are on the wing
And speeding through the air
As harbingers of comeing spring
And summer rosey blushes there

Soon shal the flaming sun
Its silvery treasures pour
Through skies now dark and dun
Above this wide extend shore

That in snowy winter time
With frozen tempests prest
In springs sweet flowry prime
In wavy gold is dressed

And edens breath resides
In summer radient bloom
Where the sunlight gleams forever
There no shadows ever gloom

Soon shal the restless winds
An balmy gales convey
To heaven their holy incense
Along the pleasant way

From many a blooming bower
Whoose exhalations greet
The sense of weary mortals
With a more than mortal sweet

May heaven be then attoned
And the frosen earth restore
And old borelius dart
His icy frozen shafts no more

And now my Honorable friend Mr. Hollhurst on December 8, 1899 I told you so long ago as when Will Rodgers and Teat McCoy were living here nere Yutan one day we were harvesting on McCoys place in sight of your house and the conversation turned on what would be a good way to disclose of each of our several properties after we were done using it in this world I made the remark while we three were standing to gather that I had had my mind made up for many years that my own should go to do the greatest good to the greatest number of human beings in the world consistent with the laws of the United States but now on this morning of December the 11, 1899 I would if possible to be accomplished prefir that it should go to do the greatest good to the greatest number of human beings in the world consisten with the rules and regulations of every people from year to year and from time to time.

Isaiah W. Bryant

Now Friday November 23, 1900 I have not changed my mind but make or correct a slight error. I should have sayed in my first statement that at the close of life.

Isaiah W. Bryant.