The Minor Family of Somerset

Stephen Bryant by Connie R. Goodrum of Pocahontas,Illinois
"The information inthis biography comes from the hard work of o
ther family members researchingthe family name and the credit g
oes to them for all the research. I am but abenefactor of thei
r generosity:
It is said that Stephen Bryant Sr.'s mothermarried John Doane i
n England. Then she and John along with Anne's childrenfrom he
r first marriage and his (six altogether) boarded a ship calle
d theHandmaid and 2 months later, (Oct 29,1630) arrived in Plym
outh Colony.
JohnDoane rated highly in the estimation of Governor William Br
adford and ThomaPrence. His name appears many times in the ol
d records of the colony. He held mahny offices and is mentione
d frequently on various committees. He had charge of settling m
any estates and handling the legal affairs of numerous minors.
Following a practice common in those Days, John and Anne bound o
ut towof the Bryant boys to good friends. Stephen Braynt wen
t to John Shaw. Thispractice offered the boys financial opport
unities and connections independentof and supplementary to thos
e which their own parents could offer them as they grew up.
John Shaw had preceded the Doanes and the Bryant boys from Ken
tCounty, England arriving at Plymouth colony at least by 1627
. On May 22, 1627, he is listed in the colony records as one o
f 12 men drawing lots for the division of the responsibility fo
r caring for the colony's common herd of cowsand goats.
In a book written by Governor William Bradford called "Plymout
hPlantation", the following excerpt has to do with colony affai
rs in 1638:" nominated and appointed Thomas Prence, Gent: Govern
or William Bradford and Edward Winslow, Gent: and assistants o
f the government: Stephen Bryant or Doane;John Doane: Thomas Wi
llette, Gent: and John dunham to have the power and authority fo
r these next four years to put forth and dispose of said stock o
f cows to the inhabitants of the poor of the said town of Plymou
th as sHall be thought fit to partake therein."
Governor Bradford added the name Doane to Stephen Bryant for th
e purpose of identifying him as the step-son of John Doane.
Jonathan Shaw and Stephen Bryant were working together. A dee
d dated May 5,1643, records a sale of 40 acres of upland "at th
e high cliffe" from EdwardDotey to Stephen Bryant and Jonatha
n Shaw for the price of 12 pounds ten shillings to be paid in co
rn or cattle. Two years later, in 1645, Stephen Bryantmarrie
d the shaw's daughter, Abigail.
In 1650, Stephen bought or was Granted 100 acres of land in a sp
ot identified now as on the eastern side of JonesRiver Pond (no
w Silver Lake).
In 1651, Stephen bought 8 acres of marsh meadow for Jonathan Sha
w; 4 months later he sold 4 of those acres to William Ford,an
d 8 years later he sold 3 acres of the same to Edward Cook. Als
o in 16541, Stephen bought more porperty at "the high cliffe' fo
r Benjamin Eaton andsold it to Edward Gray. among other transf
ers of land where Stephen Bryant'sname occurs are sales to Samu
el Wood, Samuel Sturtevant, Jonathan Shaw, Edward Gray and Jaco
b Cook and purchases from Samuel Eddy, Benjamin Eaton and Jonath
an Shaw.
What was Stephen doing with all of these parcels of Land? Willi
am Bradford wrote in his book that the first impression he ha
d of the siteof Plymouth Colony was "so goodly a land and woode
d to the brink of sea" (Mourts's Relations, p2) Back drom the co
astline, the colony was a vast area ofswampland extending for m
iles in many directions. These swamps, bogs and marshes were ov
ergrown with cedar trees. One of the first manufacturing enterp
rises in New England sprang up here as the land was stripped o
f the cedar trees, which were made into barrels, used for shippi
ng to England the tar and pitch into which the coastal pines wer
e being converted. Additional cedar staves and Heads were shipp
ed to england for use a