Bryant Family

The Clatskanie Chief March 1923

Elihu Stout Bryant quietly passed away at his home here Saturday night about nine o'clock after an illness of about a week. Monday afternoon at two o'clock, the business houses of Clatskanie closed to pay the town's last respects to its beloved citizen. The funeral service was held at the Presbyterian church with Rev. E. Benson preaching the funeral service. The pall bearers were W.T. Simmons, C.S. Orwig, Silvo Graham, Fred, J.H. Aldridge and C.S. Bristol, all of them old time neighbors and friends.

Mr. Bryant was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana on March 22, 1843 and with his father came across the plains in an ox team in 1852, stopping where Portland now is for about a month and then proceeding on to Clatskanie where the elder Mr. Bryant homesteaded. The town of Clatskanie is situated on what was the Bryant donation land claim. Mr. Bryant was married (May 26), 1871 to Mary C. Murray and to that union twelve children were born, eight of whom survive, with Mrs. Bryant and numerous relatives and friends to mourn his loss.

All of the children were here for the funeral. They are: Ernest of Clatskanie, Bert of Aberdeen, Sumner of North Bend, Ray of Clatskanie, Mrs. J.R. Sullivan of Clatskanie, Mrs. Robert E. Wiles of Portland, Mrs. Annie Tapley of Aberdeen and Mrs. Rugh McElwain of Clatskanie. Mrs. Mary C. Lockwood, Mr. Bryant's sister, 93 years of age, of Portland, survived him a few hours, dying Sunday.

All his life, Mr. Bryant had been interested in and a part of Clatskanie's life. For many years, he operated sawmills along with Clatskanie River. Clatskanie truly mourns the loss of Mr. Bryant, so truly an optimist, a clean sportsman, and a gentleman.