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Founding Father: The Life and Times of John Neely Bryan
The story of John Neely Bryan, a historic north Texas pioneer and
the founder of Dallas, Texas.
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"Founding Father: The Life and Times of John Neely Bryan" is a historical novel based on the life of John Neely Bryan. The novel follows his life from his arrival at Coffee's Trading Post on the Red River in the late 1830's, his establishing the city of Dallas, to his death in 1877. This novel gives the reader an idea about his character, his problems, the times he lived, and the people he cared for.
John Neely Bryan was a historical individual; he really did live. On this website there are links to other websites with more information about him, including a free e-book written by Lucy Trent.
John Neely Bryan is given credit for single handily creating the town of Dallas, Texas in the early 1840’s. When he first settled his homestead, which is now known as Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, he was the only white person living in Dallas County, this during a time of hostile activity by the Native Americans. There is a story that he first settled Dallas with a group of men, but this is not known for certain. And regardless, they soon left and he was alone. Soon though, other settlers began moving in and other towns sprang up.
He married, had children, and many friends. He traveled to California twice on horseback. He was an educated man and was a lawyer before coming to Dallas. He was knowledgeable in several native American dialects. He once shot a man but was acquitted. He loved to gamble and he, and the other men of the town, where often arrested for it. He perhaps drank too much. He fought in the Civil War. And he took a position of honor when the first train came to town. He died in 1877 at the age of 67.
He was not, however, the first person to live in what is now called Dallas. Native Americans lived in the area for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years before he arrived. There was a very high human cost to the coming of John Neely Bryan and the other settlers. That cost was the displacement and loss of a way life for the Native Americans. In fact, during the late 1830's and early 1840's there was an Indian war in north Texas. The first half of "Founding Father" deals with the Native Americans and their displacement.
John Neely Bryan
is well
known to have been a friend to the Native Americans and for being
comfortable
around them.
He must have been aware of the
high price they suffered.
It is perhaps a contradiction
that someone so friendly with the Native Americans would have been the first to
take advantage of their displacement. But he might have been preparing to move
to the Dallas region even if the Native Americans had not been forced off the
land. It has been proposed that he originally intended to start a trading post.
But once they were forced off the land, he would have simply changed his plans
and built a town. We will never know for sure what he was thinking. One thing is
for sure, he seemed to have gotten along very well with them because even though
he was the only white person in region, they did not bother him.
Once he started Dallas, other whites slowly moved to the region. From the very start, Dallas was growing, but it was a very slow growth. In fact during his life Dallas was never more than a mud hole. But there were roads, even if they were dirt. And Dallas managed to be voted the county seat and hosted the county court. A bridge was eventually built across the Trinity River. Stores and other businesses were started. People got together and found ways to have fun. Men and women married and divorced. And the city has never stopped growing.
I hope you enjoy "Founding Father," a novel based on the life of this very interesting man.
Buy directly from the publisher.
Do a Google search for John Neely Bryan Click here
More information about John Neely Bryan and Dallas
Download a free ebook about JNB
This site was last updated on:
Sunday February 24, 2008
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