Page 124 - WPA Book
P. 124
Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
HOUSES
1. SUBJECT:
Pendleton Bryan Home.
2. LOCATION:
273 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia, south side.
3. DATE:
Unknown.
4. OWNERS:
John S. Effinger, B.R.D.B. 29, page 39. Cannot get back further on account of burnt records.
M. Harvey Effinger from John S. Effinger, March 31, 1856.
Mrs. Emma Bryan from M. Harvey Effinger, March 23, 1874; D.B. 11, page 19.
Arthur B. Snell, present owner, October 4, 1906.
5. DESCRIPTION:
See form 3686, attached..
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Pendleton Bryan was born at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the old Bryan home located on Broad Street, long since
disappeared. He was the son of Allan C. and Louisa P.E. Bryan. He died at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1906 and
lies buried in Woodbine Cemetery.
In his youth and like many others, he attended the Virginia Military Institute and at the age of 17 years ran away
from the Institution to join the Confederate army, enlisting in April 1861 in Company G. Valley Guards, in
which company he was made Lieutenant. He resigned from this company and joined the McNeill Rangers and
saw active service with this partisan organization, being wounded near Harper’s Ferry. He was brought to the
hospital at Harrisonburg where he was cared for and nursed by Emma Lyon with whom he fell in love and
afterwards married.
He was one of the squad of the McNeill company in its raid on Cumberland, Maryland, in the capture of
Generals Crook and Kelly, and helped to cover the retreated by way of Romney, West Virginia, scouting the
mountain trails from that point to Moorefield, West Virginia, where they stopped at the home of John Fetzer,
where they rested and received food and refreshment. They were pressed so closely by the enemy sent out to
overtake them that they were compelled to leave in a very great hurry, leaving behind General Crook’s sword.
This sword was kept and hid by Mrs. Fetzer and long years after the war at a reunion of the McNeill Rangers
with the Pennsylvania “Bucktails” at Moorefield, Captain Jesse McNeill was present when Mrs. Fetzer returned
the sword to him. He, a little later, in turn returned it to the family of General Crook.
Pendleton Bryan was a “gentleman of the old school,” cultured, dignified, and courtly in manner, and highly
respected in his community. He was an attorney after the war, practicing his profession at the Rockingham bar.
He was also commissioner in chancery and accounts; a magistrate and bail commissioner; and for nine terms
was the mayor of Harrisonburg.
He married Emma Lyon, a native of Richmond, in 1864, and lived on East Market Street at Harrisonburg. To
this union several children were born, one of whom is still living, Mr. Allan C. Bryan, Jr., who for a number of
years was a clerk in the post office at Harrisonburg, under the administration of Rittenour, Devier, and
Funkhouser.
Emma Lyon, the wife of Pendleton Bryan was a graduate of Hollins Institute, now Hollins College, devoting
herself especially to music and art, and after her marriage to writing and painting, one of her books being a
Romance of the Valley of Virginia, a story of the war of 1861-5, and printed on Confederate paper. I am told
that she herself was one of the principal characters in this very interesting and entertaining book.
Page 123 of 482
HOUSES
1. SUBJECT:
Pendleton Bryan Home.
2. LOCATION:
273 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia, south side.
3. DATE:
Unknown.
4. OWNERS:
John S. Effinger, B.R.D.B. 29, page 39. Cannot get back further on account of burnt records.
M. Harvey Effinger from John S. Effinger, March 31, 1856.
Mrs. Emma Bryan from M. Harvey Effinger, March 23, 1874; D.B. 11, page 19.
Arthur B. Snell, present owner, October 4, 1906.
5. DESCRIPTION:
See form 3686, attached..
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Pendleton Bryan was born at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the old Bryan home located on Broad Street, long since
disappeared. He was the son of Allan C. and Louisa P.E. Bryan. He died at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1906 and
lies buried in Woodbine Cemetery.
In his youth and like many others, he attended the Virginia Military Institute and at the age of 17 years ran away
from the Institution to join the Confederate army, enlisting in April 1861 in Company G. Valley Guards, in
which company he was made Lieutenant. He resigned from this company and joined the McNeill Rangers and
saw active service with this partisan organization, being wounded near Harper’s Ferry. He was brought to the
hospital at Harrisonburg where he was cared for and nursed by Emma Lyon with whom he fell in love and
afterwards married.
He was one of the squad of the McNeill company in its raid on Cumberland, Maryland, in the capture of
Generals Crook and Kelly, and helped to cover the retreated by way of Romney, West Virginia, scouting the
mountain trails from that point to Moorefield, West Virginia, where they stopped at the home of John Fetzer,
where they rested and received food and refreshment. They were pressed so closely by the enemy sent out to
overtake them that they were compelled to leave in a very great hurry, leaving behind General Crook’s sword.
This sword was kept and hid by Mrs. Fetzer and long years after the war at a reunion of the McNeill Rangers
with the Pennsylvania “Bucktails” at Moorefield, Captain Jesse McNeill was present when Mrs. Fetzer returned
the sword to him. He, a little later, in turn returned it to the family of General Crook.
Pendleton Bryan was a “gentleman of the old school,” cultured, dignified, and courtly in manner, and highly
respected in his community. He was an attorney after the war, practicing his profession at the Rockingham bar.
He was also commissioner in chancery and accounts; a magistrate and bail commissioner; and for nine terms
was the mayor of Harrisonburg.
He married Emma Lyon, a native of Richmond, in 1864, and lived on East Market Street at Harrisonburg. To
this union several children were born, one of whom is still living, Mr. Allan C. Bryan, Jr., who for a number of
years was a clerk in the post office at Harrisonburg, under the administration of Rittenour, Devier, and
Funkhouser.
Emma Lyon, the wife of Pendleton Bryan was a graduate of Hollins Institute, now Hollins College, devoting
herself especially to music and art, and after her marriage to writing and painting, one of her books being a
Romance of the Valley of Virginia, a story of the war of 1861-5, and printed on Confederate paper. I am told
that she herself was one of the principal characters in this very interesting and entertaining book.
Page 123 of 482
