George Bryan

Infobox Politician (general)
name= George Bryan


image_width=200
title=1st Vice-President of Pennsylvania
term_start= 6 March 1777
term_end= 11 October 1779
predecessor=
successor= Matthew Smith
title2= 2nd President of Pennsylvania
term_start2= 23 May 1778
term_end2= 1 December 1778
predecessor2= Thomas Wharton
successor2= Joseph Reed
title3= Pennsylvania Supreme Court
term_start3= 5 April 1780
term_end3= 27 January 1791
predecessor3=
successor3=
title4= Pennsylvania General Assembly
term_start4=
term_end4=
predecessor4=
successor4=
birth_date= 1731
birth_place= Dublin, Ireland
death_date= 27 January 1791
death_place=
party=
residence=
spouse= Elizabeth Smith
profession= businessman, politician, judge
religion= Presbyterian

George Bryan (1731-1791) was a Pennsylvania businessman, statesman and politician of the Revolutionary era. He served as the first Vice-President of Pennsylvania (analogous to Lieutenant Governor) and its second President (Governor) following the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. He was an early abolitionist and a judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Early life and family

Bryan was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1731. He emigrated to Philadelphia in 1752 in order to join a business partnership arranged by his father. That partnership soon came to an end, but Bryan went on to become a successful businessman, both as a retailer and as an importer and exporter. He married Elizabeth Smith in 1757. Their family would number ten children.

Politics

Bryan was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and during the late 1750s and early 1760s tried to mediate a conflict that had arisen between two opposing factions of that denomination during the Great Awakening. That experience led to his involvement in local and provincial politics. After Britain’s passage of the Stamp Act in 1765 Bryan took an active roll in the American opposition, joining other Philadelphia Merchants in signing the Non-Importation Agreement. This likely led to his bankruptcy in 1771.

Bryan was considered a “radical” regarding the issue of Independence, and as such is listed in the company of such men as Thomas Paine. Bad health limited his political activities during the early 1770s, but after the adoption of the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution he became an advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council outlined in that document. On 5 March 1777 he was elected the first Vice-President of that Council. Although it would become standard procedure for Presidents and Vice-Presidents to take office immediately upon election, Bryan did not take the oath of office until the following day, 6 March, and according to the State Constitution could not exercise his office until that time. Thus, his term officially began 6 March 1777. Bryan was reelected to the Vice-Presidency on 21 November 1777.

Bryan, and subsequent Vice-Presidents, may be referred to properly as "Vice-Governors and presidents of Pennsylvania"; however, the position is analogous to the modern office of Lieutenant Governor, and Vice-Presidents of Council are often listed with those who have held the latter title.

President of Pennsylvania

Thomas Wharton, the first President of Pennsylvania, died in office on 23 May 1778 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (The State government had evacuated to Lancaster during the British occupation of Philadelphia.) According to the provisions of the 1776 State Constitution Bryan assumed the duties of the late President. Some sources consider Bryan to have been merely the "Acting" President during the seven months that followed. [http://www.nndb.com/gov/928/000051775/ NNDB list of Governors of Pennsylvania] Accessed 17 April 2007.] Others—including the records of the Council itself—deny him even that title and continue to address him as simply "Vice-President", as he was never elected or officially elevated to the Presidency."Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, from its organization to the termination of the Revolution. [Mar. 4, 1777 - Dec. 20, 1790] ". Harrisburg, Pub. by the State, 1852-53. Entries for 1 Dec 1778 (v. XI, pp 632-634), 5 Mar 1777 (v. XI, pp 173-174), 11 Oct 1779 (v. XII, p 127).] [http://www.penn.edu University of Pennsylvania] biography of [http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/1700s/people/bryan_geo.html George Bryan] Accessed 17 April 2007.] Nonetheless, perhaps due to the length of his service at the head of the Council, both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Governors Association today recognize George Bryan as a full-fledged Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 23 May 1778 through 1 December 1778. [http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/overview.asp?secid=1 Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission] listing of [http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/governors/priorgov.asp?secid=31 Prior Governors of Pennsylvania ] Accessed 17 April 2007.] [http://www.nga.org National Governors Association] biography for [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=94c2e07fe6f3c010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD George Bryan] Accessed 17 April 2007.] It was under Bryan's leadership that the Council returned to Philadelphia on 26 June 1778, after almost nine months in Lancaster. On 1 December Bryan was soundly defeated in his bid to be formally elected to the Presidency, receiving only one of sixty three votes cast and losing to Joseph Reed. However, he handily defeated Joseph Hart to retain the Vice-Presidency, winning sixty two of the sixty three votes cast for that office. Bryan remained Vice-President for almost a year, resigning the office 11 October 1779. (No reason for the resignation is noted in the records of the Council.) Matthew Smith was elected to fill the vacancy and took office that same day. Bryan continued to serve on the Council for several days after leaving the Vice-Presidency, and on 18 October was succeeded by William Moore as Counsellor for the City of Philadelphia.

Following his service with the Executive Council, in 1780 Bryan was appointed a judge on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He also served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. An early abolitionist, Bryan believed that slavery was a moral disgrace, and he authored legislation to abolish the practice. This legislation served as a model for the gradual emancipation of slaves throughout the northern colonies.

In the late 1780s Bryan remained an ardent advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council still in place in Pennsylvania, and he opposed adoption of the 1787 Federal Constitution largely because it created a bicameral legislature and a single executive.

University of Pennsylvania

Like most of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of Council who came after him, Bryan "may" have served as an "ex officio" member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. University records are not clear on this issue, but it is certain that, after leaving the Vice-Presidency in 1779, Bryan was appointed a Trustee in his own right, and served that body until his death in 1791. He was Treasurer of the Board from 1779 to 1788.

Death

George Bryan died in 1791. His burial site is in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia PA. [http://politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard] page for surname [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bryan.html Bryan] , accessed 29 April 2007.]

References