The Junior Historian, Volume 29, Number 1, September 1968 Page: 1
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Texas Historian and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ETHEL AND THE WATER BOY
by MICHAEL SHURLEY
Marfa High SchoolMARCELLUS DOUGLAS BRY-
ANT was born on August 25,
1894, in a small log house on
the old Bridenthal farm in Bossier Parish,
Louisiana. He was the third child in a
family of seven girls and three boys born
to Ella Gertrude Sojourner and Richard
Jeremiah "Dick" Bryant. M. D., as he
was called throughout his life, grew up
barefooted-the hard way. He had
schooling only halfway through the fourth
grade; however, his lack of formal edu-
cation seemed to be the force which
drove him to his many accomplishments
in later years.
Recalling his younger brother, Edd
Bryant says, "M. D. was very energetic,
thrifty, and emotional. He was well liked
by everyone who knew him, because he
had a strong sense of humor and a tre-
4 !
V'~ ~
3~mendous imagination. He was a natural
born trader." Amused, Edd continued,
"He nearly always had a generous assort-
ment of everything from marbles to bi-
cycles. I can't remember when any of
the neighbors or I could keep a new
pocket knife or marbles for more than
a week or two, because M. D. could
trade us out of them."
M. D.'s father, Richard Jeremiah
"Dick" Bryant, was a lumberman and a
farmer. M. D. helped him in the fields
planting cotton; and when they were not
planting cotton, they cut logs and ran a
lumbermill. One day in 1911, M. D. and
his father were hewing logs, and M. D.
laid down his ax as he said, "Paw, there
ain't no future in this kind of living. I'm
going to the oil fields at Pine Island
[Louisiana] where I can make someThe family of Richard Jeremiah "Dick" and Ella Gertrude Sojourner Bryant in 1906.
M. D. stands at the right. ... :' .
. - .: . .Y
.
...s ..
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 29, Number 1, September 1968, periodical, September 1968; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391454/m1/3/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.