122 TEANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



You will allow me to read a sketch of his earthly life from a 

 friend who knew him better, and could give it much better than I 

 can. It was published soon after his death. It is not only about 

 the man but like the man. As it is being read you will seem to hear 

 the old familiar voice still speaking to ,you: 



He was born in November, 1803, at the Bryant homestead, in 

 Cummingtou, Mass. He was originally of feeble constitution, being 

 greatly troubled in early life with asthma. His father, an eminent 

 and skillful phj^sician, had little expectation of his living. But as 

 he grew older the disease seemed to lose its hold upon^Fliim, and 

 through his youth and manhood he suffered little from ill-health. 

 During the years 1822 and 1823 he was fitted for college at Great 

 Barrington, Mass., under the tutorship of his brother, William Cul- 

 len. In the winter of 1824 he received a cadet's warrant from John 

 C. Calhou2i, then Secretary of War under James Monroe, and entered 

 the military academy at West Point in June of that year. But a 

 prolonged and severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism compelled 

 his resignation in the following December. 



In September, 1833, Mr. Bryant came to Princeton and settled 

 upon the farm whereon he has ever since lived. Here he betook 

 himself to the labor necessary to the subduing of the wild prairie, 

 and the building up of a comfortable and attractive home. Most of 

 the work in which he was engaged w^as substantially the same as that 

 performed by his neighbors. But it soon became evident that he 

 looked at nature with more discerning eyes than most of "them. He 

 was not satisfied with the annual crops, and the annual product of 

 cattle and swine. Not that he neglected these by any'means; but he 

 thought also of higher things. He planted trees, not alone for wind- 

 break, but also for ornament, in order to diversify and adorn the 

 monotonous prairie. And there they stand to-day, the double row 

 of splendid hard maples that line the street on either side, a 

 conspicuous landmark — a place from which distances are reckoned 

 and directions indicated. Besides these are the evergreens, the 

 charming varieties of indigenous and exotic trees of many kinds, 

 some very rare, which beautify the grounds. They are living monu- 

 ments, more expensive than any cut in marble and granite, of the 

 essential refinement of the man. 



About the year 1845 Mr. Bryant engaged in tree-culture as a 

 business. His nursery soon became well and favorably known. His 

 own name became identified with the movements organized for the 

 propagation of fruit and forest trees. The Northwestern Pomolog- 

 ical Society was set on foot about the year 1850 in the town of 

 Priuceton. During its continuance he was one of its most promi- 

 nent members. A few years thereafter it was merged in the Illinois 

 State Horticultural Society. This association still exists, and is ac- 

 tively promoting its beneficent purposes. One of its specialities at 

 the present time is the extension of forest culture. This object Mr. 



