When VA recently shared news that there are 49 soldiers of the Revolutionary War interred or memorialized in VA national cemeteries, Hardy Bryan—a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, who was already researching his family history—discovered that one of them is his direct ascendant: Col. Nathan Bryan is the first Revolutionary War Veteran interred under the care of VA who is identified by a relative.
Nathan Bryan’s father was Hardy Bryan’s grandfather five times removed.
Hardy Bryan, who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel, is a Vietnam Veteran who served two tours, including one with the Army’s 262nd Quartermaster Battalion and later as commander of the 525th Quartermaster Depot Company.
Hardy’s ancestor, Nathan, was born in Craven County (now called Jones County), North Carolina. His date of birth is unknown, but he served with the Craven County Regiment from 1776 and, having attained the rank of colonel, resigned in 1779.
A letter of resignation written by Nathan to then-Governor Richard Caswell expressed his frustration with the state of the militia.
Nathan was a member of the North Carolina State House of Commons in 1787 and then again from 1791 to 1794. He was elected as a Democratic Republican to the Fourth and Fifth Congress and served from March 4, 1795, until his death in Philadelphia, June 4, 1798.
He was interred in the Baptist burial ground on Second Street but reinterred at an unknown location when the burial ground was used as a building site.
There is a cenotaph in his memory at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Pay tribute on his Veterans Legacy Memorial Page.
Topics in this story
More Stories
Army Medal of Honor recipient Pfc. Garfield M. Langhorn was reinterred at Calverton National Cemetery, New York, on July 3, 2026.
Marine Corps legend and Navy Cross recipient Lt. Col. William Leftwich Jr. has a new headstone.
Honoring service, supporting families: VRCN partners unite to help Americans remember fallen service members and support their loved ones this Memorial Day.
I think that it is very COOL to find that a Vietnam Veteran was able to find a distant relative, who fought for our independence at the beginning of our country’s birth. I am in the planning stages of our 22nd annual VETERANS ON PARADE event, being held in Marion, Illinois and we showcase veterans from all wars and conflicts, including peacetime along with local First Responders. As a matter of fact, we have both the Sons and Daughters of the American revolution leading the parade. The event is on Saturday, September 12th and it begins at 10am on W. Main Street in Marion, Illinois. If any veteran or first responder is interested, please feel free to contact me and be a part of something that is patriotic and grand in southern Illinois. We would be honored to have you join us,
Best Personal Regards, Ed Davis-President, VETERANS ON PARADE.