Known as Belle, her father, John, immigrated from Scotland and became a wealthy merchant. He married Mary Amanda Williamson and resided at "Brookhill" an estate in Mary's family since 1714. Belle traveled to Europe several times as a youth with her family and to study. When the Civil War came to her home, which served as camp and hospital, Belle was influenced in way that stayed with her for her lifetime. She married the young lawyer, Joseph Bryan on Feb. 1-1871. He was to become Richmond's foremost capitalist. Together they had six sons,one of whom died young. In 1885 they moved to the newly built mansion "Laburnum". In 1887 she helped found the Richmond Woman's Christian Association. In 1889 she became it's president. In 1890 she opened the Belle Bryan Day Nursery for the children of unwed working mothers. Also in 1890 she was named president of the Hollywood Cemetery Memorial Association, which led the effort to remember the Confederate dead. Belle was instrumental in the cause of renovating the White House of the Confederacy, which became the Confederate Museum. Later she was elected president of the museum for life. She also served as first president of the Confederate Memorial Literary Society and president of the newly formed Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. She led the effort to save Jamestown and George Washington's mother's home in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Known as Belle, her father, John, immigrated from Scotland and became a wealthy merchant. He married Mary Amanda Williamson and resided at "Brookhill" an estate in Mary's family since 1714. Belle traveled to Europe several times as a youth with her family and to study. When the Civil War came to her home, which served as camp and hospital, Belle was influenced in way that stayed with her for her lifetime. She married the young lawyer, Joseph Bryan on Feb. 1-1871. He was to become Richmond's foremost capitalist. Together they had six sons,one of whom died young. In 1885 they moved to the newly built mansion "Laburnum". In 1887 she helped found the Richmond Woman's Christian Association. In 1889 she became it's president. In 1890 she opened the Belle Bryan Day Nursery for the children of unwed working mothers. Also in 1890 she was named president of the Hollywood Cemetery Memorial Association, which led the effort to remember the Confederate dead. Belle was instrumental in the cause of renovating the White House of the Confederacy, which became the Confederate Museum. Later she was elected president of the museum for life. She also served as first president of the Confederate Memorial Literary Society and president of the newly formed Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. She led the effort to save Jamestown and George Washington's mother's home in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
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