Page 44 - The Ancestry of Francis Bryan (1770-1863)

Being greatly persecuted by the English government, he sought refuge in Denmark, where his eldest son, Morgan Bryan was born. After the birth of his son he returned to Ireland, and made another endeavor to regain his titles and estates. He died in 1689”. [The rest of the narrative seems to be based on actual research and is more reliable]
OK. At this point (1899), Morgan is made out to be the son of a Francis, who was son of William Smith Bryan, an Irish heir and cousin of Sir Francis Bryan.
The next print appearance of the Bryan genealogy appears in J. D. Bryan,
"The Boone-Bryan History," in Register of the Kentucky Historical Society,
3 no. 9 (Sept. 1905). Here the story is developed more, with an account of Brian Boru, religious persecution, etc. Here he says “------ Bryan (given name not now known, but believed to be William) was born about 1630, and his name spelled "Bryan;' this being so far back, his spelling of the name was taken as correct. He continued to live in Denmark until he married (name of the girl he married is not known, but believed to be Sarah Bringer), and had a son born (about 1671) whom he called "Morgan, " after which said Bryan moved or returned to Ireland.
While adding some length to the total narrative, J. D. Bryan was careful not to inject new "facts" into the basic genealogy.
George Mackenzie's Colonial Families of the United States of America_ (1907), vol. 7, takes it further, and adds more. Before the sketch, it asserts that "none is known as drunkard and but few who drink habitually." I won't quote it all, but this one says William Smith Bryan was a landholder in County Clare, then was transported to Virginia about 1650. He had eleven sons. Francis, the oldest, returned to Ireland, but because of persecution went to Denmark, where his oldest son Morgan was born. "It is believed" (!) that William Bryan, b. 1685, formerly of Ballroney, County Down, was also his son.
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