United States President James K. Polk appointed Bryant, of Indiana, to the court once the Oregon Territory was established in 1848.
[1] He grew up there and left home at age 18 after his mother had died when he was young and could no longer tolerate his father's religious upbringing.
[1] In 1825, Bryant moved to Rockville, Indiana, where he would fight in the Black Hawk War and begin practicing law.
[1] Bryant started a law practice in 1840 with General T. A. Howard, and later served as a circuit court judge for Rockville.
[1] After changing political party affiliations from Whig to Democrat, he was appointed by United States President James K. Polk to serve as chief justice of the three member Oregon Supreme Court.
[1] As the only federal judge in the territory, Bryant presided over the first criminal trial in what is now the state of Washington in 1849.
[4] Fort Nisqually at this time was a fur trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company.
[4] These six Snoqualmies were charged with murder and Justice Bryant began the trial on October 1, 1849, at Fort Steilacoom after a grand jury returned indictments for all six.