Bryan and Owen Family Papers
Biographical and Historical Note
Daniel Bunyan Bryan was born December 23, 1886, in Chatham County, N.C. He received a B.A. from the University of North Carolina (1911), an M.A. from Columbia University (1914), and a Ph.D. from New York University (1916). Bryan taught at Richmond College (1916-1921) and then joined the faculty of Wake Forest College as acting Professor of Education (1921-1922). He went on to become Professor of Education (1922-1958), Dean of the College (1923-1958), and director of the summer program (1924-1949) at Wake Forest. It was Bryan's recommendation to the Wake Forest Board of Trustees (1942) to admit women of junior and senior standing on the same terms as men.
Dean Bryan was married to Euphemia ("Affie") Griffin, and together they had one son, Daniel Bunyan Bryan, Jr. (married to Lillian Anderson Bryan), and four daughters: Euphemia Platte (married to Dr. Edward H. Platte), Helen B. Owen (married to Dr. W. Boyd Owen), Elizabeth B. Smith (married to Dr. A. Heyward Smith), and "Billie" B. Holt (married to G. Marvin Holt).
William Boyd Owen was born in 1918 in Canton, N.C. His parents were Charles Fletcher Owen, a doctor, and Gay Pearson Boyd. Owen was a graduate of Wake Forest College and attended medical school both at Wake Forest College at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps and served in Okinawa and Manila in 1945-1946. In 1942, he married Helen Bryan, daughter of D.B. Bryan. Helen attended Meredith College and eventually graduated from Wake Forest College in 1938. She was involved with several civic and social organizations, including Haywood County Hospital Auxiliary, Haywood County Medical Society Auxiliary, Mountain View Garden Club, Former Member of Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University, Former Director of Blue Ridge Savings Bank, and Daughters of the American Revolution. They had four children: Elizabeth ("Betty"), William ("Billy"), James, and Mary.
Sources:
Collection Overview
This collection primarily consists of letters between D.B. Bryan and his wife Euphemia "Affie" Griffin; and W. Boyd Owen and his wife Helen Bryan. Bryan and Griffin's letters span 1904-1012, and Owen and Bryan's letters span 1936-1946. Letters from 1945-1946 document Boyd Owen's Army service during and immediately after World War II. The bulk of the letters are between each couple; however, there are also letters from other friends and family present. In addition to the letters, there are photographs and biographical materials, including news clippings, wedding invitations, class notes, and a DVD video of the 1939 NCAA basketball tournament.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 3 series: 1. Biographical materials; 2. Photographs; and 3. Letters. Series 3. Letters is arranged into 2 sub-series: 1. Letters to D.B. Bryan and Affie Griffin; and 2. Letters to Helen Bryan and Boyd Owen.
Controlled Access Headings
Genres
- Correspondence
Subjects
Administrative Information
- Publication Information
- Processed by Kate Trathen, 2026 June
- Access Restrictions
- This collection is open for research.
- Copyright Notice
- The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
- Preferred Citation
- Bryan and Owen Family Papers (MS1021), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.