Born December 31, 1880, in Lake George, New York, Bryant was the son of Presbyterian Review William and Caroline Bryant. His father was called “a potent force in the intellectual and moral progress of the race and his influence is far reaching,” according to Certificated Master Burton"s City of Detroit.
Bryant"s parents were natives of England.
His father was born in Brighton and mother in Bath.
Coming to America, Review Bryant graduated from Oxford University and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Princeton University.
Prior to moving to Ferndale, Michigan, Review Bryant "acted as a confidential man for H.B. Claflin & Company of New York city," according to City of Detroit. Among his activities, he had been a trustee of Harper Hospital, a director of Detroit Young Men’s Christian Association, The Detroit Board of Commerce, the Detroit Institute of Arts" Founders" Society and the Society of Arts and Crafts.
The company also had previously worked with architect Albert Kahn to create the Dodge Brothers Hamtramck Plant in 1910.
Bryant & Detwiler headquarters in 1915 was located in the Dime Bank Building. Its top managers included Rollo West. Detwiler and Ward Arnold Detwiler.
During the Great Depression, on February 24, 1939, the University of Michigan awarded a $647,817 contract to Bryant & Detwiler, as part of a federal Public Works Program (PWP), to construct the 143,977-square-foot (13,3759 m2) East Quadrangle dormitory, according to the Bentley Historical Library. John Bryant died Tuesday, November 15, 1938 at Detroit"s Harper Hospital.
He had been ill since February, according to his obituaries in the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.
At the time of his death he had also been vice president of Ferro Stamping and Manufacturing. Funeral services were held at his residence in Grosse Point Park and he was buried in Detroit"s Woodlawn Cemetery.
An avid golfer, automobile enthusiast and tennis player, Bryant also had been a member of the Wolverine Automobile Club which merged with the Detroit Athletic Club.
