William Jennings Bryan was born on March 19, 1860 in Illinois. Bryan was home schooled until the age of 10. He went to law school in Chicago, Illinois. He taught high school while studying for the bar. He married Mary Elizabeth Baird in 1884. She became a lawyer and helped him with his writings and speeches. They moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1887. In 1890, he was elected to Congress as a Democrat. He unsuccessfully ran for the senate in 1894. He also ran unsuccessfully three times for president. Bryan was the most popular speaker on the Chautaqua Circuit. He is famous for his Cross of Gold speech, among others.
His Presbyterian beliefs caused him to fight Darwinism and was opposing counsel to Clarence Darrow in The Scopes Trial in 1925. I hope you all have seen Inherit the Wind. If not, please do so.
In Lincoln, Nebraska, the hospital is named after him and is near his beautiful home, Fairview.
William Jennings Bryan is an important historical figure from Nebraska.
Nebraska Nellie
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