Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties, WI, by The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891 Page 268

JAMES BRYDEN, a prominent farmer, stock raiser and lumberman of section 35, Warner Township, Clark County, was born in Queens County, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1841, the son of Robert (deceased) and Margaret (Freeman) Bryden, the former a native of Manchester, England, and the latter of Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The father came with his parents to the latter country when a boy he was a farmer by occupation. Of their nine children, six still survive: James, John, David, William H., Letitia A. and Henrietta R. John and William H. are engaged in our subject's logging camps, of which they are superintendents. David is living in Phillips, Price County, Wisconsin. Letitia married William F. Mason, of Faulkton, North Dakota Henrietta married Martin Schivers, of Caledonia, Nova Scotia.

James Bryden came to Black River Falls in the fall of 1869, where he worked two winters for D. J. Spaulding, after which he became his foreman for six years, or until the latter failed. He then began logging for himself, in which he has ever since continued. He removed to Greenwood in the fall of 1880, and in April, 1883, settled on his present place, which adjoins the town of Greenwood, and the next year built a fine frame residence. He owns 800 acres in this county, 125 of which is cleared, and the remainder is covered with hardwood timber, pine, etc. He runs three camps, and during the winters of 1888- 89 and 90, handled nearly 12,000,000 feet of logs each winter.
Mr. Bryden was married May 24, 1881, to Addie Armstrong, born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, the daughter of William J. Armstrong, of Ashland, Wisconsin. They have one child, Wales, born December 5, 1882. Mr. Bryden was Chairman of the Board of Warner Township one term, and is also a member of the A.O.U.W. He is one the enterprising and foremost citizens of Clark County, and is respected and loved by all who know him.