William M. Bryant was born in Flat Creek, Missouri on March 13, 1869.  Between 1880 and 1900, Bryant moved to and was living in the Town of Pawhuska, Osage Nation, Indian Territory.  It is unclear what brought Bryant to Indian Territory at that time.  In those days, Bryant was the owner of his own business as a painting contractor.  In 1903, Bryant constructed a new home in the east part of Pawhuska, and it appeared that he was going to plant his roots and stay.

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Bryant began a shift toward the beginning of his law enforcement career in 1907.  In September of that year, he was on the official ballot of Osage County for the position of Pawhuska City Township Constable.  Unfortunately, Bryant lost the race.  J. F. Fisher was sworn into the position of Pawhuska City Constable.  Records show that Bryant continued to operate his painting business after the loss.

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The Republican party of Pawhuska nominated William Bryant for the position of Pawhuska Township Constable in August of 1910.  In the November election, Bryant came out victorious and in January 1911, Bryant was sworn in and bonded as the Pawhuska Township Constable.  Bryant’s law enforcement career had begun. 

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Bryant’s new career would encompass the period when the Osage Nation was plagued with countless murders by white people seeking to gain the rights to Osage land that were rich with oil.  Known as the Reign of Terror. Osage tribal members were shot, poisoned, thrown off moving trains, or murdered through other horrifying means. While the official number of victims has been estimated between 27 and 60, the total number remains unknown.  Although newspaper archives do not identify Bryant as participating in any of the investigations associated with the case, he was employed with the Osage County Sheriff Department at that time.

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The Pawhuska City Council appointed Bryant as the Night Policeman in April 1912.  According to the Osage Journal newspaper, the Pawhuska City Council also appointed Bryant as the City Marshal in August.  It is unclear if the positions required separate duties or if Bryant gave up the Night Policeman position for the City Marshal job.  It appears that Bryant may have been replaced as Constable by Henry Majors.  In the October 10, 1912 Osage Journal newspaper, Bryant is identified as earning a salary of $75.00 as “Special Police”.  Paul Wheeler is paid a salary of $87.50 as the Night Police.  It was not uncommon for lawmen to carry multiple agency commissions in those early days.    

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In early 1913, local newspapers began identifying Bryant as a Deputy with the Osage County Sheriff Department under Sheriff E. R. Clewien.  In April, the Pawhuska City officials appointed Bryant to fill the position of Constable after the resignation of Henry Majors. 

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From April through June, Bryant stayed busy raiding and seizing illegal liquor and gambling operations.  One raid netted 12 pints of whiskey and in other locations four quarts and two suitcases of whiskey were found and seized along with a box of dice.  Sheriff Clewein was pleased with the diligence of county and local officer’s efforts to slow the sale of illegal alcohol.  Bryant continued his duties under Sheriff Clewein from 1914 through 1916. 

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Seth Lewis took office as the Osage County Sheriff in January 1917.  Sheriff Lewis named Bryant his Chief Deputy.  On or about April 17, 1917¸ William Bryant and Enforcement Officers Sam Tulk and D.F. Castle attempted to stop a vehicle on a dirt road northeast of Pawhuska.  The officers suspected the vehicle of transporting illegal alcohol.  The car failed to stop for the officers and shots were fired to disable the automobile.  When all was done, passenger Charlie Mosier had been shot in the back.  Mosier later died of his injuries.

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On May 05, 1917, William Bryant, Sam Tulk and D.F. Castle were arrested for the murder of Charlie Mosier.  Each were released on a $5,000.00 bond.  In December 1917, the trial of the three lawmen was continued as appeals were filed.  The trial was eventually postponed until 1919 after the three had their cases severed, to be tried separately.

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Jury selection began in the murder trial of Sam Tulk on December 10, 1919.  The next day, the jury deliberated after hearing the evidence against Tulk.  By December 18, Tulk was acquitted of the crime and on December 19, charges against Bryant and Castle were dismissed.  William Bryant continued his career with the Osage County Sheriff Department.

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In 1920, Bryant took on the duties of collecting automobile taxes after new tax laws were established by the State Commissioner of Highways.  Bryant’s office of operation was at the Sam Loeb Smoke House.  Bryant also continued to make arrests for illegal liquor and theft throughout the county. 

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Bryant announced his candidacy for Sheriff of Osage County in June of 1920.  Bryant felt that his time and experience as a Constable, County Deputy and City Police officer qualified him for the job.  Bryant lost the race but remained a deputy until May 1921.  In May, Bryant left the Osage County Sheriff Department and took a position with a California movie company and moved to Los Angeles to produce wild west films. 

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By April of 1922, Bryant’s name was back in local newspapers as a United State Deputy Marshal.  Newspaper articles described Bryant as making arrests in the Indian Country for violations of liquor laws, banking laws and threats to the President of the United States.  In December of 1923, William Bryant resigned his position as a US Deputy Marshal.

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Bryant returned to the Osage County Sheriff Department as a Deputy under Sheriff C. A. Cook in February 1924.  Bryant continued to chase bank robbers, automobile thieves and bootleggers.  In July, Bryant and another deputy recovered eight (8) stolen cars in one week.           

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In January 1925, the Arrowhead Motion Picture Company came to Osage County to film the movie “The Unknown Man” at a ranch house southeast of Pawhuska.  Bryant played the role of Sheriff in the film.  A second movie, “What a Woman Can Do” was also filmed near Pawhuska by the Red Arrow Film Company.  Bryant again played the role of the Sheriff.

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In the December 17, 1926 edition of the Osage County News, Bryant was identified as an officer with the Pawhuska Police Department.  Bryant was also pictured in the 1926 Peace Officer magazine as a patrolman for the department.  

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William Bryant was hired by newly elected Sheriff Ben McDonald and assigned as fingerprint deputy and jailer in 1929.  In June 1933, Bryant and his wife moved to Los Angeles, California with the thought of working in law enforcement there.  It is unclear if Bryant every took a position in law enforcement in California.

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William M. Bryant passed away on May 01, 1936 and was buried in Hollywood, California.