 The Bryants, who were the namesake for Bryant Grove, were one of the wealthiest African American families in the state by the time of Sherrod's death in 1854.Other early settlers included the Couch family, who operated a store and river crossing just north of Bryant Grove.In 1963, largely due to the demand for flood control along the volatile Stones River, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began construction on Stewart's Ferry Dam near Donelson.