When James Monroe Bryner was born on 22 May 1829, in Uniontown, Fayette, Pennsylvania, United States, his father, David Leonidas Bryner, was 25 and his mother, Sarah Bodkin, was 22. He married Sarah Caroline Gorden on 4 October 1861, in Monmouth, Warren, Illinois, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Polk Township, Benton, Iowa, United States in 1900 and Cedar Rapids, Linn, Iowa, United States in 1910. He died on 2 December 1911, in Canon City, Fremont, Colorado, United States, at the age of 82, and was buried in Ebenezer United Methodist Church Cemetery, Pleasant View, Spruce Hill Township, Juniata, Pennsylvania, United States.