NOTES ON BRISTER-BRISTOW FAMILY Nearly all of the Bristers that settled in the lower Mississippi Valley in the first half of the 19th Century were descended from Thomson Brister of Virginia-South Carolina. Thomson was born 14 December 1741 in Middlesex County Virginia to Jedediah and Catherine Thomson Bristow: his mother died 2 years later. Jedediah remarried, settled in Buckingham County Virginia and children of his second marriage settled in Kentucky. Thomson spent part of his youth with relatives in Vew Kent County Virginia and married Nancy Hockaday daughter of Warrick and Mary Hockaday of Charles City County Virginia. Thomson and Nancy lived for a time near his father in Buckingham County, later returned to Charles City County about the time of the Revolutionary War, and in 1790 was reported to be living in Ninety-Six District (Greenville, County) South Carolina. Eight children (Warrick, Thompson, William, Benjamin, George, Samuel, Hockaday, John, Martha and Catherine) were raised and all but the eldest and youngest settled in territory that was to become the States of Mississippi and Lousiana. Jedediah was the youngest son of John Bristow by his second wife, Mary Carter (nee Goodloe). John died when Jedediah was two and the family, which included a younger sister Mary remained at the family home about 10 miles west of Urbanna, until they were grown. Jedediah had 4 half brothers and 4 half sisters, all but one of whom married and had families; their descendents live today in at least 40 of our 50 United States. Sixty years of recent research has failed to disclose the date and place of birth of John Bristow. The close association of Middlesex County Virginia with London England favors a tie with the Bristow Family living in Surrey and Sussex Counties, or to the cadet members of these families living as tradesmen and merchants in London. There were also Bristows living during the 1600s in The West of England (vicinity of Bristol) in the Midlands, Yorkshire and in Ulster. The Bristows of Southeast England claim male line descent from Stephen Fitz Hamon whose heirs settled in the Weald of Surrey at Burstow (pre Norman locale meaning Battle-Bur Place-Stow) and in time adopted the surname deBurstow (gradually deBrustowe, deBristowe, deBristow, Bristow(e)) Thru successive generations heirs are reported in Pipe Rolls, Parish records and other ancient documents as remaining in this area of England south of London as Yeomen-sometimes Knights of the Shire-thru feudal into Modern times. As more of these ancient records are transcribed, the history of this family and its contributions and accomplishments are uncovered. THe Bristowe branch of the family is well documented and a descendent living now in Australia bears the Arms usually displayed by the Bristows, and originally gratned 3 October 1544 by Henry VIII at Boulogne, Flanders. 615 Hickory Ave. Bel Air, Maryland USA 21014 Mid 71 Correspondence and research during the past few months have advanced study of the family and I want to pass some of the information on to you. About a year ago letters were written to members of the Bristow family centered in South Central United States. There are between 2 and 3 hundred households with this name spelling. Examination of records has disclosed the fact that nearly all of these Bristers are descended from Jedediah youngest son of John Bristow of Middlesex County Virginia (1649-1716) thru Thomson Bristow (er) of Greenville County South Carolina. A "Tree" received from a branch of our family in Northern Ireland, traces lineage from Roger Bristow of Corbally, County Antrim, living 1685 thru 1745. One line of descent is traced to the present and an excellent record is now available for study. A 282 page manuscript "Bristows of South East England" written by Edward Jenkins about 1935, has been obtained after being alerted by a descendent of the Bristowe branch now living in Scotland. This manuscript, which deals with our family from the time of William the Conqueror down to about 1700 with several lines brought thru the early 1800s, has been indexed, and will provide basic data for future writing of our family history. This work documents one of the 2 or possibly 3 branches of our family known to exist before 1500. The others were located in the Midlands and Southwest England. Family records tracing lines in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa; back a century or more have been received from members of our family living in those countries. Most of these were migrations out of England about the middle of the last century. our namesakes living in Hong Kong, Singapore and half a dozen small countries are being accounted for. We have found that India was the home of a number of our family name in the 18th and 19th century. Members of the family made major contributions in that subcontinent up to the time of its independence and it would not be surprising to learn that we still have some of us in that part of the world. A family member in Nairobi, Kenya, has sent a copy of "Memoir of the Bristow Family with Notes on the Family of Molteno of Milan and South Africa" by Sir Robert Charles Bristow. This 46 page booklet with "Tree" draws heavily on the Jenkins work noted above. Recently I located and visited the plantation house built by Robert Bristow in Gloucester County Virginia before he returned to England, fame and fortune. The house built in 1666, is one of the oldest in the United States, is frequently portrayed in publications of Old Virginia Houses. Also presented for the files is a Chamber of Commerce Historical Sketch, welcoming you to this friendly city in Eastern Oklahoma named BRISTOW. Andrew M. Bristow 1971 provided the opportunity to broaden our worldwide search for records of members of our family and to refine some of the research initiated during earlier years. William Syer Bristowe, of Sussex, has sent a copy of his manuscript "The Bristowe Heritage" of more than 60 pages on the early history of our name from time of William the Conqueror down to present day descendents. Also accessioned were copies of ordnance surveys of Surrey, Sussex and Kent, where members of our family have lived for more than a thousand years. Also maps of portions of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Kentucky where members of our American branch have lived eight or more generations. More than a hundred correspondents during 1971 contributed to the record collection, swelling the number of male heads of family households to nearly 2500. Outstanding contributions were made by Janie Bristow Lyerly-who has nearly completed the lineage of the Northamption, North Carolina branch, Victor Francis Bristow-who has initiated the recording of descendents of Francis Bristow of England-Japan-Barbados-Australia, M. Gertrude Bristow-who has provided a warm and sensative record of her Ontario ancestors and cousins, Mrs Robert F. Routson of Wooster Ohio-who has shared her genealogical work on the family of John Bristow of Middlesex County Virginia and his descendents with name spelling Brister and living throughout the American Southwest. Mrs Walter Bristow of Savanna, Illinois-who has expanded the records of the Cumberland County Tennessee branch, Gladys Bristow of Perth Australia-who accounts for Bristow pioneer settlers on Kangaroo Island South Australia, Leslie Herbert Bristow of Durban, South Africa-who documents his ancestry, Kenneth C. Bristow, who mailed me a large package of the delicious Butter Scotch, for which "Bristow's of Devon" have an international reputation of purity and quality, W. W. Bristow of Eugene Oregon-who has supplied additional materials on descendents of Elijah Bristow first settler of Lane County, Oregon, Pattie M. Norris of Indianola, Mississippi-who has sent me her Brister Family records. Edwin Bristow of Nairobi, Kenya- who mailed us a copy of a booklet published during World War II by Sir Robert Bristow on their branch of the Family, Mrs Vivian Travis-who has given us family records of descendents of James Bristow of Gallatin, Missouri. And to members of our family in West Australia, British Columbia, Warwickshire, Scotland, Auckland and Christ Church, New Zealand, County Antrim, Ulster, Ottawa Canada, Kansas City, Portsmouth Virginia and Points between go my thanks for their contributions. While on the one hand questions have been answered about the family history, new questions surface with each letter received. The search continues and broadens. During 1972 a foundation should be set into place for a Bristow Family Association to continue research of our good name. Andrew M. Bristow 615 Hickory Ave Bel Air, Maryland, 21014 USA 14 May 1973 Roy Duane Bristow Thank you very much for writing to me and for the fine set of records on your branch of the Bristow family. I have the greater part of the records you have compiled, but you have contributed certain items that are new and very interesting. To begin with, I am glad to receive the records on your immediate family. I did have the records on your father and uncle but not their children. Your letter does introduce certain items that I hope we can discuss. I do have records on James Bristow who married Patience Grayson and had 3 sons. I do not have him connected to your William. At least I have been unable to prove a connection. I am wondering if you could furnish me with some record that tie James Bristow to William Bristow who married Margaret Powell. To digress for a moment. I have long been of the opinion that the Bristows of Franklin and Patrick Counties Virginia were originally from Dinwiddle County. Several years ago I searched the Court House Records of Dinwiddle and I found enough information to convince me that people in this area of Virginia migrated into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Franklin and Patrick Counties. Julia Bristow, who you mention, visited me several years ago and just before she died, and she was of the opinion that William Bristow and Margaret Powell Bristow spent their early married life in Loudon County Virginia, which is 150 miles north of Franklin County. I have never been convinced that she was correct, but then again I never had anything other than a few referenced to disprove her inclinations. You have stimulated my interest in the relationship between James Bristow and William Bristow of your line and if you have anything to prove this connection I hope that you will share it with me. You have also mentioned a Jesse Eleven Bristow son of Adrian Jackson Bristow, could this have been Jesse Elonso, son of Adarance Jack Bristow (these items are from Census Records and are not always the most accurate) I would like to have some comment from you on these items. Living as you do in Southeastern Kentucky, I can't help but wonder if you have searched the Court House records of Adair Cumberland and Green County Kentucky, and in Overton and Grainger County Tennessee. Bristows lived in each of these counties before 1800 and most of their progeny moved on into the west. I have been searching the Bristow Family records for a number of years and it is not too often that I receive a volunteer record, such as that which you have sent to me. I certainly appreciate sharing interest in the family with you and look forward to hearing from you again. Very truly yours Andrew M. Bristow