This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bristol, Warner, Stevens, Lawrence, Harrington, Doolittle, Lockwood, Hoag, Jewett, Ross, Robinson, Kurtz, Beardslee, Bartlett Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/VRB.2ACE/1780 Message Board Post: SOURCE: Biographical Review of the Leading Citizens of Livingston and Wyoming Counties New York Boston, Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1895 WILLIAM BRISTOL, a well-known and leading citizen of Warsaw, Wyoming County, N. Y., is a hale and hearty man of more than threescore and ten, as vigorous in intellect as if in the prime of life. His birth occurred in Gainesville, May 7, 1821. He comes of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Benjamin BRISTOL, having served in the war for American independence. Prior to that time he had married Abigail WARNER, of Canaan, Columbia County; and of this union the following children were born: William, Richard, Charles, Josiah, Henry, George, Hannah, Chloe, and Rebecca. William BRISTOL, Sr., son of Benjamin, was born in the town of Canaan, August 19, 1775, and there lived until twenty years old. In 1806 he removed to the part of Genesee County that is now Wyoming County, and helped to survey the present town of Gainesville. He located sixteen hundred acres of land, and cleared and improved a good homestead from the wild domain on which he felled the first tree. On February 22, 1807, he was wedded to Martha STEVENS, who was born in Worcester, Mass., September 1, 1785, but who subsequently removed with her parents to Lima, N. Y. Six children came to gladden their home, namely: Francis S., who died in 1845; Benjamin F., now living at the age of eighty-four; Mary, who married John M. LAWRENCE, and died in 1876; Lamira, who married George HARRINGTON, and died in 1848; Laura, who married Corydon DOOLITTLE, and died in 1851; and William BRISTOL, Jr., the subject of the present sketch, whose career, has been closely outlined by the pen of a lo! cal journalist in words that follow, copied for the County History: -- “With a common-school education he began life for himself at the old family home in Gainesville; and to his business as a farmer he added that of wool buying, which he followed for over twenty years. A man of quick feeling, of fine address, of business ability and integrity and great energy, Mr. BRISTOL early became a man of mark in his town and county. As a business man large interests have been at different times committed to him. He has hardly been what would be called a politician, though a man with his characteristics could not be left out of public affairs during the stormy period in which he has lived. He was born and bred a Democrat; but, becoming dissatisfied with the position his party assumed in regard to certain moral questions, particularly slavery, he abandoned hit, and became one of the founders of the Republican party, being a delegate to the historical “Anti-Nebraska” Convention held at Saratoga in 1854 and one of the five repres! entatives from this part of the State to the famous “Barnburner” Convention at Syracuse in 1856, which indorsed Fremont. He was Supervisor of his town in 1855 and again four years during the war, was Under Sheriff of the county in 1842, was Presidential elector and secretary of the electoral colleges in 1864, and member of Assembly in 1867 and 1868. He contributed materially to establish and sustain Gainesville Female Seminary. As a member of the committee appointed by Governor Morgan to promote enlistments in the Thirtieth Senatorial District, Mr. BRISTOL did efficient service. His patriot course, he careful zeal, and his expenditure of time and money in those years made him a central figure in the local history of the county during the war period. A considerable portion of his large income was devoted to this work; and by and through his efforts, sustained by the loyal sentiment of his townsmen, Gainesville filled every quota promptly, and came of the ! war without a debt. A Director of the Rochester & State Line Railway Company (now Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh) from its organization, no one had a larger share in the responsibility of its location and construction than Mr. BRISTOL. He was one of the first directors of the Warsaw Salt Company the pioneer company of the great salt industry in the town. He moved to Warsaw in 1867.” Mr. BRISTOL has been twice married, his first wife having been Adelia M. LOCKWOOD, whose mother, Clara (HOAG) LOCKWOOD, belonged to a family quite prominent in religious circles, many of its members being ministers of the Methodist denomination. The maiden name of his second wife was Martha J. JEWETT. She is a native of Ontario County, being a daughter of Major S. S. and Jemima ROSS JEWETT and a niece of Freeborn G. JEWETT, a well-known resident of Skaneateles, one of the first judges of the Court of Appeals under the elective judiciary. Mr. BRISTOL has reared six children – Laura B., Belle B., Caroline B., William, Millie J., and Henry R. Laura B. married Major John P. ROBINSON, who served through the late Civil War, and was brevetted Colonel. He was County Clerk until the time of his decease, in the spring of 1873. Mrs. ROBINSON, who still resides in this town, is a cultured woman, and a writer of much ability, being a regular contributor to four papers. The! second daughter, Belle B., the wife of M. A. KURTZ, a prominent business man of Nampa, Idaho, removed there in 1888. Caroline B. is the wife of Nathan S. BEARDSLEE, who lives in Warsaw, is President of the Empire Duiz Salt Company and President of the village. William, of Warsaw, has been in the employ of the Erie Railway Company for some years. Millie J. is pursuing the study of vocal music at Rochester. Henry R., a graduate of Rutgers college, read law with M. E. & E. M. BARTLETT, of Warsaw, and was admitted to practice in all courts of record in the State.