John Bristow

John Bristow was the eldest son of Nicholas and Mary (Gardner) Bristow and he had one older sister named Anne, who was 18 years old in 1737, when he ran away from home. His father had died about 3 1/2 years earlier, in 1734, and it seems quite likely that John had assumed the attitude that he was then "the head of the household." On May 15, 1737, his mother married a man named Randolph Rhodes, so John then had a stepfather to contend with. Also, his stepfather had a few children of his own, from a previous marriage, so there was undoubtdly some sibling rivalry involved. Then, during the summer of 1737, John learned that his mother had become pregnant again, almost immediately after her marriage; the baby was born nine months to the day after the wedding. Therefore, it appears that John had some very good reasons for running away from home. John's uncle, Thomas Bristow, had already removed his family from Middlesex Co., when

John was yet an infant and, in 1737, was living in that part of Prince William Co., which had been carved from Stafford Co. a few years earlier. Uncle Thomas had a son- John, who had died several years earlier, so it would seem quite likely that he may have welcomed his nephew- John into his household with open arms, to fill the void left by the loss of his own son- John. Another possibility of refuge for young John Bristow may have been the home of Anne )Bristow) Seale, who married Anthony Seale and was living in Prince William Co., about that time. One writer said that this Anne Bristow was the younger sister of Thomas Bristow, but John also had an older sister- Anne (eldest child of Nicholas), who was 18 years old, in 1737, when John ran away from home. Is it possible that John and his sister, Ann, both, ran away from home together, in 1737, and went to live with their Uncle Thomas; or was she already married and living there at that time?

Served in the Revolutionary War as a Cavalryman, member of Captain Thomas Baytop's Gloucester County Militia. His name appears in the U. S. War Department records.

At a Court held for the county of Tazewell, Augt. 13th, 1807, this last Will and Testament of JOHN BRISTOW was produced in Court and proven by the oath of DAVID FANNIN & WILLIAM ROMINEwitnesses thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded. [Will Book No. 1, page 2]