Biographies   Anderson County - South Carolina Genealogy Trails  BRISTOW, LOUIS JUDSON, pastor of the First Baptist church at Williamston, Anderson county, South Carolina, as sergeant, lieutenant and adjutant of the Third battalion, South Carolina volunteers, in 1898 and 1899, in the Spanish war, serving in Cuba under General Lee, and since 1905 proprietor and editor of the "Baptist Press" at Greenwood, South Carolina, was born at Timmonsville, Florence county, South Carolina, on the 19th of January, 1876. He is a son of James T. Bristow, who was auditor of Darlington county from 1877 to 1881, and is remembered for his honesty and his liberality. His mother was Mrs. Elizabeth (Blackwell) Bristow. His father's family were from Virginia. A boyhood passed in the village of Darlington with perfect health developed a strong taste for reading, and was marked by a decided interest and exceptional success in the raising of poultry. His father died when he was sixteen, and his widowed mother was not able to send him to college. He took a position as clerk in a book store at Darlington in 1890. But a distinct conviction that it was his duty to preach the Gospel led him to undertake a course of study at the Southern Baptist Theological seminary, at Louisville, Kentucky, where he spent the years from 1899 to 1901, graduating in theology in the latter year. His favorite lines of reading and study, after the Bible and theology were history, and especially the biography of national leaders and of men of letters. After four years of duty in a book store, during which time he learned the printer's trade, he took a position on the "Darlington News." Later he served as a reporter for the Charleston "News and Courier" and for the Columbia "State," and in 1897 he became editor and owner of the "County Record," published at Kingstree, South Carolina. The outbreak of the Spanish war, in 1898, found him eager to volunteer in the service of his country and humanity for the relief of Cuba and Porto Rico, and he enlisted in the Second infantry, South Carolina volunteers, as a private. He was soon made first sergeant, and later he served as battalion adjutant (having been commissioned second lieutenant a short while before) under General Fitzhugh Lee in Cuba. He was chief of ordnance on Governor McSweeney's staff, with the rank of colonel, from 1899 to 1900. Since 1906 he has been pastor of the First Baptist church at Williamston, South Carolina. The "Baptist Press," published at Greenwood, he has edited since 1905. He is also a contributing editor of the "Baptist Courier," into which the "Baptist Press" was merged in 1907. Mr. Bristow is a Prohibitionist and a Democrat in his party relations. He is fully identified with the work of the Missionary Baptist Church, South. His favorite form of exercise has always been gardening. He is a Mason, a Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Woodmen of the World. He was married on the 29th of October, 1902, to Miss Caroline Winkler, daughter of the Reverend E. T. Winkler, D. D., LL. D., of Marion, Alabama. They have had two children, one daughter and a son, both of whom are living in 1908. His address is Williamston, Anderson county, South Carolina. Men of Mark in South Carolina By James Calvin Hemphill Published 1907 - transcribed and contributed by Barb Ziegenmeyer BACK to Anderson County SC Genealogy Trails © all rights - reserved to the original submitter