Bristol, Texas, Ellis County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Present-day Bristol was settled in the 1840s and was first known as Brockville to honor local resident Joshua W. Brock. It is not recorded what he did to win his distinction, but it is assumed he was worthy. (Note to future historians, please note why or for what reason(s) a person became the community's namesake.)

Unofficially, the town was also once known as Heelstring for its (alleged) addiction to dancing. This lighthearted suggestion was quickly forgotten and it is just as well, for it would've been quickly rejected by the famously no-nonsense postal authorities.

In the 1860s, Bristol was lucky enough to be home to the industrious Sparkman Family. The Sparkmans built a steam operated gin as well as a sawmill and gristmill. By 1870, the town was awash with ginned cotton, lumber and grist. Sparkman lumber built the community school and church, and in 1872, it was used for the town's post office which had been granted earlier that year.

Bristol had 200 residents by 1890 who were served by around six businesses. It reached its peak in 1933 with 300 people but then a decline set in, leaving just 200 people to be counted for the 1950 census. It fell below 200 in the mid-1960s and by 1972 it had declined to just 94 where it remained through the 2000 census. The population according to 2010 US Census was 668

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