Stories of Related Family's

Barbara Blocher was born in Pennsylvania around 1808. She married Thomas Bristow in Spencer County,  Indiana, on 9 June 1830, a few months before the Blocher and Bristow families moved to near Cannelton. Thomas Bristow's parents were probably John and Rachel Harris Bristow who had settled at Troy before 1820. In 1820, there were also James Bristow in Perry County and William and Samuel Bristow in Spencer County, each in the same age bracket as that of John, 26-44 years. In 1830 only John Bristow remained of the four in either county.  There may be some debate as to Thomas Bristow's middle name. Casual reference from early 20th century has been to Thomas Newton Bristow. Numerous court records in 1830s and '40s always refer to Thomas H. Bristow. The name, Newton, has not been found on record before the names of a Thomas Bristow grandson in 1859.

Thomas H. Bristow appeared as witness in several minor court actions around Coal Haven in the mid-1830s.  His first recorded purchase of property in Coal Haven was at the Section 16 auction on 16 February 1839.

On 9 January 1845, Russell G. Tift stated before the court that Thomas H. Bristow died intestate on 14 December 1844: Widow, Barbara; Administrator, R. G. Tift. On 23 February 1846 are listed his heirs: John J., Mary Ann C., Rachel Jane, Sophie E., Margaret F. and Thomas J.

In a list of members of the Methodist Class in Coal Haven in 1838, Goodspeed (p721) originated an error regarding the identities of Barbara and Thomas Bristow list includes Barbara Mason and Thomas Bristow (the first class leader) and wife. DeLaHunt (p92) amplifies this error: "Thomas Bristow and his sister-in-law, `Aunt Barbara' (Blocher) Mason, (whose first husband had been Bristow), long remembered as `a most vigorous class-leader."

A historical sketch of Perry County Methodism by William R. Ash by around 1930 refers to " Aunt Barbara Mason, an old fashioned shouting Methodist."  Barbara Blocher Bristow did not acquire the name of Mason until 13 July 1848 when she married 53-year-old Samuel Mason. He was a widower from Kentucky with a year-old son, Powell Burke Mason. A son was born to these new Masons in 1849, Zachary Taylor Mason, but he is deceased before 1860 .

Barbara Mason's son, John J. Bristow, and step-son, Powell B. Mason, purchased nine acres in partnership which today is the hill lying between Hess's Radio Shack and the same Wells Road. In addition being her step-son, Powell B. Mason had become Barbara Mason's son-in-law when he married her daughter, Mary Ann Catherine Bristow, on 20 September 1852.

Barbara and Thomas Bristow's first-born, John J. is born in March 1833. He married Rebecca J. Wade in Cannelton on 12 April 1857 .They resided at the Walnut grove tract until shortly after 1870. At least three of their children were born here; Newton (1858), Mary R. 1863), and Thomas W. (1869). By 1873 they were living the neighborhood of the present town 'of Bristow where their daughter, Anna Barbara, died on 14 April 1873; she had been born in December 1871.

Their stay at Bristow was brief for in 1880 they were at Walnut Grove residing with his widowed mother; their children, Mary R., and Thomas W., were with them.

Later they were "at home in Iowa" until after 1897. The 1900 census places them in Cannelton. Three of the six children were reported to be living at that time.

The youngest know son of John J. and Rebecca Bristow, Thomas W. (J.), born 23 May 1869 at Walnut Grove, traveled to and from Iowa in the late 1880s. He was probably there on 20 November 1895 when he married Lottie Green. They resided in Iowa, Illinois and California until Lottie died on 6 April 1950. Three children are known: 1) Marjorie M. did not marry, 2) Dorothy married Glendon T. Morgan, 3) Harry N. In November 1951 Thomas was residing with his unmarried daughter, Marjorie, in Texas. Descendants from the marriage of Barbara Blocher Bristow's daughter, Mary Ann Catherine, and her step-son, Powell Burke Mason, on 20 September 1852 have resided continuously in and near Cannelton into 1889.  There were eight known children, apparently all born at Walnut Grove.

Thomas J. Mason (December 1854) on 9 August 1892 married Elizabeth Huck (1870), daughter of John and Frederick A. Kieser Huck. A daughter, Pearl Anna (August 1894) and a son, John Stanley (25 September 1896) were born to them while they resided at Walnut Grove. Anna Pearl Mason married Jesse E. Reed on 3 January 1920.  Lizzie Huck Mason died 10 February 1900.

On 30 August 1900, Thomas Mason married Laura Scull Richey. She had one 8 year-old son, Curtis R. Richey, whose father was Louis Richey from whom she had been divorced. 

Laura Scull was a daughter of Mary Ann Erp and David Scull; he was a brother of Charles F. Scull who married Rachel Indiana Bristow. Thus, Thomas Mason and Laura Scull was first cousins to the children of Charles and Indiana Bristow Scull but not to each other. If there were any children born to Thomas and Laura Mason, they died in infancy. Laura died on 15 October 1928 and was buried in Cliff Cemetery. Thomas Mason was living in Detroit, Michigan in October 1929.

The second child of Burke and Mary Ann Mason, Charles H. Mason, was born in June 1857. On 7 November 1889 he married Minnie Rinkel (1868, Germany), daughter of Christian and Dora Hanebuth Rinkel. They were parents of five known children: Jessie Pearl (17 September 1890), Leroy Stanley (24 April 1892), Myrtle (May 1895, Hazel (May 1897) and Ernest C. (22 May 1900). Mrs. Mary Martha Mason (1896, Burrows, IN), wife of Roy Stanley Mason, died at Louisville, KY, on 26 October 1918. Hazel Mason married Peter Klein from Deer Creek.

The fifth child of Thomas and Barbara Blocher Bristow, Margaret Frances (1841- before 1866), on 6 August 1862 married Edward Jeffers (16 August 1837- 18 July 1908), son of William H. and Elizabeth Jeffers of Huff Township, Spencer County. They were parents of one daughter, Barbara E. (1864 -2 January 1944), who married James E. B. Gabbert (1863- 5 July 1954) on 9 April 1885. He was born near Lewisport, Ky., a son of Eli Ellis and Damsel Carder Gabbert, they resided near Lewisport until 18 April 1906 when they relocated to Tell City. They were parents of nine children, only 3 of whom were living in 1954: Beulah (Mrs. Charles Williams), Damsel (Mrs. Marvin McDonnel) and Edith (Mrs. A. W. Jarboe). Babara and James are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Tell City. Beulah still lives in Tell City – 2000 January. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.