Thomas R. BRISTOW

Girard Gazette (Thursday, 12 August 1915, page 1 column 3):

THOMAS ROBBIN BRISTOW

Thomas Robbin Bristow, aged 25 years and one month, died at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, at 2:30 o'clock, Friday afternoon, August 6th after an illness of two weeks with typhoid fever. The remains were brought to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Bristow in this city Saturday afternoon, from where funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, by Rev. J. B. Martin of the Methodist church.

The interment was made in the Girard cemetery under the auspices of Lincoln Lodge No. 58 Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, of which the deceased was a very prominent member, their short but impressive ceremony being delivered at the grave.

Thomas Robbin Bristow, was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Bristow of this city, and was born July 6th, 1890. He attended the Girard school up through the eighth grade. After discontinuing school he became more or less associated with employees of the C. & A. railroad in this city and soon showed a desire to learn railroad work. He was given encouragement by the older members of the train crews, and soon had a position and proceeded to work himself up into a higher one. In the meantime his genial personality had won him a place in the hearts of all the fellow workers he came in contact with and at the time of his death they were all his friends. This feeling was truly evidenced by the numerous letters and messages of sympathy received by the bereaved family from the different men with whom he had been associated.

From promotion to promotion he had advanced and at the time of his death he was a foreman in the C. & A. yards at Springfield where he has made his home the past six years.

The deceased was united in marriage to Miss Mary Albo of this city on April 21st, 1912. To this union two children were born, Francis Angeline, who died January 14, 1913 and Thomas Robbin Jr. who with the widow survives. He is also survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Bristow of this city, three brothers, Will of Mattoon, J. L. of Beardstown and James W. of St. Louis, also two sisters, Mrs. Guy Barlow of Darlington, Wis., and Miss Sarah of this city.

Mr. Bristow was a candidate for the degrees in Masonry in the Girard Lodge No. 171 A. F. and A. M. and was in the Second Degree at the time of his death and was prepared to take his Master Mason Degree when sickness overtook him. He was very active in the work of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, having been chairman of the entertainment committee of the recent boat excursion of that order and although having been in bed two days previous to the event, suffering from the first symptoms of the disease which caused his death, he nerved himself up to take charge of his duties on the committee and seen it through to a success. The day following the picnic the symptoms of his disease became pronounced and he was removed from his home in Springfield to the St. John's hospital where everything in modern science and medical knowledge was administered without avail.

The beautiful floral offerings and the great number present at the services Sunday evidenced the popularity and respect won by this young man during his short life.