Leland Emerson Bristol

Leland Emerson Bristol, b. Sept. 24, 1875, m. Dec. 12, 1907, d. Aug 2, 1910

He was son of Cicero L. and Mary W. Bristol and was born in the city of Omaha, Nebraska, where he lived until he was four years old. He was remarkable for his beauty, especially for his hair and eyes. His hair was jet black, slightly wavy and so long and massive as to attract attention wherever he was, even when he was a little babe. His eyes were large and fine and his general appearance was unusually attractive.

He was taken in Nov 1879 to the eastern part of Idaho where his parents went on account of the precarious health of his mother in less than one year she had died in Red Rock, Montana, and the two children were left with only a father to care for them. In another year their father sent them to his sister, Mrs. Retta  A. Babcock [ Retta's full name: Theressa Oressa Bristol], then living in Ord Neb. In 18-- they were sent back to Mont. And remained with their father for two years when they were again sent back to Nebraska. Leland went to with his Aunt Dora Horr [Dora or Medora Bristol], at North Loup and there he remained until he started for the east in 18--. While he was living in North Loup he was attending the schools of that place and making excellent progress in his studies. While living in North Loup he joined the Presbyterian church under the administration of Rev. Smith. His obligation to his aunts, Retta and Dora were great and he never forgot the debt of gratitude.

In 18-- he went to live with his uncle, Raymond Weeks, who was living in Cambridge, Mass., with his wife, being then in his last year at Harvard. Leland entered the Cambridge Latin School and remained there one year. He then entered Philips Academy and spent four years there; then entered Harvard University and took a four years classic course; then a three years course in the law department; and finally, after a laps (sic) of a year, he returned and took a post graduate course of one year in law in order to perfect himself in certain branches in which he had a special interest.

In the year previous he had spent in the office of Beardsley, Kansas City, Mo. as assistant and book keeper.  But now his health was gone and he went west again to Columbia City Mo., where his uncle Raymond held a position as one of the faculty in the State University and there he remained until he was chosen assistant law professor which position he held for two years. His services were duly appreciated by the other members of the faculty and by the students he had taught, but his health had become too precarious for him to stay longer.

In December of 1907 he returned to Haverhill, Mass. And was married to Miss Alice P. Calif to whom he had been engaged for several years. The last year at Columbia he had here with him and she was the light and life of his dreary existence.
Leaving that place he came to Lincoln and visited his sister, Lora, with whom he and his wife lived, and with his Aunt, Retta, for some time. In September, 1908 he and his wife left for the west, visiting Denver, Portland and Seattle, in which last place he finally settled. The night of their arrival, Sept. 30th, their first and only child was born, a beautiful little boy.

Leland almost immediately entered into partnership with E. C. Bristol, a cousin of his father, in the real estate business. A year later he removed to Underwood, Wash. With the help of relatives he bought a fine fruit farm and intended to give his attention to out-door business until he had recovered his health. In the meantime he taught in the village school.

Leland was five feet seven and one fourth inches in height, weight one hundred and twenty pounds, straight as an arrow and unusually handsome.  In manners he was polite, genial and engaging. The people of Underwood looked up to him as to an oracle and began planning to elect him to the state senate at the next election. But in July he was taken sick and he himself diagnosed the trouble as appendicitis. It was chronic and together with dyspepsia was undoubtedly the cause of his sickness from which he had suffered for ten years. On the recommendation of his local physician that an operation was necessary he went to Portland Ore. And hut himself under charge of Doctor R. C. Coffey at North pacific Sanitorium (sic) and was operated on. He died as the result of the operation on the second day of August, bronchial pneumonia setting in which it was impossible for the physicians to subdue. His wife got to his bedside about an hour before his death. When told by the nurse that she had arrive he said: “Yes, and I am so sick.” She talked with him for perhaps a half hour when she retired to an adjoining room for a cup of tea prepared for her by one of the nurses. She stood talking to the doctor and sipping her tea when summoned to his room. [In the manuscript there was a typed sentence here that was typed over and obliterated and replaced with the following hand written sentences] But she only saw him gasp faintly one time and he was gone! That he was near death when she first saw his is evident from [The typed manuscript continues] the fact that he did not ask about his little boy Donald, who was left behind at Underwood, and whom he perfectly idolized.

His father reached Portland in time for the funeral which was held in the chapel of the undertaker's. The wife and father were the only mourners, tho quit a number of friends gathered to pay their respects and show their sympathy.

He was buried temporarily with the understanding that his remains should be taken up and taken to Lincoln for final burial.

Source: The author of this type written manuscript is unknown, but is likely Dora Bristol.  Evidently this was written shortly after Leland's death. – A few spelling errors were corrected most were not changed…

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