Myon Edison Bristow (1879-1955)

Portrait from the Virginia House of Delegates composite, 1916.

  Spanish-American war veteran and lawyer Myon Edison Bristow occupied several political posts in Virginia state government, including stints as Commonwealth's Attorney, member of the state house of delegates, chief examiner of banks, and State Commissioner of Insurance and Banking. This author recently discovered Bristow's name via Volume 3 of 1937's Virginia Democracy, and, taking note of his unusual first name, was under the assumption it was a misspelling of the more familiar name "Myron". As it turns out, "Myon" is indeed the spelling of Bristow's first name, as it is listed several times on the U.S. Census, Veteran's Index, WWI and II Draft Registration cards, and Bristow's own death certificate. Unfortunately, no source available mentions this name's origin or why it was bestowed on Bristow. The son of Dr. Lewis Shuck Bristow and the former Nellie Blanche Games, Myon Edison Bristow was born in Saluda, Virginia on November 2, 1879.

  Bristow attended schools local to Saluda and at the age of eighteen signed on for service in the Spanish American War. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy, Bristow was assigned to the U.S.S. Wilmington, where he served until his discharge in May 1899. After his return to Virginia, Bristow decided to pursue a law degree, enrolling at the University of Virginia. After graduating in 1901 he elected not to open a practice and instead took a position with the Bank of Gloucester, Virginia. 

  Following a stint as deputy clerk for Gloucester County, Virginia, Myon Bristow entered into his first substantial political office when he was appointed as Commonwealth's Attorney for Gloucester County, succeeding William C. Jones, who had died in office. Just 25 years old at the time of his appointment, Bristow's youth proved to be a non-factor when he entered into office, being remarked as "unusually bright and thoroughly capable of filling the office with credit to himself and honor to the county." Bristow married during his term in 1905 to Baltimore native Emerald Alvin Christian (1882-1949), to whom he was wed until divorcing in the early 1940s. This curiously named couple would have a total of five children, those being Emerald, Frances, Alice (born 1908), John Christian (born 1911), and Blanche.

From the Southside Sentinel, January 29, 1904.

  Bristow's time as commonwealth attorney extended until at least 1907, and during his last year in office became a founding organizer of the Gloucester Point Bank, of which he would serve as cashier from 1907-14. Following his resignation, he operated a law practice in Norfolk with Thomas W. Shelton and in 1915 returned to politics, winning election to the Virginia House of Delegates. Bristow's one term began in 1916 and during this session served on the committees on the Chesapeake and Its Tributaries; Enrolled Bills; House Expenses; and Insurance and Banking.

 After leaving the legislature Bristow took on an accounting position at Cape Charles, Virginia business, and in 1917 re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy to aid in the ongoing war effort. He would become an ensign in the supply corps and served until his discharge in 1919. In that same year, Bristow resumed his banking career, joining the state banking department as an assistant examiner. He quickly rose through the ranks of that department and for a time was also engaged with the Farmers and Merchants Trust Bank at Cape Charles. In August 1923 Bristow assumed the post of Chief Examiner of Banks for Virginia, serving until 1927. From 1927-30 he was chief deputy to the Commissioner of Insurance and Banking, and in 1930 succeeded to that post himself, serving until 1938. Bristow's time with the state banking department also saw him elected to the presidency of the National Association of Supervisors of State Banks, serving from 1929-30.

  With the separation of insurance and banking into separate departments in 1938, Myon Bristow served as State Commissioner of Banking until stepping down in January 1939. After separating from his wife Emerald, Bristow later remarried to Rebecca Thornton in 1942. She survived him upon his death on November 11, 1955, and both were later interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

From the Southside Sentinel, November 24, 1955.