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RANK MILTON BRISTOL, clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church and author, was born in Jeddo, Orleans comity, New York, January 4. 1851. He is the son of Leverett Augustus Bristol, a merchant and editor, who is said to have been characterized by honor and gentleness. His mother's maiden name was Angeline Butterfield. She exercised a strong intellectual influence over her son. Benjamin Butterfield of the Massachusetts Bay colony, 163S. is the earliest known ancestor in America. Asa boy, young Bristol was exceptionally strong; brought up in a city the sports and recreations of childhood and boyhood gave him occupation and enjoyment quite sufficient to take up his energy, until he was twelve years old, when he went to school in the winter and worked on a farm in summer and also served as a clerk in several stores. After sixteen his thoughts centered on obtaining an education, and he studied in the public schools of Kankakee, Rockford and Galena, Illinois, and fitted for college in the preparatory department of Northwestern university in 1871. He earned the money for his own support at college after the freshman year. On graduation he pursued his theological studies at Garrett Biblical institute, but did not take a full course. He has received the degrees of A.M. and D.D. from his alma mater.

In 1877 he began the active work of his life as a minister of the Gospel in the Methodist Episcopal church, and was the pastor of leading churches of that denomination in Chicago, including Trinity, Grace, Wabash Avenue, and the First church in Evanston, Illinois, from which place he was called April 7, 1S98, to the Metropolitan Methodist church of Washington, District of Columbia. In this church he was the pastor of the late lamented and universally beloved President McKinley, who was a regular and faithful attendant at its worship, through all the years of his life in Washington.

Dr. Bristol has been elected five times to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church.