History of Bristol, New York, USA

1779 - Bristol, NY - In 1779 General Sullivan traveled through this area.
His soldiers were impressed with the fertile land and many returned when Bristol County, Massachusetts purchased this land for settlement. Richmond, Bristol and South Bristol were all part of this purchase.
http://www.townofbristol.org/page.asp?id=1

In 1789 the town of Bristol was formed.
Town meetings were held regularly at the old Methodist Episcopal Church in Bristol Center. Bristol was a religious center early on with seven active churches.
http://www.townofbristol.org/page.asp?id=1

1854 - Bristol
Bristol, a post-township of Ontario county, New York, 9 miles 8. W. from Canandaigua. Population, 1733.

Bristol, a post-village in the above town ship, 212 miles W. from Albany.

Bristol Centre, a post-office of Ontario county, New York.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1859
BRISTOL, a township of Ontario co., in the state of New York, 212 m. W of Albany. It is hilly, and is watered by Mud creek, The soil is generally fertile. In the centre is a village in which there is an inflammable spring. Pop. 1,953.
A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859

1893 - Bristol
This town was formed in January, 1789, and originally included all which is now Bristol and South Bristol, or townships 8 and 9 in the 4th range, as described according to the Phelps and Gorham surveys. In March, 1838, number 8, or South Bristol, was set off and separately organized. On March 23, 1848, a part of Bristol was annexed to Richmond, but on February 25, 1852, the strip was restored. The town derives its name from Bristol in Connecticut, from whence came many of its pioneer settlers.

The settlement of this town began in 1788, at which time several brothers named Gooding came to the region, made an improvement on lot No. 1, in the northeast corner of the town, sowed wheat and planted turnips, and then, with the exception of Elnathan Gooding, all returned east to spend the winter and prepare for an early return in the next spring. Wherefore, the honor of being the pioneer of this town naturally falls to Elnathan Gooding, whose long watch and wait appear to have been... Read MORE...

1895 - Bristol
Bristol, a post-township of Ontario co, N.Y. Pop 1597. Bristol Post-Office is at Baptist Hill.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1916
Bristol, a post-township (town) and village of Ontario CO., N.Y. Pop. in 1900, 1310.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher