Township Name Changed to Bristol – December 12, 1834

On December 12, 1834, at a township meeting, the name for the township was changed from “Mia” to “Bristol”.  At the Township’s initial organizational meeting in March of that year, the Township had been named “Mia” after the daughter of pioneer settler, Elisha Webster.

The town of Almont was organizes March 7, 1834, comprising of townships 6 and 7 of range 12 east, now known as the towns of Almont and Imlay City.  The township of Mia (later Almont) was the second to be organized in the county.  The first township, Grand Blanc, which was then a part of Lapeer County, was organized on March 9, 1833.

The town and township was first called Mia and on Dec. 12, 1834, the name was changed to Bristol.  The name Mia was suggested by Elisha Webster, one of the earliest settlers of the town, in honor of his daughter who became Mrs. Virgil S. Parmlee.  The name Bristol was given in honor of Oliver Bristol, the first supervisor. 

No information about the reason for the name change from “Mia” to “Bristol” is unknown.  It can only be surmised that some major disagreement arose between Oliver Bristol and Elisha Webster and people within the township chose sides.  In March when the township officers were elected, there were only thirteen voters and six of them were elected to office:  Oliver Bristol as both supervisor and justice of the peace and Elisha Webster as assessor.  Did Elisha assess Oliver’s property at too high a price?  Did Oliver rule against Elisha in a court case?  No one knows but the name was changed after only nine months.