As a result of my genealogical investigation, I had collected substantial information about him but had not found a paper for it until now. In this article I have tried to present only new material, and some familiarity with the prior literature on George Frederick Bristow is assumed. In his article, Yellin states that the New York County Marriage Records contain the entry that Bristow's 'nativity' was England. He continues, If true, the marriage record's information would challenge the claim that Bristow was born in America in 1825. This new information casts a shadow on Bristow's claims that he was a virtual child prodigy, and that he was a native American composer deserving of special attention on that account.
Several errors exist in the historical record.
The officially recorded date of Bristow's first marriage to Harriet Newell Crane was on 14 September 1853. Both contemporary newspaper marriage notices erroneously bear the date of 21 September. 3 Bristow's name was entered on the marriage record as Britow or Briton.