Louis H. Bridwell

Birth: He was born in 1881 in Illinois.  

Family Information: Married to Elizabeth Bridwell.

Father of Kathleen, Harlan, Dario and Dorothy Bridwell.  

Description: On his WWI Draft Registration Card he was described as being tall with a medium build and having grey eyes and dark hair. His WWII Draft Card described him as being 6' tall, weight 140 pounds, with gray eyes, gray hair and a dark complexion.  

Pre-Colony History:

In 1910 he was living in Illinois with his wife, "Lizzie", and working as a machinist in a foundry.

He brought his family to the colony from Forestburg, Texas in 1928.

Home in Colony:  

Job in Colony: In 1928 he was mentioned as an "old time printer" who was doing the job work at the print shop.

In February 1929 he assumed charge as foreman of the print shop and he very quickly set about enlarging the shop. In April of that year he was listed as the Business Manager of the Vernon Parish Democrat.

In March 1929 it was noted that he, his son and daughter were part of the print shop crew who had helped the "Democrat" make good during the prior three quarters.

In April 1929 the print shop crew included Comrade Bridwell, his daughter Kathleen, Jean Enfield, Raymond, Zelma, Florence and Fred -- they made the wheels go round in the printshop, getting out all publicity for the Llano Movement that spreads to all five continents and the isles of the sea.

In 1935, when he returned for a visit to the colony it was reported that he'd "once been manager of the print shop."  

Other Info:

Post-Colony History: In the "Story of Llano" column of the May 27, 1933 issue of the "Llano Colonist" was a mention of Mr. Bridwell as follows: "In view of his harmonious co-operation while with the colony printery, and his keen criticism of those who attacked the colony and its methods of management, his later change of attitude and his bitter antagonism toward George Pickett, are not easily accounted for on ordinary grounds."

In 1940 he was living in Texas with his wife and three youngest children while working as an entomologist. In 1942 he was living in Forestburg, Texas with his wife, Elizabeth.  

Death: He died in 1951 in Texas. An unidentified obituary posted on the FindAGrave website mentions that he had "sold collections of insects to scientists and collectors throughout the world" and that he was also known in the field of paleontology as he'd been "instrumental in bringing scientists from the Museum of Natural History of Chicago to help him unearth ancient fossils in an excavation near Forestburg [Texas] in 1950."  

Sources: US Census: 1910, 1940; "Llano Colonist": November 4, 1928, December 1, 1928, December 8, 1928, January 12, 1929, February 2, 1929, February 9, 1929, February 16, 1929, April 13, 1929, May 18, 1929, June 1, 1929, June 22, 1929, July 13, 1929, May 27, 1933 (Story of Llano), November 9, 1935; "Vernon Parish Democrat": March 28, 1929, April 11, 1929, May 2, 1929; US Draft Registration: WWI, WWII; Texas Death Certificate; FindAGrave.com