Biographical sketch of William Bull & Sarah Wells of Hamptonborough, Orange Co, NY
Name/Title
Biographical sketch of William Bull & Sarah Wells of Hamptonborough, Orange Co, NY
Entry/Object ID
001911
Tags
Christopher Denne, William Bull, Sarah Wells
Scope and Content
Some Biographical Sketches Relative to William Bull and Sarah Wells of Hamptonborough Orange County N York (unknown author)
William Bull it is said was born in Wolverhampton of old England
in the Second Month 1689 His Parents emigrated from thence to Dublin
in Ireland when he was Young where he was brought up to the trade of a Mason and Stone cutter and from Dublin He came to New York thence to Orange County to a place called Grey Court where he made his first residence in America and whose first Mason work was in Laying the foundation of and
Building the chimneys of a house for Daniel Cromline which is called Old Grey Court house with the Date 1716 on the Chimney top which is yet standing in 1832. Where we may pause a Little to Say Something of Sarah
Wells who it Seems was an Orphan child and a Native of New Jersey
who was born the 6th day of the 4th month 1694 and brought up for the most part on Staten Island from thence She came as a Domestic in the family of Christopher Denn one of the Proprietors of the Wawayonda Pattent and who made his first cultivated Improvement it is alledged in said pattent in the Spring of the year 1712 and On or Near the west bank of a Stream of water- called the Otter kill a few Chains say 6 or 8 westerly from a certain Bridge now Crossing Said Stream- But what Seems most somewhat Providential and Singular in favour of their Domestic
Sarah Wells who took charge of Christopher Denns House hold goods and
Kitchen Implements and came up the Hudson River by water from N York
with Some workmen and Live Stock to New Windsor and from New Windsor in one day to the Said Stream of water called Otter kill where Night met them
a few hours (Say 18 or 20) before C, Denn and his wife came up to
them from N York On horse back Through the Wilderness of the High hills
of Highlands and met all well at their place of Destination and all Lodged
the following Night together under the Roof of a temporary Cabin to
Keep them from the Dew and unfavourable weather what a cheering meeting
was this in a Howling wilderness Surrounded as they were with Aborigines
Savages and Wild beasts and Rattle Snakes While C Denn and his wife
was mindfull of their Domestic Sarah and gave her the Laurel as she
called it that is the credit of being the first civilized White woman who
set foot on Goshen Ground in Wawayonda Pattent amongst the first
civilized and cultivating Settlers thereof, Nor was this all At the End of her
Servitude they gave her One hundred acres of land which land lays about
Sixty Chains Easterly from C Denn's first Improvement
