Name/Title
1767 or 1769 Daniel Reeve & Richard Bull & signed Peter BullEntry/Object ID
002541Tags
Richard G Bull, Peter Bull, Daniel ReevesScope and Content
This historical document is a written statement by Peter Bull regarding a property dispute and boundary history involving lands in Orange County, New York (based on the names and context). It details events spanning from 1769 through the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War.
The narrative focuses on a boundary disagreement involving Daniel Reeve, Richard Bull (Peter's uncle), and later Peter Bull himself.
Key Narrative Points
The 1769 Fire: Peter Bull recounts a fire in 1769 that destroyed Daniel Reeve’s house. To save fences from burning, rails were scattered throughout a nearby orchard.
Post-Fire Fencing: To prevent livestock from wandering, Reeve fenced in a "cross road" (that led to Gambles Hall) into his orchard. Richard Bull took the remaining rails to fence his own adjoining fields, leaving some land as "commons."
The Encroachment: While helping Richard Bull harvest, Peter overheard a conversation where Richard claimed Reeve had set his fence too far onto Richard’s land. Reeve reportedly admitted this but never moved the fence before the war began.
The Revolutionary War: The document notes that Richard Bull "left the country and went to the British" (indicating he was a Loyalist). His fields became common land until Peter Bull eventually acquired them via a Sheriff Sale and Mortgage.
The Dispute: After taking possession, Peter Bull confronted Daniel Reeve about the true boundaries. Reeve pointed out a corner under an apple tree, but Peter observed that the fence line was neither straight nor parallel with the orchard, suggesting a continued encroachment.
The Resolution/Survey: Peter consulted a "Major Moffat" to run the lines based on the original deeds. He concludes that Reeve’s understanding of the boundaries differed significantly from the legal descriptions found in the Sheriff’s deed.
Summary of the Postscript (N.B.)
On the reverse side, Peter adds a note about a visit from the Commissioner of Highways. When asked to identify the original corner to clear highway encroachments, Reeve pointed to a spot near the apple tree. Peter Bull notes his own judgment that the true original corner was actually "eight or ten feet" away from where Reeve indicated.
Notable Figures Mentioned
Name Role/Context
Peter Bull The author; nephew of Richard Bull; current landowner.
Richard Bull Original landowner; Loyalist who fled to British lines during the war.
Daniel Reeve Neighbor whose house burned in 1769; accused of encroaching on the property line.
Major Moffat Likely a surveyor or officer brought in to establish the legal bounds.
John Bull Mentioned as the current owner of some of the adjoining fields.
