Name/Title
1912 200th Anniversary of Sarah Wells coming to Orange County, NYEntry/Object ID
000433Tags
Bull Pageant, Bull Picnic, Sarah WellsScope and Content
Transcription
Left Column: "THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY."
Judging from present indications the celebration commemorating the 200th anniversary of Sarah Wells coming to this country, to be held at the "Old Stone House" at Hamptonburgh, on Wednesday, August 28, will far excel anything that the most enthusiastic had in mind when the matter was first talked of. All of the committees are doing the very best to make their part a success, and when the whole is put together the result will be a day’s program that will be a great credit to those in charge, an honor to those taking part, to those members of the family who will constitute the audience, a great satisfaction in after years to be able to say, "I was there," and to those who do not persevere and attend, a source of great regret.
Since the last account of this affair was published the committee has thought it wise to change the program somewhat. As now arranged the pageant will come first, commencing as near 11 a.m. as circumstances will permit. When that part is finished the basket lunch will be partaken of, then the speakers will hold forth, and finally the meeting of clans will occur, the renewing of old friendships, and the getting acquainted with the different members of the family.
Music will form an important part of the program. Besides several songs by a chorus, there will be at least two solos, one by a female voice and the other by a male voice (both members of the family) both of which will be appropriate to the occasion. An interesting feature of the musical part will be the singing of an original poem of five verses, written by Clara Durland, wife of Willard H. Bull, of Monroe, to the tune of "America." An orchestra, consisting of George B. Tannery, of Highland Mills, violin; Howard Dayton, of Goshen, piano, and Harry B. Smith, of Warwick, cornet, will furnish the instrumental music.
Several speakers have been secured, the most important one being a resident of Orange County, and of wider repute.
Some of the members of the family, especially those who are not so situated as to be able to take an active part in the celebration, have already sent in their subscriptions, ranging from one dollar to twenty-five dollars. It is hoped that others will follow their example, as the amount already received is only about one-quarter of the estimated expense.
There is no need to urge the members of the family who live in the near vicinity of Hamptonburg to be present—they will be there, but to those who live at a distance, to those whose business and household duties might interfere, and especially to the younger ones and to those who have never attended any of the annual reunions, let the writer say a word. Not only is it worth while to spend the day mingling with those in whose veins flows the same blood as does in ours, but also, is it not worth while for us to take one day out of our life to help in commemorating an event to which we owe so much?
Remember that this is the only Bull centennial celebration to which we have been or can be invited to participate. Therefore, let us all make an effort to be present, that by our presence and activity at the present celebration, we may leave behind us such an impression so that when the next 100 years roll around our children and our children's children will be moved to keep alive the family traditions in a far more fitting way than we have done.
Right Column: "PAGEANT FOR THE RE-UNION"
Hamptonburg, N.Y., July 22—Members of that branch of the Bull family, known as the Orange County Bulls, came here from their homes in all parts of the county Saturday and arranged to give an historical pageant on August 28, in celebration of the bi-centennial of the arrival in Orange County of Sarah Wells Bull, the first white woman to set foot in that part of New York State.
The pageant as arranged Saturday will be staged at the "Old Stone House" at Hamptonburgh. A young woman, garbed as Sarah Wells, will come through the forest with an escort of Indians.
A camp will be made on the lawn and a shelter built of rocks and boughs. This will be the temporary quarters of the party until the coming of Christopher and Mme. Denn.
The next part of the pageant will represent William Bull building his stone manor house, with Sarah Wells carrying the rocks in her apron. Lastly will come the ceremony by which Sarah Wells became the wife of the founder of the Bull family in Orange County.
All the members of the Bull family who have come to witness the pageant will then adjourn to Bullville, where will be held the basket picnic and "Bull reunion," which for more than a century has taken place annually at that village. It is expected more than five hundred of the family will take part in the reunion.
At Saturday's meeting the regular officers of the Reunion Association chosen were: Harry Bull, of Hamptonburg, president, and Whitfield H. Bull, of Washingtonville, secretary. The committee to arrange for the pageant includes Harry Bull, Hamptonburg; Whitfield H. Bull, Washingtonville; Mrs. Elizabeth Bull Green, Stony Point; Mrs. Susan Pierson Howell, Campbell Hall and Miss Margaret Cocks, Stony Point. Ebenezer Bull, the present occupant of the "Old Stone House," was added as an honorary member.