Name/Title
Sept 1921 54th Bull Picnic Formation of AssociationEntry/Object ID
000445Tags
Bull Picnic, BSH AssociationScope and Content
Middletown Daily Times-Press, Friday, August 27, 1920
BULL FAMILY MAKES PLANS FOR FORMING ASSOCIATION
To Promote Purchase of the Historic Stone House; Picnic Is Most Enjoyable Event Ever Held
Perfection of the day characterized the Bull Picnic of 1920, which was held on Wednesday at the grove at Campbell Hall. This reunion has occurred for over 50 years and has become an institution. One member of the family described it as a rite rather than a mere picnic. There is truth in that for it is a time of a periodic rite marked by gayety and good will in old and young. There was an hour or more of visiting and renewing old friendships. The efficient committee in charge had made excellent preparation for the comfort and convenience of the family. The more formal opening of the day was made by Rev. Raymond H. Stearns, Presbyterian clergyman in Hamptonburgh, and an honorary member of the family, who said grace. Luncheon was followed by the singing of a few songs. The business of the day was then begun with the retiring president, Robert McLeod Jackson, in the chair and Mrs. Charles W. Harlow, Jr., as secretary. The following officers were elected as follows: Charles W. Slaughter, president; Lillian Bull, vice-president; Clara Bull, Poughkeepsie, secretary; Mary A. Wheeler, treasurer. Executive committee, the officers, the executive committee of the election, consisting of Clara Bull, Hamptonburgh, chairman; Helen Manning Bull, John Bull Bull, Pierson Booth and William Thew. The important business before the meeting was consideration of the supplemental report of the war memorial committee, composed of Charles M. Bull, Poughkeepsie, chairman; Ebenezer Bull, Hamptonburgh, secretary; M. Bull, Robert McLeod Jackson and Lillian Bull, secretary; read by Miss Lillian Bull. The main report had previously been mailed to the family. Both reports were combined in four recommendations which read as follows: First-That this association be incorporated under the name of the William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House Association. Second-That as a memorial to the members of the family serving in the late war, the old Stone House property be purchased by or for the new association at a price not exceeding $20,000. Third-That wherever possible, a record and photograph of each member of the family who served in the late war for America, Great Britain or France, should be obtained and safely preserved. Fourth-That in order to carry out the recommendations of this report, a committee of ten members be appointed for the purpose of raising the funds. It was explained that Ebenezer Bull desired to be paid only $5,000 during his life time, unless he should sooner surrender the life right in the place, in which case the balance would become due. It also was decided that the by-laws are to be paid in before March 1, 1921. The following resolution was unanimously adopted: Resolved, that a committee of ten members, with power to formulate and adopt by-laws and to form an executive committee and sub-committees be appointed by the chair and authorized by this association to incorporate the association and take steps to raise the funds through subscription to carry into effect the recommendations of the report of the war memorial committee with full power to modify or supplement such details of policy, contract, and by-laws prepared by said committee. Although the chairman explained that the adoption of the resolution was to make the first steps toward the purchase of the old Stone House property no objections were offered and the matter of contributions was left to the desires and good judgment of the members of the family. The following committee was authorized by the resolution as follows: Charles W. Slaughter, chairman; Hamlet S. Roe, Harry C. Bull, Goshen; Mary A. Wheeler, Hamptonburgh; Lillian Bull, Bullville; Clarence Knight, John Bull Bull, Mrs. Clarence Knight, Jesse Booth and Robert McLeod Jackson. It was then decided to execute the charter of the new corporation. The following names representing branches of the family were chosen to execute the paper: Frederick H. Bull, of Mamaroneck; Jesse Booth, Charles M. Bull, of Poughkeepsie; James V. Bull, of Elmira; Lillian Bull, of Bullville; Ebenezer Bull, of Stone House; William Jesse Bull, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Caroline Bull Knight, Margaret B. Seaman, Emma Lena Zabriskie, Ernest M. Bull, Anna M. Wheeler, Pierson Booth, A. Woolsey, Florence, Ariz.; Phoebe A. B. Oliver, Ann Elizabeth Bull, of Chester. Among those from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Wanty, of Los Angeles, Calif., who made the trip east purposely to attend the picnic. After further visiting the meeting was adjourned to meet at the same place and time next year. All were invited by Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Bull to visit the old Stone House, a privilege many availed themselves of. The day felt a fitting climax to the day. Under the rays of the setting sun the fresh green fields and hillsides made a never to be forgotten background to a wholly delightful occasion.
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Goshen, Orange County, N.Y., September 2, 1921
THE 54TH ANNUAL BULL FAMILY PICNIC AT OLD STONE HOUSE
Many Present at Gathering Wednesday, Aug. 31st-Success of the Efforts to Preserve the Old Wm. Bull Stone House as a Memorial to Those Who Served in World War.
The 54th annual Bull Picnic was held Wednesday, August 31st, at the Stone House in Hamptonburgh. For more than two years the family has been working on plans for a memorial to the members of the family in the World War, of whom more than 150 are already known to the committee in charge. After a year's consideration, it was with practical unanimity decided that the most suitable form the memorial could possibly take was the purchase by the family of the old Stone House in Hamptonburgh, built in 1722, by William Bull and Sarah Wells, the founders of the family. In order to accomplish this project the old informal association, which conducted the picnics in the past, has been replaced, and is now superseded, by a newly formed corporation, The William Bull and Sarah Wells Family Association, Inc. All of the necessary funds, but some $4,000 have been reported at the picnic as already subscribed. The new corporation has entered into a contract for the purchase from Ebenezer Bull, the present owner of the house and some 188 acres of land comprising the farm. The deed is to be delivered Sept. 30th. Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Bull retain life estates in the house, with use of some portion of the farm land into the care of the association. Included in the sale are a number of antiques of great interest, including a grandfather's clock which belonged to the original William Bull, and is in a perfect state of pre[Cut off line: -servation. He commented that it was a] couple who had built the monument to the soldiers now being honored, and that all the present members of the family did was to keep what had thus been so far preserved. The roll of the family who had died since the last picnic, as known to the Secretary, is as follows: Mrs. Mary F. J. Andruss, of New York City; Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Bull, of Chester, N. Y.; B. V. B. Bull, of New York City; Mrs. William Bull, of Portchester, N. Y.; William Bull, of Chester, N. Y.; Theodore Bull, of Stony Ford, N. Y.; Mrs. Dolly Ann Conklin, of Chester, N. Y.; Mrs. Maria Liddell Dematt, of Ralston, N. J.; Frank Drake, of Goshen, N. Y.; Miss Elizabeth Howell, of Denver, Colo.; William J. Liddell, of Summit, N. J.; Victor K. Mills, of Goshen, N. Y.; Miss Miranda Nelson, of New York City; Mrs. Perry, of Chicago, Ill.; Romp-ston Perry, of Chicago, Ill.; Eugene Ross, of Newark, N. J.; Mrs. Clara M. Presler, Elizabeth Shaver, of Bloomingburgh, N. Y.; John R. Sparrow, of Ridgewood, N. J.; Mrs. Susan M. Tabor, of New York City; Mrs. Mary Gusses Thompson, of Charity, Mo.; Mrs. Anna Bell Weekes, of the Stone House, and Miss Lizzie Bull Willcox, of Milford, Pa. Warm appreciation was expressed for the gift of the Stone House for the preservation of the Stone House by Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Bull to the family as a whole, notwithstanding the fact that they had never offered the place for sale nor sought a purchaser, but on the contrary wished to keep it as their own home. A reference has twice been made in this paper to this memorial as being to the Bull family. This is a misconception which should not go uncorrected. The memorial is to the young men and women of the family who served in the late war, at least 15 of whom lost their lives in their country's service. A valuable addition was made to the association's possessions, by the Misses Jane H. and Catharine Bull, of Brooklyn, and their sister, of an original record of the descendants of William Bull and Sarah Wells drawn up at the latter's funeral in 1796, showing the descendants then to be 335. Miss Jane Bull, in making the presentation, stated to how she came into her possession. It seems that many years ago when Mr. Catherine was Postmaster at Newburgh in cleaning out the office he came on an old parcel which had fallen behind some obstruction and whose address had become wholly illegible. On examination it proved to be the gift to Miss Bull's father as being a member of the family and as much entitled to it as anyone who was known. This interesting old relic is framed and will be hung in a place of honor in the Stone House. A rising vote of thanks was tendered the givers. Several copies were made of the record at the same time, and at least one other is in existence today, owned by Jesse Booth, of Campbell Hall, whose family it has been handed down from generation to generation. The existing Board of Managers was re-elected as follows: President-Charles W. Slaughter, of Bullville. Vice-President-Miss Lillian Bull, of Bullville. Treasurer-Ernest M. Bull, of Monroe. Secretary-Robert McLeod Jackson, of the own of Hamptonburgh. Other members of the Board are Charles M. Bull, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Caroline Bull Knight, of Monroe; Hamlet S. Roe, of Chester; Harry C. Bull, of Goshen. A picnic committee was appointed as follows: Harry C. Bull, chairman; Jed C. G. Thew, Henry Bull, William B. V. Charles Johnston. The Secretary read an interesting letter of greeting from Mrs. E. J. Merrifield, of Pasadena, Calif., who remembered many present as Lizzie McBride. Greetings were also received from Mrs. Susan Pierson Howell, of Denver, Colo., and from William Edge Bull, of Charleston, S. C. It was pointed out as quite unusual that one couple should have built a house which after a lapse of 200 years, actually treated home ties for so large a number of people. It was also emphasized it was the same.