August 28, 1941 Middletown Times Herald 74th Bull Picnic & Wedding Pageant

Name/Title

August 28, 1941 "Middletown Times Herald" 74th Bull Picnic & Wedding Pageant

Entry/Object ID

000489

Scope and Content

Middletown Times Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1941. The Orange County Bulls Gather at 74th Reunion [Photo of the Board of Managers] Heading plans for a pageant next year to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of Bull family picnics, will be the Board of Managers. They are, left to right: Seated-Mrs. Vertrees Ackerly, Crystal Run; Mrs. Amy Bull Crist, Montgomery, president; Mrs. Charles Harlow, Sidney. Standing-George Andrews, Rutherford, N. J.; Hamlet S. Roe, Blooming Grove; Robert McLeod Jackson, Campbell Hall, secretary; Henry Pierson Bull, Middletown, vice president; Charles W. Slaughter, Warwick. Absent was Ernest M. Bull, Washingtonville, treasurer.-Photos by Rosa. [Photo of two infants and their parents] The two youngest descendants of William Bull and Sarah Wells at yesterday's family picnic were John Parry Griffin, eight months, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Griffin, Highland Falls, at left, and John Pierson Howell, six months, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Howell, Washingtonville, right. [Photo of the Richardson family] From the greatest distance to the Bull family reunion yesterday came Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Richardson and their sons, Charles and Brooks, of Miami, Fla. Pioneer Wedding Pageant Proposed for Bull Family HAMPTONBURGH-The wedding of Sarah Wells and William Bull in the early eighteenth century, probably the first in Goshen Township, will mark a pageant next year at the seventy-fifth annual Bull family picnic. More than 250 descendents of the pioneer couple gave approval for such a pageant at their 1941 outing yesterday. The 219-year-old stone house that William built for Sarah near the present Hamptonburgh Grange hall off the Sarah Wells Trail, will be the setting. Mrs. Crist Re-elected At the same stone house yesterday, Mrs. Amy Bull Crist of Montgomery was re-elected president of the Family Association by the Board of Managers. Other officers, all re-elected, were Henry Pierson Bull of Middletown, vice president; Robert McLeod Jackson of Campbell Hall, secretary, and Ernest M. Bull of Washingtonville, treasurer. As usual in recent years, the family made a full day of it. Many came in the morning to help with the tables for the outdoor spread at noon. After the meal, the crowd moved its chairs out of the wind to the leeward side of the house for the annual meeting. There the family determined its annual ribbon winner. Oldest member present was Mrs. King David Bull of Monroe, ninety-two. The two youngest descendents present were John Pierson Howell, six months, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Howell of Washingtonville, and John Parry Griffin, eight months, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Griffin of Highland Falls. Long distance honors went to Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Richardson and their sons, Charles and Brooks, from Miami, Fla. After the leisurely business session many of the group climbed the knoll to the ancient barn to step the rhythm of modern dances or join hands for a square set. A few had a picnic supper before calling it a day. Pony Rides for Children Through the afternoon more than a score of youngsters found occupations to their taste. Some rode the pony which Dixie Anne Booth of Campbell Hall brought for her third year, and others straddled the good natured horse loaned by Harry Bull of Hamptonburg. There were swings and games for all, besides the orchestra in the barn. Mrs. Crist presided at the business meeting, which opened by singing led by William H. Tremper of Middletown, with piano accompaniment by Miss Frances Tremper, his sister. Mr. Tremper later sang two solos. The Association elected three members to the Board of Managers, at least one of whom could not be a re-elected member under the by-laws. Mrs. Crist and Mr. Jackson were re-elected, and George Andrews of Rutherford, N. J., was named to succeed Alfred Booth of Campbell Hall, who withdrew his name. The members approved appointment of Miss Dolly W. Booth of Campbell Hall as official genealogist, and Mrs. Crist announced committee chairmen for next year: Bartow Bull, Stony Ford, picnic committee; Miss Jean Hoeffler of Newark, N. Y., who will teach in Goshen this year, reception committee, and Miss Merrie Ellen Van Tassell, Middletown, mistress of ceremonies. Mrs. Crist spoke of next year's proposed pageant. Some, she said, might feel that the times were too uncertain for such a program. But family life and friendship "provided the very front row of defense" in her opinion. Besides the Board of Managers, the president named additional members to form a pageant committee, including Miss Dolly Booth, Miss Cornelia Andrews of Rutherford, Miss Mabel Knapp of Goshen, Mr. Tremper of Middletown, and Dr. R. C. Bull of Bethlehem, Pa. Seeger Speaks as Guest Albert H. F. Seeger of Newburgh, Supreme Court referee and former justice, although not an Association member, arrived during the meeting and spoke briefly as a special guest. "If I'd been here when this house was built," said Mr. Seeger, I'd have helped Sarah carry the stones up from the field in her apron." He remarked that it was a "wonderful thing for the County to have an Association like this to celebrate the event of a man coming to this country to found a family so noted as it is numerous." Judge Seeger observed that so many other families today were scattered and apparently gave no thought for family tradition. He termed the Bull family a proud family and wished them all a happy day and many more. After the meeting, the Board of Managers met briefly to elect their own officers and plan for a meeting early in November to discuss the 1942 pageant. The Managers appointed a property committee to manage its Association-owned stone house, comprising Hamlet S. Roe, Blooming Grove, chairman; Charles Slaughter, Warwick, and Henry P. Bull, Middletown.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Bull Pageant, Bull Picnic