Name/Title
Summary of "Bull family gathers at 250-year-old homestead..."Entry/Object ID
000555Tags
Michael K Brown, William Bull, Sarah WellsScope and Content
Summary of "Bull family gathers at 250-year-old homestead..."
The Event
On August 26, 1972, more than 300 descendants of the Bull family gathered in Hamptonburgh, Orange County, for their 106th consecutive annual family picnic. The gathering was exceptionally historic, marking the 250th anniversary of the building of the Bull family's stone house and barn—the two oldest standing structures in the area built by white settlers.
Historical Significance
The Founders: The homestead was built by William Bull and Sarah Wells, the first white couple to marry in Orange County, approximately 254 years prior to the article's writing.
The Legacy: By the time Sarah Wells passed away in 1796, she left behind 98 grandchildren and 212 great-grandchildren. Today, family descendants travel from as far away as Oregon and the Dakotas to honor their lineage.
Picnic Highlights
The Pageant & Reenactment: William Bull Brown and his niece, Michelle Brown, dressed in period attire to portray the original settlers, William and Sarah, in a mock mortar-mixing ceremony.
The Tribute: Led by Michael K. Brown, the family sang a "Tribute to Sarah Wells" to the tune of "America."
Feast & Festivities: The gathering featured an enormous spread of traditional foods (including fresh peach pies, chocolate cakes, ham, and fried chicken), a Virginia reel dance performed by the children, and historical speeches from family elders.
Life in the Historic Homestead
The second portion of the article focuses on Michael K. Brown, a Middletown school teacher who currently lives in the historic stone house:
Preserving History: Living in a historic landmark presents unique quirks, such as dealing with windows that are much narrower than modern ones.
Future Vision: Brown expressed a strong desire and "vision" to raise enough funds to hire a part- or full-time curator to turn the homestead into a dedicated museum to properly research and share the family's deep-rooted history.
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICAN August 30, 1972
BULL HOUSE ANNIVERSARY
The 250th Anniversary of the Bull Stone House at Hamptonburgh
was celebrated Saturday, when members of the Bull family from
all over, gathered for the annual picnic and the celebration. Following the picnic William Bull Co [c?]i[?], Dolly Watkins Booth and Lillian Lu[?] [?] spoke on "Building the Bull Family Stone House; Amy Bull Crist gave a history
of the earthquake which struck when the house was being built;
"Mortar and Stones" was enacted; children joined in 18th century games; the group sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again,"
and the closing salute was given by Robert Oeder.
[Right Column Header & Caption]
250th YEAR
STONE BENCH, built to mark the 250th anniversary, was completed by William Bull Brown, Michele Brown, Daniel Dorion, Stacy Dorion, Mary Catherine Knight, and Dana Dorion.
[Left Caption under Bull Stone House Image]
BULL STONE HOUSE, the place where the Bull "clan" gathers for
their annual picnic, is at the end of a lane just behind the Hamptonburgh Grange and Cemetery.
The house was built by William Bull and his wife Sarah Wells,
in 1722, and although cracked by an earthquake and lightning over the
years, it still stand s in perfect preservation.
[Bottom Left Caption under Painting Image]
PAINTING in the Bull Stone House pictures the landing in May
of 1712, of Sarah Wells at New Windsor. She was the first European woman to set foot on the Wawayanda Patent in the old Town of Goshen. She later married William Bull, and together they erected the Bull Stone House.
