Name/Title
The Bull Family LegacyEntry/Object ID
000593Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
This article, titled "Family of constants... and changes," is a feature profile from The Times Herald Record dated Friday, January 27, 1978. It explores the enduring legacy of the historic Bull family homestead in Hamptonburgh, New York, contrasting its deep, generational roots with the economic struggles faced by local young families during the late 1970s.
Key Themes & Highlights
The Bull Family Legacy:
The stone homestead is described as an uncommitted hills beacon to the first seven generations of the Bull family. Emma J. McWhorter, an 81-year-old 11th-generation descendant, describes the family tree as a dynamic entity, stating that new generations "continue on a little bit now, there's so much new flowering on an old tree."
Michael K. Brown, a 10th-generation descendant who lives in the stone house, reflects on how history comes alive for him late at night, observing that while the region changes, the family remains a constant part of the landscape.
Sarah Sorrell, an 11th-generation descendant and high school junior, is writing a research paper on the Bull family to better understand her deep roots and large family network.
The Focus '78: People Profile:
The article shifts to focus on a young local family, Cheryl (18, a high school dropout) and Mike Brown (a 20-year-old auto mechanic trainee at BOCES), who face the modern pressures of inflation and a high cost of living.
The couple describes their intense financial struggles to afford car insurance, rent a four-room apartment, and buy basic groceries while raising their nine-month-old child, Amy Lynn.
A Contrast of Eras:
The piece explicitly juxtaposes the permanence of the historic homestead—which represents an "idea which gives us a sense of permanence [and] is of value in days of stress"—with the transient, high-stress reality of newcomers and young locals trying to survive economically in the area.