Name/Title
Orange Counties First FamilyEntry/Object ID
000614Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
This article, titled "Bull Stone House living memorial to Orange County's 'first family'", details the history and current life of the historic Bull Stone House in Hamptonburgh, New York.
Here is a summary of the key points from the article:
The Home and Its Residents
A Living Museum: Although the 250-year-old stone home resembles a museum, it is the active private residence of Betty and Mike Brown. Over the past 30 years, they have given tours of their home to thousands of visitors.
Family Connection: Mike Brown is a lumber company employee, Hamptonburgh town justice, and an eighth-generation descendant of the pioneer couple who originally built the house. Betty Brown serves as the salaried record keeper for the family association.
Historical Origins
The Founders: The house was built by William Bull, a legendary pioneer who began construction in 1722 and completed it in 1729, along with his wife, Sarah Wells. Sarah was an indentured servant and the first white woman to settle in Orange County.
Architectural Details: The house features a wide staircase designed specifically to accommodate Sarah’s hoop skirts. The width of the stair treads—and hence the stairs themselves—were historic barometers of a family's wealth.
Key Artifacts & Rooms
The Long Room: Originally used as a dining room by William and Sarah, it now serves as an all-purpose room for the Browns. It is filled with Victorian antiques and family heirlooms.
Historic Wedding Gown: On display is a hand-embroidered linen gown. While frequently referred to as Sarah Wells' wedding dress, she actually did not marry in it. Instead, she wove the flax into linen and embroidered it for one of her daughters to marry in.
Other Relics: The house contains a glass-enclosed cabinet displaying artifacts ranging from an antique pocket watch owned by a Bull to a piece of the first transatlantic cable.
The Bull Family Legacy
The Bull Family Corporation: This organization officially owns the house and pays for major maintenance expenses, allowing the Browns to live there rent-free.
A Massive Family Tree: Today, there are more than 4,000 living descendants of William and Sarah. The family has been holding annual picnics at the Bull Stone House since 1867.