Name/Title
145th Bull Family Annual PicnicEntry/Object ID
000662Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
The Celebration
The article details a three-day celebration centered around the Bull Stone House, culminating in a main event on Saturday, August 4. Hosted by Mike Brown—a Bull descendant and curator of the Bull Stone House—the gathering brought together over 600 family members, friends, and history lovers.
Activities: The event featured two massive dining tents with a roast beef dinner, live music from the Ramapo Fault String Band, pony and carriage rides, miniature ponies, and colonial-style crafts.
Historical Dedication: A somber ceremony was held to unveil cemetery stones for five children of Sarah and William Bull: John, Thomas, Isaac, Mary, and William.
🏆 Family History & Awards
Ribbons were awarded to family members in several unique categories:
Oldest & Longest Married: Delores and Eugene Richter of Pennsylvania (ages 91 and 95, married 72 years).
Farthest Traveled: John Lagasse, Jr. and his wife Pamela, who traveled from Northport, Florida.
First to Arrive: Awarded to John Lagasse, Jr.
The section also highlights family members like Lori Webster (Delores's daughter), who began collecting family history and artifacts as a teenager, noting the deep multi-generational connection to the family homestead.
📜 An Inspiration: Sarah Wells
The article highlights a presentation by cousin and writer Anita Janine (A.J.) Bull, who is researching and writing a book about the family matriarch, Sarah Wells, titled "Out of a Meanness: The Courage of Sarah Wells."
Mystery & Hardship: Records suggest Sarah Wells was born on April 6, 1694, in New Jersey, but little is known of her parents. She may have been an orphan or sold into servitude, with early records likely destroyed by the British during the Revolutionary War.
Legacy: Believed to have been illiterate, Sarah's story was preserved through notes written down by her second husband, Johannes Miller. Anita Bull describes her as a "feminist before there was feminism" and a true inspiration who built a successful life from nothing.
🏛️ Visiting and Support
The Bull property, which includes an old Dutch barn, is open to the public. Those interested in learning more about the family history, arranging a tour, or donating to the living history museum can visit bullstonehouse.org or contact Mike Brown.