Name/Title
Bull family to celebrate 150th reunion (2017)Entry/Object ID
000675Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
Bull family to celebrate 150th reunion
From the Our Region section of the Times Herald-Record, Friday, August 4, 2017
The article details the preparation for the 150th reunion of the Bull family, scheduled to take place at the historic Bull Stone House in Hamptonburgh, Orange County, New York. The reunion is a historic tradition that first began in 1868.
Organizers expect about 400 descendants to attend the event, celebrating a lineage that family genealogists estimate has grown to over 76,000 descendants worldwide.
Key Historical Background
The Settlement (1712): At just 18 years old, an indentured servant named Sarah Wells became the first white woman to settle in what is now Orange County. She was promised 100 acres of land by her contracting family, Christopher and Elizabeth Denn.
The Marriage & Construction (1718–1730): In 1718, Sarah married William Bull, an English stonemason. Together, they spent 13 years building a 10-room, four-story stone house from fieldstones, completing it around 1730. They lived in a log cabin on the property during its construction.
The Family Legacy: Sarah and William had 12 children (five sons and seven daughters). Sarah lived to the age of 102, outliving William, who died in 1755.
The Reunion Event
Location: The historic Bull Stone House at 183 County Route 51, Hamptonburgh. The house is currently a living museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Planned Activities: Organized by the William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House Association (including secretary Kathi Nywening), activities include house tours, genealogy seminars, storytelling for children, farm animal visits, a barbecue lunch, and a group photo taken by a drone.
Global Reach: Former caretaker Michael Brown (81) noted that past reunions have drawn family members from as far away as Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Germany.
The Historical Pioneers
Sarah Wells (later Sarah Wells Bull): An 18-year-old indentured servant who journeyed up the Hudson River in 1712 to become the first white woman to settle in what is now Orange County. She was promised 100 acres of land by her contracting family, Christopher and Elizabeth Denn. She married William Bull in 1718, outlived him, and lived to the age of 102.
William Bull: A stonemason by trade who immigrated from Wolverhampton, England. He married Sarah Wells in 1718, named the local area "Hamptonburgh" after his birthplace, and built their 10-room, four-story stone house (completed around 1730). He also built other major local structures, including Knox's Headquarters.
The Children: Sarah and William had 12 children (five sons and seven daughters), from whom an estimated 76,000 descendants trace their lineage.
Christopher and Elizabeth Denn: The New York City couple for whom Sarah Wells was contracted and who granted her the land.
The Modern Descendants & Organizers
Kathi Nywening: A ninth-generation descendant of the Bull family and the secretary of the William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House Association. She is one of the organizers planning the 150th reunion activities, which include house tours, a genealogy seminar, and a drone group photo.
Michael Brown (81): A descendant (his mother was Corinne Bull) who served as the caretaker of the Bull Stone House for decades. He notes the wide-reaching draw of the reunion, with past attendees traveling from as far as Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Germany.
Richard J. Bayne: The Times Herald-Record reporter who wrote the article.