Name/Title
April 27 1827 type transcription letter between Peter Bull & widow Mary TuthillEntry/Object ID
000353Tags
Peter Bull, Mary TuthillSubject
Tuesday Evening Hamtonburgh, April 17, 1827
My Aged and Respected Friend:
The little conversation I have lately had with you, has been, as a cordial in refreshing my mind and memory, upon many subjects, which might otherwise have slept, perhaps forever with me --- many days and nights and I may say weeks, have I spent with my worthy friend Major Tuthill --- your deceased husband --- During the American Revolutionary War --- while in the Militia, altho he was about seven years older then myself, yet when at leasure, we often found topics of conversation, some of which, by seeing you, has revived and quickened my mind, and I trust will remain with me while memory last --- too numerous to be printed on a scrap of paper --- one of which however, as he told me, was that my Mother, when a young woman taught school in Blooming Grove, some where near where his parents lived and that she was the first teacher he went to school to to learn his book: I have heard my mother and the Major converse upon the subject. --- The endearments of youth, I find, however, are the toys of age, and which we may consider as the links to bind society together while memory lasts, in "The growing props of age." --- as you have favoured me with some accounts relative to yourself, I can do no less, then to give you, a few sketches relative to my grand parents and their offspring --- ---
My grand father, William Bull, was born Febr. 1689 --- a native of Old England, in a place called Woolver hamton --- was brought up in Ireland (Dublin) to the trade of a mason and stone cutter --- whose first residence in America was with William Cromline at Grey-Court, about the year 1715, and who built the chimneys of the old Grey-Court house in the year 1716 which are now standing --- my grand mother Sarah Wells (her maiden name) --- was born April the 6th, 1694. Was a native of New Jersey, brought up on Staten Island, came to Orange County about the years 1712 or 1714 among the first settler of Goshen in Wawayanda Patent, and was the first white woman among those settlers, who set her foot on Goshen ground. Whose residence was, with the family of Christopher Den on the banks of the Otter-kill, near where old Colnel Tusten lived and died --- at his place my grand father and grand mother first got acquainted and were the first couple of white people that was married in Wawayanda, in the Township of Goshen, among the first settlers thereof, in April 1718 and in the same month commenced an improvement in the howling wilderness among the wild beasts and savages: which improvement they called by the name of Hamtonborough, in commemoration of the place of his nativity in Old England, and which is now still called the Village of Hamtonborough. --- these my grand parents lived together about 37 years had twelve children 5 sons & 7 daughters most of which died of pure old age, between 70 and 90 years --- My grand mother however lived to the age of 102 years and fifteen days and at her funeral, was made an estimate of those who were born of blood kindred among us, which amounted to 338 --- thirty one years ago --- and what was considered, somewhat remarkable, among so numerous a family of kin, we could find but 4 natural children born out of wedlock --- However, I am: the writer of this scrawl scrap, is now, the oldest of our kindred and name living in the County of Orange at about 74 years of age ---
My grand father died Febr. 1755 aged about Sixty Six years
My grand mother died April 1796 aged 102 years & 15 days
And now my venerable and aged friend; any further information you may wish, relative to my kindred, I am at your service which may be communicated through the care of your daughter and grand daughter now living on a part of my grand parents first improvement of Hamtonborough, and about fifty rods distant, from where their first cottage was built.
You will therefore I trust --- Accept of these, from the pathetic kind For him, who was my friend and friend of thine Thy husband, and the friend of human kind Down whose rough cheeks the tears have often been shed In comfort with the living for the dead ---
To, The Widow, Mary Tuthill
Adieu for the present
Farewell -
Peter Bull
Back of cover.
The Widow Mary Tuthill
Consort
To Major John Tuthill
of Blooming Grove Deceased
"We are travelling on, towards
The Eve of Our Pilgrimage, Ere
Long, may make our Exit and
join the happy society of those
who have gone before us, into
futurity --- While our "hope is
immortality."Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Peter Bull, Mary Tuthill
