Name/Title
The Journey of Sarah WellsEntry/Object ID
002764Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
The Journey of Sarah Wells
Early Life: Born in 1704 on Staten Island, Sarah Wells was orphaned at a young age and adopted by the Christopher Denn family.
The Expedition (1719): When Christopher Denn needed to immediately settle a 3,000-acre land grant in Orange County, New York, to avoid forfeiting it to the English King, 15-year-old Sarah volunteered to go in his place. She boarded a schooner and traveled to New Windsor with two Indian guides, two carpenters, two cows, and a horse. From there, she led a arduous 20-mile trek through virgin wilderness to Hamptonburgh—a route now known as the Sarah Wells Trail.
Marriage: After living in a log cabin for two years, she met and married William Bull, a stone mason, becoming the first white woman married in Orange County.
The Historic Homestead
The Stone House: In 1722, Sarah and William began building a 12-room stone house in Hamptonburgh, which took 13 years to complete. The house featured unique elements, including:
Hand-made materials, including mortar that stood for a year in mixing vats before use.
A secure, corral-like gate in the basement where slaves were quartered at night.
A concealed attic compartment reached via a secret panel to hide children during Indian conflicts.
Revolutionary War Significance: During the war, the house served as a rest and bandage station for Revolutionary soldiers, and a hiding place for citizens sought by the enemy.
Family Preservation: At the time of the 1941 article, the property had remained continuously in the Bull family (with one brief exception where a brother sold it during a drinking bout, only for another brother to buy it back two hours later). It was being cared for by Sarah's seventh great-granddaughter, Mrs. Louis Brown.
Legacy and Descendants
Longevity: Sarah Wells had 13 children and lived to the age of 102, passing away in 1806. At the time of her death, she had 335 living descendants.
The 25,000 Descendants: By 1941, her lineage had grown to an estimated 25,000 living descendants.
Annual Reunion: Every year, the descendants of Sarah and William Bull gather on the old stone house grounds for a gala reunion, typically drawing at least 500 attendees.