Name/Title
Pageant Commemorating the 100th Aniversary of the Bull Family Picnic August 26, 1967Entry/Object ID
002299Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House Association, Bull PicnicScope and Content
This collection of documents outlines the 100th Anniversary Pageant of the Bull Family Picnic, held on August 26, 1967, at the "Old Stone House" in Hamptonburgh, New York. The papers detail the history of the Bull family, their association, and the specific scenes performed during the commemorative event.
Historical Origins
The Bull Family Picnic began in 1868 as a gathering to raise funds for a monument to replace the common field stones marking the graves of early Orange County settlers William Bull and Sarah Wells.
The First Picnic: Held on September 18, 1868, it was a "basket picnic" attended by over 100 descendants.
The Tavern Sign: The documents mention a famous tavern sign featuring a bull's head and a poem by Peter Bull, who famously called his farm "Paradise" because one had to "pass through Purgatory to reach it."
Locations: Originally held at various spots, the picnic found a permanent home in 1884 in a grove at Campbell Hall.
The Bull Family Association: Key Milestones
The "Facts to Remember" section highlights the administrative growth of the family organization:
1920: The first Board of Managers meeting was held.
1921: The association incorporated and purchased 185 acres of land (the farm and buildings) from family members as a war memorial.
1925: An endowment fund was established with a World War I bonus donation of $109.33.
1929: The mortgage on the family property was burned.
1916 Polio Epidemic: A notable year where only five children attended the picnic due to the health crisis.
Notable Family Figures
Sarah Wells: The family matriarch is celebrated for her "remarkable vigor." One account notes that at age 100, she insisted on riding a young, "sure-footed" horse through a storm rather than a more stable older horse.
Ann Bull: The tenth child of William and Sarah, noted as the first child born in the Bull Stone House.
Officers (1966–1967): The association was led by Chester Roe (President), Andrew Wilson, Jr. (Vice-President), Emma McWhorter (Secretary), and Henry P. Bull (Treasurer).
Pageant Scenes
The 1967 event featured reenactments of pivotal family moments:
Scene I & II: Planning the 1868 picnic and children playing games like "London Bridge Is Falling Down."
Scene III: The 1921 incorporation and the 1929 burning of the mortgage.
Scene IV & V: Discussions in 1934 about changing the picnic date and a 1935 promise of a Model T Ford to fund a replica of the Stone House.
Scene VI: The 1931 dedication of a monument on the Sarah Wells Trail.
