Name/Title
Pageant Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Erection of the Bull Stone House at Hamptonburgh 105th Annual Bull Family Picnic Aug 26, 1972Entry/Object ID
002300Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House Association, Bull PicnicScope and Content
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This collection of documents details the history and 250th-anniversary celebration of the Bull Stone House in Hamptonburgh, New York. The materials were prepared for the 105th Annual Bull Family Picnic on August 26, 1972.
The Story of Sarah Wells and William Bull
The narrative follows the lives of two early settlers of the Wawayanda Patent:
Sarah Wells: An orphan adopted by Christopher Denn. In 1712, at age 18, she was sent alone with three Indian guides to make the first settlement on the patent. She is noted as the first "civilized white woman" to set foot in that part of the Patent.
William Bull: A stone mason born in Wolverhampton, England. He sailed from Dublin to New York and was eventually hired by Daniel Cromline.
Marriage: The two met through their respective employers and married on August 25, 1718. The documents recount a unique wedding ceremony where, lacking a church, the banns were proclaimed to the "trees of the forest" and "wilderness at large."
The Bull Stone House
Construction: William Bull built the family’s stone house starting around 1722.
The Earthquake: During construction, a "rumbling noise" and earthquake cracked the building from the first to the second story. The crack was plastered over and remains visible as a family legend.
Legacy: By the time of Sarah Wells’s death in 1796, she had 98 grandchildren, 212 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Genealogical Data
The documents include a comprehensive list of Sarah and William’s 12 children, born between 1721 and 1745:
Name Born Married To No. of Children
John May 3, 1721 Miss Holly of Goshen 12
William March 13, 1723 Miss Booth of Hamptonburgh 6
Sarah Sept. 1, 1725 Charles Booth of Hamptonburgh 8
Thomas Dec. 27, 1727 Miss Kerr of Florida 12
Isaac Nov. 17, 1729 Miss Mulliner of Little Britain 6
Esther May 29, 1731 John Miller of Montgomery 8
Mary Feb. 3, 1733 Benj. Booth of Hamptonburgh 10
Margaret May 1, 1736 Silas Horton of Goshen 7
Catherine May 24, 1738 James Faulkner of Wallkill 7
Ann Nov. 4, 1740 William Eager of Neelytown 10
Richard May 29, 1743 Miss Budd of East Division 5
Elinor March 4, 1745 Henry Weller of Montgomery 7
1972 Anniversary Pageant
The picnic featured a program titled "The Story of William Bull and Sarah Wells," which included:
A tribute song written in 1912.
Dramatic reenactments of the house's construction and the earthquake.
Historical games from the early 18th century.
Participation by various members of the Bull Family Association.
