Name/Title
The Maid of WaywayandaEntry/Object ID
001950Tags
Sarah WellsScope and Content
The Journey of Sarah Wells
The Expedition (1709): At age 16, Sarah was sent by her foster father, Christopher Denn, to lead a small party into the "wilderness" of the Waywayanda patent (150,000 acres in Orange County).
The Party: She traveled with three Native American guides and two carpenters via a sloop and later by foot through the forest.
Settlement: She arrived at a spot near what is now Goshen, NY, and established a cabin. Despite the dangers of "serpents" and "savages" cited by historians, she thrived and was later joined by her foster parents.
Marriage and the Stone House
William Bull: Sarah eventually met and fell in love with William Bull, an English mason from Wolverhampton who had emigrated to America with only five guineas to his name.
A Unique Ceremony: Because no minister was available, a magistrate performed their ceremony by proclaiming the marriage banns to the trees, the cattle, and the wilderness.
The Bull Stone House: In 1727, they built a sturdy stone house. The building famously survived an earthquake during construction, a lightning strike, and the French and Indian Wars.
Legacy
A Remarkable Matriarch: Sarah lived to the age of 102, dying in 1796. At the time of her death, she had 335 living descendants, including 12 children and 212 great-grandchildren.
Preservation: The "Stone House" remains a landmark in Orange County and is maintained by the William Bull and Sarah Wells Family Association.