THE PILGRIMS

The next time you're in the library, we suggest you stop by and take a look at these two Bullis books:

The Pilgrim Fathers of New England: A History

and

A History of the English Puritan

Both of these books were written by W. Carlos Martyn and published in New York by the American Tract Society, in 1867.

We suggest, however, that you take more than just  "a look." Rather, read through the introductions, look carefully at the detailed names and descriptions of the chapters, and zero in  on some of the subtopics. Why? Because these books give us an in-depth, nineteenth century look back at the beginning of this country: starting with the Pilgrim experience in Europe (England and Holland) and their search for a new colony. 

In the preface of The Pilgrim Fathers of New England: A History, Martyn writes: "...however well history may have been written, it is desirable that it should be re-written from time to time by those who look from an advanced position, giving in every age to the peculiar and marked developments of the past, a simple, compact and picturesque representation." Martyn accomplished this by giving us his 1860s perspective of events that occurred over 200 years in the past.

Martyn wrote for those of us who look to the past with the possibility of gaining a new perspective of the present.  Is that why we, in general, write books? and collect volumes of them? and put them in special places like the Bullis Room?  (Something to think about as you digest your Thanksgiving meal today.)

A VIEW FROM FORT SAM HOUSTON

Bullis Room volunteers continue to focus on Nettie's uncle, John Lapham Bulls, and his military career. This week we read again an article in the PRESERVATION FORT SAME HOUSTON publication titled, "A Visit to Macedon, NY, hometown of BG John Bullis."  Here's what it said:

"While in New York for a family wedding, Capt. (Ret) Richard Whynot visited the hometown of General John Lapham Bullis, Macedon, NY and the Bullis Collection at the Macedon Pubic Library. Dick says to understand why a native of a small town in upstate New York became a hero of the Texas Frontier, we need to go back to the 1650's when the Bullis family emigrated from England to the Boston area and then some of the family to Manchester, VT. The Northwest Ordinance in 1797 opened land in western New York and the wealthy and educated bought land in this area, funding cities such as Syracuse, Rochester, and Macedon.

"In 1823, the Erie Canal opened for canal traffic and changed the economy and population of upstate New York. Though the canal was designed to bring raw materials and agricultural products to the eastern markets, upstate New Yorkers soon realized that they could do the manufacturing, and many factories sprang up in the Erie Canal towns. An example is the roll top desk used by BG Bullis, which was made by Standard Furniture Company of Herkimer, NY, located on the Erie Canal. With a ready supply of wood from the local forests, Standard Furniture Company became the largest manufacturer of wooden desks and furniture in the United States. The Hammond typewriter, invented in  1884 and used by Bullis as early as 1889, is another upstate New York product that benefitted from the canal. Other major manufacturing firms that began in the area were Kodak, Xerox and IBM.

"Charles H. Bullis, his wife Eleanor, and their two children left Vermont in November 1837, heading for Ohio and a promised land grant. They went by Erie Canal boat from Troy NY and stopped in Macedon to visit family. After several weeks in Macedon, Charles decided they would stay in the area. He bought 60 acres of land next to lock 61 on the canals. Charles raised wheat, corn and cattle and shipped the harvests to market on the canal. He built a large house with cobblestones collected from his fields. Dick believes that the expert stone masons who had built the canal between 1817 and 1823 stayed and built the Bullis home and many others.

"Abram, one of Charles' sons, became a doctor and married Lydia Porter Lapham, member of another prominent family that had emigrated from England to Rhode Island in 1635, and from there to Macedon. The Laphams built a large brick home in the center of town and called it Waverly Manor after their home estate in England. The children of Dr. Bullis, including John Lapham Bullis, attended Macedon Academy. The academy building is now the headquarters for the Macedon Historical Association.

"Several months before Dick Whynot's visit, the Bullis Estate attorney presented a number of boxes of Bullis data to the Macedon Library Bullis Room. Among these were photos of BG Bullis and his first wife Alice probably taken at the time of their marriage in 1871. The photo was taken by Kuhn Company, Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX. Alice died in 1887.

Another significant find were two letters from Josephine Withers Bullis to John Bullis’ aunt Emma. The first was written in 1890 before their marriage. The second was written in 1898, when they lived in Quarters 2, Fort Sam Houston. In it, Josephine does make clear that she does not support her husband’s deployment to Cuba during the Spanish American War. He left the paymaster job at Fort Sam Houston to fight in the war.

An interesting item in the letter is the reference to Marie de Jesus Olivarri Rodriguez as the Major’s mother-in-law, Alice’s mother. Dick Whynot says this lends credence  to his long-held belief that the Withers and Rodriguez families, both Canary Island families, were related and visited each other often.

Dick Whynot’s talk gave us a more personal and intimate understanding of the man for whom Camp Bullis was named.”

MORE ON CAPTAIN BULLIS, #2

(This is a continuation of the document first posted September 27.)

Captain Bullis, who is so successful in the management of these wards of the Government, is a native of New York, his birth having occurred in Macedon, Wayne county, on the 17^th of April, 1841. He traces his ancestry back to England, whence came members of the family at an early day in the history of this country to become pioneers of Vermont and participators in the work of development and progress in New England, as well as patriots in the war for independence. The Captain’s father, Dr. Abram R. Bullis, was born in the green Mountain State, and married Miss Lydia P. Lapham, who was born in Wayne county, New York. After his marriage he engaged in the practice of medicine in the Empire State, where he made his home until his death, which occurred in the spring of 1867. His wife passed away  in 1862, leaving a family of three sons and three daughters, but only two are now living.

         Captain Bullis is the eldest of the family. He acquired his elementary education  in the public schools, then attended an academy of his native town and also pursued his studies in the Lima Academy, but ere he had completed his course the Civil War came on and he responded to the President’s call for troops to aid in crushing out the rebellion. In august, 1862, he joined the boys in blue of Company H, One Hundred Twenty-sixth New York Infantry, and after his enlistment was made a corporal. He served in the Army of the Potomac and in the Army of the James, and participated in many hard fought engagements, valiantly defending the old flag and the cause it represented. He was captured at Harpers Ferry in September, 1862, where 11, 500 Union soldiers surrendered to Stonewall Jackson. They were paroled on the field and afterward exchanged and Captain Bullis once more rejoined his command. On the 3^rd of July, 1863, he was again captured at the battle of Gettysburg, and for three months was confined in Richmond prison, when he was again paroled and exchanged. Immediately he re-entered the field to continue with his regiment until the war was ended. He had many narrow escapes and saw much hard fighting, but his meritorious service and bravery on the field of battle won him promotion to the rank of Captain. He was mustered out of the volunteer service on the 6^th of February, 1866, - one of the brave boys in blue who had valiantly stood for the preservation of the union until its safety was assured.

CATHEDRAL CITIES OF ENGLAND

George Gilbert authored this book in 1905 and its still a good way to travel to these great cathedrals while sitting in your armchair.

Accompanying Mr. Gilbert's descriptive narratives are 59 color illustrations of the cathedrals of Canterbury, Durham, Lichfield, Oxford, Peterborough, St. Albans, Wells, Worcester, Chicester, Chester, Rochester, Ripon, Ely, Gloucester, Hereford, Lincoln, Bath, Salisbury, Exeter, Norwich, St. Paul's and Ludgate Hill, York, Winchester, and Westminister Abbey.

This book is the next best thing to being there. And after having read it, you may decide to call your travel agent and make arrangements to see these beautiful cities in person.

In the meantime, you'll find this great book in the World History section, shelf O-3.

BULLIS FAMILY HISTORY--EARLY MACEDON YEARS

(As recorded in: THE BULLIS FAMILY OF MACEDON, NEW YORK, by Elizabeth Ferrari, April, 1984)

In the mid-1600s, when political and religious turmoil were driving many Englishmen from their homeland, Phillip Bullis left England to settle in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1663 Phillip married Judith Hart, thus beginning the many generations of Bullises to become part of America. The Bullis families settled throughout New England and New York. In 1837, the Charles H. Bullis family came to Macedon, Wayne County, New York to settle.

Charles H. Bullis was born in Manchester, Vermont on January 23, 1786. On January 1. 1812, Charles married Eleanor Carbone of Greenwich, New York. He had relatives living in Greenwich and it is likely that he met Eleanor while he was visiting there. He and his wife took up residence in Manchester, Vermont until 1837.

They left Vermont on November 13, 1837. Charles Bullis, great-grandson of Charles H. Bullis, said that his great-grandfather may have received a land grant in Ohio which prompted him to make this move. It is said that when they got to New York, they took a canal boat from the town of Troy, New York. During their trip they stopped in Macedon to visit some friends. Macedon was and still is a beautiful town with a rolling landscape of drumlins and acres and acres of productible land. This land would be encouraging to any man. After visiting for some time in Macedon, Charles decided to remain there.

Charles and Eleanor had two children: Abraham R. Bullis and Amy R. Bullis. Little is known about Amy. She was born on December 21, 1824, in Manchester, Vermont and died on January 2, 1905 in Palmyra, New York. Abraham was born July 8, 1815 in Manchester, Vermont. After arriving in Macedon he attended Geneva Medical College, Geneva, New York. Upon becoming a doctor, he began practices in Farmington, Ontario County, and in Macedon. He was one of Macedon's first physicians. Abraham married Lydia Porter Lapham and had seven children: John Lapham, Mary Jane, Charles Henry, Abraham Rogers Junior, Abraham Rogers III, Lydia Porter and Jeanette Eleanor. He also had a second wife, Olive Aldrich Bullis. No children were born of this marriage.

Abraham R. Bullis was the only one of Doctor Bullis' children to remain in Macedon. He was born on September 4, 1854 in Farmington, New York. At the age of eight, his mother died and he went to live with his grandfather at the old family homestead in Macedon. In later years, after attending Macedon Academy from 1868-1869, he taught for a few years in various district schools, including Macedon Union School. He left teaching to enter Cornell University. In 1881 he graduated with a degree in Mathematics and the following year received a degree in Civil Engineering. He was a very smart man and was offered many positions from various governments and colleges. Abe would not take the jobs, because it would take him away from Macedon. He worked as a surveyor in much of Wayne County and held many other important positions in the Macedon area.

In 1884 he married Josephine Breese, daughter of J. D. Breese, of Macedon. Abraham's only son, Charlie, was born October 13, 1891, in Macedon, and his only daughter, Jeanette (Nettie) Aurelia Bullis, was born on March 23, 1893.

(Nettie Bullis will be featured next week in our Bullis Family History entry.)