When we Bullis volunteers think of the words "women" and "history," our first thoughts are of our own Nettie Bullis. In the coming weeks, you will see more of her outstanding history related on this blog.
However, we cannot let the month of March go out (whether like a lion or lamb) without calling attention to Women's History Month and some of the books in the collection about women who changed the course of history in both small and large ways. Here is a partial list. We invite you to stop by and take a look at some or all of them.
WOMEN OF THE WAR, THEIR HEROISM AND SELF-SACRIFICE, by Frank Moore
(illustrated with steel engravings, Hartford, Conn., 1866
MOSLEM WOMEN, by A. E. and S. M. Zwemer, (illustrated)
Brattleboro, Vermont, 1926
FAMOUS AUTHORS (WOMEN), by E. F. Harkins, Boston, 1906
THE WOMEN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VOL. 2, by Elizabeth Ellet,
New York, 1849
WESTERN WOMEN AND EASTERN LANDS, by Helen Montgomery, (illustrated)
Norwood, Massachusetts, 1910
PORTRAITS OF CELEBRATED WOMEN, by C. A. Sainte-Beuve, Boston, 1868
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
NETTIE BULLIS
IN MEMORY OF JEANETTE AURELIA (NETTIE) BULLIS
March 23, 1893 - October 1, 1979
She titled her 1911 Macedon High School valedictory address, "Life Like Every Other Blessing Derives Its Value From Its Use." Nettie Bullis lived by the message she delivered that day.
After briefly attending Cornell University and teaching school in Marion, New York, Nettie found work as a bookkeeper at Gleason Works in Rochester. She held that position for about ten years and was seriously contemplating a change to work for the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railroad Company, headquartered in Rochester. However, an opportunity for advancement within Gleason Works developed and she decided to remain there. She continued her diligent climb up the corporate ladder and at the time of her retirement was Assistant Secretary of Gleason Works.
She became a wealthy woman through careful planning, saving, and wise investments, and spent little of what she accumulated. Nettie generously shared this wealth during her lifetime with a long list of recipients. This sharing goes on after her death, with the number of individuals and organizations benefiting from her generosity growing annually.
Nettie practiced what she "preached" in her 1911 valedictory address. She added great value to her life by using it.
How do we express our appreciation for that life? By saying simply and sincerely, "Thank you, Nettie."
That is exactly what Palmyra-Macedon Central School District did on June 26, 2008 when they named Nettie a "Graduate of Distinction." The certificate is currently displayed here in the Bullis Room.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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.)
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.)
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