LOOKING BACK

2011 was another busy year for us here in the Bullis Room. Repairing and restoring books, organizing, researching (and searching), displaying, presenting, traveling, monitoring, planning...and reading.

As we've noted before, reading is a "problem" for us volunteers. This room is filled with such interesting stuff that it's difficult to remain focused on a particular task. We walk in the room with a goal in mind, but when we see a stack of letters written by a Bullis family member lying on the shelf - or some interesting books strewn around on the table top - we stop to take a quick look, which sometimes stretches into hours. And we often leave with our original goal unattained.

So as we look back we remember all of the projects we planned but never completed (such as making a timeline of John Lapham Bullis's life and typing transcripts of some newly-obtained letters).  That's the bad news, so to speak. The good news is we can have another go at all these projects in 2012.

Happy New Year!

SUBJECT: RELIGION

Since several religions are celebrating special days this month, we searched the Bullis book data base for books on this subject. Here are five books that caught our eye as we scrolled through the list:

Rays of Light from All Lands; the bibles and beliefs of mankind. Scriptures, faiths, and systems of every age, race and nation, a complete story of all churches and communions;notable utterances by foremost representatives of all faiths. Editors: Rev. E. C. Towne, Rev. A. J. Canfield, and George J. Hagar, published c1895.

Ten Great Religions, by James Freeman Clarke, published c1871 and 1887.

The Light of the World; a brief comparative study of Christianity and non-Christian religions, by Robert E. Speer, published c1911.

Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Teachers, written by Elbert Hubbard (done into a printed book by Roycrofters at their Shop), published 1908.

Church and state in the United States; or, The American idea of religious liberty and its practical effects, with official documents, by Philip Schaff, published in 1888.

There are many more books on a variety of religions in the collection. If you're researching a specific topic or just reading for general information, we invite you to stop by the Bullis Room.

PRESSED FLOWERS FROM THE HOLY LAND

The complete title is PRESSED FLOWERS FROM THE HOLY LAND GATHERED AND PRESSED IN PALESTINE,  and it was authored by Harvey B. Greene with an introduction by
Rev. Smith Baker, D.D.

We recently rediscovered this little book of pressed flowers tucked away on a shelf here in the Bullis Room and were amazed at the relatively good condition of the cover and the pressed flowers inside. You can see for yourself from these photos.

And here's a photo of a pressed Lily of the Valley, one of many scarlet flowers Mr. Greene found in the Holy Land.

The author also included pressed papyrus, in the shape of a cross, which is still in excellent condition in spite of its century-plus age.

And in case you are wondering if the author really did gather and press these plants in Palestine, the book includes this statement from the consulate:

"Consulate of the United States

Jerusalem, Palestine

February 12, 1898

I take great pleasure in stating that Mr. H. B. Greene has spent three springs, in gathering and pressing the flowers of Palestine, during which time he made with the assistance of native helpers, large collections of the wild flowers, and I feel sure that these flowers he now offers for sale really grew in the Christ Land."
(Signature)

Which leaves us with nothing more to say except that this little book is a real treasure.

SNIPE SHOOTING

Yesterday we were rummaging through some items on a shelf and found a worn journal that contained pages of almost-illegible writing (due to nineteenth-century penmanship combined with natural fading).  Some of the pages also contained newspaper clippings from sportsmen's publications, which caused us to again marvel at the Bullis family's dedication to recycling rather than repurchasing.

However, a clipping from FIELD SPORTS titled "Snipe Shooting" caused us to pause and take a second look. We couldn't find a date on the article, but two other clippings designated 1871, so we assumed that this article was about 140 years old, as well.  Written by January Searle, it informed readers that "...the snipe is a very difficult bird to kill and if the young sportsman brings one down in twenty shots, he may think of himself no worse off than others...." At this point, we paused to wonder: Is this article "for real" or is it a tongue-in-cheek reference to that age-old practical joke called snipe hunting? We do not know the answer to this. Please let us hear from you, if you do.

NEW IN THE BULLIS ROOM

This week we received some exciting stuff in the mail. One of our San Antonio connections sent us a copy of an article recently published about John Lapham Bullis's two wives.  And, also enclosed were two commemorative medals that were awarded to participants in an Army combat medic competition at Camp Bullis.  Both sides are shown below:

These medals are not only beautiful works of art and design - they are a fitting commemoration to John Lapham Bullis. Our thanks and appreciation go to our fellow volunteers in San Antonio for sharing these with us. 

BULLIS ROOM TO-DO LIST

Our to-do list is always lengthy, which is okay because it reassures us volunteers that we really are needed. For several months in a row, one item toward the top of our list was: "Get John Lapham Bullis San Antonio memorabilia framed." Well, we accomplished that and removed that item from our list. 

NOW, one of our top to-dos is: "Hang framed ... " (you get the idea). We will accomplish this task in due time, also. For now, we've included a photo of it in this post, and if you'd like a clearer look, we invite you to stop by the Bullis Room.

HONORING VETERANS

This week our volunteers assembled books, pamphlets, posters, photos, and medals to include in a display case outside the Bullis Room. Here is one of the posters included:

(Lower caption reads: "Supplement to Engineering News Record, November 19, 1917."

As we worked on the display, we wondered about the history of this holiday, so we consulted Wikipedia's Veterans Day article and learned that November 11 "...is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world...."  The article also reminded us that on November 11, 1919,  President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Armistice Day as a holiday. President Calvin Coolidge issued another proclamation in 1926 that called for November 11 to be observed with appropriate ceremonies, and in 1938 Congress proclaimed November 11 a legal holiday, "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'." Finally, 

in 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe repair shop owner "had the idea to expand Armistice Day into 'All' Veterans Day...." With the help of U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. "President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954. Congres amended the act on June 1, 1954, replacing 'Armistice" with 'Veterans,' and it has been known as Veterans Day since."

On this November 11 as you celebrate in your own way, whatever that might be, we suggest you also stop by the library and look at our display. The case's contents are only a small part of similar items in the collection. If you'd like to see more, please feel free to stop by.

AGAIN, REMEMBERING...

...Jeannette Aurelia Bullis, who died 32 years ago this month. As in previous years, we quietly honor her memory.

We will again honor her on her next birthday, March 23, 2012, for we prefer to remember the beginning of her physical life and all that followed.

OLD LETTERS

This week volunteers took a look at copies of envelopes that had carried letters from family, friends, and a former comrade-in arms to John Lapham Bullis. Even though these envelopes are over 150 years old, they are still mostly readable, and they bear the addressee's name, date posted, and date received.

There were several small details about these envelopes that caught our interest. First, all of the date stamps record only the month, day, city, and state - no year.  (Wonder why the year wasn't included in the postal stamp, back then...hmmm...do any of you know?) Second, calculating the time between the date posted and date received, in 1868 it took approximately six weeks for a letter to travel from Macedon, New York to Brownsville, Texas. (This time frame is unimaginable to us today.)

We also looked at the contents of these envelopes. Most of the letters were several pages,  thoughtfully written in neat longhand,  the product of more than an hour's effort. (And quite a contrast to the quick text messages and emails we send today in less than a minute, with barely a thought at times.)

So...once again we concluded that we should enjoy, appreciate, and treasure all documents from the past, whatever their source and form. They have messages for us...we simply have to find them.

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS PRESENTATION

Last Wednesday we had a good turnout when June Hamell shared information she brought back with her from San Antonio in May.  The Q&A session following the presentation showed that attendees found it interesting and were left with wanting more information about this local hero.  Future events are in the planning process, and we will keep you posted.

If you were unable to attend June's presentation and would like to see it, please contact her at MPL. We hope to repeat, and knowing who is interested will help us plan.

RECIPES FOR BLACKSMITHS

Here's two recipes from Dr. Chase's book we talked about last week:

1. "POOR IRON, — To Improve. — Black oxide of manganese 1 part; copper and common salt 4 parts each; dissolve in soft water and boil until dry; when cool pulverize and mix quite freely with nice welding sand.

When you have poor iron which you cannot afford to throw away, heat it and roll it in this mixture, working for a time, re-heating, will soon free it from injury, which is the cause of its rottenness. By this process you can make good horse-nails, even out of only common iron. "

2. "Welding a Small Piece of Iron Upon a Large One, with Only a Light Heat. — It is often desirable

to weld a small bit of iron upon a large bar, when the large piece must be heated equally hot as the small one. To save this: Take borax 1 lb.; red oxide of iron 1 to 2 ozs.; melt them together in a crucible ; and when cold, pulverize it and keep that powder dry for use.

When you want to perform the operation, just bring the large piece to a white heat, having a good welding heat upon the small slip ; take the large one from the fire, and sprinkle some of the powder upon the place, and bring the Other upon it, applying the hammer smartly, and the weld will be as good as could be made with the greater heat without the powder. " 

Do you have any favorite blacksmithing recipes you'd like to share with us? Please leave us a comment or stop by the Bullis Room.

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES, BLACKSMITHING, AND A BEAR

A Bullis Room volunteer reads Dr. Chase's recipe for improving poor iron for use in blacksmithing.

Below is our November 27, 2009 post. This week we took another look at that entry after we attended a Friends of Macedon Public Library blacksmithing presentation on Wednesday by two members of the New York State Designer Blacksmiths. They gave us the fascinating history of blacksmithing and brought us up to date on the current status of this craft. Afterwards, they asked if the Bullis collection had any books on the subject. Dr. Chase's book soon came to mind, and we're looking for others. In the meantime, we're zeroing in on blacksmithing recipes in this little book in order to share them with anyone interested.  We'll post some of them with you in next week. For now, perhaps you'd like to refresh your memory about this fun-to-read Bullis book.

"This little blue-covered book, which measures about 4 by 7 inches, is almost hidden by the thicker, taller medical tomes on the shelf. But it contains what must have been useful information in its day, proving that good things really do come in small packages.

Published in 1872 by R.A. Beal, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dr. Chase's Recipes; or, Information for Everybody; An Invaluable Collection of About Eight Hundred Practical Recipes instructs merchants, grocers, saloon keepers, housekeepers, physicians, druggists, barbers, bakers, and farmers how to make apple pie, an ague cure, deer skin tanning solution, a chronic rheumatism cure, washing fluid (saving half the wash-board labor), a Good Samaritan liniment, and 794 more concoctions. (Whew!)

Our copy is the 73rd edition and states that 730,000 copies (at $1.25 each) had been sold at that time, leading the author to the conclude that a good many folk recognized the value of so much handy information packed into one volume. Today, we may find many of these recipes outdated, but they still make entertaining reading. We recommend you spend some time with Dr. Chase's little blue book."

MARGARET MITCHELL, MARK TWAIN...

...are but two of an impressive list of famous authors who have had their books banned at some time, in various parts of the world and for various reasons.

Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) and Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain) as well as Anna Sewell's Black Beauty,  Charles Darwin's Origin of Species and Shakespear's The Merchant of Venice have at one time been forbidden reading. We can also add to the list the Holy Bible and the Quran.  Copies of all these books are a part of this collection.

We invite you to stop by the display case outside the Bullis Room to see some of the Bullis books that were banned.    Perhaps you'll go away with an enhanced appreciation of these books. (We did.)

BANNED BOOKS

Does the Bullis Collection contain banned books?  For some of us volunteers, our first answer to this questions was, "Surely not." But we were wrong.

There's an impressive number of banned books among the books on the shelves here in the Bullis Room. And some of them will be on display in the case outside the room.

So stop by and take a look.  You might be surprised, like we were.

(We'll post some of the banned titles, next week.)

TWO AMAZING WOMEN

This week we continued to read through the Bullis Room's copy of Sojourner Truth, and we couldn't help being reminded of another great woman who made an important impact on her society--Nettie Bullis.

Nettie Bullis made her impact in a quieter way, on a smaller scale, showing her contemporaries that it was possible for a women to succeed in what was then a man's world.

Sojourner Truth died ten years before Nettie Bullis was born, but although they were women of different centuries, they shared a cause--women's rights--and each in her way was truly amazing.

If you'd like to know more about either of these women, we invite you to stop by the Bullis Room.

LABOR DAY(S)

In 1894, the year after Nettie Bullis was born, Labor Day was designated a federal holiday and observed with street parades honoring labor organizations and festivals for workers and their families. From what we know of the Bullis family, we wonder if they would have taken part in these festivities. Perhaps they did. Or, perhaps they stayed home and read some of their books on the subject. Here are a few they had to choose  from.

1) An Introduction to the Study of Organized Labor in America by George Gorham Groat, published in 1920.

2) Rural Letters and Other Records of Thought at Leisure, Written in the Intervals of More Hurried Literary Labor by Nathaniel Parker Willis, published in 1849.

3) Narrative of Sojourner Truth: a bondswoman of olden time, emancipated by the New York Legislature in the early part of the present century. With a history of her labors and correspondence drawn from her "Book of Life" by Sojourner Truth,  published in 1875.

Our choice of reading is the last book listed.   In next week's post we'll share some fascinating things about this book and its remarkable author.

(Just an aside - when we searched the Bullis Books data base for "labor," one of the results was David Copperfield, which of course is another wonderful read...but perhaps not for a "day off.")

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS PRESENTATION

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS

A presentation by June Hamell, Town of Macedon Historian and conservator of the Bullis Room at the Macedon Public Library

Wednesday, October 12, 6:30 p.m.

Community Room, Macedon Public Library

        Mrs. Hamell’s presentation will cover her recent visit to the historic Fort Sam Houston Museum in San Antonio to view a retrospective exhibit honoring Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis.  In addition, she will include some information about the history of San Antonio, the early Canary Islander settlers, the Missions, ranches, and cattle drives to New Orleans to help feed Civil War troops.

This presentation will be co-hosted by the Macedon Historical Society, Bullis Committee, 

                                                 and the Friends of the Macedon Public Library. 

ROMANCE AND HISTORY

These last few weeks in the Bullis room, we've worked with books in two genres--romance and history.  There's one book in this collection that ties these subjects together...Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell.

The Bullis copy is currently in the display case outside the room.  One glance will tell you it's not a quick read. With 1,037 pages, it may be a book to put on your winter reading list.

If you do read (or reread) Gone With the Wind, we suggest you think about men like John Lapham Bullis who enlisted in the 126th New York Volunteer Infantry at 21 years of age and was quickly plunged into the middle of that heartbreaking war. He was injured and captured in the Battle of Harper's Ferry in September, 1862, barely a month after he enlisted. And although he rejoined his regiment after exchange, he was again wounded and captured at the battle of Gettysburg, and spent the following ten months confined to Libby Prison in Virginia.

John Lapham Bullis's wartime experiences can add perspective to both fiction and nonfiction accounts of the Civil War by giving us a personal connection. And perhaps when we better understand our history, we can in turn have a greater understanding of current events and situations.  We can always hope so.

ROMANCE IN THE BULLIS ROOM

The morning air is getting "crisp,"  but there's still time for some good summer reading. These last three months we've recommended to you books on Revolutionary and Civil War history. We think it's time for a change, so--are you ready for this?--how about reading a romance?

The display case outside the Bullis Room is full of romance books from the collection. We're going to list a few of them here, but we hope you can stop by in the next few weeks and look over the whole group. In the interim, we suggest you consider reading one of the following:

When Knighthood Was In Flower..., by Edwin Caskoden (Charles Major), published in 1898.

The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, by John Fox, Jr., published in 1908.

Lalla Rookh, An Oriental Romance, by Thomas Moore, published in 1856.

Rose Mather, by Mary J. Holmes (who lived 40 miles west of Macedon, from 1852 until her death in 1907).

The Mine With the Iron Door, by Harold Bell Wright, published 1923.

The Iron Trail: An Alaskan Romance, by Rex Beach, published in 1913.

Enjoy!

SCHUYLER COLFAX

Here are the answers to the questions we posted pertaining to Schuyler Colfax:

First question: Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the Bullis Collection book, A Person History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax by Albert D. Richardson (published in 1868). Perhaps because he served as a long-term member of Congress and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.  In the ending pages of his book, Richardson heaped great praise on Colfax with these words:

"He is now in his third term as Speaker. No abler presiding officer ever sat in the chair of the House....Despite the bitterness of our recent contests, opposition members usually join unanimously at the close of a session in voting him thanks for his invariable impartiality." (page 559)

Second question: Who was Schuyler Colfax? In addition to being a member of Congress, he  was also the 17th vice president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1873 under President Ulysses S. Grant.  Again quoting from Richardson's sketch:

"In May, 1868, a national republican convention at Chicago unanimously nominated him for the second place on the ticket with Grant...It was the greatest personal triumph ever achieved in such a body." (pages 559-560)

And yet with this admirable background, Schuyler Colfax was not chosen as President Grant's second-term vice president. Various historical sources indicate that Colfax left office under a cloud, involving the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. A sad ending to what now appears to have been a successful career in public service.

You can read the entire sketch when you stop by the Bullis Room.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

Two items grabbed our attention this week when we looked over one of those "this week in history" lists:

1. On July 27, 1866: "Cyrus W. Field finished laying out the first successful underwater telegraph cable between North American and Europe (a previous cable in 1858 burned out after only a few weeks' use)."

and

2. On July 25, 1866: "Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army of the United States."


We searched the Bullis archives for information on both these subjects and came up with nothing on the first (but we're still looking!) and lots of stuff on the second.

Here's what we found when we did a search on General Grant.  There are six books on the subject in the collection.  All of them are worth our time to at least scan through, and some of them warrant a serious read. Here's a list and we offer it to you for your reference and consideration for further reading:


Military History of Ulysses S. Grant: from April, 1861 to April, 1865, by Adam Badeau, published by D. Appleton in 1881.

The Travels of General Grant, by Joel Tyler Headley, published by New World Publishing, in 1881.

A New, Original and Authentic Record of the Life and Deeds of General Ulysses S. Grant, by Frank A. Burr, published by H. B. Graves in 1885.

The Life of Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Armies of the United States, by James Harrison Wilson, published by Gurdon Bill & Co., in 1868.

Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant,  by Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant, published by C. O. Webster & Co. in 1885-86.

A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant: with a portrait and sketch of Schuyler Colfax, by Albert D. Richardson, published by American Publishing Co. in 1868.

You'll find  maps, facsimilies, prints, and illustrations in these books. And a lot of good reading. Enjoy.


(P.S. Why is there a sketch of Schuyler Colfax included in the last book listed above? Who was he?)

LIFE IN DIXIE

Last week we posted a list of Bullis books that cover the Civil War. This week we took a closer look at one of them...Life In Dixie During the War, 1861-1862-1873-1864-1865 by Mary A. H. Gay, published in 1894.  This book is now at the top of our blogger's non-fiction reading list.

According to one source, Mary Gay lived most of her life in Decatur, Georgia. She wrote a number of books, but Life in Dixie is the most famous and one that deserves to be read (or re-read) during this 150-year anniversary of the Civil War.  The eyewitness accounts from a woman's point of view are unique as well as fascinating.

According to several sources (including Google eBook), Life in Dixie "...gave Martha Mitchell the idea for Gone with the Wind." Continuing to quote Google eBook, the book has "...terrific insights into the life and perspective of southern whites during the war, the character and deeds of union soldiers."

For this reason (and many others) we strongly recommend this book for your summer or wintertime reading. Either online...or here in the Bullis Room.

MORE GOOD READING

July 21, 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run.  Therefore, this past week we continued to look at Bullis books on the subject of the Civil War.  We focused on the four listed below because they represent a variety of view points...youth, men, women, Union, and Confederate. Here they are for your reference...and interesting reading.

1. Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, published by the G.P.O. in 1863.

2. A Youth's History of the Great Civil War in the United States, from 1861 to 1865, (with illustrations) by R. G. Horton, published by Van Evrie, Horton & Co. in 1868.

3. Life in Dixie During the War, 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865, by Mary A. H. Gay, published by The Foote & Davies Co. in 1894.

4. Four Years in Secessia: Adventures within and beyond the Union lines: embracing a great variety of facts, incidents, and romance of the war..., by Junius Henri Browne, published by O.D. Case and Company in 1865. (Dedication: "To the private soldiers of the union, the unrecorded and fameless heroes of the war, who deserve the eternal gratitude of the republic they have preserved, this unpretending volume is admiringly inscribed.")

5. The American Conflict: a history of the great rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-'64;.... 
by Horace Greeley, published by O.D. Case & Company in 1865-66. ("...illustrated by portraits on steel of generals, statesmen, and other eminent men; views of places of historic interest; maps, diagrams of battlefields, naval actions, etc.; from official sources")

6. War Pictures from the South, by Bela Estvan, published by D. Appleton and Co. in 1863.

Most of these books can be accessed on line. As always, you're also invited to stop by the Bullis Room to take a look at the real thing.

LEGENDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

This week, our heads swimming with facts and dates of Bullis history, we decided to take a break from that research and spend some more time with the books in this collection. And since it's been 236 years this week since General George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, we focused on him.

 Many books have been written about General Washington and the Revolutionary War. (A search of one online seller produced 4,447 results of books on that subject.) However, we think we found a unique volume on the Bullis Room shelves, one that we'd overlooked in the past.

Titled Washington and his generals, or Legends of the American revolution, the book was written by George Lippard and published about 1847.  A series of historical pictures make up the contents of the book. Some of the chapter titles are:

Retreat - Washington's Agony

The Legend of General Agnew

Valley Forge

Andre the Spy

Nathan Hale

Anthony Wayne at Brandywine

Romance of the Revolution

The soldier Returning Home

The Memory of Alice

An Old Mansion in the Dark Dell

The Last Kiss

The Declaration: its source; its action upon mankind

The Message of the Bell to the World

We think you'll find a lot of good reading in this book. And you can access it online...and then stop by the Bullis Room to see the real thing.  

THE REST OF THE STORY

Over the last year or so, we've read excerpts of letters written by various members of the Bullis family that are interesting...and informative...up to a point.  We have  a growing feeling that there is a "rest of the story"  that we need to know in order to complete our picture of this family.


If anyone has documents and/or original letters (or notes, stories, poems) written by any of the Bullises, we would greatly appreciate your sharing them with us. There are many, many gaps in the family history that we would like to fill in. And without the complete documents, completion of the task is impossible.


Likewise, if there is any information you are in search of regarding any of the Bullises, just let us know through this blog. We'll certainly be glad to do what we can to help you get the of "rest of the story" that you need, as well.

BULLIS FAMILY SCHOLARSHIPS

Each year at graduation time,  Bullis scholarships awarded at local high schools remind us of the generosity of Nettie Bullis and her family.

A Bullis Room volunteer recently presented two scholarships to Gananda graduating seniors: The Abram R. Bullis Mathematical Scholarship and the Nettie Bullis Business Scholarship. And this coming year 141 graduates of Palmyra-Macedon High School will benefit from The Bullis Family Scholarship. The latter scholarship is renewable each spring and varies in amounts, depending on endowment earnings.

All of the Bullises valued education. Some were formally educated, others self-educated, but their books which make up the Bullis Collection is proof of the fact that they never stopped learning.

We too can continue to learn, and today we have so many more opportunities through the electronic media as well as printed books. Let's take advantage of these resources and, like the Bullises, never stop learning.

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS AT STILWELL HOUSE

This week, we looked over the catalog of items in the John Lapham Bullis San Antonio exhibition, May 25-30, 2011.  Here's a partial list of those exhibits.


From the Collections of the Fort Sam Houston Museum, items that belonged to General Bullis:
 - Roll top desk, oak, made by Standard Furniture Company, Herkimer, New York, ca 1900
 - Hammond Typewriter, Model 12,  New York ca 1905
 - Chest, Records, Olive Drab, Wood, ca 1890s. "Standard Adjutant General wooden records chest used by Paymaster Bullis in Cuba and the Philippines 1901-1902."


Other items from the collections of the Fort Sam Houston Museum:
 - Oil portrait of General Bullis by S. Salomon, 1913 (shown in last week's posting)
 - Chevrons, Infantry Sergeant, Pattern of 1872


From the White Museum:
 - Gold Presentation Sword and Scabbard, made by Bent & Bush, Boston, 1881 "Presented by the people of Western Texas, for protecting their homes."
 - Silver Presentation Sword and Scabbard, made by Gaylord Manufacturing Company, Chicopee, MA, 1881. "Presented by the people of Kinney County, Texas as a token of their undying gratitude."
 - Saddle, Pattern of 1885 McClellan, Cavalry, ca 1890. "Bullis would have used this saddle while serving as a Captain until his retirement."


Those of you interested in Bullis family history will want to include a stop in San Antonio in future travel plans.  You won't be disappointed.

So who is this man?  A remarkable man, born in Macedon, raised in Farmington, served in the 126th Company H at the beginning of the Civil War, served as Captain over black troops at the end of the war and during Reconstruction, started a business of cutting wood for the steam boats on the Mississippi, went back to the military and led the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts for many years, became an Indian agent, served as Paymaster at Fort Sam Houston, served in both the Philippines and Cuba during the Spanish American War, and retired a Brigadier General.  
I have just returned from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.  The Fort Sam Houston Historical Society hosted this display  of memorabilia from General Bullis' life.  We contributed letters that he sent to his Aunt Emma, photos of his family and home, etc., to the display.  So much history and so little time to learn it!!!

NATURAL DISASTERS OF THE PAST

When we were looking through the shelves this past week, this title caught our attention (because of recent natural disasters around the world):

ITALY'S GREAT HORROR OF EARTHQUAKE AND TIDAL WAVE

compiled by Jay Henry Mowbray

(1909, publisher unnamed)

Forty-eight pages of plates as well as numerous illustrations enhance the description of the events that resulted in "immense loss of life" and left Messina and other beautiful cities in Southern Italy and Sicily in heaps of ruins on December 28, 1908. 

Volunteers found that reading this book was a sobering experience, but one that served to remind us of our need to be prepared for whatever nature brings to us.   We invite you to stop by the Bullis Room and find out more about this "unparalleled catastrophe" of a hundred years ago.

REMEMBERING...

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS

"Johnnie" 

 on the 

100th anniversary 

of his death

May 26, 1911

TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. 1007

"RESOLUTION

"WHEREAS, May 26, 2011, marks the centennial of the death of United States Army Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis, commander of the famed Black Seminole Scouts and a hero of the Texas frontier; and

"WHEREAS, Born in Macedon, New York, in 1841, John Bullis enlisted in the 126th New York Volunteer Infantry in 1862 and was wounded and captured twice during the Civil War, in the battles of Harpers Ferry and Gettysburg; following 10 months in the notorious Libby Prison, he was released in an exchange of combatants and was commissioned as a captain in the 118th Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops, a volunteer regiment composed entirely of African American enlisted men and white officers; and

"WHEREAS, General Bullis briefly ran a business on the Mississippi River after the war and was commissioned in the Regular Army as a second lieutenant in 1867; although many other white officers scorned African American regiments, he served with the 41st Infantry and then requested a transfer to the new 24th Infantry, a consolidation of three Colored Infantry regiments; he was stationed at Fort Clark in the borderlands, where property raids and attacks on settlers were a regular occurrence, and assumed command of the remarkable group of scouts, skillful trackers descended from escaped slaves who had intermarried with members of the Seminole tribe and eventually settled in the Santa Rosa Mountains of northern Mexico; and

"WHEREAS, Resolute and resourceful, General Bullis earned the nickname 'the Whirlwind,' leading the Black Seminole Scouts during the Red River War and on numerous missions to track raiders from the Comanche and Apache tribes; in one celebrated battle, he and three scouts took on more than two dozen Lipan Apaches before they ran low on ammunition and were forced to retreat; General Bullis's horse was lost, but his comrades returned for him under fire and he was able to leap up behind his sergeant and escape on his steed; the scouts were awarded Congressional Medals of Honor; and

"WHEREAS, The stoicism, valor, and fairness General Bullis demonstrated won the complete loyalty of his men; he lived off the land and suffered severe privations alongside them, and they gladly followed him even on a pursuit all the way to New Mexico Territory, which kept them in the saddle for 80 days and more than 1,200 miles; over the course of 8 years, he led his scouts in 26 battles, yet not one was killed or seriously injured; he received brevet citations for his gallant service, as well as recognition from the Texas Legislature, and the people of West Texas and residents of Kinney County showed their gratitude by presenting him with engraved swords; and..."

"WHEREAS, Once the area had become comparatively calm, General Bullis was transferred to Indian Territory, and he was later appointed the paymaster of Fort Sam Houston, with the rank of major; he served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and in the Philippines during the Philippine Insurrection; the day before his retirement in 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt promoted him to brigadier general in recognition of his outstanding achievements; and

"WHEREAS, John Bullis settled in San Antonio and established himself as a successful businessman, investing in real estate and the Shafter silver mines, and he helped to promote the settlement of West Texas; in addition, he remained a stalwart advocate for the Black Seminole Scouts, trying in vain to obtain for them the military benefits and land grants that the federal government had promised; he died in San Antonio on May 26, 1911, and is buried in the San Antonio National Cemetery; a military camp just north of San Antonio was named Camp Bullis in his honor in 1917; and

"WHEREAS, An extraordinary figure in the history of the Lone Star State, Brigadier General John Bullis fought bravely to secure the frontier, and he set an inspiring example of integrity and dedication; it is indeed fitting to commemorate the centennial of his passing; now, therefore, be it

"RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby recognize May 26, 2011, as Brigadier General John L. Bullis Day and encourage all Texans to learn more about his life and service to the Lone Star State; and, be it further

"RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared for the Shafter Silver Mine John L. Bullis Library at the STAR DAY  Foundation, for the Fort Sam Houston Museum, and for the New York Macedon Public Library Bullis Collection as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives."

Signature: Joe Straus, Speaker of the House

"I certify that H.R. NO. 1007 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on April 7, 2011."
Signature: Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House

(Seal) Signature line: Ruth Jones McClendon, State Representative, District 120

MORE HONORS FOR JLB

On April 7, 2011 the State of Texas House of Representatives issued a resolution honoring John Lapham Bullis. This recognition resulted from his military accomplishments as well as the part he played in promoting the settlement of West Texas and his advocacy for the Black Seminole Scouts. We'll post some of this document in the next two weeks, as our way of again recognizing this Bullis family member's contribution to his country.

A second honor for John Lapham Bullis is in the form of an exhibit at Fort Sam Houston Museum in San Antonio the last of this month. A member of our committee will be attending this event. Again, we'll keep you posted.

BIRDS THAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW: THE EAST

Neltje Blanchan published her book through Doubleday, Page & Co. in 1907. Its sixty-three pages are filled with flowing text and photographs of birds in their natural habitat.

Descriptions and photos of robins, bluebirds, chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets, wrens, warblers, sparrows, swallows, and more are included.

Those of us who have enjoyed this book from the collection have one suggestion.  Don't let the title mislead you. This book could easily be called Birds that Everyone Should Know.  We invite you to stop by the Bullis Room and take a look.

WHAT MAY BE LEARNED FROM A TREE

Since today is Arbor Day, we scrolled through the collection's data base for books on trees, and stopped when we saw the entry "What May Be Learned From a Tree."  Wow, what a neat book!  The author, Harland Coultas, copyrighted the book in 1855 and it went into several printings. The Bullis copy was published in 1860 by D. Appleton.

Mr. Coultas began his book with the history of trees and followed up with discussions of tree anatomy, physiology, growth, community, and death.  Interweaved throughout is the author's purpose "...to show that the tree may be regarded as a vast community of phytons, or plants, which co-operate in its construction and are mutually dependent on and subservient to each other." (Introduction, page 11)

He concludes his introduction with, "Reader, whoever you are, may this book prove to you a friend, may you be induced by its pages to look on the Tree with a new interest; and obtaining from its noble form a clear and truthful view of your own position and duty in life, become, by the perusal of this volume, a wiser man and a better citizen." (Introduction, page 12)

Many trees are visible through the Bullis Room window. Some were here long before us and will be here long after we are gone, making their contributions (individually and collectively) to our planet. Let's do what we can to help them live out their purpose.

Note: You can read Mr. Coulas's book online, or here in the Bullis Room.

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH

April is National Volunteer Month.

Last week was National Volunteer Week.

Every day is Volunteer Day.

This is certainly true of Bullis Room volunteers.  Some days they work in the Bullis Room, researching, organizing, planning. Other days they work at home, updating worksheets or brainstorming ways to promote the collection in the community.

We say a sincere "thank you" to our own volunteers--and to those everywhere who make a tremendous contribution to our society.

AN ENDING AND A BEGINNING

John Lapham Bullis's letter to "Mrs. Dr. A. R. Bullis" on February 19, 1865 was written "On the Field, with the 118th Col. Inf."  He wrote that he had lately joined the regiment with his detachment from
Dutch Gap to prepare for the spring campaign and added that he was busy building quarters "in camp to right of Fort Brady. Previous to Dutch Gap quite a stirring up by Rebel Fleet in our midst. Reb. gunboat Drury blew up."

The end of his Civil War experience brought to John Lapham Bullis the beginning of a new career on the Frontier. In his May 25, 1865 letter home from Camp Lincoln, Virginia, he wrote that he was expecting to move south soon to Texas.  What followed was a military career that distinguished him as a brilliant leader and earned him the rank of Brigadier General (although he would continue to be known as "Johnnie" to the folks back in Macedon.)

JLB: CIVIL WAR EYEWITNESS

Through eyewitness accounts in his letters, we can follow John Lapham Bullis’s Civil War experiences as a young recruit who quickly became a seasoned soldier.  He was the latter when he wrote from Annapolis, Maryland on July 2, 1864:

“Waiting transp. to Army Potomac.  Year ago at Gettysburg, warm, and we were taking a doublequick for a Barn that was changing hands often on that memorable time.”

Three months later, September 19, 1864, he wrote “on the Ohio River Steamboat Grey Eagle on Ohio bound for Louisville. Soldiers have Measles.” 

His November 20, 1864 letter came from “Hqs. Co. A. 118^th Inf. near Richmond, Va,” and he relayed that he had come from Kentucky and had now been in about 14 states.

From Macedon to Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg and Libby Prison. Then on to Annapolis, Philadelphia, Louisville, Richmond, crossing “about 14 states” within two years. How much more he could have told us of those times. However, we are grateful for this limited glimpse into a Civil War soldier's personal observations and thoughts.

Next week we'll post excerpts from his last two Civil War letters that are in our archives.

AUDELS MASONS AND BUILDERS GUIDE

Our January 8 and January 15, 2009 postings focused on a set of books in the Bullis collection, Audels Carpenters and Builder Guide, published by Theo. Audel Co. , copyrighted in 1929, 1933, 1945,  and reprinted in 1948. Now two years later another set of books with Audels in the title  “showed up” on the Bullis Room’s round table, and volunteers immediately began poring over their pages.

The motto, “By Hammer and Hand All Things Do Stand,” heads up each title page of this four-volume set. The complete title is: Audels Masons and Builders Guide,  A Practical Illustrated Trade Assistant on Modern Construction for Bricklayers-Stone Masons-Cement Workers-Plasterers and Tile Setters...” written by Frank D. Graham-Chief and Thomas J. Emery-Associate. This set was copyrighted in 1924 and 1945 by Theo Audel & Co., New York.

The books are subtitled:

1 – Brick Work: Brick Laying, Bonding, Designs

2 – Brick Foundations: Arches, Tile, Setting, Estimating

3 – Concrete: Mixing, Placing Forms, Reinforced, Stucco

4 – Plastering, Stone Masonry, Steel Construction, Blue Prints

 Book 1’s first chapter gives an interesting history of the art of brick making, pointing out that sun dried or adobe brick “were used thousands of years before the earliest recorded date of history, as given on a brick tablet of the time of Sargon of Akkad, 3,800 B.C., founder of the Chaldean empire.”  This account also notes that  “The Great Wall of China was constructed partly of brick, both burnt and unburnt.”  We also found these facts interesting:

“In England, the great fire of 1666 transformed London from a wooden to a brick town and gave a great spur to the brick industry.”

and,

”The first brick buildings in America were erected on Manhattan Island in the year 1633.... The bricks for these buildings were made in Holland....For many years brick were imported into America from Holland and also from England.”

Stop by and  look through either or both Audels sets.  It will be worth your time.

IN MEMORY

OF 

JEANNETTE AURELIA BULLIS

Born March 23, 1893

EXAMS, FEARS, HARDTACK, AND FAMILY

John Lapham Bullis covered a variety of topics and feelings in his letter from Annapolis, Maryland, written during the third year of the Civil War, on June 27, 1864.

1. He wrote that he had passed his exams in Washington and that he expected to start soon for the Regiment. 

2. Then he shared that he was "fearful another year will make great changes if the great Rebellion is not closed," and added a comment about "times to try men's hearts." 

3. He also commented that at least there was plenty of hardtack.

And 

4. He ended his letter with thoughts of his family: "Glad to hear Abram and Lydia doing well at school."

A typical letter home from a person in the midst of war? Perhaps. He told his family his current news,  his fears for the future, what he was thankful for, and then turned his thoughts to the readers, those waiting for him at home.  We can only wonder what was left unsaid about the horrors of war.

FROM "JOHNNIE"

John Lapham Bullis's family must have spent many anxious hours thinking of his safety--and his whereabouts--during the Civil War.  The arrival of each letter was proof that at the time of writing he was well enough to put pencil to paper, and these communications must have been  received with great joy and relief.

His second letter home from Annapolis, Maryland was written while he was "Waiting transp. to Army Potomac."  In that July 2, 1864 letter he reminisces, "Year ago at Gettysburg, warm, and we were taking a doublequick for a Barn that was changing hands often on that memorable time." Then on September 19, 1864, he was  "On the Ohio River Steamboat Grey Eagle on Ohio bound for Louisville. Soldiers have Measles." There is also a comment that he himself is "measle proof."

Between November 5, 1863 and November 20, 1864, Bullis wrote nine letters home, almost one a month, keeping in touch with those he loved and cared for. And he signed all of these letters "Johnnie."  Today, as we admire him for his military greatness, let's remember that first he was a loving son and brother.

MORE LETTERS HOME

This past week we focused on two more excerpts from John Lapham Bullis's letters home. The first, written from Annapolis on his 23rd birthday (April 17, 1864), talks about a visit from "Lieut Gen's Burnside and Grant." Bullis was impressed with Burnside,  writing that he was "a noble looking man with a high forehead in fact a model man in my opinion."  Bullis also mentioned that he was reading Victor Hugo's sketches of Napoleon and that "I have never before taken so much interest in History."  (This led us to wonder how much these contemporary military geniuses and those from history affected Bullis's own career.)

The second excerpt was from a letter written from Philadephia on May 8, 1864, in which he states: "Seated in a pleasant Room on Chestnut St. quite a change from a Tent quite a number of soldiers are here from various parts of the Theatre of War preparing for an examination. 30 days furlow then to Washington. The newsboys keep the air resounding with their music although it is the Sabbath. However I am keeping a Rebel from fighting now I suppose although I am doing nothing and the Rebel the same rather Quaker warfare I think." He then follows this with the comment: "Our exchange was effected just previous to the Fort Pillow massacre." (We're researching the Fort Pillow battle and will have more on it in a few weeks.)

So what do these excerpts of 23-year-old John Lapham Bullis's letters home tell us?  Their regularity indicates that he often thought of his Macedon home and his family, and the lack of direct references to his discomforts and hardships show that he wanted to reassure his family of his wellbeing. A third thing these particular excerpts reveal to us is his focus on his spiritual life.

In the May 8, 1864 letter, Bullis wrote: "Mother you mentioned in your letter as to my spiritual welfare for my part I cannot say that I Lose sight, far from it, however I try to lead a sort of moral life." He followed that comment with, "One principal in particular I admire that is to do as I would be done by but we all stray far from the right paths in the Army as the temptations are great."

We'll continue looking through the excerpts from Bullis's letters and post more next week. In the interim, we'd like to hear your comments and questions (online or in person).

LETTERS HOME

This past week or so volunteers have been focusing on excerpts from letters John Lapham Bullis wrote to "his Mother, Mrs. Dr. A. R. Bullis" during the Civil War.

Some of these letters were written from Annapolis Maryland in November and December, 1863, about 16 months after he had enlisted as a corporal in the New York voluntary Infantry.  In them he expresses his wish that the war was over and assures his mother that he's content to be "as far as possible from Richmond."  He also states, "...I think if they get hold of me again I can do some tall running toward the land of plenty," evidently referring to his capture and the subsequent 10 months when he was confined to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.

Reading these letters 150 years later, we are in awe of men like John Lapham Bullis who survived this conflict that set countryman versus countryman. Why did they participate in this conflict? Dedication and bravery are two possible answers. We'll keep looking for more.

BLACK HISTORY

While searching the Bullis data base for books on the Civil War, we found a book that contains a wealth of information for those of you who are interested in Black history.  And the bonus is that you can access the book on line and then stop by the Bullis Room for a closer look at the copy we have here on the shelves.

History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880 was authored by George Washington Williams, son of a former slave. It was published in 1883 by G. P. Putnam's Sons and gives an account of  "negroes as slaves, as soldiers, and as citizens; together with a preliminary consideration of the unity of the human family, an historical sketch of Africa, and an account of the Negro governments of Sierra Leone and Liberia."

This is a comprehensive report on a 250-year span of our history. We highly recommend you adding it to you reading list.

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the war between the states, and we volunteers will be devoting a good chunk of time looking at books in the collection that cover this subject.

We'll also review John Lapham Bullis's papers that pertain to his experiences in the Civil War, and we'll post accounts of some of his experiences as well as his personal reactions.

So if you're researching this war, be sure to check this blog regularly for book lists and accounts of a young soldier's experience in this conflict between the states.

BOOKS ABOUT HOUSES

The Bullis Room contains several books about houses and house construction.  A recent visitor called our attention to one of these: Architecture of Country Houses, including Designs for Cottages, Farm Houses and Villas, by A. J Downing (copyright 1850, published by D. Appleton & Co., NY and Philadelphia).

What a neat book! (We're forever grateful to this visitor.) It delivers what the title says: plans for various types of houses that could be ordered in a kit, ready to assemble. The drawings are extraordinary;  the descriptions and instructions, an interesting read.

This is another book in the collection that can be accessed online. (Try books.google.com) Viewing the book this way gives fast, convenient, at-your-leisure access--which we all like in this fast-moving world of ours.

Viewing the book in the Bullis Room gives a period ambience, non-glare reading, and volunteers ready to help in any way. Please stop by sometime.

MORE ONLINE BOOKS

Here are titles of more books in the Bullis collection that are online for your reading at any time.

Beneath the Tropic Seas, by William Beebe

Book of woodcraft and Indian lore..., by Ernest T. Seton

Fair God or the last of the 'tzins, by Lew Wallace

Japan, an attempt at interpretation, Lefcadio Hearn

The Travels of General Grant, Hon. J. T. Headley

And they are also here in the Bullis Room for your reference use, by appointment. Just call 315-986-5932, Ext. 3 or inquire at the front desk the next time you're in MPL.

ONLINE READING

This is another busy week for Bullis volunteers. We're setting goals and objectives for the year, and we're thinking about how we can more effectively reach out to the community and beyond.  Therefore, we are switching our focus for a while from the Bullis extended families of a century or more ago to families currently in our local- and world-wide community, searching for ways to encourage more utilization of the Bullis books.

Word on the streets is that 50% of the US population will use a smartphone by this time next year. That, combined with increased reading online via other wireless reading devices and desktop computers, suggests that we need to reach out more to that segment of our population.

Therefore...we are listing a few of the books in this collection that are available online for reading, with the idea that if someone experiences a book through that medium, they may want to see the real thing.

Here's this week's list. We'll list more next week. And please remember if you want to see the actual book, stop by the Bullis Room.

The Cruise of the Snark, Jack London

Allan Quartermain, Sir H. Rider Haggard,

The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling, 1908

Madam Bovary, Flaubert Gustave

Women of the War: Heroism and self sacrifice, Frank Moore, 1866

THE BREESE FAMILY IN MACEDON

The Bullis family was  connected to Macedon’s Breese family through Nettie and Charlie’s mother, Josephine Breese Bullis, who was born in 1861.

To date, we have found only scant information about this family. Again, we consulted the Pioneers of Macedon, and on page 34 found a reference to an Anthony Breese who purchased property and later built a brick house on that site. From the text preceding this information, we infer that this was in the early 1800s. Then on page 49 of this same book, it states that an Arthur Breese was an early purchaser of land in Macedon in the time frame of the late 1700s to very early 1800s. One more Breese reference appears on page 173 of the Pioneers of Macedon, noting that Henry J. Breese served as Macedon supervisor from 1888-89.  Therefore, it appears to us that this family was established and respected in the community. 

We would greatly appreciate any information you could share with us about the Breese family and how Josephine Breese and Abraham Bullis  met and joined these two families.