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.