HAPPY HALLOWEEN, From the Bullis Room. Our treat for you is a repeat of the posting we did four years ago:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, From the Bullis Room. Our treat for you is a repeat of the posting we did four years ago: 

NETTIE BULLIS

If Nettie Bullis could speak to us from her grave in the Village of Palmyra Cemetery, what would be her message?  Here is our version of what she might say to the people on this year's cemetery walk:

"I am new to the walk this year because some of my friends thought I should be included. I feel somewhat uncomfortable with all of this attention. I've always shied away from that sort of thing.

"However, since you’ve all come here this evening and paid your entrance fee, it is appropriate that I offer you some information about myself and my family so that you will get your money’s worth.  My family always lived by the principle of getting your money’s worth and never wasting anything.  When my great-grandfather Charles H. Bullis and his family moved from Vermont to Macedon in 1837, they brought with them the New England frugality that they had always lived by, and that way of living was handed down from generation to generation.

"A second principle my family lived by was life-long education.  When my brother Charlie and I were growing up, my father insisted that our toys were things we could learn something from.  He got this idea from his father who was a local doctor and who greatly valued education. After my father graduated from Cornell in the early 1880s with degrees in mathematics and civil engineering, he continued his education by collecting and reading science, math, engineering, and medical books.

"In fact, you can see many of these books today at Macedon Public Library. They have a special room there—they even named it for my family—and it houses the remaining books from our collection.  My father and grandfather would be very pleased about that. And of course there is a significant number of books on horticulture that belonged to my brother Charlie. But that’s another subject.

"Honest, hard work was a third principle of the Bullises. The first Bullises in Macedon built the cobblestone house that served as a home to three generations of the family. It is where my brother Charlie and I grew up, and it still stands today on Canandaigua Road. By the way, every year in May Charlie’s poppies bloom in the front yard and make a wonderful display for several weeks.

"Hard work was never a stranger to me. In my earlier years, I did chores around our place, and when I was older I accompanied my father on many of his surveying jobs, taking notes that he used in his engineering drawings.  After high school graduation in 1911, I attended Cornell University for a while and then taught school in Marion. Following that, I took a position as bookkeeper at Gleason Works in Rochester. While at Gleasons, I was fortunate to have several opportunities for advancement and was serving as Assistant Secretary of Gleason Works when I retired.

"It was not my intention to be a wealthy woman, but I did accumulate a tidy sum through careful planning, saving, wise investments, and my New England frugality. When I wrote my will, I was pleased to be able to benefit a number of individuals and organizations here in Wayne County.

"As you can see from my headstone I lived for 86 years, from March 23, 1893 to October 1, 1979. Most of my life was spent in Macedon, but upon my death I took up residence here in Palmyra in my family's plot. It's a quiet, peaceful place to spend eternity, and I greatly enjoy the company.

"Well, I feel I've taken enough of your time this evening. Thank you for stopping by and giving me your kind attention. I must say that I've enjoyed our time together. So much, in fact, that I hope I'm invited to do this again next year."

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, #3

(This is the final entry of the document first posted September 27.)

Mr. Bullis at once returned to his home but soon after entered the regular army and was appointed a lieutenant. For twenty years he has now rendered the country valuable service on the frontier. For nine years he had command of the Indian scouts on the Texas frontier, and was the Government agent for the apaches for four years. His fearless and commendable service among the savage warriors won recognition in the United States Congress, which twice breveted him for his splendid work. The people of Texas who more fully appreciate what he has done for them, presented him with two beautiful swords, one of them ornamented with scenes and designs commemorative of his achievements. The designs are wrought in gold and the sword cost $1000. The captain prized it still more highly because the poor people whom he had protected and whose homes he had made safe were the contributers to the gift fund, giving of their meager possessions as evidence of the gratitude and love which they had for the Captain. On the sword are two inscriptions one reading “He has protected our lives and homes” another “He has driven the desperado from our territory”. In speaking of his gift the Captain modestly said “I did nothing but my duty”, but it was a duty heroicly and nobly performed, nay it was more, for on the frontier as he entered into combat with the treacherous savage he did not think I am doing my duty but was prompted to his noble deeds by the thought that he must save the lives and homes of his fellow men.

         Captain Bullis has accumulated some property, owning interests in mines in Texas and Arizona, some of which are now being operated. He has a very pleasant home in Santa Fe, where he makes his head quarters in the midst of his family. He was married in San Antonio, Texas, in 1872, to Miss Alice Rodregnez, but death claimed her on the 14^th of August, 1887. On the 14^th of October, 1891, he led to the marriage altar Miss Josephine Withers of San Antonio, and this union has been blessed with three lovely little daughters – Lydia C. and Anita W., twins, and the baby, Octavia M. The Captain makes friends wherever he goes for he is as man of genial, kindly disposition, whose genuine worth is easily recognized and who is in the truest sense of the word a gentleman. In politics he is a republican, and in his social relations is a Mason.

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.