"PAPA" JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS

This week, June Hamel's interesting and informative presentation on John Lapham Bullis gave attendees an overall look at Macedon's military hero --  as a son, brother, husband, and father.

Over the past nine years, we've posted information about his distinguished military career and his relationship with his parents and siblings. So today, we're sharing with you John Lapham Bullis's "husband and father side" with this photo of his second wife, Josephine Withers Bullis, holding their three daughters: Octavia, and twins Lydia, and Anita.

Josephine Withers (of San Antonio, Texas) and John Latham Bullis were married on September 8, 1891. Twins Lydia and Anita were born September 7 & 8, 1892; Octavia, on April 5, 1894. 

So far, volunteers have found very few documents relating to this family's private life; however, we think that "Papa" John Lapham Bullis must have been quite proud of his family (after all, he waited over 50 years to be a dad). So we think it's fair to surmise that he doted over them as much as he could, given his demanding life.  And, at the end of the day,  he must have looked forward to returning home from his assignments, knowing that his four girls were waiting to greet him.  

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.