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.

WILLIAM PORTER

Again, we’re quoting Pioneers of Macedon, from pages 32 and 33, as we continue to read about William Porter.

“He married Lydia Claghorn of Williamsburg, Mass., who was born in 1780, and came to the township in 1796 with her aunt, Mrs. David Warner, who was formerly Mrs. David White.... In the winter of 1796 they went to Massachusetts with horses and sleigh and Lydia returned with them to their home... In just one year from that time Lydia Claghorn became Mrs. William Porter.  The were married and went at once to live in the house which he had built, and she used often to speak of the town as being full of young men who had come on to take up farms.“

The Pioneers of Macedon continues with this account: “In early times money was not to be had, and in winter William Porter would pile in as many bags of wheat as his horses could draw for a load and drive with it to Albany and sell it for cash, and returning, he would bring back groceries for Joseph Colt and George Beckwith, which would about pay expenses. He built the tavern house and moved into it in 1811. He died in March of 1819 and his wife continued the business until 1835, and after that date the building was used for a dwelling house. The first town meeting of Macedon was held in this house February 11, 1823. Mrs. Porter remained on the farm until 1844. Her death occurred in 1867 at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Salome Lapham of Macedon....”

Why are we focusing the Porter family?  Because this branch of the family is connected to the Laphams who in turn are related to the Bullises, and in our search for our Bullis timeline, we are looking at their extended families.

Also, we find it interesting that the independence, resourcefulness, and work ethic displayed by Mr. Porter are traits that consistently showed up in each generation of the Bullis family.