This electric edition copyright (c)
1995, RG Boyd
Part 2
WILLIAM BULL
This individual was born at
Wolverhampton, England, February, 1689. In an
account of this early settler
we rely upon tradition and the statements of
Sarah Wells, his wife, which
were generally know among his immediate
descendants. When he was youg
his father left England and located in Dublin,
Ireland, where he was apprenticed
to learn the trade of a mason and stone-
cutter. During his minority
we know nothing of him--When his apprenticeship
ended, he, with a young friend
and fellow mason, contracted to build the arch
of a large bridge which was
then in progress of erection in the vicinity of
the city, and had they succeeded
it might have established their credit as
good workmen and talented
young men; but just as they were closing the arch
and finishing the job, down
it tumbled, and with it, the young and bright
prospects of the venturesome
builders. Bull was overwhelmed by the unexpect- ed calamity and feeling
that future success there was hopeless he at once
determined to emigrate and
build his fortune in America, which he had failed
to do in Ireland.
He mustered and counted his
money, which amounted to 5 guineas, went down
tothe dock and on board a
passenger ship bound soon for New York, and inquired of the officer on
board if 5 guineas was sufficient to pay his passage. The reply was in
the affirmative and he forthwith completed his arrangements to leave. When
the time came he embarked, having nothing to encumber him him but his clothes,
5 guineas and a few books. When the ship arrived in port Bull
presented himself to the captain
to pay his five guineas and go ashore; but
was told it was not enough,
and being informed it was all he had, replied that
he must then be sold for the
balance. Bull was very much incensed at the trick
put on him by false information
in Ireland, and at the indignity so cruelly
about to be inflicted on him,
promptly told the officer that he would not be
sold, that he would abide
by the ship and return to Ireland, and that if he
had to be a servant it should
be there and not in a strange land.
Misfortune had compelled him
to leave his country and now when about to
realize his cherished hopes
and anxious expectations, it was threatening to
drive him back again and he
was in great doubt what course to adopt. But in
this case "his necessity was
God's opportunity" who having mercifully held the
winds in his hand during the
voyage, now kindly interposed and sent unexpect- ed relief in the person
of a stranger.
Just at this time Daniel Cromline
who had an interest in the Wawayanda patent
and was about to make a settlement
thereon; finding an Irish passenger ship on
port and thinking that he
might procure some laborers and artisans there, went
on board and made his wants
known to the captain. Proclamation was made
thruout the ship that there
was a gentleman on board who wanted to employ some workmen and mechanics
to settle a new country and if there were any on board who were willing
to engage, to come forward. The proclamation fell upon Bull like a message
from Heaven and he felt that he was at least cared for by God and strangers,
and his heart was instantly filled with gratitude and his hopes revived.
He spoke and said that he was an artisan and laborer and had left Ireland
for America thinking he had money to pay his passage; but that falling
short and for the deficiency was about to be sold, which he had re- fused
to be, he thought of returning to Ireland but if any gentlemman would advance
him the money, he would undertake, should his health and life be spared,
he should have no cause to regret the kindness. Cromline, pleased with
his appearance, prompt and manly bearing advanced the money and they left
the ship together.
page 17
Bull, in company with other
workmen, soon went with Cromline upon the patent,
to prepare to erect a dwelling
and make a settlement. Bull executed the mason
and the others the carpenter
work, and he cut the year of erection "1716" in
the stones of the chimney.
The boards of the house were sawed by a whip in a
sawpit and the whole woodwork
fastened by wood pins in place of nails.
This at the time and for years
afterwards was the largest and best house from
New Windsor to New Jersey.
As it was on the traveled route leading into New
Jersey it soon became of great
notariety, and being a public Inn was a place
of resort for the country
round--This house was known as the "Old Greycourt
House" and was about 5 miles
southeast from the log mansion of Christopher
Denn in Hamptonburgh. The
structure was honestly built, having stood as a
tenement till 1832--about
116 years which cannot be affirmed of by any other
in the country except the
Bull stone house at Hamptonburgh.
At that early day and for many
years afterwards, the population was very
sparse in that part of the
country and all living within a dozen miles of each
other were near neighbors
and kept an intimate and friendly intercourse. As
Christopher Denn was a patentee
and Daniel Cromline interested in the patent
both having made settlements
and living within six miles of each other, it was
natural and expected that
these families would often meet on the most friendly
term.
Thus William Bull who continued
to live at the Cromline house, became
acquainted with Sarah Wells,
which ripened into love and eventually into
matrimony in the year 1718.
The young people of that day had a great deal of
business to do and their offers
were sincerely and promply made on the one
side and promply and honestly
accepted on the other. What they did was done
quickly as they had no time
to spare, and consequently there were no
courtships of seven years
standing. Inclination and the demands of a new
country forbade all tampering
and procrastination upon such business
transactions.
We will detain the reader by
asking him to step into the new double log house
of Christopher and Madam Denn
and witness the marriage ceremony. Whether male or female, old or young,
they are unwortthy to wear the bonds of Hymen
if they refuse the invitation.
We know they will not for it is not a matter of every day occurrence.
Previous to this time Courts
of Justice had been established and a magistrate
resided in the neighborhood,
who was called upon to perform the marriage
ceremony, there being no priest
to do it. Bull was an Episcopalian and wished
to be married according to
the forms of that church, but how were the Banns
to be published 3 times to
make the contract valid? After long deliberation
they concluded that circumstance
altered cases and that 3 proclamations made
in one day were as effectual
for all purposes and carry it out in practise,
the guests being assembled
and the bride and groom anxiously waiting to know
how it was performed, the
magistrate, with a solemnity demanded by the
occasion, took up the book
of common prayer and proceeded to the front door of the house and there
proclaimed the banns to the trees of the forest, then he
walked thru the hall to the
back door and maade a second proclamation to the
cattle and outbuildings, and
then again at the front door made a third
proclamation to the wilderness
at large. The tres and the forest made no
objection, the cattle did
not forbid the banns and the wilderness seemed to
echo back its approbation
and consent, whereupon the marriage ceremony was
immediately performed. Though
this was a new and hazardous experiment on a
delicate subject, we never
heard that its legality was questioned, even by
those who were most personally
interested in the matter. Tradition affirms
this to have been the first
marriage within the limits of the old town of
Goshen.
page 18
SETTLEMENT OF HAMPTONBURGH
It will be recollected that
Christopher Denn had promised Sarah Wells 100
acres of land for commencing
the settlement of the patent, who now being of
age and married, and having
chosen a guardian to lean upon and protect her for
life, requested a fulfill
of the promise. Without disclosing his object he
advised her "not to be in
a hurry about it, that she had married a young
Irishman who might play her
some trick and finally leave her; and the title
might as well be left where
it was for the present." At this she became
offended, as it cast an unworthy
imputation upon her husband, and she replied
that "Bull was born in England
and though brought up in Ireland, she did not
know as that made him an Irishman;
and that he was as good an Englishman as
himself." Denn manifested
no resentment at what she said, and smiling
pleasantly put her off. He
told her, however, to go and select 100 acres of
his unimproved land where
she pleased, and locate it and it should be securee
for her. This was done and
possession taken. Bull, like many of us at this
day, desired to possess land
that he could call his own and in place of
settling and making erections
on the 100 acres, located on the southeasterly
side of Christopher Denn's
lot, then considered wild and unappropriated, and
now designated by the old
Bull stone house at Hamptonburgh." On this he
erected his log cabin in 1719
or 1720. The location was a favourable one. The
land was of fine quality and
well watered, and on settling called the place
"Hamptonburgh" in honor of
"Wolverhampton" in England, the place of his
birth, which it retains. It
is proper to say that the title to the 100 acres of
bounty land was made in fee
simple to John Bull, the eldest son, which was a
compliment too frequently
paid by the partially of the English law.
Bullhead, the village of Hamptonburgh
and the residence of Ebenezer Bull,
Esq., the old stone house,
are on the 100 acres.
When Denn settled he supposed
he located on the patent of Wawayanda, but as
that patent was bounded there
by the northwset line, when the new northwest
line came to be run, it cut
Denn's settlement off of the patent. His
improvement was secured in
this way. By English law at this time he determined
to procure, but dying before
he accopmplished it, the patent was issued to his
widow, Madam Denn.
Besides the patent in Walkill,
Bull and Gerrad, in 1723, procured one of 2,600
acres, just east of the 100
acres, which was a part of the patent to Captain
John Evans and on this William
Bull erected his stone house in 1727, which is
still standing. This building
is literally founded on a rock and has a spring
in the cellar. We have recently
examined it and found it in good repair, and
barring accidents, likely
to stand another 120 years. The house is two stories
of 11 feet each, with a sharp
roof, and for a dwelling of that number of
stories is the higest in the
county, measuring from the first floor to the
peak. It is wonderful that
the building is in the good preservation we found
it, for it has once been riven
by a thunderbolt, and while building was rocked
by the vibration of an earthquake.
The family tradition is that
before the stone house was erected Bull lived in
a log hut in the vicinity
and that while the stone house was building and
nearly completed, about 12
0'clock at night, he and Mrs. Bull were waked up by
a rumbling noise and shaking
of the bed and house which they thought an earth-
quake, and Mrs. Bull remarked
to him "William we have lost our new house." On
inspecting the building in
the morning they fourd a crack, beginning in the
lower part of the first story,
at the east end, which extended up thru the
second story.
page 19
This was plastered up and the
house finished, and the seam is very observable
at this time. Indeed there
has been no time since built, when it was not
there. We had heard of this
tradition and mentioned it to several persons, but
no one gave it credence. While
examiming it a few days since, our doubts of
its truth were suggested to
Mr. Ebenezer Bull who said "Samuel thee need not
doubt it for I will prove
it to thee." He walked to his library, took down a
book and referred us to the
page which contained the evidence. The book was
a reprint in 1826 of an old
work entitled "The life and travels of Samuel Bownes in 1726 and 1727."
Bownes was an English Quaker and came out to travel and visit friends in
the colonies and while here attended the yearly meetings thru New England.
In September, 1727 he was attending the yearly meeting at Cockset in Rhode
Island, which lasted three days. Speaking of the conclusion of the meeting
he says: "This evening as I was going to bed about 10 O'clock at night
there was an exceeding great earthquake, that made a noise like driving
carts or wagons on an uneven causeway; it continued about 2 minutes to
the great surprise of the people. It was felt about 1,500 miles as
was afterwards computed, and
was thought, by calculation was not quite three hours going that space."
This we think established the
truth of the family tradition beyond even a
reasonable doubt.
Earthquakes were more frequent
in New England at the early settlement of the
country than of late years.
They were experienced in 1627, 1638, 1663, and
1670. The shocks generally
preceed3d from the east to the west, as in the
instance referred to. In May,
1804, a shock was felt in the city of New York
between 1 and 2 O'clock PM
and succeeded by a lighter one at 4PM Its course
was from East to West.
The shingles which covered
the house were oak staves, pretty wide and laid
well to the weather. They
curled up by action of the weather, so that each
butt would hold a pint of
water. The house was struck by lightning when Daniel
Bull of Monroe, the father
of Ebenezer was a small boy, about 1767 or 1768,
and the scars then made are
visible today.
When Bull first settled at
Hamptonburgh there was no mill nearer or more
convenient than Madam Brett's,
at the mouth of the Fishkill, in Dutchess
County and his grain for a
few years was groud there. His custom was to
shoulder his bags and carry
them there and back, which usually consumed two
days. On one occasion he went
and did not return at the usual time and Mrs.
Bull fearing some accident
had befallen him, tied her infant to the bed post
and went off to meet him.
She met him some halfway to
New Windsor trudging homeward, tired and
weary with the weight of his
load. He had been delayed in crossing the river, but in other respects
well, and they returned with lighter hearts mutually bearing each others'
burdens and found the child safe and still tethered to the
bedport.
Such times made men and women
fit to be the fathers and mothers of a free and generous people.
From the erection of this house
till the commencement of the Revolution it was
surrounded by an Indian population,
which though it committed occasional
aggressions upon the white
settlers, left the Bull family in comparative
safety.
The members of the family had
performed many kind offices for the Indians in
the vicinity and they insured
its safety.
page 20
During the French and Indian
War which commenced in 1756 and ended in 1763, and just before the commencement
of the Revolution, this old house was used as a fort and place of refuge
for the inhabitants of the beighborhood for miles round and especially
at night.
Though this was known, the
house was never attacked, not an inmate for the
time molested in any way.
The good services performed by this ancient
building, in these other respects
have their proper influence on the mind of
Mr. Ebenezer Bull, its present
owner, who takes a just pride in the repair and
preservation of the structure.
The meaning of the word "Hampton"
is said to be house or residence on a hill.
To that is added in this case
the saxon "burg" a village or borough. The whole
meaning "a village, town or
borough on a hill.
William Bull died February,
1755, aged 66. Sarah Wells, his wife was born in
1694 and died April 21, 1796,
aged 102 years and 15 days. They were buried in
the family yard at Hamptonburgh
in the grounds he gave for the purpose and
known as the "Burying Hill."
A large area of the land owned
by this early settler is still in the possession of his descendants.
Children
of William Bull and Sarah Wells--when born--to whom
married--and
the number of children and grandchildren at the
time
of her death in 1796.
Name
Born
Married
GC GGC GGGC
John
May 3, 1721 Miss Holly, Goshen, NY
12 61 4
William Mar 13,
1723 Miss Booth, Hamptonburgh
6 15 -
Sarah
Sep 1, 1725 Charles Booth "
"
8 23 3
Thomas Dec
27, 1727 Miss Kerr, of Florida
12 22 -
Isaac
Nov 17, 1729 Miss Muliner, L. Britain
6 21 -
Esther May
29, 1731 John Miller, Montgomery
8 18 6
Mary
Feb 3, 1733 Benj. Booth, Hamptonburgh
10 17 -
Margaret May 1,
1736 Mr. Horton, Goshen
7 7 -
Catherine May 24, 1738
James Faulkner, Walkill
7 2 -
Ann
Nov 4, 1740 William Eager, Neeleytown
10 17 -
Richard May 29,
Miss Budd, E. Division
5 6 -
Elinor Mar
4, 1745 Heenry Weller, Montgomery
7 3 -
TOTALS
98 212 13
Total number of descendants........................................................335
William Bull
Sarah Bull
Sarah Wells...John Bull...Isaac
Bull...Francis Bowman
Henry Bowman...Mary
Ann Clark...George
Hannah
James
William...Emily Robbins
...Edith Elizabeth
Ella Bowman
Sarah Hoffman
John Bowman...Harriet...Elizabeth...Francis
(Frank) Bowman..Henry Bowman
m. Blanche Harris
page 21
It is said by those who are
best acquainted with a knowledge of this family
history that Mrs. William
Bull (nee Sarah Wells) aided with her own hands in
the building of the old stone
house at Hamptonburgh by carrying stones and
mortar to the workmen in a
leather apron worn for the purpose.
In accordance to the English
custom the old stone house at Hamptonburgh was
given to Jihn as he was the
oldest son.
Harriet Bowman
Ira Lounsbury...Howard Lounsbury...(drowned)
Florence Lounsbury...Florence L..Clifford S.
Josephine Marie
Genevieve Carrie
Charles Henry
Geraldine Martha
Harriet Elizabeth
Clifford Lounsbury
Susan Eileen
Clarence Higby
Lloyd Taylor
page 22
BOWMAN FAMILY (EXTRACT)
CHILDREN OF FRANCES AND SARAH BULL BOWMAN
(a) Hannah Bowman
Born 12/5/1821 Monroe, Orange Co., NY
Died 12/27/1823 " "
(b) Henry B. Bowman
Born 9/27/1823 Monroe, Orange Co., NY
Married 8/30/1852
Died 11/5/1869 Elmira, NY
Wife EMILY L. SHEELY Born 10/30/1823
(c) Joseph Bowman
Born 5/2/1825 Monroe, NY
Died 9/6/1831 Horseheads, NY
(d) Ann Bowman
Born 12/7/1827 Monroe, NY
Married 12/24/1850 Horseheads, NY
Died 6/15/1878 Eureka, KS
Husband: WILLIAM J. CLARK
Born 6/10/1828 Near Belfast, Ireland
Died 10/19/1898 Rogers, Ark.
(e) Sarah Mellissa
Born 19 Feb 1833 Horseheads, NY
Bowman
Married 7 May 1851
Died 25 Nov 1904 Elmira, NY
Husband: GEORGE W. HOFFMAN
Born 9 Feb 1822 Elmira, NY
Died 18 Feb 1907 Elmira, NY
(f) John Springstead
Born 4 June 1836 Horseheads, NY
Bowman
Married 21 Nov 1860
Died 27 Nov 1894 Brady, Mich
Wife: ANN C. THORN
Born 15 June 1837
Died 11 May 1883
SIXTH GENERATION
CHILDREN OF ANN & WILLIAM J. CLARK
(a) Francis Bowman Clark
Born 14 Oct 1851 Horseheads, NY
Married 15 Sept 1875 Breesport, NY
Wife: CLARA B. KINSLEY
Born 18 Jan 1854 NY NY
(b) Eugene Irving Clark
Born 24 Mar 1853 Horseheads, NY
Married 11 Mar 1874 Breesport, NY
1st Wife: SARAH HARDING
2nd Wife: EMMA M. KRAFT
Born 16 Oct 1860
Married 6 Sept 1880 Wichita, Kansas
(c) Joseph Duane Clark
Born 27 July 1855 Horseheads, NY
Married 20 Oct 1880 Eureka, Kansas
Wife: MILDRED C. JACKSON
Born 27 Mar 1860 Alford, England
page 23
(d) William Henry Clark
Born 16 Sept 1857 Horseheads, NY
Married 2 Mar 1886
Died 20 Jan 1905 Nevada, Missouri
Wife: ANNA SEYMOUR
Born 16 July 1869 Orange County, W. Virginia
(e) Sarah Jane Clark
Born 13 Dec 1859 Horseheads, NY
Married 16 June 1880 Eureka, Kansas
Died 24 Feb 1905 Norwalk, California
Husband: ROBERT G. RAVENSCROFT
Born 9 April 1847 Banscomming, Maryland
(f) John Milton Clark
Born 10 Dec 1861 Horseheads, NY
Married 22 June 1892
Wife: ABBIE BELLE JORDAN
Born 6 Oct 1869
(g) George Hoffman Clark
Born 13 Jan 1865 Horseheads, NY
Married 1 July 1884 Severy, Kansas
Wife: CORA JORDAN
Born 16 Nov 1859 Central City, Iowa
SEVENTH GENERATION
CHILDREN
OF FRANCIS B. CLARK and CLARA B. KINSLEY CLARK
(a) Joseph E. Clark
Born 11 Sept 1876 Horseheads, NY
Married 20 Sept 1899 Eureka, Kansas
Wife: FLORENCE STEWART
Born 23 Jan 1880 Eureka, Kansas
(b) Henry Bowman Clark
Born 23 Sept 1878 Reece, Kansas
Married 20 July 1901 Kansas City, Missouri
Wife: LENA OLIVE LYNN
Born 31 Mar 1879 Livonia, Michigan
CHILDREN OF EUGENE I. CLARK and EMMA M. KRAFT CLARK
(a) Julliette Hanna Clark
Born 20 Jan 1882 Greenwood Co., Arkansas
Married 28 June 1911 Owosso, Michigan
Husband: JOHN H. KING
Born 18 Jan 1879 Shiawassee Co., Michigan
(b) Nellie Emma Clark
Born 24 May 1888 Wichita, Kansas
Married 27 Aug 1913 Owosso, Michigan
Died 12 June 1937 Owosso, Michigan
Husband: TIMOTHY M. CARMODY Shiawassee County
(c) Eugene Edward Clark
Born 6 April 1892 Kansas City, Missouri
Married 27 June 1917 Merrill, Michigan
Wife: AGNES FLEMING
Born 15 Sept 1890 Merrill, Michigan
(d) Cecilia Ann Clark
Born 12 Nov 1902 Saginaw Co., Michigan
Married
Husband: PATRICK DEAN Born in Saginqaw, Michigan
page
24
CHILDREN OF EUGENE I. CLARK and SARAH HARDING CLARK
(a) William Elisha Clark
Born 9 May 1876 Horseheads, NY
Married 15 Nov 1899
Wife: ALMEDA McDOUGALL
Born 24 June 1880 Saginaw Co., Michigan
CHILDREN OF WILLIAM ELISHA
CLARK and ALMEDA McDOUGAL CLARK
(a) Joseph William Clark
Born 09 May 1901 Brady, Michigan
(b) Doris May Clark
Born 19 Mar 1904 Brady, Michigan
(c) Irving Clark
Born Feb 1908 Lakefield, Michigan
(d) Milton Clark
Born Feb 1912 Lakefield, Michigan
(e) Edgar Clark
Born Feb 1914 Lakefield, Michigan
page 25
A HISTORY OF OUR ANCESTORS,
WRITTEN BY SAMUEL SCANTLEBURY AT CHICAGO,
2ND MONTH 10TH, 1873.
Christopher Wray, son of Edward
and Sarah Wray was born in Brigg, Lincoln-
shire, England, 7th month,
24th, 1774 and died 7th month, 11th, 1843 in New
York. Hannah Rountree nee
Wray was the daughter of Christopher Wray and Betty Wray nee Bowman. The
Wray's were of a Scottish family of some distinction, the elder branch
of which Sir Cecil Wray is, or recently was the head. Christopher Wray
and family emigrated to America in the year 1818.
Betty Wray was the daughter
of Henry Bowman and Sarah Bowman nee Ellis, his
wife. She was born at Ubberly,
Staffordshire. The Ellis family moved from
Birby in Yorkshire to Sherman's
Lodge near Leicester. Sarah Bowman nee Ellis
lived for some time in Sheffield.
Henry Bowman was born at One
Ash, County of Derby, about 20 miles from
Sheffield. One Ash is the
name of the Homestead, a farm of 1000 acres in a
"ring fence." The land belonged
to the Duke of Devonshire, but the Bowman
family lived there many generations.
Henry Bowman, the eldest son
left the ol;d homesteadand went to live at
Cotswall in Staffordshire,
leaving the old place in possession of his brother
Ebenezer Bowman.
Henry Bowman emigrated to America
and settled in Orange County, New York in
the year 1805.
CHILDREN
Henry Bowman was born at One
Ash 01 Apr 1731
Betty Bowman was born at Ubberly
30 Jun 1732
Joseph Bowman
31 Dec 1782
Hannah Bowman
04 Nov 1785
Ann Bowman
at Catswall 05 Oct 1787
Francis Bowman
01 Oct 1789
Roger Bowman
08 Nov 1791
Martha Bowman
31 Oct 1793
Mary Bowman
16 Oct 1795
Rebecca Bowman
03 Jun 1798
Henry Bowman died at Catswall,
England aged 70 18 Dec 1801
Betty Wray Bowman
New York
70 06 Jun 1802
Joseph Bowman Castle
Donnington, England 75 02 Feb 1859
Hannah Carpenter Orange Co.,
NY
77 29 Mar 1862
Ann Cromwell Orange
Co., NY
79 30 Jan 1866
Francis Bowman Chemung
Co., NY
84 04 Jan 1872
Roger Bowman Dutchess
Co., NY
84 08 Apr 1876
Martha Palmer Minneapolis,
Minn
84
Mary Pearsall Orange
Co., NY
84
Henry Bowman Sen. was born
in the year 1754 died in Monroe, Orange County, NYin 1820. His wife Sarah
Bowman was born in 21 Oct 1757 and died in Monroe 30 April 1844. They are
laid in a quiet spot in Monroe, marked only by
a saltestone which is probably
crumbled to dust long ere this.
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