David Bullen (1788-1872) (52 Ancestors 2020 Week 38) Theme: "On the Map"

My 3X great grandfather David Bullen, the son of John Bullen and Mary Whitcomb, was born at Paris Hill near Clinton, Oneida Co., N.Y. in about 1788. His father John Bullen had served in the American Revolution. After the War, John participated in the uprising known as Shay's Rebellion. To avoid capture and prosecution, he fled with his family from Massachusetts to Clinton, N.Y. His pregnant wife Mary gave birth to their seventh child en route, supposedly under a bush. It was about a year after this that David was born in what had to have been much more comfortable circumstances.

1895 Map of the Clinton area of Oneida, New York from the David Rumsey Map Collection,
David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
More than a century after David's birth the area has become quite developed

In 1823, at the age of 35, he married Jane Murdie and started a family with her that would eventually include 8 children, the youngest of whom was my great great grandmother Sarah Catherine Bullen. The earliest years of their marriage were spent at Hannibal, Oswego, N.Y.

Google Earth - showing New York locations for David Bullen at Paris Hill and Hannibal

Hannibal's Masonic records tell us that a petition for a Masonic Lodge at Hannibal was signed by John Bullen, David Bullen, and others on 20 July 1824. John Bullen was the first Master and David Bullen was the first Senior Warden. The Charter was later forfeited in 1832 when the Lodge decided to go with the Morgan times (which would be another whole story, no doubt, and would have little to do with putting David "on the map"). This serves, however, as just one example of the usual pecking order between brothers, with David generally playing second fiddle to his older brother John. 

With the multitude of John Bullens in the family, there has at times been confusion between David's brother John Bullen and his brother's son, John Bullen, Jr.

The Bullens were among those interested in exploring the opportunities for establishing new settlements in "the west" fueled by glowing reports of rich fertile soil and bright sunny skies. In December of 1834, a supper meeting was held at the Hannibal home of John Bullen, Jr. To spread out the financial burden, those in attendance expressed an interest in setting up a venture with shares to be sold for $10 each. In February of 1835, "The Western Migration Company" was formed with Reverend Peter Woodin, a respected Baptist minister, as chairman and John Bullen, Jr. as secretary. An exploration committee of three men headed west in March of 1835.

It should be remembered that there were no established transportation routes to the western shores of Lake Michigan at the time. This was the area that was meant by "the west" in the 1830s. When the men from Hannibal set off in search of land for their new settlement, they proceeded from Hannibal by way of Lake Erie to Detroit and then across country to Chicago. This is where they discovered that there was no road north to Milwaukee so they set out by land, mostly following the beach of Lake Michigan, and eventually finding a small sailing vessel that took them to Milwaukee. There they found the property far too expensive for the funds their share sales had generated. They headed back toward the south, eventually choosing an area south of Racine. 

Western Emigration Company General Migration Route to WI 
Google Earth

The exploration committee ran into numerous problems in acquiring lands. John Bullen, Jr. was then made the sole representative of the group to finalize matters.  He is generally regarded as the founder of what is now Kenosha, WI. The area was originally known as Pike Creek, but by 1837 it was called Southport and then in 1850 renamed Kenosha (a Native American word again reflecting the plentiful pike). They had chosen the name of Southport because of its location in the very southern part of Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Michigan. 

John Bullen, Jr. built the first framed building in the new settlement in 1835-36. He was a merchant who focused on providing the necessities in the new community.

Southport Telegraph 1 December 1840
David's nephew John, Jr. opens his new store

David and his brother John Bullen moved to the Kenosha area in 1836 to join John, Jr. Apparently, David made the journey overland in the winter in a covered sleigh. His family followed by boat, "The Michigan", owned by his brother John.  At Milwaukee the boat drifted ashore in a storm.  From there they proceeded south by wagon.  

David is credited with being one of the first settlers of the town of Salem in the Kenosha area in 1636, along with John Dodge, John Bullen and Amos Gratton. David's brother John Bullen located on Bullen's Ridge. He was very active and influential in the community. Fortunately, he was appointed General of the Militia by Governor Dodge and can therefore be differentiated as "General John Bullen".

Early Wisconsin land deeds show us two parcels of land acquired by David Bullen (one in conjunction with one of the John Bullens) in the area west of Southport (now Kenosha) between the new settlements of Bristol and Salem. He owned some 310 acres in sections 6 and 7 of Township 1N, Range 21E pursuant to land grants dated 1840/12/10 and 1843/03/03. (The area has been highlighted on the following map in aqua colour in Range XXI just above the word "Bristol".) 

1845 Morse et al map of Southern Wisconsin from the David Rumsey Map Collection,
David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
David Bullen's lands highlighted in aqua colour

David was also said to have had a farm near Paddock Lake just a couple of miles to the west of his Salem land, but a deed has not been located to pinpoint that property.  

By 23 July 1860, David was 70 and a farmer, but Jane had passed away. David's real estate was valued at $1500 and his personal estate at $280; he was living at Farmington in Washington County, WI, north of their previous home near Kenosha. The census tells us the value of his real estate but does not tell us exactly where it was located. Did he retain his lands in the Kenosha area or had he acquired some in the Farmington area? Two of his sons are listed in the same household but I'm not sure who Catherine is. More sleuthing is required here!

When the next US Census was taken ten years later, David was said to be 84 and at that time was living with daughter Jane, her husband Nelson Hull and their 4 children at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Several of his sons had moved to the Arlington, Wisconsin area and David lived with their families during his final years.

A letter from daughter Jane Hull in Arlingtonbury dated 5 August 1872  is quoted in the  Nelson Dunlop Papers: 

"Dear Sister and Brother: - It is  with a heavy heart, that I seat myself to write a few lines to you. Our poor father is no more.  He died last Monday afternoon.  He was taken sick the Wednesday before.  Win sent for the doctor.  He came and called it the typhoid fever and said the chance for him was very small.  They done all they could for him but could not keep him.  His work was done. He was called and must go. Gladly would we have kept him, but not our will but His be done.  He has left this world and gone to a better world where he will not have to say any more, "I am sick."  May we all be so happy as to meet him, and her that went before him. Little did we think when Mother died that he would live 14 years.  It was a little over 14 years.  I have forgotten the day of the month that she died.  . . . He died in the afternoon the day before we got here.  All I could see of Father was his cold form.  His funeral was Wednesday at the school house.  . . . I will send you some of father's hair."

David Bullen's stone in Arlington Presbyterian Cemetery, Arlington, WI
Photo Courtesy "Grave Walker" (L Kopet) Findagrave.com

Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, WI
Photo courtesy Steve Seim of Findagrave.com

The final map location where we can place David is at the Arlington Presbyterian Cemetery just a couple of miles west of his sons' Arlington properties. 

Google Earth - David Bullen burial location at Arlington Presbyterian Cemetery -
Not far from lands owned by his sons in the area (circled in red on the old plat overlay) 

Some Resources:

• The History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago: Western Historical Company 1879, 781 pp., accessed online through Google Books
• Nelson, Myrtle Bullen and Dunlop, Ruth H., Nelson/Dunlop Papers (aka Source Book for the Bullen Family), compiled in the 1930s, privately printed, a photocopy of which is held by the author.
• David Rumsey Historical Map Collection located at https://www.davidrumsey.com/.