John BULL

Notes:

"John Bull was born in England ca. 1677 and removed to Jamestown (RI) ca. 1707 when he desired liberty to live in the town if he could get a house. His request was granted, if he be in no way troublesome to the town. He m. 1707 Mary, b. 8 Jan 1687, dau. of Josiah and Mary (Willimason) Closson. His children were born in Jmaestown and North Kingston, RI."

John, was called a miller in North Kingston, RI.

Six of their sons, (all excepting John) moved into New York Colony about the same time, some settling in Dutchess County. Their Uncle Natham Closson, had migrated to Dutchess County so this may have influenced the six young Bull brothers to "go west" and eventually settle there. They had large families which later helped to colonize the wilderness of other parts of New York in the north and west. Some went to Vermont, the southern part of which was New York at the time. During and following the Revolutionary War, some of their descendants went up into Quebec and some eventually migrated westerly across Canada.

The dates of death for John and his wife have not been located.

All the Bull families who descended from Isaac Bull were Quakers, at least for one or two more generations. Some had descendants who are Quakers still. They were hardy pioneers and could have taken few things with them on their trek from Rhode Island through a sparsely settled country, and communications with relatives and friends left in Rhode Island must have been difficult and infrequent. As they lost touch with the old family, history changed to legend or was lost altogether. Mostly vital (public) records were left to tell the tale - such records as land records, births, deaths and marriages which the different colonies kept.

Legend says that three Bull brothers went to New York City, bought property in Manhattan where the Astor Hotel was afterwards built. Being new to the country and there being difficulty about the title, they hired Aaron Burr to clean it up. The story says that Burr sold out to the other party and they lost their property. Much money was spent trying to prove rightful ownership, but to no avail. [This legend persists in several of the Bull families.]

All of this info is from Mary Youngs book.

R. L. Coto Note:

John married Mary CLOSSON 1707, South Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island. Mary (daughter of Josiah CLOSSON and Mary WILLIAMSON) was born 05 Jan 1687, Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island; died 1713, Rhode Island. [Group Sheet]

1. Josiah BULL was born Abt 1714, South Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island; died Bef Oct 1796, Beekman Precinct, Dutchess County, New York.

Isaac married Mary. Mary died 1713, Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island. [Group Sheet]