SOME DESCENDANTS OF RICHARD BULLOCK
OF REHOBOTH, MA

© Copyright 2001 by Virginia Deagan. However material on these pages may be freely used for personal research. Please contact me before using the material on other web pages.

This is the line from Richard Bullock that I descend from. I have some information on the other families in this file and will be glad to share anything I have with others who are interested in this family. Feel free to let me know of any corrections or additions to this family. I have an extensive list of sources and will be glad to provide them to anyone who has ancestors in this family. E-mail to Ginny Deagan (NEW E-MAIL:[email protected])

GENERATION 5
William Bullock of Guilford, VT (1743 - 1785)

 

5. William Bullock was born 26 March 1743 in Rehoboth, Mass., the fourth son of Col. William and Susannah (Kent) Bullock. He was married at Petersham, Worcester County, Mass. on 29 September 1769 to Miriam Whitney. William Bullock was living in Guilford, Vermont at the time of their marriage. It is unknown how or where they met, but since Miriam's brother, Job, lived in Guilford and the couple probably met through him.

His father, Col. William Bullock was quite affluent and he apparently gave his sons money to start their careers. William and his brother, Lovell, left Rehoboth as young men for Guilford, VT. The History of Guilford states that the two brothers lived together for seven years until William married and purchased the interest of his brother. This would place their arrival at Guilford about 1762 very early in the town's history. In 1769, James King deeded 1 2 acres for a gristmill site to William. This was the first mill of any kind built in Guilford. A sawmill was built near the gristmill. In 1770, William deeded 2 interests in the property to his brother, Lovell.

As an owner of a gristmill and a sawmill, William Jr. was a prosperous and respected member of the community. He was called "Esquire" and was chosen for many responsible duties. On 29 June 1775, he was chosen as Lieutenant in the 1st. Company of the Guilford Militia. In 1776 he was a Guilford member of the Committee of Correspondence formed so that the county would be kept well informed about the actions of the different colonies in their struggle for liberty. William Bullock was at one time credited with service in the Revolutionary War at Valley Forge and White Plains. His record is listed as residence Guilford, Vt., but enlisted for the town of Hadley Mass. in June 1777, serving in Col. Wiggleworth's Regiment with an enlistment of 3 years. This record is nearly identical to the Revolutionary War service of William Bullock (1760-1837), son of Hezekiah Bullock. It is quite likely that these two William Bullocks have been confused. Later DAR records credit this William Bullock with Revolutionary War service in Guilford.

After the war there was controversy between the people of Vermont and the State of New York over who controlled the area. Most of the people of Guilford were in favor of New York State control, and in January 1781 voted to stand in opposition to the "pretended" state of Vermont. William Bullock was strongly in favor of a state of Vermont. He was one of only 18 men out of a population of about 2000 to vote to raise the quota of troops ordered by the Assembly of Vermont. This issue plagued the town for several years. Finally in the summer of 1783, Gen. Ethan Allen who had been directed to call out the militia for enforcing the laws of Vermont, arrived in Guilford with one hundred of his Green Mountain Boys and said: "I, Ethan Allen, declare that unless the people of Guilford peaceably submit to the authority of Vermont, the town shall be made as desolate as the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, by God!"

William Bullock was active in town affairs during the period after the war. He was a Guilford Representative to the General Assembly in 1781. He was chosen moderator for town meetings in 1783 and 1784 and in 1785 he was on a committee to look into the town debts. On 10 June 1785, just two months before his death his name was signed on a petition for a shire town to be established in the center of Windham County. The petition was signed by representatives of the subscribers in the General Assembly of Vermont, convened at Norwich. VT.

William died at age 42 on 19 August 1785, age 42, at Guilford, Vermont and is buried in Blanchard Cemetery. Nothing has been found to determine the cause of his early death. His five-year-old son, Thaddeus, died three days later and possibly the same illness caused both of their deaths. He left his widow, Miriam, with eight children whose ages ranged from 3 months to 15 years. Her brother-in-law, Lovell, helped her settle the estate. Lovell was also appointed guardian for Lovina, Samuel, Jesse and Elizabeth. They had inherited land from their father and Lovell’s account book shows that their land was rented for the year 1794 and 1795 at 3% which amounted to 8 Pounds, 5 Shillings and 5 Pence for each year.

We visited the cemetery on a hillside in 1987 the cemetery and found it well kept. William’s grave was marked by tombstone with a moon faced angel and a Sons of the Revolution flag. He is buried between his children, Thaddeus and Miriam. In 1988, the inscription was not legible but it earlier had been read as: "Reader behold as you pafs by As you are now so once was I As I am now so soon you'll be Prepare for death and follow me."

There was no will left by William Bullock that indicates that he died quite suddenly, but his inventory reveals much information about his life. His real estate consisted of 119 acres of land in Guilford with buildings with a value of 265 Pounds and 150 acres of land in Brattleboro valued at 195 Pounds. His livestock included 6 oxen, 3 horses, about 25 head of cattle, 20 sheep and a bull. Farm utensils included a sleigh, ploughs, scythes, saddles & saddle bags, a cart, sheep shears, a weaver's loom and other farm tools.

He owned a quite fine wardrobe. He had a beaver hat, boots, knee buckles, sleeve buttons, silver shoe buckles and a stock silver buckle. He also owned a small Bible and a dictionary. The inventory included 1 gin case with 4 bottles and 5 quarts Barons. The home furnishings were more than adequate for the times. The family had both earthenware and pewter dishes and owned china teacups and saucers. They owned two spinning wheels. At the time of his death there was 50 bushels of wheat, 14 bushels of rye, and 35 tons of hay in the barn. The estate was valued at 1,123 Pounds, 6 Shillings. The estate passed to the oldest son, William.

Children of William and Miriam (Whitney) Bullock:

  1. William Bullock, Jr., b. 22 Oct 1770. Marr. Aug 1788, Artemesia Wellman. Died 1828.


  2. Susannah Bullock, b. 8 Feb 1772. Marr. 1 Jan 1788, Calvin Harris. Died 19n Aug 1821.


  3. Miriam Bullock, b. 14 Mar 1774. Died 24 Jul 1790.


  4. Sarah Bullock, b. 1 Dec 1775. Marr. 14 Apr 1791, James Greenleaf.


  5. Lovina Bullock, b. 24 Dec 1777. Marr. 3 Nov 1796, John B. Whitney. Died 8 Apr 1832.


  6. Thaddeus Bullock, b. 15 Feb 1780. Died 22 Aug 1785.


  7. Samuel Bullock, b. 16 Nov 1781. Marr. 25 Dec 1803, Polly Harris. Died 16 May 1832.


  8. Jesse Bullock , b. 1 Dec 1783. Marr. 8 Jan 1804, Azubah Hopkins. Died 26 May 1860.


  9. Elizabeth Bullock, b. 1 May 1785. Marr. 18 Jan 1804, Amos Brown.



Generation 1 - Richard Bullock  
Generations 2 & 3  
Generation 4