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 4
Colonel William Bullock (1716 - 1810)

 

4. William Bullock was born 29 April 1716 at Rehoboth MA, the only son of Samuel and Ann (Salisbury) Bullock. He married Susanna Kent of Barrington on 14 February 1736/7 at Swansea, Bristol, MA. William and Susanna were members of the Rehoboth Congregational Church where most of their children were baptized.

After Susanna died in 1780, at age 75, William married again. His wife was Ruth Vail (or Viall) age 73 of Barrington, Rhode Island. They were married 11 April 1790 by Rev. Solomon Townsend. [This may have been a third marriage - Rehoboth vital records show a marriage of William Bullock, Esq. of Rehoboth and Mercy Allen of Barrington on 27 December 1780.]

Since he was an only son, William took over a large amount of property from his father located along the valley of Palmer's River, mainly on its west side. He was a respected and prominent citizen of Rehoboth and was referred to as "Esquire" and as "Colonel." In addition to looking over his large farm, he was also a surveyor. He surveyed the town of Savoy in western Massachusetts that was granted to the soldiers who served in the French and Indian Wars. Savoy is located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and is rugged country. William was in his mid 50's when he was surveying this area and apparently was in excellent physical condition for his age. The area he surveyed was called "Bullock's Grant."

A description of William Bullock survives from his grandson, Nathaniel, as related by Jonathan Russell Bullock in his manuscript on the Bullock family. William was "tall in stature, well proportioned, of erect mien, dignified in manner, and of unusually commanding presence. He was a man of influence, and possessed the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens through his long life." There is a family tradition that says that the Indian fighter, Capt. Lovell, had saved Col. William from the Indians at one time. He then made a vow that the name "Lovell" would be kept from generation to generation by the Bullock family and that when duty called, the Bullock men would rise to the defense of their country. The name Lovell was used for several generations in the family.

At the start of the Revolutionary War, the town of Rehoboth appointed Capt. John Wheeler to make a list of persons in the town who were unfriendly to the American cause. William Bullock, Esq. was among those on the list. Apparently in the time preceding the actual war, he was among those who felt that the differences with England could be worked out peaceably without resorting to war. Capt. Wheeler's list caused a furor in the town and the people voted to remove all but two of the names from the list. William's name was removed. He had been commissioned as a Colonel in the Bristol Co. Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia in 1769 and continued in that position during the Revolutionary War.

William Bullock made his will on 22 December 22, 1792. In it he named sons, Jesse, Lovel, Calvin, Samuel and Kent, daughters, Elizabeth (Carpenter), Susanna (Watson), Alethea (Smith), grandson, William Bullock, son of William Bullock, deceased, and granddaughter Lydia Hunt, daughter of his daughter Lydia (Hunt). He also ordered his sons, Samuel and Kent to fulfill the agreement made with his "now" wife and to give her support for five months after his death. The homestead and most of the property were given to Samuel and Kent. Apparently, William had given his other sons money to become established, since they were given mere tokens that "along with that which I have already given should suffice." Among his belongings given to Samuel and Kent were his clock, sword, surveyor's instruments, money scales, saddle bags, a dictionary, and partial rights in his "lybrary"

Colonel William Bullock died 10 December 1810 at age 94. Sons, Samuel and Kent, presented his will for probate on 2 April 1811. In 1988, his tombstone was still standing in the old cemetery at Burying Place Hill in Rehoboth. A United States Military Marker marks his grave. A smiling angel decorates his tombstone on which the epitaph reads, "Sacred to the memory of Col. Wm. Bullock who died Dec. 10, 1810 in the 95th year of his age." Beside his grave is the grave of his wife, Susanna.

Children of William and Susanna (Kent) Bullock:

  1. Samuel Bullock, b. 30 Oct 1737. Marr. 28 Feb 1762, Silence Bowen. Died 10 Mar 1821.


  2. Elizabeth Bullock, b. 5 May 1739. Marr. 23 Aug 1759, Caleb Carpenter. Died 21 July 1839.


  3. Jesse Bullock, b. 24 Aug 1741. Marr. 1 Oct 1765, Mehitable Winslow. Died 1 Oct 1805.


  4. Lovell Bullock, b. 2 Feb 1742. Marr. 17 Jun 1779, Jeanette (Knox) Ward. Died 2 Sep 1819.


  5. William Bullock , b. 26 Mar 1743. Marr. 29 Sep 1769, Miriam Whitney. Died 19 Aug 1785.


  6. Susanna Bullock, b. 11 Dec 1745. Marr. 14 Jul 1769, William Watson. Died 6 Oct 1804.


  7. Allathea Bullock, b. 9 Jan 1747/48. Marr. #1, 29 Oct 1780, William Watson; #2, Reuben Swan.


  8. Kent Bullock, b. 16 May 1749. Marr. #1, 9 May 1776, Elizabeth Carpenter; #2, Selah (Celia) Hodges. Died 20 Aug 1828.


  9. Lydia Bullock, b. 28 Apr 1751. Marr. 27 Apr 1775, John Hunt, Jr. Died 20 Jul 1790.


  10. Calvin Bullock, b. 28 July 1752. Marr. 20 Nov 1777, Jerusha Allen. Died 15 Oct 1822.


  11. Hannah Bullock, b. 18 Sep 1755. Marr. 29 Dec 1776, Job Pierce, Jr., Died 30 May 1850.


  12. Mary Ann Bullock, b. 17 Sep 1758. Marr. 2 Feb 1783, Ebenezer Tiffany. Died 17 Dec 1848.



Generation 1 - Richard Bullock  
Generations 2 & 3