The Brown Family Genealogy of Monsey, New York:Information about Thomas Bull
Capt. Thomas Bull (b. 10 Jun 1605, d. 12 Oct 1684)
Notes for Thomas Bull:
From "Descendants of Thomas and Susannh Bull of Hartford". Thomas Bull sailed from Sandwich, England on the "Hopewell", Captain Babb commanding, on 11 September 1635. Thomas Bull, aged 25, was included among those to be transported to New England in Captain Babb's ship "p. Cert. from theMinisters & Justices of their conformitee in Religion to our Church of England and yet there are no Subsedy men." They have taken the oath of Alleg: and Supreme: His name appears in the middle of a family group of Millars and Heaths from Hertsfordshire near Bishops Stortford.
His exact date and place of birth are still uncertain. The above record would indicate that he was born in 1610. However, Spencer Miller demonstrated years ago that the ages on this ship's list are inaccurate in various instances. In April 1681 Thomas Bull testified that he was then about 75 which suggests he was born in 1606. Data compiled around 1849 by William S. Porter of Hartford for Elizabeth Bull gave his date of birth as 1606. Records in one branch of the family, source unknown, state that he was born 10 June 1605.
There were seven children, but the dates and order of their birth are not complete. According to some, Thomas was the third child and Ruth the oldest. We have some baptism records and also the medical journal of John Winthrop who lists: David, as age 10, 1660; Jonathan, 12 and Abigail 8, in 1660/1; Thomas, 17 in 1663; Ruth, 21 in 1664 and 24 in 1667.
In any case, Thomas Bull landed in the Massachusetts Colony in 1635 and remained either in Boston or Cambridge until the following spring when he was enrolled in a company of volunteers sent to aid the new settlement in Connecticut. 'On Tuesday, May 31, the company of 35 men with twice as many wives, children, servants, started on its pilgrimage along the Indian Path (to Hartford). Hooker carried letters to the younger Winthrop from his father the governor, who took advantage of the opportunity to send also, in charge of Lt. Thos. Bull of the company, assisted by one of Winthrop's servants, six cows, four steers and a bull, which were to be delivered to his son at Saybrook.' Lt. Bull was later described by Winthrop as 'a godly and discreet man.'
In volume I of the Colonial Records of Connecticut, we find that Thomas Bull served under Capt. John Mason in the Pequot war in 1637. [New England colonists feared the Pequot Indians of the Connecticut River valley more than any other Native Americans of the area.] The Pequots, after invading the Connecticut River valley, passed southeastward toward the Thames River and the present boundary of Rhode Island, through several Indian tribes who occupied this land. The war lasted three weeks and was not an easy one for the new settlers. The soldiers under Capt. John Mason, Capt. John Underhill and Lt. Robert Seely, along with some Pequot who were allies, attacked and burned the Pequot fort at Mystic on 5 June 1637. They burned alive between 600 and 700 inhabitants. They pursued survivors, captured most of the surviving Pequot, and sold them into slavery in Bermuda. According to Capt. Mason's report, Arthur Smith was wounded in firing the fort so that he was unable to move out but 'was happily espied by Lt. Bull and by him rescued.' Another story is that Thomas Bull had an arrow shot into a hard piece of cheese in his pocket, which 'may verify the old saying: a little armor would serve, if a man knew where to place it.' It was Thomas Bull who found the musket marked "J.W." at Pequanocke belonging to the murdered John Wood who was killed at the river's mouth.
Land was granted to five of Capt. Mason's companions for their service against the Pequots. The land originally granted in 1642 was described as 500 acres in the Pequot country, apparently meaning the vicinity of Pequot Harbor. This was later set as land north of Black Point on Nahantick Bay. The grant being neglected and the land otherwise occupied, the General Court in 1650 transferred the soldiers' grant to Niantecutt, lying at Sargent's Head. As laid out this included a tract secured to Indians under Chief Obed. This 100 acres of Obed's land on the south was exchanged for 200 acres to the north. The Indians sold their 100 acres to the proprietors of the grant 9 March 1691/2. A few days later, Joseph and Jonathan Bull, who were apparently sole proprietors sold the entire 700 acres to Nehemiah Smith of New London. In his will in 1684 Thomas Bull had called this property the 'Great Swamp Land I received from the Country.'
Hartford town records show that Thomas Bull was married in 1643 to Suzannah whose last name is unknown as is the exact date and place of the marriage. She was born in 1610 and died in Hartford 12 August 1680. Both Thomas and Suzannah Bull are buried in the old Center Church Burying Ground. Theirs are the oldest stones still standing: 'Here lyeth the body of Capt. Thomas Bull, who died October 1684. He was one of the first settlers of Hartford; a lieutenant in the great and decisive battle with the Peqots at Mystic May 27th 1637; and Commander of the Fort at Saybrook in July, 1675, when its surrender was demanded by Major Andross.' Thomas Bull's name is included among the 101 inscribed on the Founders Monument, erected in memory of the first settlers of Hartford.
"Families of Early Hartford, Conn." by Lucius Barnes Barbour: 1982, p. 96.
Thomas and Susannah were early members of the first Church in Hartford. They separated to the second church on February 12, 1670 of which they were original members. Thomas was commonly called Captain. Embarked for NE in the "Hopewell" 11 Sept 1635. Was one of the early settlers at Hartford. Was first at Boston or Cambridge: accompanied Hooker to Hartford in 1636; served in the Pequot War 1637 and capt. of Hartford company in defense of Saybrook 1675; dep. Gen. Ct 1648-9. He became familiar with the Indian habits and language and was therefore peculiarly useful to the early settlers. He was an original proprietor and in 1640 his home lot was on the south side of the road from George Steele's to the South Meadow, his lot being bounded N by that road; E by Richard Lyman land; S by Stephen Post; W by Philip Davis or Ward's lot. He was master of a vessel at Curocoa 1647-8; juror Hfd 1648-9; Winthrop calls him "a godly and discreet man." He was in command of the fort at Saybrook when Sir Edmund Andros attempted to gain the place for his master, the Duke of York, in 1675. The bravery and wisdom which he displayed in his resistance to Andros greatly endeared Capt. Bull to the people of the Colony as a gallant & intrepid officer.
Thomas Bull's Probate from "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records", Vol 1, Hartford District, 1635-1700. Page 281-283
Bull, Capt. Thomas, Hartford. Invt. £972-06-00 in Hartford. Taken 24 October, 1684, by Joseph Whiting, Nathaniel Stanly and Stephen Hosmer. £276-05-00 in Saybrook, and £76-00-00 in Joshua’s gift of Land. Total, £1322-11-10. Taken February, 1700. Will dated 19 April, 1684.
I Thomas Bull of Hartford, being weake in body Butt in good measure of health and memory, doe make this my last Will and testament: Impr. My will is that all my Just Debts be payd to whom I am Indebted.
Itt. I give unto my son Thomas Bull of ffarmington That lott att ifower-mile Hill in Hartford Bounds, yt about one Hundred Acres; also I give my sayd son ffifteen pounds of my personal Estate and Two Cows.
Itt. I give unto my son David Bull of Saybrook all That I bought of good Wife Towsland in houseing and Land in Saybrook; And I give unto my said son David £20 out of my personal Estate, and also two of my best Coats for his use.
Itt. I give unto my daughter Ruth Boardman of Cambridge £10, to be paid in 18 Months after my decease.
Itt. I give unto my Daughter Bunts in Hartford £10, to be paid in 18 months after my decease.
Itt. I give unto my Grand Childe Susannah Bunts £5.
Itt. I give unto my daughter Abigail Bull £90 Besides what she hath Received already, to be paid wthin 18 Months after my Decease, of wch sum I doe Appoint my son Joseph Bull to pay £40 out of the best of my household Goods, and I doe apoynt my son Jonathan Bull to pay £50 out of what he shall receive out of my Real and personal Estate, both wch sums to be payd In 18 months after my Decease.
I give unto my son Jonathan Bull Two Acres of my six Acar Lott In the South Meadow In Hartford, and likewise I give him 3 Acars of Meadow out of that 8 Acars that was Capt. Cullett’s, Abutting on Goodman Stocking’s Lott by the great River’s side; alsoe I give him My Two Acar Lott Lying by the Indian ffort by the great River’s side. Alsoe I doe give my sayd son Jonathan 6 Acars of my land that I bought of Mr. Hopkins, Lying next Mr. Hooker’s Land; Also I give him 3 Acars of Meadow at Hockanum that I bought of Mr Robert Webster, and I give him that Acar of Land that is over against My now Dwelling house that I bought of Thomas Whaples, Deceased; also I give him half that Lott yt I bought of Capt. Cullett of 14 Acars, Abutting on the Land of Steeven Hopkins and Land of Eliezer Way of Hartford; also I give him my Lott and House that I bought of William Warren neare the New Meeting hous In Hartford; also I give him my 18 Acar Lott lying at Rocky Hill, Abutting on the Land of Steven Hopkins; also I doe give unto my son Jonathan Bull the one half of my Land at Nahantick, with half the houseing privileges and apertenances; also I doe give unto my son Jonathan half my Land at Cedar Swamp that I Receved of the Country. And if the lord shall pleas to take my son Jonathan out of this Life before he hath A son, then my will is that All the land he hath Received of me, excepting what is Recorded to him before my death, shall Return to my then surviving Children, to be devided equally amongst them.
Itt. I give unto all my Grand children £20, to be divided equally amongst them.
Itt I give unto Mr. John Whiting £3, and desire him to be Overseer of this my will.
Itt. I give the Rest of my Estate, both Real and personall, unto my son Joseph Bull, whom I doe Appoynt to be sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament. And alsoe that my son Joseph doe lett my Daughter Abigail have the use of the Chamber she now Lodgeth In so long as she shall see caus. In witness of the premisses I have heare unto sett my hand this 20 August, 1684.
THOMAS BULL.
Witness: Eliezer Way, Sarah Way.
A Codicil made about 2 days before the death of Capt. Bull: In con- sideration that his daughter Bunce had deceased, he gave the £10 devised to her to her daughter Susanna Bunce.
Test: Abigail Bull & Mr. John Whiting, upon oath before John Allyn, Sect. 25 November, 1684.
More About Thomas Bull and Susannah Worthington:
Marriage: 1643, Hartford, Connecticut.
Children of Thomas Bull and Susannah Worthington are:
- Ruth Bull, b. 1643, Hartford, Connecticut, d. 17 Dec 1690, Boston, Massachusetts.
- +Thomas Bull, b. 01 Jun 1646, d. 13 May 1708.
- Jonathan Bull, b. 24 Mar 1649, Hartford, Connecticut, d. 17 Aug 1702, Hartford, Connecticut.
- David Bull, b. 09 Feb 1651, Hartford, Connecticut, d. date unknown.
- Joseph Bull, b. 1651, Hartford, Connecticut, d. 11 Mar 1711.
- Susanna Bull, b. 1652, Hartford, Connecticut, d. date unknown.
- Abigail Bull, b. 1653, Hartford, Connecticut, d. 13 Aug 1702.