Bull, Charles H.

The following data is extracted from Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement.

When Charles H. Bull passed away Racine County lost a citizen who had long been numbered with the representative agriculturists of this part of the state. He owned and cultivated a fine farm of eighty acres on section 31, Raymond Township, and his business affairs were carefully and wisely managed. New York numbered him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Cayuga County on the 6th of June, 1839. His father, De Grove Bull, was also a native of the Empire state, where he spent his youthful days upon a farm and later took up that occupation as a life work. In early manhood he wedded Amanda Crosby and they became the parents of eleven children. They retained their residence in New York until 1846, when they started for the middle west, making the journey by way of the Lakes to Racine County, where De Grove Bull purchased the farm upon which his son Charles resided for many years. At the time of the purchase the tract was wild land entirely undeveloped and unimproved and the first home of the family was a log cabin in which they lived in true frontier style, meeting the entire experiences and hardships incident to pioneer life. With characteristic energy the father began the development of his farm, whereon he continued to make his home until called to his final rest in 1867, when seventy-two years of age. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his worth and ability, had several times called him to public office and he discharged his duties with promptness and fidelity but preferred to give his undivided attention to his business. In polities he was a democrat. His wife survived him for a number of years and died in Racine in 1880.

Charles H. Bull was one of their eleven children, six sons and five daughters, and was a little lad of but seven years when he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin. His education was obtained in the pioneer schools of the County, but though his opportunities in that direction were somewhat limited, his training at farm work was not meager. From an early age he assisted in the development of the fields upon the home place and when his father passed away Charles H. Bull, then about twenty-eight years of age, assumed the management of the farm and devoted his remaining days to the cultivation of a good tract of land of eighty acres on section 31, Raymond Township. In addition to tilling the soil he engaged in breeding horses and had considerable fine blooded stock upon his place.

It was in 1866, in Dover Township, that Mr. Bull wedded Miss Mary Wilson, a native of the Empire state and a daughter of Andrew H. and Mary A. Wilson. They became the parents of five children; De Grove; Andrew; May; Fred W., and Chas., deceased. In his political views the father was ever an earnest democrat from the time when he cast his first presidential ballot for Stephen A. Douglas. Fraternally he was a member of Corinthian Lodge, No. 156, A. F. & A. M., of Union Grove, and of the Modern Woodmen camp at North Cape. Practically his entire life was spent in this County and he possessed many sterling traits of character which won him the high regard and good will of all with whom he came in contact. He was found reliable in business, loyal in citizenship and faithful to the ties of home and friendship and thus it was, when he passed away on the 26th of November, 1914, at the age of seventy-five years, that his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret.

Source: Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement

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