The Founders of Hartford
Capt. Thomas Bull, born ab. 1605, according to his testimony, April, 1681, that he was then aged ab. 75; be was first
at Boston or Cambridge; accompanied Hooker to Hartford in 1636 ; served in the Pequot War, 1637. 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 homelot 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's land, S. by Stephen Post. W. by Philip Davis,
or Ward's lot. He was master of a vessel at Curacoa 1647-8; juror, Hfd., 1648-9; Winthrop calls him "a godly and
discreet man." He received, with others, grants of land from the General Court, at Nihantecutt, in 1650, and in
March, 1651-2, the Court granted to him, and the rest of the five soldiers of Capt. Mason, 200 acres of upland, which
lay northward, and adjoining to the remainder of the land before laid out to them. He was appointed Lieut. of a
company raised in 1653, by order of the Commissioners of the United Colonies, to fight the Dutch. In May, 1662, he
was appointed one of the Grand Jurors of the colony ; chosen List and Rate Maker, 1668; Townsman, 1663. He was in
command of the fort at Saybrook, when Sir Edmund Andrus 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 Andres greatly endeared Capt. Bull to the
people of the colony as a gallant and intrepid officer. He and his wife, Susanna, were original members of the
South Church, Feb. 12, 1670. His wife d. 1680, aged 70. He d. 1684 ; will dated April 19 ; inv. Oct. 24, £1,248.
11. -Ch.: i. Thomas, b. 1646, m. (1) Aug. 29, 1669, Esther, dau. of John Cowles, of Farmington ; (2) Jan. 13, 1692,
Mary, or Hannah, Lewis; deacon Farmington ch.; d. 1708. ii. Jonathan, bapt. March 25, 1649; m. March 19, 1684-5,
Sarah, dau. of Rev. John Whiting, of Hfd. ; was a brave soldier in the French and Indian wan. Was also engaged in
trade, owning a number of vessels. Capt. of the troop of Hartford County. He and his wife were admitted to the South
Ch., Feb. 3, 1694-5. He d. Aug. 17, 1702, Major Jonathan had a son, Dr. Jonathan, one of the first highly
educated physicians in Hartford, and his son, Judge Jonathan, was a distinguished lawyer, and held many
responsible offices; d. 1783. iii. David, bapt. Feb. 9, 1650-1; settled at Saybrook; m. Dec. 27, 1677, Hannah, dau.
of Robert Chapman, of Saybrook. iv. Joseph, Hartford, m. (1) April 11, 1671, Sarah Manning, of Cambridge; (2) Hannah,
dau. of Michael Humphreys, of Windsor; d. March 22, 1711-12. His widow m. (2) Joseph Collier. His grandson, Caleb Bull,
was the father of nine sons, who lived to mature age, and were all prominent citizens of Hartford. These sons
were-Caleb, Samuel, William (" Beau Bill "), James, a prominent merchant here; Frederick, who also kept a tavern
here; Hezekiah, removed to Ohio; George, a merchant; Michael a merchant, father of John W. Bull; Thomas. v. Ruth, m.
Oct. 15,1669, Andrew Bordman, of Cambridge. vi. Susanna, m. Thomas Buries, Jr., of Hartford. vii. Abigail, m. - Buck.
David Bull, grandson of Deacon Thomas, of Farmington, was the landlord of the famous tavern
“the Bunch of Grapes.”
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