Thursday, January 17, 2008

Cyrus W. Bullen

Cyrus W. Bullen was born 1827 in New York, the son of Joseph (1796-1874) and Mary (1791-1857).

Joseph was born in New York and lived there for some years=, and was probably living in New York when he enlisted and fought in the War of 1812. Joseph and Vermont-born Mary were probably married sometime before 1827, possibly in New York where they lived for some years before moving to Michigan. Joseph settled in Walker Township around 1840 building a sawmill, and eventually donating some of his land to be used for Brooklawn cemetery. Cyrus’ brother Francis ran the post office in Walker until the mail was received at Grand Rapids. In 1850 Cyrus was living with his family and helping his father run the farm in Walker.

Cyrus was living in Walker, Kent County when he married Elizabeth H. Clark (d. 1859) on August 21, 1853, in Grand Rapids, and they had at least two children: Joseph Beaumont (b. 1854) and Edward (b. 1858).

Joseph himself remarried in July of 1857 to Vermonter Hannah M. Warner (1807-1890) in Kent County. That same year Cyrus purchased some 280 acres of land in Michigan, possibly in the Newaygo County area.

By 1860 Cyrus was working as a lumberman and living with his father and stepmother in Walker, Kent County.

Cyrus was 34 years old, a widower and listed his residence as Newaygo County, when he enlisted in Company K on May 13, 1861. He was a Corporal, possibly in the color guard, when he was killed in action by a gunshot wound to the chest on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run. Cyrus was presumably among the unknown soldiers killed at Second Bull Run whose remains were reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery.

In March of 1863 Joseph was granted a minor’s pension (no. 6851) as guardian for both of Cyrus’ children. Joseph and Hannah were living on a farm in Alpine, Kent County.

No comments: