Locating the "Bullman House" in Deansville

For some time now, I have been trying to pinpoint exactly where the Bulman's lived in Marshall. This would have been the earlier listing of the Bulmans in the region before Patrick Bulman and his family left for Wisconsin. The census data indicated that they lived near Thomas Dean. Dean had been the headmaster of the Brothertown Indian school, as well as their agent and attorney. He originally received an allotment just south of where Samson Occom had lived on Lot 10 of the Brothertown lands. So, since the Dean's lived and worked initially on Lot 11, I had thought the Bulmans might be near there. In fact, although that is another story, some Bulmans actually owned a portion of Lot 11 for a time.

With the kind help of the folks at the Clinton Historical Society, Oneida County, I was able to received very helpful information. I had originally approached the Marshall Historical Society of the same County. Good neighbours that they are, they directed me towards those with the required resources. It seems the Clinton Courier is on microfilm at the former Society. On Thursday, May 10, 1866, the paper ran a story of the retracing of the Marshall-Kirkland town line. To help follow the article, you can view an 1874 map that is graciously provided at Historic Map Works.

The "Bullman House" was no longer standing in 1866. But, it had been significant for the retracing. The original line had gone right through the centre of the house in 1828! In other words, the house had been built before the new town line had been established and the house became one of the centre points. Now, given the story below, it would seem that the house was on the extreme left (west) end of the line near the Augusta town line; perhaps it had been built in Lot 122.

It is not that far from either Lot 11 or Lot 17 where the Deans built their mansion. Again, I'll get back to the Dean family later. [The picture to the right which is found in The Journal of Thomas Dean: An Account of a Journey to Indiana in 1817; the journal was published by his grandson in 1918 and I am assuming is out of copyright. Deansville was changed to Deansboro in the 1890s because of all the mail going to Dansville, New York...the article marking the occasion has a great deal about the Dean family and will be posted in the future.]

Just a little background before the newspaper article. The town of Kirkland in Oneida County, New York was first settled about the time of the signing of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787. It was established as a town in 1827 having been separated from the Town of Paris. Kirkland was named after Samuel Kirkland who had been a missionary to the Oneida Indians. Kirkland had been instrument in persuading the Oneidas to join with the Colonials over agains the Loyalists during the War of Independence. There are a number of ramifications of this that I won't go into now.

A Surveyor General's map of 1829 shows that Kirkland lies north of the Brothertown Indian patent and west of the Coxes Patent. On the west is part of the Oneida Reservation and further west is the land that the Oneida's had set aside for the Strockbridge Indians of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, the various maps of 1829 seem to create more confusion than help in the matter, as they all indicate something different. According to the records, that same year a part of Kirkland was used to form the town of Marshall. If the line was established in 1828, this mayhave been done in preparation for the act which created the new town.

So, in the 1820 Federal Census, the Bulman families were in the Town of Paris with Paris Hill to the east. In 1830, they were in the Town of Marshall. By 1840, the Jeremiah Bullmans had moved north into Kirkland proper and the Patrick Bulmans were still at the "Bullman House". By 1850, Jeremiah's two sons, William and Jeremiah, were living together in Kirkland. And, by 1860, they were living separately in Kirkland. There is no trace of William or Jeremiah in the 1870 census. However, there are certainly sisters in the area. That, and more, is another; it will require several more posts. Like all good stories, it will be one of tragedy, triumph and mystery.

Of the underlying sentiment found in the following article, I am reminded of one of Robert Frost's Vermont "characters" quipping in a poem, "Good fences make good neighbours." Just think of the serendipity of it all; we know something more about ourselves through the reporting of this mundane activity. I wonder if Jeremiah Bulman, Jr., who was still living in Kirkland at this point, read this story. What were the memories that were recalled to his mind?

CORRESPONDENCE
Kirkland and Marshall Town Line.

It may not be known to some of our
younger citizens that Paris, Kirkland
and Marshall, were all embraced in
one town until about 40 years ago.
Kirkland was first set off. This made
a second division equally necessary,
and the new town was called Marshall.
There was much opposition as to the
cutting up of the "old town of Paris"
as it was sometimes called by way of
pre-eminence; but it was done, and
doubtless for the best. The south line
of Kirkland was to commence at the
southeast corner of lot No. 86, Coxe's
patent, and run due west, as the nee-
dle pointed in 1772, to the east line of
Augusta; distance about six miles.
About half this line was located by a
party from each town March 19th, 1828,
and, for a wonder the other half waited
five years and a half. The course run
was north 88 deg., 30 min. west. Deans-
ville was then scarcely a village. The
Chenango canal was being constructed,
which gave it a rapid growth, and
houses were erected either on or so
near the town line that it became a
question on which side the residences
belonged. It was recently decided,
by the proper authorities, to retrace
this line with a view to a final settle-
ment. Last week another party met
for this purpose, there being only one
person who was present on the first
running. The property line had faith-
fully kept the trust committed to it
nearly forty years ago; and that noble
tree centred, stood a true sentinel,
presenting its scars as evidence of its
trust-worthiness, and being an excel-
lent target for back sights a great dis-
tance. Arriving at Post St., we passed
as before between the house and well
or spring, but the house was not there
it having been destroyed by fire some
years since. It was the residence of
Mr. Byer. Mrs. B. remarked in passing
"they would have to go out of town for
all their water," but gave the party a
lunch for all that.

The next crossing, or next but one,
was a short distance above Mr. Alonzo
Barker's, at whose residence the party
were hospitably entertained.

On reaching the Oriskany we had
the choice of fording the stream, or go-
ing a mile for a bridge. The former
was taken and as we could not expect
the water to divide for our benefit, we
put out and reached the other bank
with only the loss of our target. In-
stead of the long dreary swamp of the
first running, it had mostly disappear-
ed and was under cultivation. Coming
in sight of the "Bullman house" or
more correctly the site whereon it stood,
as the house had long since vanished,
the accuracy of this review was to be
tested as the house was centered in
1828. Suffice it to say that the result
is highly satisfactory, and it is hoped
and believed that another generation
may pass away before this line will
need retracing. In reply to Dr. Avery's
request that the variation of the com-
pass since the survey of 1828 should
be ascertained, I answer that of little if
any could be found. B.