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MORTIMER/BULL Research Needs: from Curt Mortimer

The parents of the original family who lived in Broughton-Gifford, Wiltshire, England are in question as to their names. My grandfather James Mortimer claimed that the husband's name was James (He had been told he was named after him.) As the records have come down he was named Abraham b.1777, m1802, d.1858. My father, Gilbert Mortimer, while visiting Broughton-Gifford in 1962 found a grave stone with the following information: "Robert Bull - baptized Sept. 21, 1778; Married Sarah in 1802, Buried in 1868 in his 91st year; Sang in the choir 60 years, was blind 40 years. Sarah Bull died in 1867 in her 87th year. She was born, lived and died in this parish." There are some discrepancies matching the dates on the marker with known facts. The dates on the gravestone would make Sarah too old to bear her younger children.

So we are unsure of the actual name of the father, James, Abraham, or Robert. As for Sarah we think her maiden name was Mortimer since a cousin of their children named Simeon Mortimer came with the children to America and actually married his cousin, the daughter Sarah Bull Sr., also called Sarah Bull. My father, Gilbert, had several relatives suggest that Sarah Sr.'s name was Ann.

The children of the Broughton-Gifford BULLs were, John, Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, James, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Ruth. S.S. Gerrish wrote my father from Broughton-Gifford saying he remembered the names of the children well. He named them all except Samuel.

Jacob, Elizabeth and Ruth did not join their brothers and sisters emigration to America in 1855 therefore our records of their families are quite incomplete.

Jacob d.1889 married Emily (Unknown Last Name). She d.1910
Their children were, Fred, James, George, Annie
Annie maried (Unknown) Rodway
Fred had a child named Marjory Bull. My father Gilbert visited her in Broughton-Gifford in 1962. I have several letters from her to him. Marjory's return address was: 159 Church Green, Broughton Gifford, Melksham, Wilts. We have a note from S. S. Gerrish who said that Abraham was Marjory's father's brother therefore raising further question about the name of the original BULL father.

We would love to know the lines of James, George and Annie. Elizabeth Bull married Francis Buckingham b.1821 d.1889. Their children were Tom and Frank. Tom settled in Bristol and let out apartments. My father found some of the Buckinghams (Franks family) in Canada (Parkside, Sask.)but their lines are largely lost to us now.

Ruth Bull married (Unknown) Williams
Their children were John and Charles
Their was some word that Ruth married a second time to a CANTELLO. We would love to know more about these lines.

Hello Curt: According to the my research John, Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, James, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Ruth's father was Abraham Bull. My sources are James's marriage certificate, Samuel's death certificate, History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley-by Merton E. Krug, Page 422-423 and Tony McCabe research. James was named after his grandfather not his father. Abraham Bull was bap June 14, 1795 in the Broughton-Gifford Parish Church, & bap 1830 in the Broughton-Gifford Baptist Church, bur September 18, 1878 in Broughton-Gifford Baptist Church. Abraham married Sarah Mortimer (bap July 12, 1799 Broughton-Gifford Parish Church, bur October 13, 1849) April 14, 1823. Tony's source is Broughton-Gifford Parish Church records and Broughton-Gifford Baptist Church records. I am trying to add Tony McCabe information to the site.

I believe Simeon and Sarah came to America before 1855 because I have a 1850 Dodge County Census with him and Emanuel Mortimer (his brother, who emigrated in 1845).