Hiram Bull was the son of Thomas Watkins Bull and Sally Cooley Bull. He served with distinction as a Captain in the 9th Iowa volunteer regiment during the Civil War. He was seriously wounded in the thigh leading a charge during the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. From 1859 to early 1861 Bull served as Adjutant General of the Army of the Southwest in New Mexico and Arizona Territories, being stationed in St. Louis, Missouri. this is why he was later referred to as "General Bull."
He came to Kansas in September, 1870. He opened a crude log cabin store. Legend has it that Hiram and his friend, Lyman Earl, flipped a coin to see who would get to name the townsite after himself. Hiram won and Bull City was born. The first wedding in the new town took place in the Bull store and the store also housed the first post office. Hiram once told a visitor that the area had something no other place could claim, he pointed to his wife, Sarah A. (Fifield) Bull and said, "A female bull".
Hiram had an elk that he had raised from a baby as part of a small animal park. One morning Hiram's hired man informed him that the elk was behaving unusually. The 900 pound elk went on a rampage and killed Hiram, the hired man - Robert Bricknell and a third man, George Nicholas, who had tried to help. A fourth man, William Sherman, was also seriously injured but he survived his wounds after being caught on the elk's horns and being thrown out of the pen.
At the time of his death, Hiram was Osbourne County's most prominent citizen. He was a Kansas State Representive and the funeral of the three men drew over 2,000 mourners. It is still regarded as the largest funeral ever held in northern Kansas.
The elk was slaughtered and the antlers ended up being put on display at the county courthouse. After Hiram's death, the name of the town was changed to Alton as the more delicate (female) citizens of the town thought that "Bull City" was too vulgar.
Hiram is still remembered and honored in Alton, Kansas. They erected a large monument in 1930 at Hiram's grave and on October 12, 2004 there was a reenactment of that fateful day. Elk was served at the festivities.
In 1996 Hiram C. Bull was the first person elected to the Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame. His biography can be found on the Hall's website at https://ochf.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/hiram-c-bull-1996-inductee-5-2/
Following info provided by t_town_ks (member #47429749).
1st wife was Mary Johnson, married in Laona, Wisc. Sept.16, 1845
2nd wife was Emma Chamberlain, married in Janesville, Wisc.
3rd wife was Sarah Fifield, married May 9, 1853 in Janesville, Wisc.
Hiram and Sarah adopted Lenora Elzora Mackey. They renamed her Nora Lillian Bull. Nora Lillian (Bull) Hadden died in 1953.
He came to Kansas in September, 1870. He opened a crude log cabin store. Legend has it that Hiram and his friend, Lyman Earl, flipped a coin to see who would get to name the townsite after himself. Hiram won and Bull City was born. The first wedding in the new town took place in the Bull store and the store also housed the first post office. Hiram once told a visitor that the area had something no other place could claim, he pointed to his wife, Sarah A. (Fifield) Bull and said, "A female bull".
Hiram had an elk that he had raised from a baby as part of a small animal park. One morning Hiram's hired man informed him that the elk was behaving unusually. The 900 pound elk went on a rampage and killed Hiram, the hired man - Robert Bricknell and a third man, George Nicholas, who had tried to help. A fourth man, William Sherman, was also seriously injured but he survived his wounds after being caught on the elk's horns and being thrown out of the pen.
At the time of his death, Hiram was Osbourne County's most prominent citizen. He was a Kansas State Representive and the funeral of the three men drew over 2,000 mourners. It is still regarded as the largest funeral ever held in northern Kansas.
The elk was slaughtered and the antlers ended up being put on display at the county courthouse. After Hiram's death, the name of the town was changed to Alton as the more delicate (female) citizens of the town thought that "Bull City" was too vulgar.
Hiram is still remembered and honored in Alton, Kansas. They erected a large monument in 1930 at Hiram's grave and on October 12, 2004 there was a reenactment of that fateful day. Elk was served at the festivities.
In 1996 Hiram C. Bull was the first person elected to the Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame. His biography can be found on the Hall's website at https://ochf.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/hiram-c-bull-1996-inductee-5-2/
Following info provided by t_town_ks (member #47429749).
1st wife was Mary Johnson, married in Laona, Wisc. Sept.16, 1845
2nd wife was Emma Chamberlain, married in Janesville, Wisc.
3rd wife was Sarah Fifield, married May 9, 1853 in Janesville, Wisc.
Hiram and Sarah adopted Lenora Elzora Mackey. They renamed her Nora Lillian Bull. Nora Lillian (Bull) Hadden died in 1953.
Hiram Bull was the son of Thomas Watkins Bull and Sally Cooley Bull. He served with distinction as a Captain in the 9th Iowa volunteer regiment during the Civil War. He was seriously wounded in the thigh leading a charge during the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. From 1859 to early 1861 Bull served as Adjutant General of the Army of the Southwest in New Mexico and Arizona Territories, being stationed in St. Louis, Missouri. this is why he was later referred to as "General Bull."
He came to Kansas in September, 1870. He opened a crude log cabin store. Legend has it that Hiram and his friend, Lyman Earl, flipped a coin to see who would get to name the townsite after himself. Hiram won and Bull City was born. The first wedding in the new town took place in the Bull store and the store also housed the first post office. Hiram once told a visitor that the area had something no other place could claim, he pointed to his wife, Sarah A. (Fifield) Bull and said, "A female bull".
Hiram had an elk that he had raised from a baby as part of a small animal park. One morning Hiram's hired man informed him that the elk was behaving unusually. The 900 pound elk went on a rampage and killed Hiram, the hired man - Robert Bricknell and a third man, George Nicholas, who had tried to help. A fourth man, William Sherman, was also seriously injured but he survived his wounds after being caught on the elk's horns and being thrown out of the pen.
At the time of his death, Hiram was Osbourne County's most prominent citizen. He was a Kansas State Representive and the funeral of the three men drew over 2,000 mourners. It is still regarded as the largest funeral ever held in northern Kansas.
The elk was slaughtered and the antlers ended up being put on display at the county courthouse. After Hiram's death, the name of the town was changed to Alton as the more delicate (female) citizens of the town thought that "Bull City" was too vulgar.
Hiram is still remembered and honored in Alton, Kansas. They erected a large monument in 1930 at Hiram's grave and on October 12, 2004 there was a reenactment of that fateful day. Elk was served at the festivities.
In 1996 Hiram C. Bull was the first person elected to the Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame. His biography can be found on the Hall's website at https://ochf.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/hiram-c-bull-1996-inductee-5-2/
Following info provided by t_town_ks (member #47429749).
1st wife was Mary Johnson, married in Laona, Wisc. Sept.16, 1845
2nd wife was Emma Chamberlain, married in Janesville, Wisc.
3rd wife was Sarah Fifield, married May 9, 1853 in Janesville, Wisc.
Hiram and Sarah adopted Lenora Elzora Mackey. They renamed her Nora Lillian Bull. Nora Lillian (Bull) Hadden died in 1953.
He came to Kansas in September, 1870. He opened a crude log cabin store. Legend has it that Hiram and his friend, Lyman Earl, flipped a coin to see who would get to name the townsite after himself. Hiram won and Bull City was born. The first wedding in the new town took place in the Bull store and the store also housed the first post office. Hiram once told a visitor that the area had something no other place could claim, he pointed to his wife, Sarah A. (Fifield) Bull and said, "A female bull".
Hiram had an elk that he had raised from a baby as part of a small animal park. One morning Hiram's hired man informed him that the elk was behaving unusually. The 900 pound elk went on a rampage and killed Hiram, the hired man - Robert Bricknell and a third man, George Nicholas, who had tried to help. A fourth man, William Sherman, was also seriously injured but he survived his wounds after being caught on the elk's horns and being thrown out of the pen.
At the time of his death, Hiram was Osbourne County's most prominent citizen. He was a Kansas State Representive and the funeral of the three men drew over 2,000 mourners. It is still regarded as the largest funeral ever held in northern Kansas.
The elk was slaughtered and the antlers ended up being put on display at the county courthouse. After Hiram's death, the name of the town was changed to Alton as the more delicate (female) citizens of the town thought that "Bull City" was too vulgar.
Hiram is still remembered and honored in Alton, Kansas. They erected a large monument in 1930 at Hiram's grave and on October 12, 2004 there was a reenactment of that fateful day. Elk was served at the festivities.
In 1996 Hiram C. Bull was the first person elected to the Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame. His biography can be found on the Hall's website at https://ochf.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/hiram-c-bull-1996-inductee-5-2/
Following info provided by t_town_ks (member #47429749).
1st wife was Mary Johnson, married in Laona, Wisc. Sept.16, 1845
2nd wife was Emma Chamberlain, married in Janesville, Wisc.
3rd wife was Sarah Fifield, married May 9, 1853 in Janesville, Wisc.
Hiram and Sarah adopted Lenora Elzora Mackey. They renamed her Nora Lillian Bull. Nora Lillian (Bull) Hadden died in 1953.
