JAMES BULKLEY, a farmer of
Salem, son of James and Sarah Ann (Abell) Bulkley, was born December 24,
1838, on his father's farm, now owned and occupied by himself and his brother
Enoch.
The original farm of one hundred acres was
settled upon by his great-grandfather Bulkley, whose ancestors came from
England. The house, though not the original dwelling on the place, has
the old hewn rafters and timbers, and is one of the oldest buildings in
the country. It is well preserved, and is substantial and somewhat modern
in appearance.
Prentice Bulkley, the grandfather of James
Bulkley, fought in the War of 1812. He was a descendant of Major Charles
Bulkley, son of the Rev. John and Patience (Prentice) Bulkley, the former
the first minister at Colchester. Prentice Bulkley married Dimis Bolles,
of (Goshen Society) Lebanon. He died June 4, 1849, at the age of seventy-four.
She died June 12, 1865, aged seventy-nine years.
The father, James Bulkley, was born on the
homestead, September 20, 1807. He married Sarah A. Abell, who was born
in Colchester, June 20, 1807. The ceremony was performed by Dr. Nott in
Franklin. James Bulkley, Sr., was a man of sound judgment, strict integrity,
tender-hearted, showing always a strong sympathy for the afflicted. He
died much lamented by his family and greatly missed by the community in
which he resided. His wife was a daughter of Hezekiah Abell and Eunice
Bill, a descendant of John and Dorothy Bill, who came from England and
settled at Boston about 1632. Mrs. Bulkley was a lady of more than ordinary
refinement, much energy, and decision of character. Active and diligent
herself, she inculcated the same principles in her children. Although living
to a great age, she retained her youthful cheerfulness and mental abilities
until the last.
Of their four sons and two daughters the
fourth-born died in infancy in 1845, and two others in mature life. The
surviving children are: Abbie, James, and Enoch. Abbie, widow of George
Miller, of Colchester, is now living at Gale's Ferry with her daughter
Minnie, who married Frank Hurlbutt, an engineer, in 1886. Her other child,
a son, George Miller, married Annie Foote, and lives on the homestead at
Colchester. Lucy Adelia, wife of Enoch B. Worthington, lived in Colchester,
and died October 10, 1890, without issue. Her death was a severe affliction
to her relatives and many friends. William A. died March 13, 1879, at the
age of twenty-nine, unmarried. He was a student of Bacon Academy, and taught
a number of terms of school successfully. He was a member of the Salem
Baptist Church and an active worker in the Sabbath-school. The father died
March 2, 1878, aged seventy years, his widow surviving until February 16,
1894, when she died at the age of eighty-six. They lie beside the paternal
grandparents in Linwood Cemetery in Colchester.
The large farm of six hundred acres was inherited
by the two brothers, James and Enoch; and both reside on the old place.
Each had a district schooling, and was reared to farm life. James Bulkley
is a Democrat, and has served the town as Selectman for two terms and as
a member of the Kelief Board for three terms. The brothers are enterprising
and successful farmers. Besides tilling the soil, they get out lumber from
the timber land upon the farm, keep a dairy of some fifteen or twenty cows,
Devon stock, and raise cattle, horses, and sheep. They use six yoke of
oxen on the place.
Enoch Bolles Bulkley was born March 3, 1841.
He married November 15, 1870, Lucy J. Raymond, daughter of William and
Eunice B. Raymond, distant cousins. Richard Raymond, first of Salem, Mass.,
was made a freeman, May 14, 1634, and in 1636 was granted a tract of land,
sixty acres in extent, at Jefferson Creek, now Manchester. He was a mariner,
in the coast trade with the Dutch on Manhattan Island. He died in 1696.
His third son, Joshua, went to New London, where he was a landholder, and
was one of a committee to plan the road from Norwich to New London. For
his services he received the nucleus of a tract of one thousand acres of
land that was owned by his descendants. It is located eight miles from
New London, and was known as the New London North Parish.
He married in1659 Elizabeth, daughter of
Nehemiah Smith, and had eight children, one being Joshua, who married Mercy,
daughter of James Sands, of Block Island, and died in 1704, his wife, Mercy,
living till 1743. Their son, the third Joshua, was of Block Island and
later of New London. He married in 1719 Elizabeth, daughter of John and
Elizabeth (Mulford) Christophers. She died May 12, 1730; and he died in
1763. John Raymond, one of the six children of Joshua and Elizabeth Raymond,
was born in 1725, and married in 1747 Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. George
and Hannah (Lynde) Griswold. Their ten children were born in Montville.
The eldest, John, second, was Lieutenant under Colonel Whitney in the French
and Indian War, and was stationed at Fort Griswold. He inarched to Boston
in 1775, and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. He died May 7,
1789, at the age of eighty-four years in Montville, where he lies buried.
His wife died of small-pox in 1779, at the age of fifty.
John Raymond, third, son of the second John,
and the paternal great-grandfather of Mrs. Bulkley, served as First Lieutenant
under General Spencer from 1776 to 1777. He married in Montville, May 26,
1774, Mercy Raymond, a cousin. Their three children were: William, Nathan,
and Mary. William, born May 3, 1778, married June 22, 1800, Elizabeth Manwaring.
He died July 29, 1842. His wife died in 1854. Their children were: Mercy,
Richard, and William (Mrs. Bulkley's father). He was born April 21, 1806.
He married July 5, 1829, Eunice Burnham Raymond, and settled on Raymond
Hill, where the family had lived for several generations. They had six
children, of whom they lost two infant sons. The four daughters were: Elizabeth,
Eunice A., Adelaide L., and Lucy J. Elizabeth married Allison B. Ladd,
and died childless, April 14, 1872; Eunice Ann married Calvin Allyn, resided
in Norwich, and died April 19, 1896; Adelaide L., who married Henry W.
Rogers, died in Montville, April 4, 1874, leaving one daughter, Lena A.,
wife of W. C. Hogaboom, of Los Angeles, Cal., an editor, connected with
the Associated Press.
Lucy J. (Mrs. Bulkley), the youngest child,
was educated in the best schools of her native town. She taught her first
school at the age of sixteen, and continued teaching until her marriage.
Mrs. Bulkley has a valuable heirloom, which has been handed down from Engand
through the Lynde family. It is a silver mug or tankard which was presented
by Queen Elizabeth to a member of the family, and is inscribed "F. M. W.
I. E. Francis and Margaret Willoughby and H. R.," the latter initials being
those of a great-aunt, Hannah Raymond. This ancient treasure was owned
by Sarah Lynde, the second wife of Joshua Raymond, and her sister Hannah,
who married the Rev. George Griswold, and was handed down to John Raymond,
and from him through Hannah to George Raymond, from whom it passed to the
mother of Mrs. Bulkley. She is also in possession of the original manuscript
deed given by Mercy Sands Raymond, of Block Island, June 24, 1725, to her
son Joshua.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Enoch B. Bulkley
may be briefly mentioned, as follows: James Raymond Bulkley, died April
25, 1876; Sarah Burnham, born March 16, 1879, an undergraduate of the Bacon
Academy, a member of the class of 1899, is a young lady of promise, with
fine intellectual endowments and studious habits; Willie Enoch, born June
25, 1881, is a brilliant scholar, and will graduate in 1900 from the same
school; Arthur Jewett died at the age of sixteen months, July 8,1887.
Biographical Review Volume
XXVI
Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens
of New London County Connecticut
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1898
pgs 359 - 361
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