Person:John Bullard (15)

'JOHN BULLARD, son of William and Grace (Bignett) Bullard, was born in Barnham, Suffolk county, England, 1601-2, and died at Medfield, Massachusetts, October 27, 1678. His death was accidental, the result of "the overthrow of a cart," according to the early records of Medfield. ...

'John Bullard settled first at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1636, where he was a proprietor in 1638, and with his wife Magdalene, was admitted to the church May 2, 1639. He took the freeman's oath May 13, 1640. With his brother William he became a proprietor of the settlement at Dedham, when the company of Watertown church members established themselves there. His dismissal from the church at Watertown to the one at Dedham, was dated May 30, 1641, "Mr. Phillips, the pastor, and Elders Carter and Howe, testifying in his favor."

'He had been one of the original purchasers of Dedham, having signed the social compact of proprietors June 1, 1636, and lands were assigned him adjoining his brother William's. The brothers were rated among the more able citizens and private accounts against John Bullard were entered as "one of the two Bullards of Dedham." In 1650, he became one of the select proprietors of the new town of Medfield, Massachusetts, where lands were assigned him and where, with the other proprietors, he enjoyed so great a degree of the confidence of the General court, they were not bound, in the act of incorporation "to build within a specified time, a meeting house, settle a minister, and establish a school," their character being sufficient pledge that these things would soon be done.

'A house of eight acres was assigned to John in Medfield in 1652. His lot, on what is now Main street, stood nearly opposite the head of Spring street, the original building gave way to its successor in 1696, and the estate has had many owners since that date. In 1675, John Bullard is on the list of subscribers to the fund for the "new brick college" (Harvard), his contribution to be a bushel and a half of "Indian corn."

'In his will the homestead is given to his son, Joseph, with legacies to be paid to John Partridge, son-in-law, and two daughters, Abigail Stockwell, and Hannah, wife of Benjamin Allen, no other heirs being mentioned.'^[4]

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Stott, Clifford L., and Myrtle Stevens Hyde. The English Bullard Family Revisited and their Bignett Connection. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (2000)
   154:178-79.

   'Children, likely all born at Barnham, Suffolk: ...
   John Bullard, b. say 1596; d. at Medfield, Mass, 27 Oct 1678, "by the overthrow of a cart" [citing Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston: NEHGS, 1903)]. He m. (1) Magdalene _____ (maybe Martin) [citing John Plummer, "The Martyn Wives of Robert and John Bullard", NEHGR, 146(1992):279-80, while questioning the assumption behind the identification] who d. at Medfield 29 Nov. 1661 [citing Medfield VRs, 198], and (2) Ellen (_____) Dickerman, widow of Thomas Dickerman, by 26 Feb 1663/4 ... [citing Suffolk Deeds (1880-1906), 4:302-303].'

2. ↑ Deaths, in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903)
   page 197.

   'BULLEN ...
   John, "by the over[t]hrowing of a Cart." Oct. 27, 1678.'

3. ↑ Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008)
   1:209-10.

   Between the baptism of his daughter Elizabeth in Barnham, Suffolk, England 2 Mar 1636/7 and the birth of his daughter Abigail in Dedham, Massachusetts 8 Oct 1641.

4. ↑ Bullard, Edgar J. (Edgar John), and Gail Wheeler Pritchard. Bullard and Allied Families: the American Ancestors of George Newton Bullard and Mary Elizabeth Bullard. (Detroit, Michigan: E. J. Bullard, 1930)
   page 16.