My Genealogy Hound

W. T. Bullard, of the firm of Bullard & Cassell, general merchants of Silver Hill, carries a stock of dry goods, groceries, shelf-hardware, queensware, medicine, etc., valued at about $1,000, and does an annual business of about $10,000 (the nearest merchant is about seventeen miles distant). Their goods are shipped to Nashville, Howard County, Ark., and then freighted across. The post-office is also located at Silver Hill, and Mr. Bullard is the postmaster. This gentleman was born in Wayne County, Ill., July 20, 1857, and is a son of E. W. and Leva (Austin) Bullard, natives of the same county as their son. The paternal great-grandfather, Wright Bullard, came to New Hampshire from Ireland prior to the War of 1812, served in that memorable struggle, and was in the Northern division of the American army. His son, and grandfather of our subject, Wright Bullard, emigrated from Tennessee to Illinois in 1820, and entered more land in Wayne County than any other citizen. E. W. Bullard reared a family of seven children—three sons and four daughters—the former named Thomas, James and Jackson, and the latter named Martha, Wilmath Ann, Eliza, and Effie May (who died in 1884). The two sons are in Parker, Tex., as are also the daughters. W. T. Bullard left Illinois in 1879, and emigrated to the Lone Star State. He grew to manhood under the care of his father, who was a merchant in Johnsonville, Ill., and received a good common-school education. For several years before attaining his majority he was engaged in clerking in his father’s store, and in 1877, in company with his brother, James W., went to Texas, where for ten years he was engaged in the stock business. Leaving there in 1887, he came to Silver Hill, Ark., with a drove of horses and cattle, sold his cattle in Rockwall, Tex., and his horses at this place. He then engaged in business at Silver Hill, and remained here until 1888, when he went to Johnsville, and carried on business at that place, in partnership with Mr. James M. Cassell, for nearly two years. In February, 1890, he moved from there to Silver Hill, and here is now engaged in business. He was married in Texas January 26, 1879, to Miss Mary Jane Sessions, and the result of this union is six children—two sons and four daughters. The sons are named Robert Lincoln and Thomas Arthur, and the daughters Myrtle Jane, Maudie M., Hattie and Mattie. Mrs. Bullard is a consistent member of the Baptist Church. She was born in Wayne County, Ill., and is the daughter of Thomas W. Sessions. Mr. Sessions and wife were both natives of Illinois, and the Sessions family were among the early settlers of Wayne County. He and E. W. Bullard were boys together. Mr. Sessions went to Texas in 1860, and thus was a pioneer settler of two States; he died in 1885. Being a man of good business ability, he accumulated considerable property. Mr. Bullard is a Republican in politics, and always votes with that party. Besides his interest in his business, he also owns, with his partner, considerable land in the county, some of it located on the Silver Hill and Lockesburg road.