My Genealogy Hound

BULL, LORENZO, was born in Hartford, Conn., March 21, 1819, and was the eldest son of Mr. Lorenzo Bull and Mrs. Elizabeth Goodwin Bull. His opportunities for education were limited to the district schools of his native city, which he left at the age of 13 years, and removed to Quincy, arriving there on the 11th day of May, 1833, being then 14 years of age. A few days after his arrival he accepted employment from Judge Henry H. Snow, who then held most of the county offices, being at one time clerk of the County Commissioners’ Court, Clerk of the Circuit Court ,Recorder, Judge of Probate, Notary Public, and Justice of the Peace, from all of which he derived but a meager support. The writing and practical work of these offices, was at once devolved upon the younger clerk, under the direction of Judge Snow, who although skillful and competent for all the duties of his various offices, was somewhat indisposed to the performance of the labor incident thereto, and preferred to instruct and direct his clerk than to keep records and prepare papers himself. He remained with Judge Snow about two years; received for his services the first year six dollars per month, and for the second year ten dollars per month, besides his board in Judge Snow’s family. He next accepted a situation in the store of Messrs. Holmes, Brown & Co., then one of the most prominent business houses of the city, and continued his connection with that business, through the various changes of firm which succeeded one another, S. & S. Holmes, Holmes & Co., and Holmes & Wood, until the year 1844; then upon the winding up of the business of Holmes & Wood, he formed a partnership with his brother, under the firm name of L. & C. H. Bull, and opened a store for the sale of hardware and crockery, at the place lately occupied by Holmes & Wood, where the business was continued for about five years; finding the building too small for their increasing business, they built the large store now occupied by Messrs. Coxe & Coxe, and removed to it in 1849; and shortly after adding to their business agricultural machines and new implements then being introduced for the first time, they continued a successful business in this line until the year 1861, when they sold out their mercantile and embarked in the banking business, removing to the corner of 5th and Maine streets, at which location the business is continued at the present time. The firm of L. & C. H. Bull now (in 1879) being 35 years of age, and is the oldest business firm in Quincy, or in this part of the State of Illinois. Mr. Lorenzo Bull was married in 1844 to Miss Margaret H. Benedict, daughter of Dr. Wm. M. Benedict, of Millbury, Martin county, Mass., and sister of Mrs. N. Bushnell, of Quincy. They have had six children; William Benedict, Elizabeth Goodwin, Mary Braman, Margaret Hunter, Lorenzo, and Anna Louise, all living except Lorenzo, who died at the age of ten years. Owing to the long and expensive journey necessary in 1833 to reach Illinois from Connecticut, occupying more than a month, the money considered ample for his expenses when he left home became exhausted, and he reached Quincy in debt to his companions for necessary travelling expenses to the amount of three dollars and fifty cents, and dependent entirely upon his own efforts for his support. The debt was soon paid out of the small salary earned in Judge Snow’s office, and a fair measure of pecuniary success has since rewarded his industry.