ALEXANDER HILL BULLOCK, son of James Bullock and Mary Hill, was
b. 22 Sept. 1838, Essa Township, Simcoe, Ontario. Canada; d„ 6 Mar
1926, Pleasant Grove, Utah, Utah; bur. 9 Mar, 1926., Pleasant Grove
cemetery, Utah, Utah; md. (1) 9 Nov, 1861, EMILY CAROLINE HARRIS , in
the Salt Lake Endowment House, Salt Lake, Utah; md, (2) 6 Dec. 1875,
CLARISSA MELISSA HERRON, in the Salt Lake Endowment House, Salt Lake .
Utah (See CHAPTER IX).
Alexander was one of the early pioneers to Utah. He came across
the plains with his parents when a lad of only nine years of age. His
father owned land in Essa Township, Simcoe Co., Ontario, Canada. This
is likely the birthplace of Alexander. His parents were converted to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1840 by Elder Sam-
uel Lake, who came as a missionary to Tosorontio Township, which ad-
joins Essa Township. Alexander's parents, and all of his mother's
close relatives accepted the gospel. A branch of the Church was or-
ganized and was known as the Essa Branch , consisting of 30 members
In the summer of 1841 Alexander's parents left Canada with their
two children, Alexander and Janet. An older son, Thomas, died in Can-
ada. They arrived at Nauvoo , Illinois, the early part of September
1841, where they resided until the Spring of 1846, Alexander was only
a child of three when he moved to Nauvoo with his parents. He saw and
heard the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith preach many
times. He remembered seeing the Prophet on several occasions as he
passed the Bullock residence. In later life he enjoyed bearing his
testimony that he had seen the Prophet and knew that he was divinely
called of God. Alexander was in Nauvoo when Joseph and Hyrum were
martyred at Carthage. He watched the procession going past the Bullock
home with the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum, coming from Carthage to
Nauvoo. He went with his parents to view the remains before burial.
The striking personality of the Prophet was vividly in Alexander's
memory at the time of his death in 1926.
In the Spring of 1846 when the persecutions against the Latter
Day Saints became so intense, the Bullock family crossed over the
Mississippi River from Nauvoo to Lee County, Iowa. They wended
their way westward toward the Missouri River. They arrived on the
banks of the Missouri River at Winter Quarters, Nebraska, late in
the Autumn of 1846. They eked out a miserable existence for about
eighteen months at Winter Quarters. There they suffered greatly
from exposure, sickness, and lack of food. Two of Alexander's sisters,
Janet and Isabelle, died of the lothsome disease "black leg" while they
were sojourning there. When Alexander was eight years of age, he was
baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
He was baptized by his father in the Missouri River.
In the Spring of 1848 the Saints at Winter Quarters made prepar-
ations for moving westward. On 1 June 1848 President Brigham Young
organized a number of companies of 50 and 100 wagons each for the
trek. The next morning the Bullock family began their journey across
the plains in the second Brigham Young Company. This journey was made
by ox teams. The Bullock family had two teams. James Bullock drove
one, and Alexander his son, only nine years of age, drove the other
one. After a long and tedious journey for three and one-half months
they arrived at Salt Lake City, Utah, on 20 Sept. 1848. The Bullock
family located on the corner of Third South and Main Street.
In the Spring of 1850 the Bullock family moved to Mill Creek in
the southeast of S a lt Lake County, Utah. James Bullock, Alexander's
father, was a farmer and owned land at Mill Creek. In August his
father was cradling when when a sudden storm of rain and hail arose.
There was no nearby shelter. He became wet and chilled, which soon
resulted in pneumonia. His father died 10 Aug. 1850, leaving his
mother with four small children. Alexander, the oldest child, was
only eleven years old, and the youngest child was only nine months.
The Bullock family was left in poor circumstances. The family
moved back to Salt Lake City, and located at 544 South State Street
in the center of the block. This was just south of the City and County
Building. When only twelve years of age Alexander hauled the clay to
make adobe for a two room house for his family. The home was made with
an inverted dish-like roof. This was later removed and another story
was added. This home stood for over eighty years in a fair state of
preservation.
In 1854 when fifteen years of age, Alexander went to work as a
teamster for Daniel H. Wells. He kept this position in Salt Lake City
for sixteen years and lived in the Wells home. In Bryant Hinckley's
book on Daniel H. Wells, it states that Alexander or "Sandy" as he
was called, and James Bullock, his brother, were always treated like
members of the Wells family. Alexander was a good teamster, kind and
gentle with the horses and seem to know just how to handle them.
During this period of employ he took General Wells and his wife,
Hannah, across the plains as far as Missouri. This was at the time
Daniel H„ Wells was called on his mission to England in 1864. This
was not the last time that Alexander travelled the old Mormon Trail.
He made five more trips out into the plains to help and give assist-
ance to emigrants coming to Salt Lake Valley. He had the honor of
helping to bring the first printing press to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Alexander Hill Bullock met his wife, Emily Caroline Harris,
at the home of Daniel H. Wells. She had come to the Wells home in
1854 when only ten years of age to live with her sister, Martha
Harris, one of the wives of Daniel H. Wells. Alexander was also
living in the Wells home. It was here that they did their courting. They
were married on 9 Nov. 1861 in the Salt Lake Endowment House. Their first
home was in the same home as Rachel Grant, mother of President Heber J.
Grant, and while there a daughter, Emily Ellen, was born. They then
built a two-room home in Sugar House on what was then called the old
Marchand Farm, which was owned by Wells. In this home William Alex-
ander and Newell Harris Bullock were born.
On 10 Mar. 1870 Alexander took his family to Pleasant Grove, Utah,
to supervise the Wells farm. He took charge of this farm until 1887
when it was sold. Alexander had been in the employ of the Wells family
for about 33 years. He acquired a thirty acre farm of his own on the
south side of Pleasant Grove, Utah, and engaged in farming and stock
raising. He maintained a fine home in Pleasant Grove, where the add-
itional children were born: Effie Deane, Dessie Mary, McGee Harris, and
Florence. Alexander md. (2) 6 Dec. 1875, CLARISSA MELISSA HERRON, in
the Salt Lake Endowment House, Salt Lake, Utah. To this union were
born the following four children: Clara Jennett, LaMont , Gertrude A.,
and Hannah Jane.
Alexander was ordained a Deacon and an Elder in the Fourteenth
Ward of Salt Lake City. He served as a ward teacher in the Eight Ward
of Salt Lake City, and served in ttyis same capacity almost constantly
in Pleasant Grove until three years before his death. He was set apart
as President of the Elders Quorum in 1871, which position he held for
thirteen years. Later he was ordained a Seventy and was chosen one of
the seven presidents of the 44th Quorum of Seventies and served four
years. Alexander was called on a mission to New Zealand on 1 May 1887,
and served two years and five months in that field. He labored on the
North Island. He in the company of Alfred Harper and Brother Paxman
were among the first missionaries to open the New Zealand Mission.
Upon Alexander's return home he was ordained a High Priest on 14 Sept.
1890. He was chosen as Second Counselor to Bishop John Brown, which
position he held until the Bishop's release. On 6 Dec. 1891 he was set
apart as First Counselor to Bishop Joseph E. Thorne. He served in the
Bishopric for twelve years. He was in Sunday School work for thirty
years, and was one of the recipients of a badge, which was given those
who had served in the Sunday School for twenty five years. This was
given at the Jubilee held in Salt Lake City in July 1899. He also
served as a Home Missionary and visited every ward in the old Utah
Stake.
In politics Alexander was a Republican and was quite active in
the political life of Pleasant Grove, Utah. He served as City Mar-
shall for twelve years, and at the same time served as manager of all
the dances held in the city. He was a City Councilman for four years;
and served as County Constable, and Justice of Peace. These four pol-
itical positions were held over a period of 17 years before going on
his mission to New Zealand. In 1894 he ran for Mayor of Pleasant Grove
on the Republican ticket. His brother, James 0. Bullock, ran for Mayor
on the Democratic ticket. The contest ended up in a tie. The decision
of the Mayorship was determined by a flip of the coin, and his brother
won.
Alexander was never a man to bet or gamble, but at the time he
served as manager of the city dances he was a dancer of considerable
ability. On one occasion it is said that he bet a bushel of wheat or
three pumpkins that he and his partner could dance longer than any
other couple present, This they did, and they continued to dance until
they were completely exhausted and fell to the floor.
In his early youth Alexander had a very limited opportunity to
receive a formal education. He attended school in Utah for only eight
months. But this handicap did not discourage him. It was said of him
not many years before his death, that through his persistent efforts
he had become one of the best educated men in Pleasant Grove at that
time. He acted as School Trustee for twelve years, and through his
good judgment helped very much in raising the standards of teaching
and education in Pleasant Grove.
The life of Alexander Hill Bullock was one of service to others,
untiring and unceasing in his efforts to do right. His faith was endur-
ing to the end. He was always faithful, dependable, and kind to every-
one. About three weeks before his death he bore his testimony to some
of his grandchildren who had called to see him. He said at that time
there was not a shadow of doubt in his mind but that Joseph Smith was
a true prophet of God and that he himself was a member of the true
church. Alexander died 6 Mar. 1926 at Pleasant Grove, and was buried
at the Pleasant Grove cemetery on 9 Mar. 1926.
President Heber J. Grant attended and spoke at the funeral of
Alexander. President Grant was a nephew of Alexander. Junius F. Wells,
also a relative, attended and spoke. The following is a short excerpt
from the funeral sermon of Junius F. Wells, and should be of interest
to all of Alexander Hill Bullock's descendants since it is a final
blessing given to his posterity.
"There is one thing that I believe I should mention at this fun-
eral. It was two weeks ago Sunday morning that I had a remarkable
dream, in which I saw Uncle Sandy Bullock. He seemed to be standing
under one of the apple trees on the right hand side of the path, leading
from our house up to the old barn. Our houses stood where Zions Savings
Bank is now, and the barn where the Deseret Book Store is, and between
the two was a large orchard, mostly of apple trees. Uncle Sandy was
standing with his hand resting on one of the lower branches of that
apple tree. He was dressed in a homespun suit, very beautifully made,
of light brown material, with a full Prince Albert coat. I remember
how full the skirts of the coat were. There seemed to be a little breeze
blowing that caused them to flap as he stood there. There seemed to be
a number of people about him who were listening to him; and I listened
to him. His countenance shone like burnished gold, beautiful; no wrinkle
in his face, and he was speaking. He said: 'I feel to bless my children,
to bless them for what they are, for what they have been and have had,
and their children and everything they shall have. I bless them; I
feel to bless them to have everything that they desire to h;ive, and
everything that shall be good for them to have.'
"My brethern and sisters, I give that to you as it was given to me,
as perhaps the words of Brother Alexander Bullock to his posterity. His
heart was full of blessings and with a desire that his family and his
descendants after him should receive that which would be good for them
to have; and he hoped and prayed that they might have it. I was so im-
pressed with my dream that the next day I called on President Grant
and told it to him, and I asked him if he knew whether Brother Bullock
was a Patriarch or not. He said he did not know and that I should go
to the Patriarch's Office and ascertain if he had been ordained a
Patriarch. I found that he had not. The President, I know, had it in
his heart, had he been younger to ordain him. He said, 'Perhaps he is
too old to be ordained, but so far as bestowing that blessing upon
his family is concerned, Uncle Sandy can do that without being ordain-
ed a Patriarch. *
"My brethern and sisters, I give that to you as a blessing and an
admonition of Sandy Bullock. I believe that I saw him, and that it
was given of the Lord. I do not know why it should have come to me
at that time. I am not very much of a dreamer, I have had but few
dreams of significance in my life, I believe this is a significant
one, if you will take it to heart, which is my desire and prayer."