Alexander Hill Bullock

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."