He was a carpenter.
ISAAC BULL (The Immigrant ancestor)
Our immigrant ancestor in the colonies was Isaac Bull, son of Edward Bull of Donnington, Gloucestershire, England. (This is in contradiction to the often repeated story that our line descended from Henry Bull, first Governor of Rhode Island.)
An Indenture found in a Bible handed down to her descendants by Hannah Bull, youngest child of Isaac Bull and his chief heir, gives the most authoritative information.
It was published in the Cleveland Herald on 17 October 1874, by Andrew Phillips, on the occasion of a Phillips family reunion. (Hannah Bull had married Daniel Phillips, a Quaker) and the copy of the indenture was followed by an explanation provided by a grandson of Hannah's.....
It was after the discovery of this indenture (dated September 29, 1668), which apprenticed Isaac Bull 'sonne of Edward Bull of Donnington'.....that one of Isaac's descendants living in Brookline, Mass., began searching for Isaac Bull's people in England.
Wills were found in county Gloucester - Edward Bull's at Donnington, 1697, and that of his brother John, of Longborough, County Glousester, in 1675. From Edward's will we learn that his wife's name was Elizabeth (Castell or Gisborne?), and they had four children, of whom Isaac was the youngest....
As Isaac was indentured probably at age 14 - the usual age - he was considered to have been born in 1654. His indenture would end in 1675.
Isaac was married in England to Mary (surname unknown). Their four children, all born in England, were: John, born 1677, married Mary Closson; Elizabeth, born 1679, married John Vaughn; Mary, born 1680 (died 4th of January 1725), married Henry Mowry; Rose, born 1682, married Francis Inman.
The first knowledge we have of Isaac in the New World is in a land record in Worcester, Mass. In 1686, Isaac Bull, a carpenter, was granted land in Worester and the same year he bought four additional lots. It seems safe to say that Isaac brought his family to the New World sometime between the date his father's will was proved (1682), and the date he was granted land in Worcester (1686).
When he left Worcester is not known, but in 1696 Isaac Bull, housewright, of Newport, Rhode Island, bought 110 acres of land in the northern part of the town at Providence. In 1700 he sold all but one acre. In 1704 he bought 1/4 of an acre. In 1706, Isaac Bull, millwright, brought 10 acres probably in Scituate, R.I., (one parcel of 7 acres and one of 3 acres, adjoining his homesite in Providence.) These are all the land transactions that have been found.
Isaac married twice. Isaac's first wife, Mary, died in 1713. He was married again on 02 March 1714 in Rhode Island to Mary Walling (daughter of James Walling) who was born in 1693. He lived only two years after that, dying in 1716 and leaving an infant daughter, Hannah.
Isaac made a will only twelve days before his death, which was acted upon by the Town Council of Providence, Rhode Island, on April 17, 1716, in which he named Hannah as his heir......His widow later married Joseph Cooke in 1719, and died about 1724.
THE INDENTURE - Sept. 29, 1668
"This indenture witnesseth that ISAAC BULL, sonne of Edward Bull of Donnington, County of Gloucestershire, by and with the consent of said father has put hisselfe Apprentice to and with William Williams of STOW-ON-THE-WOLD, aforesaid carpenter, and after the manner of an apprentice, with him to tarry and dwell from the day of date unto the full end and for the full term of seven years from thence next and immediately following and ensueing fully to be complete, ended during all which term the sayd ISAAC BULL apprentice to and with the sayd WILLIAM WILLIAMS as his master well and faithfuly shall serve, his secrets shall keepe, his commandments lawful and honest everywhere shall doe; fornication in the house of said master, nor without, he shall not commit; hurt or damage to his said master he shall not doe, nor consent to be done to the value of____pds. by the years or above, but according to his power shall lett and hinder or thereof his master inform.
Taverns or Alehouses of Custom, he shall not haunt or freequent unless it be about his master's business here to be done. All dyce, cards or any other unlawful games he shall not play.
The goods of his said master Inordinately he shall not waste, nor them to anybodie lend without his master's lycense or consent. Matrimonie with any woman during or within the sayd terme he shall not contract nor espouse nor from his service neither by day or by night shall absent himself as well in words as In deeds, - and sayd William Williams unto the sayd ISAAC BULL his sayd apprentice in the craft trade, mystery or occupation of a carpenter the which he usith after the best manner that he can or may shall show, teach, instruct and inform or cause to be showed, taught, instructed and Informed as much as thereunto belongeth or in any way appertanyeth, and in due manner chastise him, finding unto his sayd servant meate, drink, washing and lodging to an apprentice of such a trade, craft, mystery or occupation.
In witness thereof the sayd master and servant of these presents, Indentures interchangeable, their hands and seals have set, the twentyninth day of September in the twentieth day of the raine of our Sovraine Lord, King Charles the Second, Anno Domine 1668
MEMORANDUM: It Is concluded and agreed that the sayd William Williams he is to give his sayd servant one X (axe) and a Squire and a handsaw, foure Nogars, a paire of chysells, a gauge and a hamer and sayd ISAAC BULL is to have at the five years end three pounds a year.
Sealed and delivered In the presence of JOHN BULL. Frances Gardiner.
"The above indenture was written on parchment In Old English and translated verbatim and literatum except two words, the meaning of which I am not certain and I have left them as in the original which reached the eighth generation back from my brother's grandchildren at our reunion."
B. F. Phillips, (Grandson of Hannah Bull)
Andrew Phillips published the above In the Cleveland Herald, October 17, 1874., on occasion of a Phillips reunion.
1700, Aug. 2. He sold Stephen Sly 110 acres, for £35.
1713, Jun. 16 Taxed 6s.
1716, Jan. 5. Will --- proved 1716, Apr. 17. Exx' [executor] wife Mary. To her, all estate, both real and personal, for life. To son John, 20s. To daughters Elizabeth Vaughan, Mary Mowry and Rose Inman, 20s. each. To daughter Hannah Bull, after decease of wife, all the rest of estate, but if she have no heirs, then equally to four grandchildren, viz: Isaac Bull, Isaac Vaughan, Uriah Mowry and Aaron Inman. On back side of will, the declaration of Isaac Bull was made that he was in no ways indebted to his children for any service done for him by them, and that he had made them an offer to look after him during his natural life, and then they should have his estate after him, but they had refused.
Inventory, cash £10, 15s, 8d, books £2, pewter, carpenter's tools, cordwainer's seat, spinning wheel, gun, hay, corn, oats, grindstone, 2 heifers, 2 yearlings, a swine, 9 sheep, mare, cost, &c.
1725, Jan. 18. Mary Cook, widow and executrix of Isaac Bull, having of late deceased in testate and left committed to her by form husband Isaac Bull, to her care for his child, therefore it was ordered that James Walling, father of said deceased Mary Cook, take into his possession all estate he can find left by Isaac Bull, for his child, Hannah.