Rev. Ralph Bull

The Rev. Ralph Bull was born December 10, 1802, near Scotchtown, Orange County, New York. He was the son of Moses Bull Jr., and Dolly (Moore) Bull, and was one of a worthy family of twelve children, who all reached maturity, and six of whom have survived him. His early studies were pursued in Scotchtown, and afterwards in Goshen and Newburgh, New York. He made a public profession of religion at the age of eighteen, and united with the Presbyterian Church at Scotchtown at the same time with six of his brothers and sisters. After completing his preparatory studies he entered Yale College, but, owing to some youthful indiscretions, was not allowed to graduate. About the end of his junior year, in July, 1828, he left New Haven, and soon after entered the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, but here also, because of his having married in his Senior year contrary to the rules of the college, he was not permitted to graduate. During the winter session of 1829-30 he entered Princeton Seminary, where he spent about one year in study. Soon after leaving the Seminary he went to Long Island, where he taught a school at or near Hempstead. October 10, 1833, Mr. Bull was licensed by the Second Presbytery of Long Island, after which he very acceptably supplied various pulpits of the presbytery in connection with his occupation as a teacher. In the Fall of 1836, he was received into the Presbytery of Hudson, and was called to become pastor of the Church at Milford, (Pa.) within its bounds. The call was not accepted, but he was ordained as an evangelist at Milford, November 25th, 1836, and continued to supply the church at that place. In the Fall of 1839 he removed to Darien, Ga., where he took charge of an Academy and also preached, but returned to Milford in 1840. January 26, 1841, he accepted a call to the church at Westtown, Orange County, New York, and was on the same day installed as pastor at that place. His pastorate at Westtown was long and peaceful, but was not characterized by any remarkable success, nor was it marked by any powerful revival of religion. This pastoral relation was dissolved by the Presbytery of Hudson, September 12th, 1866, “the dissolution to take place at the end of that month.” From that time he continued to reside near West- town until his death, which occurred June 2d, 1877, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. His only disease was the general debihty connected with advanced age. His mind was at peace, and his last months were spent largely in the perusal of the Holy Scriptures.

Mr. Bull was married at Princeton, New Jersey, in 1829, to Miss Mary G. Hollinshead Their only child, a daughter, died at the age of three or four years.