Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas Lewis B. Hull Bio

BUTLER COUNTY'S EIGHTY YEARS BIOS

LEWIS B. HULL

(Transcribed by Lori DeWinkler)

Lewis Byran Hull was born in Highland County, Ohio, in 1841. At the age of 19 he left college to enlist in the 60th Ohio Infantry. He served two years inVirginia. In 1864 he enlisted in the 11th Ohio Cavalry, serving two years in the Army of the West at Fort Laramie, protecting emigrant trains from the Indians. In 1866, he married Eliza Sinclair, also of Ohio, and they came West settling inMissouri. In 1873 they moved to Kansas, preempting a claim inRichard Township, section 10. In 1884, they bought a farm in section 11, where they built a house and reared their family.

Mr. Hull was much interested in the community life, serving eighteen years on the school board, several terms as township trustee, and one term as county commissioner.

Mr. and Mrs. Hull were both school teachers, as were also six of their children. The family was a musical one, and their home was the scene of many impromptu concerts, in which the neighbors joined.

The chief aim of these pioneer parents was to educate their children. To this end, they labored and sacrificed, almost miraculously wringing from the soil the means by which all seven of their children were sent to college. Furthermore, they taught them by precept and example, to become decent, intelligent citizens. These children wish to record here their gratitude. They are: A. S. Hull, United States Patent Examiner, Washington, D. C.; O. J.Hull, fruit farmer,Ontario, California; M. L. Hull, for thirty years a music teacher in Wichita, Kansas; Myra E. Hull, instructor in the University of Kansas; Hazel Hull Cook, wife of Dr. L. W. Cook, of Boulder, Colorado, who was graduated with her daughter from the University of Colorado; Lois Fern Hull, head of the Latin department, Pueblo High School.

To fifteen grandchildren has been passed the torch of inspiration from the spirit of their pioneer grandparents.

L. B. Hull died in 1902. His wife survived him twenty-seven years, her cheerful, unselfish spirit inspiring all her associates. Of Mr. Hull, his friend, Alvah Shelden of the Walnut Valley Times, wrote: “In the death ofL. B. Hull Butler County lost one of her best and most intelligent citizens. He worked much and read much. He reared a large family, and spared no pains in giving them a higher education. He was public spirited and charitable. The good he did was beyond estimate.”