Bulman family reunion held July 16 in Eitzen, MN
The 59th annual Bulman reunion was held Sunday, July 16 at the Eitzen Community Center. A noon potluck dinner was enjoyed by descendants of James and Elizabeth Bulman of Little Thetford, England (70 miles north of London).
The five Bulman ancestors who came to America from Little Thetford were Thomas, William, George, Mary and John. A sailing ship took them from Liverpool, England to New Orleans, LA then up river to Evansville, IL where they stayed for approximately five years before driving horse and wagons to
English Bench near Dorchester and settling there around the hill called “The Elephant”.
President Bruce Bulman of Caledonia, MN led the business meeting following the meal. This year, 44 persons were in attendance. The families of Grace and Dean Bulman and Debbie and Brad Harguth set up the meal. Jan Ruben, Sue Kruse and Laina Ford were at the registration table. Carol Gangi took the minutes.
The President introduced the youngest member, Keith Enyart, age six; the oldest attendant, Lois Wiedenmann, age 94; and John and Sandy Bulman from Tulsa, OK, who came the farthest. Jimmy Bulman was the hardest working Bulman for his second consecutive year of bicycling to the reunion from Waukon. Evelyn Staggemeier of Eitzen, MN retired as treasurer after many years of service. Tom Bulman of Decorah was elected as the new treasurer.
Four marriages were recorded: Leonard Reeder and Janelle Adams, Jenny Hover and Stephan Swart, Amanda Hover and Dave Reinhardt, and Anna Bulman and David Mukaria.
There were eleven births recorded: Hailey Grace Bulman, Leah Harriet Myhre, William Mark Myhre, Oakley John Myhre, Edith Lonie Lorentzen, Charlie Jean Reinhardt, Nolan Dean Reinhardt, Fynn Agatha Blake, Javier John Malpica, Ava Teresa Kruse and Aubrey Bulman.
There was only one death recorded: Loren Alton Bulman, (April 10, 1928 - June 25, 2017).
Cheri Francik of Marion gave a presentation about the “2016 Sisters’ Trip” she took with Carol Gangi and Kathy Campbell September 21-October 4, 2016 to England, Wales and Dublin. They stayed with John Goose, their fourth cousin, and went to see their heritage home, “The Little Round House” in Little Thetford. They also visited with fourth cousins from Anglesey, Wales, both descendants from the Ann Goose line that stayed in England when the other Bulmans immigrated to America.
A monetary gift was suggested and voted on to donate money to the Houston County and Allamakee County Food Shelf from the reunion treasury funds.
The family is requesting email contacts from any of the five Bulman lines so that they can receive notifications of upcoming Bulman reunions and minutes of the reunion. The next reunion is slated for July 15, 2018 (the third Sunday of July) at the Eitzen Community Center. Those who have updates on marriages, births or deaths that have not been recorded at a reunion are asked to send updates and contact information to: dgangi3279@charter.net.
