Advertisement
Advertisement

Ralph Waldo Bull b. 1876 d. 1949 My Mother's Father

Updated Jun 26, 2025
Loading...one moment please loading spinner
Ralph Waldo Bull b. 1876 d. 1949 My Mother's Father
This is my Mother's Father, Ralph Waldo Bull. He was a prominent man in Arcata, California, up the Northern coast. He died when I was 2 years old so I don't have any memories of him but my Sister does so she told me stories of her times with him. Both my Mother and my Father told me lots of stories, too. Those are fond memories I really treasure.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
Comments
Leave a comment
The simple act of leaving a comment shows you care.
Michelle,

He sounds so interesting and he has such a kind face - I hope you create a biography for him and add some of the stories. My own grandfather died before I was born but we have created a biography for him and I've added stories. I'm hoping my grandson (just 1 year old and hopefully there will be more!) and his children will know their great-great . . . and beyond! :)
Reply
Thank you, Kathy. I'll work on a story. He lived quite a life!! I appreciate your encouraging suggestion!
Happy Holidays, Michelle
Reply
Happy Holidays Michelle!

You don't need to craft a story - just when you remember something, add it to the biography page that you've created for him. A comment, a "story" (we are looking for a better word!) - it's all just a memory you heard about him. If you add something when you think of it - even just a snippet - gradually, a picture of him emerges. At this point, it is we who are the "memory keepers". :)
Reply
Hi Kathy,
I have the biography of my Grandfather written. Where and how do I post it?? Thanks so much for the suggestion. It's interesting how much more I learned about him by doing a bit of research to write this up. Thanks again. Hope you are having good weather and enjoying the season. Sincerely, Michelle
Reply
11/ 17/2021 Ralph Waldo Bull’s Story
b. Apr 27 1876 Arcata, Humboldt County, California USA
d. Sept. 24, 1949 Orick, Humboldt County, California USA
Buried: Sunset Memorial Park, Eureka, Humboldt County, California, United States
Father to Catherine Bull b. 1/27/1917, in Aurora, Illinois and Marjorie Sprague Bull b. 6-15-1918 Oakland, California d. 7-15-1983 Sacramento, CA Married Marc William Johnson, Mother to Marcia Suzanne Johnson Ambrose & (me) Michelle Elizabeth Johnson Smith.

Ralph Waldo Bull was born to Mary Jane Hunt (Bull), age 36, and John Clark Bull II, age 37. Birth Certificate is Ralph Waldo Bull. His mother Mary Jane passed away on February 25, 1883, in Arcata, California, at the age of 43. His father, John Clark Bull II, passed away on June 24, 1907, in Eureka, California, at the age of 68.

Ralph married Rose H. Troeger on October 16, 1900, in Hailey, Idaho. Rose passed away on October 20, 1909, in Arcata, California, at the age of 33. They had been married 9 years. After her death, he married Berenice Lucille Woodcock in Eureka, California in 1915. They adopted two female children, Marjorie as an infant in 1918 and Catherine as a pre-adolescent circa 1927. Ralph died on September 24, 1949, in Orick, California, at the age of 73 of a heart attack while on horseback surveying the cattle on one of his ranches.

His Grandfather, Captain John C. Bull I, sailed from Massachusetts to California, then docked in San Francisco. My sister began researching in 2000 on ancestry.com and I found this entry:

“Captain John C. Bull sailed to San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA, with a stop at Monterey, Monterey Co., CA, as Captain of the clipper ship “Olga”. He moved family from Concord, Middlesex Co., MA to San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA in 1850.” ... “Lost his right arm in an accident on his ship.”

One of his brothers, Ephram Wales Bull, developed the Concord Grape...you may have tasted them or even drank Concord Grape juice. Here is the story on him ..

OK, back to Ralph’s Father, John C. Bull II (Jr.), b. 1839 Boston, d. 1907 in Arcata, Humboldt County, California. The story goes that while living on the coast in Northern California, he found the financing to build a jetty so ships could dock in Eureka, opening up transport from San Francisco to Eureka and the surrounding areas. He made SO MUCH MONEY that when he died around the turn of the last century, my Dad said Ralph inherited a million dollars.

Ralph owned the Humboldt Times newspaper (where he met my Grandmother. She was the Society column writer with a College Degree as a school teacher), he owned a meat packing company, a lumber mill, and lots of land with Redwood trees growing. I’m sure he logged many trees and sent them on to the lumber mill. He also became the California Highway Commissioner and was a friend to President Herbert Hoover. My cousin inherited telegrams from President Hoover to Ralph saying something like, “Will meet you at the old fishing hole”. He was at the opening of the San Francisco Bay Bridge (I had the invitation but I have no idea where it is now). I also had his photo on the front page of the Humboldt Times proclaiming the death of the Publisher.

I was only 2 years old when he died so I have no memory of him but my sister, who is 5 years older than I, has vivid and positive memories of him. I’m sure he was quite a gent. He died in 1949 and my Grandmother lived until 1974. There were 5 of us who inherited about $100,000.00 each but it was all invested so there was no cash. Needless to say, mine and my sister’s inheritance is long since spent.

I have been able to track back 21 generations of the Bull family from me, Michelle:
Charles Frederick Bull Born 1325 and died Circa 1400 (at age ‎~75‏) York, Lancashire, England
Reply
Hi Michelle!
Yes, we have good weather - clear skies and in the low 70s today - but that's probably not a "good" thing here since we are in the midst of an extreme drought. :( But that too will change!

For your Grandfather, just go to Share Memories (the +Share Memory at the top of any page) Click on "Biography" and follow the prompts/questions. You now have a biography for your Grandfather! On this page you can add all the details you want as well as add "stories" which can be whatever you choose, what you've heard, what you've read, or any snippet of memory. I look forward to seeing what you add! :)

Here's a link to the "biographies" tutorial if you need more information: Share Memories
Reply
Share this photo:
Advertisement

Topic related photos

Portraits
Portraits
Portrait photographs and paintings of our loved ones and ancestors.
Before photos we had paintings of family members - most usually these were reserved for the well off. The era of modern photography began with the daguerreotype, in 1839. Since the advent of photogr...
Bull
Last name
4.84k+ people20 photos
Advertisement

Followers

Michelle Smith
Michelle Elizabeth Johnson (Mallory 1st marriage) Smith (second and last marriage). I was born on January 16, 1947 in San Rafael, California as the second daughter to Marc William Johnson and Marjorie Bull Johnson (born as Margaret Sprague). We lived in Mill Valley until moving to Lafayette, CA in 1952. Both my parents were college graduates and both my Grandmothers were college graduates. My first marriage was to my first love, Timothy Martin Mallory, when we were both teenagers. I became pregnant at 15 years old and gave birth to my first son, Timothy William Mallory in 1962. We divorced in 1963 and went our own ways. I returned to high school and after a year of night school at the same high school, I graduated with my class in 1964. I attended community college for 2 years and took many more classes from various colleges until I earned my AA degree in 1983. When I went to work as a recruiter for a university in Sacramento, CA, I also completed my Bachelor Degree in Business Management and my Masters Degree in Adult Education and Distance Learning in 2003. I owned several businesses in my earning years, two retail stores, one home business with a partner, some travel shows, and also online businesses. I volunteered on several Boards including a County Health Advisory Group, a Veteran's group, co-founded a Legislative Advocacy group for healthy workplace environments, served as President for a Statewide Mobile Homeowners group, founded local Mobile Homeowner Advocacy groups, and am a volunteer scheduler for food distribution providers in my county (current). I belonged to a gem and mineral society which led me to market jewelry at shows and online. When I turned 21 years old, I married my second (and last) husband, Steven Edward Smith (b. 1947-d. 2017). We had two children, Brien Edward Smith, born 3-28-1970 and Kristine Elizabeth Smith, born 6-19-1971. We divorced in 1979. I raised my children while owning a local, monthly newspaper which I published for 14 years. I also owned a houseplant "party" business, a vintage clothing store, and a plant and gift store. After contracting breast cancer in 2013, I was successfully treated and retired the following year. I am happy living alone in my senior mobile home park. We network together and are like an extended family. My own family includes two Grandsons, my three adult children, and my older sister. We all live separately but close to each other. And I am SO GLAD I found this website. Fun to share...! 2021
My sister is Marcia Suzanne Johnson Giuntini (first marriage) Ambrose (second and last marriage). She was born on May 10, 1942 in Eureka, California where our Grandparents Ralph Waldo Bull and Berenice Woodcock Bull lived. We both live in El Dorado County, California today. Although I am ever so grateful to be born into such a remarkable family with VERY interesting genetic and genealogy heritage, the sad part to share honestly is that my Mother, Marjorie Bull Johnson b. 1918 in Oakland, CA (as Margaret Sprague and was adopted as an infant to Ralph & Berenice Bull,) had progressive alcoholism disease. She was forced to leave her teaching career because of it. She taught 4th grade until I went into 3rd grade. Her disease progressed over the years until it took her life in 1983. My Father also drank heavily. I called him a "functioning alcoholic" because he drank alcohol regularly yet got up every day and drove a long commute to work and climbed the ladder to success. They both helped so many people. My Mom used to teach on a reservation when she lived in Eureka. Native people were treated horribly on reservations in the early 1900's and she told stories of helping the children learn to read and write. My sister and I had to depend on ourselves and each other in many ways in our early years. Alcoholism devastates families. She and I both had our own experiences with alcohol and decided early in our lives not to drink or smoke. I didn't quit smoking until I was age 33 but I did quit. Both my parents had their own experiences with smoking and drinking. My Mom lived to 65, my Dad to 88. He did get to see the new millennium so we were happy for that. My sister and I were each holding one of his hands as he passed away. I swear I saw a small smile on his lips when he passed. It was comforting to me. As for MY family, I have three loving adult children, two sons and one daughter. My oldest is Timothy William Mallory, b. 1962-living; my second Son is Brien Edward Smith b.1970-living; my Daughter Kristine Elizabeth Smith Teshima, b. 1971-living; my Grandson Jaxon Joseph Smith, b. 1995-living; and my other Grandson, Trey Marc Shogi Teshima, b. 2010-living. We have a grand family, loving and kind. Yes, we have all gone through many trials and tribulations but I now know for sure, we all do the best we are capable of. Some of us are less capable than others due to diseases and distress. We are an American Family of early immigrants to this country.
Kathy Pinna
I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Support ). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come. I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in San Jose (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our previous Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
Daniel Pinna
I want to build a place where my son can meet his great-grandparents. My grandmother Marian Joyce (Benning) Kroetch always wanted to meet her great-grandchildren, but she died just a handful of years before my son's birth. So while she didn't have the opportunity to meet him, at least he will be able to know her. For more information about what we're building see About AncientFaces. For information on the folks who build and support the community see Daniel - Founder & Creator.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
Advertisement
Back to Top