LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY
The Bull Family
Charles Christ Bull was born June 24, 1863 in Durant, Iowa. Margaret Dorthea Siebsen was born April 27, 1863, Lunden Schleswig, Holstein, Germany. Charles and Margaret were united in marriage in Durant in 1882.
Charles and Margaret had four children born in Durant. They were Elfredia, 1883, Hattie, 1885, Hilda, 1887 and John in 1889. Richard was born in Lester, September 23, 1891, Flora in 1893 and Waldo in December 1895. This order of the birth of their children puts their arrival in Lester somewhere about 1890 or 1891.
The Bull house was the fourth house built in Lester. It was first constructed in the south end of town and later moved to its present location, up near the school house.
Charles Bull had the first store in Lester. He had an interesting and colorful life in Lester. He was the inventor and held patents on several things including a wrench with movable jaws (before crescent wrenches) and a cleaning device for boilers.
Charles Bull died in a well south of Larchwood, Iowa on May 16, 1912. He was overcome by methane gas while trying to rescue two other young lads who were overcome by the gas.
When Charles Bulls own sons, John, Dick and Waldo had sons of their own a few years later, all three of their first born sons were given the names, Charles W., Donald Charles and Myron Charles to honor him for his gallant rescue efforts of that day.