John W. Bull Stone House
Tolar, Hood County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One of earliest masonry homes in area; built in view of indian caucus site, Comanche Peak. John W. Bull (1818-98), born in Tennessee, came to Texas in 1853; preempted land here, 1861; in Jan. 1865 participated in the famed Dove Creek Indian battle. After land grant was approved (1871), Bull hired crew under mason Pat Gannon to build this house of stone quarried from nearby hill. Chiseled in chimney is the date "March 17, 1872". Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Tennessee-born John W. Bull came to Texas in 1853, preempted land here in 1861 within sight of Comanche Peak, and in 1865 took part in the Dove Creek fight against Kickapoo people migrating through the region. After his land grant was approved, he hired mason Pat Gannon to build this stone house from a nearby quarry, chiseling the date "March 17, 1872" into the chimney. It stands as one of the area's earliest masonry homes on what was then the Texas frontier.
Why it matters
The Bull house embeds the frontier experience—land preemption, Indian conflict, and stone-by-stone homebuilding—into a single surviving structure on the edge of Comanche country.
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Related people
- · John W. Bull
- · Pat Gannon
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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