Bulman family reunion held

The 56th annual reunion of Bulman descendants was held Sunday, July 20 at the Community Center in Eitzen, MN.
Five Bulman ancestors came to America from Little Thetford, England (70 miles north of London) in the 1850s. A sailing ship took them to New Orleans, LA and then they went upriver to Evansville, IN, where they stayed for five years before settling in English Bench near Dorchester.
A potluck dinner was followed by a business meeting led by Chairman Bruce Bulman of Caledonia, MN. Five people portrayed the earliest pioneers and gave readings about them.
Tom Bulman of Decorah portrayed the first settler, Thomas Bulman. Mary (Bulman) Sperduto portrayed Thomas’ wife, Phoebe (Stocks) Bulman. Lois (Bulman) Wiedenmann portrayed Thomas’ mother, Elizabeth (Merill) Bulman. James Bulman of Waukon portrayed his grandfather, James Thomas Bulman, farmer and Sheriff of Allamakee County. Debbie (Bulman) Hargreth of Eitzen, MN portrayed James Thomas’ wife, Matilda (Hartley) Bulman.
Laina (Meyer) Ford gave the historian’s report of births, deaths and marriages in the Bulman clan.
Marriages: Brooke (Staggemeyer) and Cody Heimer of Eitzen, MN; Karin (Gaertner) and Charles Davis of Olathe, KS.
Births: Caiden Mark Heimer to Brooke and Cody Heimer of Eitzen, MN; Gretta Colette Campbell to  Kristin (Billings) and Ryan Campbell of Adel; Rebecca Joy Gerdes to Nathan and Theresa Gerdes of Fairmont; Chloe (Anne) Gerdes to Liz and Jonathan Gerdes of Caledonia, MN; Addison Ruth McLear to Aubrey (Ruben) and William McLear of Chippewa Falls, WI; Ethan Ross Kruse to Christine (Ross) and Jacob Kruse of Hokah, MN; Cora Rose Kaltsas to Melissa (Ford) and Alex Kaltsas of Grinnell; Harper Jo Baumbler to Erica (Ford) and Tanner Baumbler of Waukon.
Deaths: Edna Outram Spencer, Coventry, England (Ann Goose descendant); Ray Outram (brother of Edna), Coventry, England; Dean Alfred Bulman, son of Helga (Sadler) and Alton Bulman, husband of Grace Meyer Bulman of Eitzen, MN; Charles Bulman, son of Leonard and Martha (Barthell) Bulman of Waukon; Eiko Bulman, wife of James Bulman of Tucson, AZ; Delores (Weber) Dehning, daughter of Hazel (Beardmore) and George Weber of Dorchester; Lloyd Dehning, husband of Delores (Weber) Dehning of Dorchester; John White, Jr., son of John and Clara (Bulman) White of Postville.
Jan (Bulman) Ruben gave the registrar’s report, listing 42 persons present.
Evelyn (Wenig) Staggemeyer gave the treasurer’s report.
Visitors from out of the local area were James Bulman of Tucson, AZ and Karin (Gaertner) and Charles Davis of Olathe, KS.
This was the first year that the most senior ladies were not present - Edna (Johnson) Bulman (Mrs. Eldon) of Northgate and Edith Bulman Feuerhelm (Mrs. Charles) of Postville.
Unable to attend and sending their regrets were John and Sandy Bulman of Tulsa, OK and John and Elaine Meyer of Northwood.
The family plans to gather again next year, the third Sunday in July, 2015.