William L. Bull

William Lanman Bull Sr.
Born	Template:Birth date New York City, U.S.
Died	January 2, 1914(1914-01-02) (aged 69)
Occupation	Banker
Known for	President of the New York Stock Exchange

William Lanman Bull Sr. (August 23, 1844 – January 2, 1914) was a prominent American banker who held the position of president of the New York Stock Exchange.

Early life

Born in New York City on August 23, 1844, Bull was the youngest child of Frederic Bull and Mary Huntington (née Lanman) Bull. His siblings included Elizabeth Atwater Bull, married to merchant Augustus Oscar van Lennep, as well as Frederic Bull and Anna Chester Bull.

On his father's side, his grandparents were Elizabeth (née Atwater) Bull and Jireh Bull, a descendant of Rhode Island's Governor Henry Bull. Maternal lineage traced back to Peter Lanman and Abigail (née Trumbull) Lanman, who was sister to Connecticut Governor Joseph Trumbull. Through his mother’s family, he was also a first cousin to scholar Charles Rockwell Lanman.

Bull completed his education at the College of the City of New York in 1864 following preparatory studies.

Career

Following graduation, Bull embarked on his professional journey with Edward Sweet & Co., a banking firm established in 1854 with offices at Wall and Broad Streets, where his brother-in-law held the role of senior partner. In 1867, he became a partner in the firm and maintained this role for more than forty-five years. The company earned a reputation as "a Vanderbilt and Rockefeller house," attracting influential clients such as E. H. Harriman. Additionally, Bull held directorships in several railroad companies including Northern Pacific Railway, East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway, New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

Bull joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1869 as one of fifty brokers who obtained membership during its merger with the gold board. He subsequently served on the Exchange’s board of governors and was elected president in May 1888, completing two terms until 1890.

He stepped down from his career in 1908. Shortly after his passing, Edward Sweet & Co., which was then located at 34 Pine Street, was dissolved; its operations were taken over by Chandler Brothers & Co. Lewis E. Waring became a partner at Chandler Brothers & Co., whereas Bull’s son Frederic and son-in-law Louis Livingston did not continue with the business.

Personal life

On February 15, 1871, Bull married Sara Newton "Tasie" Worthington, daughter of inventor and businessman Henry Rossiter Worthington. Their residence was at 805 Fifth Avenue, and they had three children:

• Frederic Bull (1871–1948), who wed his second cousin Mary Helen Robinson in 1895; following their divorce in 1926 he remarried twice—to Susan Fish Dresser and later Corinne Howell Strange.
• Henry Worthington Bull (1874–1958), who married Maud Maria Livingston in 1904; her family was associated with notable social personalities including Fred Astaire.
• William Lanman Bull Jr. (1880–1912), who married Matilda E. Heppenheimer in 1904.

Bull participated actively in numerous organizations tied to commerce and culture such as the New York Chamber of Commerce, American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New-York Historical Society, Sons of the American Revolution, New York Zoological Society, Century Association, Grolier Club, Union Club, Metropolitan Club, Republican Club among others.

He passed away from heart disease on January 2, 1914 at his home in New York. Following services held at Grace Church, he was interred in the family vault located at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.