Stephen Bull
Brigadier General

Stephen Bull was born in 1733 in Beaufort, SC. He grew up in Prince William Parish in the low country of South Carolina. Little is known of his early life, but it known that he was a second generation American who managed his father's plantations.

He represented Prince William in the Commons House in the Twenty-second Royal Assembly from 1757-60 and was Justice of the Peace for Colleton County in 1767 and for Granville County in 1756, 1765, 1767, and 1769. He represented St. Peter Parish in the First and Second Provincial Congresses in 1775-76 and in the House for the First General Assembly in 1776. The Assembly elected him to the Legislative Council in March of 1776 for the First General Assembly. He was a member of the Second General Assembly from 1776-78 and was elected to the Senate by Prince William for the Third General Assembly from 1779-80.

Despite his numerous public positions, he was active in the military, ultimately rising from a Colonel in the Colonial Militia in 1775 to a Brigadier General in the state militia in 1778. In 1778 he engaged the British in the Battle of St. Mary's and led the assault on the British at Beaufort, SC.

As a general officer, he commanded the militia district south of Charleston. Much of this district fell to the British in 1780 when the British attacked Charleston. After the surrender of Charleston on 12 May 1780, General Bull was imprisoned and later paroled. He moved to Virginia then Maryland where he lived for the remainder of the war.

After the war Bull returned to Prince William parish and was elected to the House for the Fifth General Assembly, which he declined. Subsequently, he served in Prince William in the House in the Sixth 1785 to 1786 and Seventh 1787 to 1788 General Assemblies. He was later elected to the Senate, but declined to serve. He became a member of the Charleston Library Society and lived out the remainder of his life in Prince William Parish managing his plantation interests.

Death and Burial

Brigadier General Stephen Bull died on 1 September 1800 in Beaufort, SC. He is buried at Prince Williams Parish Churchyard in Gardens Corner, SC.