The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-04-08
GAINED FAME As A MERCHANT
Was Founder of Western Stores but
Never Forgot His Early friendships
Along Fox River.-Told of Famous
Old Tavern Owned by His Father.

Letters received from Lawrence Kan
sas on Tuesday announce the death Of
Lathrop Bullene formerly spelled Bull
len), the Oldest of the early pioneers
of Pike and Southport, surviving. Mr..
Bullene died at Elm Park Place
in Lawrence, last Friday morning at
the age Of eighty years. He had
lived in Lawrence since 1867 and had
made for himself name in the great
state Of Kansas and throughout the
west as one of the leaders in merchan-
dising trade.
He had founded great stores in
Lawrence and in Kansas City, the lat
ter store now being known under the
firm name Of Emery, Bird and Thayer.
It is by all measures the greatest de-
partment store in the vast territory to
the west of ST. Louis. Mr.. Bullene
had an active interest in this great
store for many years, but in the past
twenty years he had lived a retired
life at Lawrence. He is survived by
his widow to whom he had been mar
ried for more than sixtysix years and
two sons and two daughters. The sons,
w. L. Bullene and Herbert Bullene,
both of Lawrence, Kas., and the
daughters, Mrs. Frederick G. Gay Of
Kansas City, and Mrs. A. D. Weaver
Of Lawrence.
Lathrop Bullene was one Of the most
interesting Of the pioneer residents Of
Kenosha. He came to the banks of the
Pike River on May 1st, 1887, and was
brother Of John Bullene, Jr., and Will
liam Bullene, two of the pioneer
settlers Of this section of the state.
He was the son of General John Bull
lene, who was also one of the most ac-
tive of the early pioneers of Kenosha
and the surrounding territory. Mr..
Bullene was born in Hannibal, Oswego
county, New York, July 7, 1926. Only
eleven years later his father came to
Wisconsin, bringing his family with
him and settled on the Fox River in
the town Of Salem. He was engaged
in farming and was the owner Of the
famous old tavern on the Fox River.
At the age of twenty-one Lathrop
Bullene was married in Kenosha to
Miss Susan F. Reed, formerly of Bed
ford, Westchester county, New York.
The wedding took place at a house
which had stood on the site of the
present office building Of the N. R. Al
lens Sons tannery Mr.. Bullene was
educated in the chools Of old Southport
and in that villages he laid the foun-
dations for his life as a business man
which afterward made him one of the
notable figures of the great west. He
began his life as a clerk IN a store in
Kenosha and later as partner in
store in which his brother was the
senior member of the firm. He went
from Kenosha to Lyons, Wis.,, and af-
ter remaining there three years he went
to New York where he opened store
on Third avenue where he was in bust
ness for number of years. Then he
heard the call of the west and he went
to Lawrence Kansas, in 1857. Here he
engaged in general merchandising I'M
der the firm name of Bullene and Read.
Mr. Bullene later took over the bust
ness and in 1863 he sustained loss of
$4,000, as a result of the Quantrell
raid. Before this he had started
business in Kansas City and in this
business he gained his greatest fame as
a merchant prince.
Mr.. Bullene never forgot Kenosha
and his early associations here and in
recent years he had kept in close touch
with his old friends in Kenosha. He
was always able to tell something of
interest of the first beginners of
Southport and Kenosha. Only short
time ago, at the request of one of his
friends here, Mr.. Bullene prepared an
interesting history of the old Tavern
on the Fox River. This interesting lit
tie bit Of county history is reproduced
just as it was written by Mr.. Bullene.
It follows:
Notable among the old time taverns
of Southern Wisconsin was the Alex
Muck Chowoc House. built by
General John Buliene in 1887. The
name is from Indian words, signifying
Great Bend.
Tie Tavern was located in the
town Of Salem, Kenosha county, on the
bank of Fox River, at a beautiful and
picturesque point where the river
makes long and graceful bend to the
east. 1T stood few feet north Of the
east end Of .Bullene IS Bridge, =
which was built early in 1887 by Gen
cral BulIcnc, almost entirely at his own
axnanse. This bridge was for several