Résumé

While still a student at the University of Illinois, it is possible that Bullard worked for his brother's architectural practice in Springfield. In 1880, Samuel Bullard had his own firm with offices in Springfield's Smith's Block. (See Gould's Springfield, Illinois, City Directory, 1880, p. 40.)

Partner, Bullard and [Samuel A.] Bullard, Architects and Superintendents, Springfield, IL and Tacoma, WA, c. 1885-1893. The partnership began with an office in Springfield, IL, by at least 1887, likely earlier. In 1887, Bullard and Bullard had its office in Room #5 of Springfield, IL's YMCA Building. (See Springfield, Illinois, City Directory, 1887, p. 60.) The firm had its offices in Rooms #48 and 49 of the Gross Building in Tacoma by 1891. (See Tacoma, Washington City Directory, 1891.) It is likely that George and Samuel Bullard discontinued their far-flung partnership during the Depression after 1893, when most building work dried up. Samuel became a very successful architect in the Springfield area, and served in various official capacities in the community, including as a trustee of his alma mater, the University of Illinois, and as Mayor of Springfield, IL, (1923-1926).

Principal, G.W. Bullard, Architect, Tacoma, WA, c. 1900-1910. In 1900, Bullard occupied Room #506 of the Fidelity Building in Tacoma. Only four architects were listed in the Polk Tacoma City Directory of 1900: G.W. Bullard, C.A. Darmer, John G. Proctor and Ambrose J. Russell. Bullard had Office #622 in the Provident Building, Tacoma, in 1905.

Partner, Bullard and [I.H.] Hill, Architects and Patent Solicitors, Tacoma, WA, c. 1915. This firm contineud to lease office space in Room #622 of the Provident Building. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1915, p. 159.)

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA).

President, AIA, Washington State Chapter, 1894-1895.

1st Vice-President, American Institute of Architects, Washington Chapter, 1906. (See "Washington State Chapter," American Institute of Architects Quarterly Bulletin, vol. VI, no. 4, 01/1906, p. 243.)

2nd Vice-President, American Institute of Architects, Washington Chapter, 1910-1911. At this time, he was one of four members from Tacoma, WA.

Professional Awards

Honorary Associate Member, AIA, Washington State Chapter, 1919. A Tacoma Daily Ledger article of 01/19/1919 covered the recent AIA Washington Chapter annual meeting in Seattle. At this event, Bullard was given an honorary associate membership to the chapter: “In recognition of his services to the profession as the first president of the Washington State Chapter of Architects in 1894, G.W. Bullard, architect, of Tacoma, was elected to honorary associate membership in the chapter at the 24th annual meeting held in Seattle last week. There were present at the convention prominent members of the profession from Portland, Ore., including the president of the Oregon state chapter, and Spokane, Everett, Bellingham and Tacoma. H.A. Hall, Earl A. Dugan, and Roland E. Borbek, president of the Tacoma Society of Architects, attended as representatives of the profession from Tacoma. A communication from President Kimball of the American Institute of Architects, the national body, was read at the banquet and a resolution recommending the establishment of an advisory art committee, with especial reference to the erection and establishment of war memorials in the state, was passed. The surprise of the convention was sprung at the afternoon session by the Tacoma contingent when application was presented for associate membership in the chapter by the members of the Tacoma Society and Mr. Bullard was elected. The guests were entertained by a trip to the University of Washington to view the new economics and science buildings recently completed.” (See “Tacoma Architect Is Given Honor,” Tacoma Daily Ledger, 01/19/1919, p. 23.)

High School/College

Graduate, Country School and University Academy, near Illiopolis, IL.

B.S., Architecture, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, c. 1881. At age 25, George Bullard was still in school according to the US Census of 1880.

M.S., Arch., University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, 1882. Three other Bullard brothers, including Samuel Alexander Bullard, Benjamin Franklin Bullard, and S. Foster Bullard, all attended the University of Illinois. Samuel, who also graduated with B.S. in Architecture in 1878, attained high distinction there. serving as President and Orator of his Senior Class and editor of the student newspaper, the Illiini, in 1877-1878. Benjamin graduated in literature, and became an educator working in Illinois (1882-1886 and after 1897), Dakota Territory, (1886-1890), and Washington State (1890-1897). S. Foster graduated from Illinois in Civil Engineering, and became a City of Tacoma Engineer. (See The Alumni Record of the University of Illinois at Urbana, Frank William Scott, ed., [Urbana: University of Illinois, 1906], pp. 36, 62-63, and 92.)

Relocation

According to his WA State death certificate, George Wesley Bullard was born In Springfield, IL. The information on the death certificate was furnished by his second wife, Ella Heath, who married Bullard late in his life in 1927. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Death Index, 1940-2017 Source Information Ancestry.com. Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-2017 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2002, accessed 02/14/2025.) George Wesley Bullard's own obituary in a Tacoma newspaper, however, indicated that he had been born in Mechanicsburg, IL, a town about 18 miles east of Springfield.

It appears that the Bullard family lived outside of Springfield, toward the eastern side of Sangamon County, likely near Mechanicsburg, IL, or Illiopolis, IL, between about 1835 until 1884. His father Wesley owned land nearby to that of his brother (George Wesley's uncle) John Bullard (1805-1872), in Sangomon County, IL, as per the US Censuses of 1850 and 1860. Two other sources indicated that they lived outside of Springfield, including the 1904 book Past and Present of the City of Springfield and Sangamon County Illinois, Volume 1 (See "Samuel A. Bullard," in Joseph Wallace, Past and Present of the City of Springfield and Sangamon County Illinois, Volume 1, [Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1904], p. 497.)An obituary in Springfield’s Illinois State Journal said of Wesley Bullard, George’s father: “Mr. Bullard came to Illinois in 1835 while a young man, entered land in the eastern part of Sangamon county near Mechanicsburg and had since been a continuous resident of the county. He lived on his farm where he was quite successful till 1884, in which year he purchased property in this city [Springfield] and removed here with his family." It is possible that George Wesley Bullard was born in a medical facility in Springfield, but this was not common for most farm families of the time. It is more likely that he had been born on the family farm, by a mid-wife, in 1855. (See Find a Grave.com, "Wesley Bullard," accessed 02/14/2025. This website quoted an obituary on Wesley Bullard found in Springfield's Illinois State Journal, published on 03/26/1895.)

A sizeable number of other families living in the agricultural hamlet of Illiopolis during the 1850s and 1860s had migrated to the area from KY, including those of James Hunter, (who was one of the first Euro-Americans to settle in the area by 1828), John S. Clinkinbeard, (born 12/ 08/1822 in Clarke County, KY), William F. Garvey, (born 08/22/1829 in Owen County, KY), John H. Kendall, Sr., (born 02/28/1824 in Nelson County, KY),Aaron C. Ford, (born 01/13/1827 in Marshall County, KY) as well as his brother John. (See History of Sangamon County, Illinois, [Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Company, 1881], pp 919-929.)

The 1860 US Census listed his mother as Sarah Bullard (born c. 1824 in KY), and his siblings as W.N. Bullard, James R. Bullard, John N. Bullard, Francis B. Bullard, Samuel Bullard, and Benjamin F. Bullard. In 1860, Wesley's real estate was worth a substanial $10,500. His personal estate was $3,500. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: District 16, Sangamon, Illinois; Page: 378; Family History Library Film: 803226, accessed 10/05/2020.)

In 1870, the US Census again located George Wesley Bullard in Illiopolis, IL, living with his father and siblings Francis Bullard, a farm laborer, Samuel Bullard, Benjamin Bullard, Foster Bullard and Julia Bullard. Another person, Eliza Kidet, (born c. 1848 in OH), perhaps a servant, also was listed as residing with the family. The US Census of 1870 indicated that his mother was Elizabeth Bullard, (born c. 1828 in VA), who kept house.

By 1870 Wesley Bullard's assets had grown. He owned a substantial $15,000 worth of property and had a personal estate of $3,000 in 1870. John Bullard, (born c. 1805 in KY), lived on adjoining land with his large family of eight children. John Bullard also owned a great deal of land worth $24,000, and had a personal estate of $5,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Illiopolis, Sangamon, Illinois; Roll: M593_281; Page: 197B; Family History Library Film: 545780, accessed 10/05/2020.)

According to the 1880 US Census, George Bullard lived with his family on a farm in Wheatfield, IL. Bullard and his brother, Samuel, resided in Springfield, IL, in 1880 and worked as an architect. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois; Roll: 249; Page: 256a; Enumeration District: 230, accessed 02/14/2025.)

In 1887, George Bullard lived with his brother Wesley in a dwelling at 616 West Monroe Street in Springfield. (See Springfield, Illinois, City Directory, 1887, p. 60.)

Brothers George Wesley and Samuel A. Bullard moved to Tacoma, WA, from Springfield, IL, by about 1890. Their names appeared in the Tacoma, Washington City Directory, 1891, as being "of Springfield, IL."

Bullard lived at 523 North J Street in Tacoma in 1900. At that time, Bullard and his wife lived with his wife's sister, Ada Heath, (born 07/1855 in MO), and two boarders, Beulah Olsen, (born 09/1878 in IL) and Lizzie Smith, (born 08/1885 in IL). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 2, Pierce, Washington; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0164; FHL microfilm: 1241748, accessed 10/05/2020.)

In 1910, Bullard lived with his wife and their 18-year-old servant, Alma Nelson (born in WA) on West Road in Tacoma, WA. Five years later, he and Anna continued to make their residence at 75 West Road in the city's Prospect Hill neighborhood. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1915, p. 159.)

George and Anna lived at 102 Saint Helens Avenue, in the Bonneville Apartments in 1920.

In 1934, Bullard lived at 302 North Yakima Avenue, Apartment #B2. (See Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1934, p. 117.) A year later, at his death, his residence was reported as being 210 South Tacoma Avenue. (See "Injuries Fatal to G.W. Bullard," Tacoma Daily Ledger, 05/31/1935, p. 12.)

According to his WA State death certificate. Bullard died various injuries, including a fractured skull and ribs, as well as a cerebral hemorrhage and emphysema at Tacoma General Hospital on 05/30/1935. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Death Index, 1940-2017 Source Information Ancestry.com. Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-2017 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2002, accessed 02/14/2025.) He sustained these fractures after being struck by a Port Defiance streetcar at North 37th Street and Cheyenne Street in Tacoma on 05/28/1935. (See "1 Killed, 2 Hurt in Mishaps," Tacoma Daily Ledger, 05/29/1935, p. 1 and "Architect Hit by Street Car," Tacoma News Tribune, 05/29/1935, p. 1.)

Parents

His father was Wesley Bullard (born c. 1813 in KY), a relatively prosperous farmer. The US Census of 1860 listed his mother as being Sarah Ann Foster Bullard, while that of 1870 listed her as "Elizabeth Bullard." Sarah passed away in 1861, and Wesley remarried Elizabeth Kidd Holtzman, (born 1828 in OH-d. 1908 in Springfield, IL), before 1870.

By Sarah, Wesley had the following children: W.N. Bullard, (born c. 1844 in IL), James R. Bullard (born c. 1846 in IL), John N. Bullard, (born c. 1848 in IL), Francis B. Bullard, (born c. 1850 in IL), Samuel Alexander Bullard, (born 03/25/1853 in Illiopolis, IL-d. 12/06/1926 in Springfield, IL), George Wesley Bullard, Benjamin Franklin Bullard, (born 02/23/1858 in Illiopolis, IL), S. Foster Bullard, (born 02/13/1861 in Mechanicsburg, IL). By Elizabeth, he had two children, one of whom was Julia Bullard, (born c. 1867 in IL).

Benjamin, like George, was in school in 1880. Foster worked on the family farm.

George and his brother Samuel Bullard operated an architectural firm called "Bullard and Bullard," that had offices in both Springfield, IL and Tacoma. WA. Another Bullard, probably Samuel, listed in the city directory as an engineer one year older than George, lived in Tacoma, WA, in 04/1892.

Spouse

Bullard married Anna Heath, (born 03/1852 in IL), on 07/10/1895 in Tacoma, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Reference Number: prcmc-vol-2_109-DA1, accessed 10/15/2019.) Anna's father came from MD, her mother, PA.

George then wed Ella Heath (born 03/17/1860 in Rockford, IL-d. 04/08/1937 in Champaign, IL) on 06/19/1927 in Portland, OR. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center For Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Marriages, 1911-1945, accessed 02/14/2025.) Ella had been born in Rockford, IL, and was an artist. According to one newspaper report, she had been a student of the noted sculptor, Lorado Taft (1860-1936), who taught at both the University of Illinois and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. (See "Club Women Begin New Bible Study," Tacoma Daily Ledger, 11/19/1933, p. 19.)

Her parents were Rev. Nathaniel Pinkard Heath (born 08/16/1818 in Urbana, OH-d. 08/24/1879 in Ashalnd, WI) and Cynthia Burnett(born 12/10/1822 in Sullivan County, IN-d. 09/12/1897 in Champaign, IL).

Children

According to the 1900 US Census, Bullard and his wife, Anna, had had one child, who had died by the time the census had been taken. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 2, Pierce, Washington; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0164; FHL microfilm: 1241748, accessed 10/05/2020.)

Biographical Notes

Prior to 10/05/2020, the birthdate of George Wesley Bullard was listed as 1856-07 in PCAD. This was incorrect. He was born on 07/31/1855.

Member, Free and Accepted Masons Lodge, Tacoma, WA. He was a Knight Templar at this lodge.

Member, Washington State Historical Society.