Biography of Robert Bullock, Marion County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. 
II, page 318, 1923.

BULLOCK, General ROBERT was one of Florida's most distinguished public men, representing 
the North Carolina branch of this famous family.  He came to Florida about the time it 
entered the Union, and served the state as a lawyer, soldier, judge and congressman until 
practically the closing days of his life.

General BULLOCK was born in North Carolina, December 8, 1828.  His father was RICHARD BULLOCK 
and his mother's maiden name was PANNELL, both natives of North Carolina.  ROBERT BULLOCK 
was educated under the direction of Professor CAM MITCHELL, and his early years were spent 
in teaching.  Coming to Florida in 1844, at the age of sixteen, he located in Marion County, 
and in 1849 was elected circuit clerk of that county, holding the office six years.  In 
1856 Governor Brown commissioned him to organize a company of mounted volunteers, of which 
he became captain, and he was on duty in the field for eighteen months protecting the border 
settlements from Indians.  On his return to Ocala he studied law in the office of St. George
Rogers, and was admitted to the bar and began practice shortly before the outbreak of the 
war between the states.

At the beginning of the war Governor Milton commissioned him to raise a company, which became 
part of the Seventh Florida Regiment.  He was elected lieutenant-colonel of the regiment.  
For a time he was located at Smyrna, and after the organization of the Seventh Florida 
Regiment he went to Tennessee with the command and served in the Kentucky campaign under 
Gen. KIRBY SMITH, participating in the battle of Richmond.  In 1862 he was promoted to colonel.  
He participated in the Tullahoma campaign and the battle of Chickamauga and at Missionary 
Ridge was captured and sent as a prisoner of war to Johnston's Island in Lake Erie, where 
he remained from November 1, 1863, to March, 1864.  On being exchanged he resumed the 
command of his regiment, and at the battle of Resaca, after General Finley was wounded, he 
was made brigade commander, and was confirmed with the rank of brigadier-general in spite of 
the protests of senior colonels of the regiment.  As brigade commander he was in the battles 
of Kennesaw Mountain, Dallas, Peachtree Creek, at Atlanta on July 22, and was severely wounded 
in the battle of Utoy Creek.  He was with Gen. N. B. FORREST at Murfreesboro and was wounded 
there in December, 1864, being disabled for further field duty.  On recovering he resumed 
his law practice, and was appointed judge of the Circuit Court.  From this office he was 
removed during the reconstruction days of 1868.

In the years following the war, while attending to an extensive law practice, he was repeatedly 
honored with evidences of public esteem.  In 1872 he was nominated by the democratic convention 
for lieutenant-governor, was a presidential elector in the Tilden campaign of 1876, and in 
1880 was elected clerk of the Circuit Court, filling that office eight years,  In 1888 he was 
elected to congress, and represented the Florida District in the Fifty-first and Fifty-second 
congresses.  General BULLOCK retired from public life in 1892, and, locating at Lake Weir, 
he devoted himself to the management of his extensive orange and lemon groves until the 
property was almost destroyed in the freeze of 1895.  In that year he returned to Ocala, and 
upon the death of Jude Hill was appointed to fill his unexpired term as judge of the Fifth 
Judicial District.  At the next election he was chosen to this office for a four year term, 
later was mayor and postmaster at Ocala.  

General BULLOCK died at Ocala August 7, 1905.  In May, 1852, he married AMANDA L. WATERMAN, 
of Ocala, and their marriage companionship was not broken for more than half a century.  She 
died in 1904.  Of the thirteen children born to their marriage six reached mature age, including 
Judge W. S. BULLOCK, R. B. BULLOCK, B. F. BULLOCK, Mrs. MARIE E. WRIGHT, Mrs. HATTIE WRIGHT 
and Mrs. LORETTA BIRDSEY.