John Perkins Bull House

Lot 8, Con. 4 West. Rustic Rd. - 450. John Perkins Bull House, "Downsview House," at 450 Bull Road. In 1830 Bartholomew Bull bought Lot 8 to give to his son, John Perkins Bull, when he turned 21. In 1842 John Perkins Bull began clearing the land and built a small cabin. By 1844 the present house was built and, after marrying Caroline Amelia Carpenter, Bull opened his home to the Wesleyan Methodist community for religious services. Both the house and farm became known as "Downs View," eventually giving name to the whole community. John Perkins Bull was a justice of the peace (nicknamed "Squire Bull"), holding court from his home, and later a courtroom built off of the house. The house was a nursing home in 1964 when the photo was taken, and still exists as North Park Nursing Home. William Perkins Bull (1870-1948), a descendant of John born at Downsview, among many achievements wrote the best early local history of the area, ''From Oxford to Ontario''.