https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166299494/paul-stull

In Stewart Township, Fayette County, PA, "... Paul Stull and Peter Bruner settled soon after the Revolution." History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, by Franklin Ellis, Lippencott Press, 1882, p.775.

In some records his given name was spelled "Paull," but his surname (and that of his descendants) has consistently been spelled "Stull," (unlike other Stulls in MD and PA, whose surname may appear as Stoll, Stalle, or Stahl, or a similar variation, with an alleged German origin). In only one document, a land warrant for 200 acres dated May 5, 1795, in Wharton County, PA (and which was carried over into the deed maps of Fayette County, PA) was his name spelled "Paul Stool." That deed record also has unusual spellings of the names of his neighbors, Wayerman for Christian Wireman; Collones for John Collins; Briner, probably a reference to Peter Bruner; and Shells, probably a reference to Thomas Shields.

His origin and parentage are unknown to this descendant and researcher and, despite two trips to the Fayette County courthouse and years of online research, he cannot yet be linked with any confidence to other Stulls of his generation in southwestern PA.

On April 19, 1800, Paul Stull purchased land known as "Farmers 'Hope' situate on the waters of Johnathan's Run in Wharton Township Fayette County… thence by land of Christian Wireman" from Richard Beeson, who had acquired it as the original grantee from PA on July 25, 1799. This deed (Book D, pp. 211—212) shows Paul Stull as a resident of Wharton Township. However, he was already a resident of the county prior to 1790, as he appears in 1786, 1789, and 1790 census reports in Wharton Township, Fayette County, PA.

He married Mary (maiden name unknown; although some allege it is Abraham).

They had the following children, all of whom appear to have been born at the family farm (thus in Westmoreland County (pre-1783) or Fayette County, PA, after its formation in 1783*:

Susanna Stull Shaffer
1772—1848?

Mary Stull Shaffer
1775—after 1860

Henry Stull
1776—unknown

Elizabeth Stull Rush
1778—1838

Jacob Stull
1786—May 5, 1875
(date of death from probate records;
headstone shows May 4, 1875)

Charles Stull
1787—August 1863

Esther Stull Tissue (or Tishue)
February 19, 1791—October 21, 1855
per headstone, 64Y, 8M, 2D = February 19, 1791;
perhaps February 1 as originally shown was calculation with assumption that 2D as shown on marker was instead 20 days.

John Stull
1792—1837 (between 1834 and June 1838)
estimated from census reports and military
and deed records, although inconsistent
with headstone dates, signed a deed with wife on March 3, 1834;
wife took title in own name, June 4, 1838;
date of death, September 28, 1858, of wife, Thankful Tissue Stull,
shown on headstone is also in error; her son
executed a bond to administer her estate on
September 14, 1858.

Hannah Stull Walters
1793–after 1860

Sarah (Sally) Stull
1802—unknown.

His estate records confirm the names of each of the foregoing children. Esther Stull Tissue and her husband filed a partition action naming these individuals and identifying the spouses of Paul's daughters. Paul's wife Mary Stull survived him (she executed a waiver of her rights to his estate) but her date of death remains a mystery.

Paul's date of death, February 22, 1815, as reported by some family members, is probably accurate. On February 20, 1815, Paul executed a document to sell property to William Taylor (possibly William Samuel Taylor who married Paul's granddaughter Mary Shaffer Taylor, daughter of Susanna Stull Shaffer and Michael Shaffer) and on March 31, 1815, Charles Stull and Jacob Stull executed a bond to adminster his estate.

• All records of this family show origin in Fayette (or its predecessor, Westmoreland) County. Family trees reflecting children of Paul born in Somerset or Washington Counties appear to have erroneously merged other unrelated Stull families with this one.

bio by Greg Stull