Nearly 100 descendants of Leandor “Mint” Bullock and Mary Bullock gathered Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the Bullock Historic Memorial Garden for a historic ceremony honoring generations of Bullock family members.
“Today, we gather to honor and remember our ancestors whose lives, sacrifices, and legacy continue to inspire us. May this memorial serve as a lasting tribute to their memory and a reminder of the strong family foundation they left for us,” said Machella Jackson as she welcomed those gathered.
The ceremony was part of the 2026 Bullock Family Reunion’s Heritage Journey, which included stops in Howard and Pike counties. The centerpiece of the journey was the unveiling of six new legacy headstones at the family cemetery, joining the memorial established in 2018 for Leandor “Mint” Bullock (1846–1909) and Mary Bullock (1841–1911).
Mint and Mary Bullock were enslaved and lived to experience freedom after enduring what family members described as the “brutal inhumanity of slavery.” Their lives and the generations that followed are now being preserved through the Bullock Historic Memorial Garden.
The six newly unveiled headstones honor:
- Alice Bullock Benson (1904)
- William Bullock (1923)
- Doc Amos Bullock (1924)
- John Henry Bullock (1930)
- Viney Bullock (1944)
- Alice Jackson Bullock (1946)
The ceremony also recognized the memorial of John Wesley Bullock, a World War I veteran, honoring his military service as part of the family’s legacy.
Descendants of Promise Continue Family Tradition
The younger generation, known as the Descendants of Promise, played a special role in the ceremony. Several children participated in the unveiling and distributed flowers to those attending.
Family members placed the flowers on the headstones as a gesture of love, respect and remembrance.
The ceremony concluded with one of the Bullock family’s cherished reunion traditions, A BUTTERFLY RELEASE.
Each butterfly represented a family member who had passed away during the previous two years. The remaining butterflies were released in remembrance of those already buried in the cemetery.
As the butterflies emerged from their small triangular boxes and began to take flight, Charlotte Carr encouraged the family to release them. After reading ” As you release this butterfly in honor of me, no that I’m with you and will always be. Now fly away butterfly as high as you can go. I’m right here with you more than you know”.
The butterflies soaring over the memorial garden provided an emotional reminder of the family’s continuing connection across generations.
A Cemetery Transformed
The property has undergone a significant transformation since the family’s first memorial dedication in 2018.
At that time, the site was known simply as Bullock Cemetery. Visitors had to travel through a wooded trail and access the cemetery from the backside through the nearby Polk Cemetery grounds.
Today, a road provides direct access to the site, now known as the Bullock Historic Memorial Garden.
The improvements were made possible through the efforts of members of the Bullock Historic Committee since 2022 and the dedicated work of Pike County native Jerry Kizzia, age 83.
During Saturday’s ceremony, Kizzia was presented with a special citation recognizing his “dedicated, unwavering support in helping prepare the Bullock Historic Memorial Garden” and his “generosity, hard work and commitment” to preserving the Bullock family legacy.
“This did not exist the last time we were here,” Carr said. “It was just trees and we had to come through the other cemetery to get here. There was no road here the last time.”
Kizzia’s work included clearing trees and preparing the property, helping turn the previously difficult-to-access cemetery into a place where family members can gather and honor their ancestors.
Julia Bullock also presented Kizzia with a special gift—a new pair of overalls.
Bullock said that nearly every time she had seen Kizzia, he was wearing overalls, and she felt that after all of his hard work for the family, he deserved a new pair.
The gesture brought laughter and emotion to the ceremony.
Kizzia expressed his appreciation for the recognition and reflected on the significance of the reunion taking place during a year when America celebrates its 250th birthday.
“One day, when we all get to Heaven, let’s have another Bullock reunion,” Kizzia said.
His words were met with several “amens” from the crowd.
Community Support
Howard County Judge Brent Pinkerton also attended the ceremony and was recognized for the county’s contributions toward improving access to the memorial garden.
For the Bullock family, the transformation of the property represents much more than a physical improvement.
It represents the preservation of a family story that began with ancestors who endured slavery, survived, built families and left a legacy for generations to come.
The July 25 ceremony was a celebration of freedom, family, perseverance, sacrifice and remembrance.
The Bullock Historic Memorial Garden now stands as a lasting tribute to those who came before—and as a place where future generations can return to learn their history, honor their ancestors and continue the Bullock family legacy.
