"Casiville (Charlie)Bullard"(February 2,1873-June 1,1959)

He was the son of former slaves who worked as cotton pickers.He received only a third grade education because he had to work to help support his family from childhood on,Casiville learned bricklaying and stone masonry from a brother-in-law and excelled in both.He first came to St.Paul in 1898 to do stone work for the third State Capitol.In the following years,he lived and worked in Minnesota season,in 1902,he and his wife Addison (Addie) moved to the state permanently.Their first child Lillie was born in St.Paul the same year.Soon after he purchased land at 1202 Folsom Street in Como Heights neighborhood of St.Paul.His family lived in a tent on the property while he built a wooden house,which was under construction no later than 1904.Casiville worked on this house at night after he completed his workday,often with his wife holding a kerosene lamp to provide light.He was a card- carrying member of the Bricklayer Local #1,which was highly unusual for an African American of his time.Casiville likely became a member in Tennessee and received a traveling card to join the local in St.Paul when he moved to the city.This membership made him eligible for unionized work,which made up the bulk of significant  construction work done in St.Paul in the early twentieth century.Casiville was sought after for his skills,since it was rare to find a laborer proficient at both and stonework.He was part of the team that built many significant buildings in St.Paul such as the Federal Courts Building (now the Landmark Center),the Cathedral of St.Paul,the Governor's Residence,the Union Depot,and Highland Park Water Tower.He had a reputation as an expert in his field,and he applied all of his skills,including carpentry,to his family's second home,which he built of brick at 1282 Folsom Street in 1909.This house,is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places,had two stories in a foursquare design,a front and back,and a bay window.Other windows in the house held decorative stained glass.