Fullerton, Thomas Aaron Family

FULLERTON, THOMPSON, SHIPP, GREENLAND, EVERETT, WEST, WILLIAMS, RHODES, COLLINS, CARRIER, WILSON

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/29/2019 at 20:10:32

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 257-59. Chicago. 1915.

THOMAS A. FULLERTON

Thomas A. Fullerton, who owns eighty acres of fine land in Richland township and also holds title to one hundred and sixty acres in Nebraska, is a native of Muskingum county, Ohio, his birth occurring on the 18th of April, 1840. His father, Thomas Fullerton, was born in Pennsylvania, March 23, 1813, of Irish parentage, and removed to Ohio at an early day in the history of that state. After following agricultural pursuits there for a number of years he came to Iowa, locating in Des Moines county, and three years later he made his way to Richland township, Decatur county, locating on section 1, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land. There he continued to follow agricultural pursuits successfully until his demise, which occurred April 19, 1898, when he was eighty-five vcars of age. He was a republican and held a number of local offices. Fraternally he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and while living in Ohio he was identified with the Covenanter church, although he became a member of the United Brethren church after removing to Iowa. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eleanor Thompson, was born in the Buckeye state on the 24th of July, 1819, and died about 1873. They were the parents of ten children, five of whom survive, and three are residents of Iowa, namely, Thomas A., James and George.

Thomas A. Fullerton, who is the third in order of birth, was reared under the parental roof and received a limited education as the schools in this county were primitive in the early days and as much of his time was devoted to the work of the farm. On the 9th of December, 1861, he became a member of Company A, Seventeenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served at the front for almost four years, being discharged on the 15th of April, 186.5. He participated in the battles at Corinth, Chattanooga and luka, took part in the siege of Vicksburg and was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. Mr. Fullerton's regiment was captured in Georgia but as he was at the time on special detail he escaped imprisonment. He was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, and immediately returned to his home in this county. He has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and owns eighty acres of excellent and well improved land in Richland township, upon which he resides. He also has a farm in Nebraska.

Mr. Fullerton was married July 6, I860, to Miss Armilda Jane Shipp, who was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, on the 12th of August, 1850. Her parents, John and Mary Shipp, in the '50s removed to Clarke county, Iowa, where the mother passed away. The father's demise occurred in Nebraska. They were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Fullerton is the eldest. By her marriage she has become the mother of fourteen children: Ulysses, who is living in Nebraska and has three children; Fidelia, who was born May 7, 1868, and is deceased; John, who has also passed away; William, who died in infancy; Mary O., the wife of John Wilson, a farmer of Clarke county, by whom she has nine children; Blanche, who married Oscar West, of Clarke county, by whom she has eight children; Stella, the wife of Louis Greenland, of Richland township, and the mother of four children; Sarilda, the wife of Guy H. Williams, of Richland township, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Albert D., of Clarke county, who married Mabel Everett; Sylvia M., who is a nurse by profession and is residing at home; one who died unnamed; Jane M., the wife of Thomas Collins, of Richland township, by whom she has four children; Zora, who married Edward Carrier, of Clarke county, by whom she has two children; and Frank, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton have thirty grandchildren and one great-grandchild, the daughter of Mrs. Ethel Rhodes, who is a daughter of Mrs. Mary O. Wilson.

Mr. Fullerton is a republican and has always been a stalwart supporter of the measures and candidates of that party. Both he and his wife belong to the Christian church, to the work of which they have contributed generously of their means. He is one of the pioneers of this county and is deserving of honor for the work which he has done in developing a farm from the virgin prairie and in assisting in the progress and advancement of his community. In all relations of life he has conformed his conduct to high standards of morality, and his friends are many.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014