Oscar Lewis FULLERTON, the son of Smallwood Wallace and Martha Eveline (JOHNSON) FULLERTON, was born in Afton, Union County, Iowa, on May 30, 1877. He was the oldest of six children, four of whom died in infancy and were interred at Gregg Cemetery, Clarke County, Iowa, where Smallwood and Martha were buried. Martha died when she gave birth to a son, Charles Wallace FULLERTON on March 18, 1892. After Martha's death, Smallwood married second to Dora BRAMMER and had three more children, two dying in infancy.

Charles Wallace FULLERTON died in Kansas City, Kansas on March 15, 1963. Elma Lulu (FULLERTON) ROUSH, Oscar's half-sister, was born June 1, 1904, and was living in Fresno, California, in 1982.

Oscar Lewis FULLERTON grew up in Ellston, Ringgold County, Iowa, where he graduated from High School. In 1902, Oscar graduated from Keokuk Medical College of Medicine and Surgery. He opened his first office in Ellston, Iowa, later coming to Redding by 1903. Returning to Medical College at Keokuk, Iowa, Oscar met Eva Louisa JOHNSON. The couple married on September 2, 1903, Kohoka, Missouri.

Eva, the daughter of Jonathan and Mary Ann (JOHNSON) JOHNSON, was born at Evansville, Indiana, on April 26, 1874.

Oscar and Eva were the parents of one child, a daughter, Zanita Margaret FULLERTON, born May 22, 1905. Zanita married Archie Leland SAVILLE on November 25, 1925, and they were the parents of three children.

 Dr. Charles C. LAWHEAD, a dentist from Mount Ayr, came on the train to Redding one day a week to attend to dental patients in Dr. FULLERTON's medical office. At right, Dr. LAWHEAD is working on his patient, Dr. FULLERTON.

It has been said that Dr. FULLERTON gave much of his life to the young people he loved and served. He encouraged these young people to pursue a career in nursing and was a shining inspiration to many young people.

  Dr. FULLERTON pursued his medical
practice in Redding, Iowa, a career that spanned 50 years, often doctoring three generations of some families. He faced many hardships during those 50 years; harsh, cold winters, the Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1917-1918, the smallpox epidemic of 1923 during which he dispensed vaccinations to over 2,500 people, and delivered 4,000 newborns, most of the time in the parents' homes.

In 1949, Dr. FULLERTON was honored when the town of Redding hosted "Dr. FULLERTON Day." Dr. FULLERTON was listed in the 1940 Who's Who in Iowa and in the 1976 Honor Roll of Distinguished Citizens of Ringgold County book.

Eva FULLERTON was active in church work and always furnished furniture and clothing for school plays.

Dr. FULLERTON died on February 12, 1858, at his home in Redding, Iowa. Eva died on September 11, 1960, Audubon, Iowa. They were interred at the Redding Cemetery, Redding, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Archie Leland SAVILLE was born in 1903, and died in 1983. Zanita Margaret (FULLERTON) SAVILLE died in 2002. Archine and Zanita were interred at Redding Cemetery, Redding, Ringgold County, Iowa.

SOURCE: Redding, Iowa: The First Hundred Years: 1882-1982 Pp. 80-81.

Ringgold County Honor Roll of Distinguished Citizens. Pp. 16-17. Mount Ayr Record-News Mount Ayr IA. 1976

Compilation and submission by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2009