Person:Samuel Fulton (9)

From Rootsweb.com post:

From: "Richard Fulton" <rfulton@us.ibm.com> Subject: [FULTON] Mysterious Samuel Fulton NC-FL-LA part 2- Augusta VA connection Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 19:17:24 -0500

Thanks to Carol Proctor and Pat Stark for valuable additonal information. Also we are all indebted to the wonderful work to which I have partly referred on Augusta VA Fulton's by Norma Jennings and the late Katherine Bushman.

In my first note I reviewed some information about a Samuel Fulton who was an agent in the US and in France for General George Rogers Clarke in intrigues involving the possibility of a private American frontier army funding and supported by France to take control of Spanish possessions in North America of Florida and Lousianna in the mid 1790's. I was investigating whether this Samuel Fulton might be the same Samuel Fulton who married Elizabeth Vanlandingham in 1796 in Logan County, KY and lived in nearby Muhlenburg County KY.

First, I now believe the Clarke agent Samuel Fulton and the Muhlenburg KY Samuel Fulton are not the same person. I came to this conclusion by comparing their signatures from a Muhlenburg land deed and from the various letters in the Draper manuscripts from Agent Samuel Fulton. I also did some addtional research in Louisianna and found references to indicate that Agent Samuel Fulton remained in Spanish territory after the efforts with Clarke were not realized and remained there continuously through the acquisition of the territory by the United States.

In my research on this puzzle I have reviewed addtional information on the Samuel Fulton, agent of George Rogers Clarke, which I believe point to his connection to the Augusta VA. Fulton's and provide intriquing clues that might link some of the Orange NC Fulton's to the Augusta VA Fulton's.

First, some addtional information on Samuel Fulton, agent of George Roger's Clarke. This Samuel Fulton certainly lead an interesting life. From Draper papers and comparing to known historical facts, we piece together that Samuel was born in NC and was living or at least visiting at his mother's house in Guilford NC in the summer of 1790. From there he went to Florida (then Spanish territory and under the control of the powerful Creek Indian confederacy headed by Alexander McGilivray. He met Gen. Clarke and entered his employ about 1794. He went north through Tennessee Territory, near Knoxville (did he visit Fulton relatives there perhaps?) in 1793 into Kentucky to meet with Clark. He spent time in Philadelphia, Paris, New York, and back in Spanish Florida. When the plots failed to materialize he appears to have stayed in Spanish West Florida, in an area that was known by that name at the time but was actually just east of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge in Lousianna in present East Baton Rouge Parish Lousianna.

>From Vol 21, page 708 of "The Lousianna Historical Quarterly" we find our Mysterious Samuel Fulton listed as a Colonel of the 1st Regiment of Infantry in the Lousianna Militia, and in the notes we find the following: "Samuel Fulton had long been connected with intrigues in the southwest. In 1797 though an American citizen, he served as agent of the French Directory in contacting George Rogers Clark in connection with a projected expedition against New Orleans and in attempting to enlist the Creek Indians in the French service. He proffered his services to Madison in 1803 at the time of the Lousianna Purchase. He became a resident of Baton Rouge and as adjutant-general of the West Florida militia he thoroughly reorganized that body and aided in repelling the Kemper attack upon Baton Rouge in 1804. He married a daughter of Governor Carlos de Grand Pre' of West Florida, and was prominent in the public affairs of the Spanish Province. Madison, upon Claiborne's suggestion, designated him as a "discreet person" to open the United States mail bags at Baton Rouge and distribute the mail addressed to residents of that jurisdiction. In January, 1809, Governor De Lassus appointed him one of four commissioners to survey the Bayou Manchas (Iberville River) to determine if it could be rendered navigable or if a road could be constructed along its northern bank for use during low water. Early in 1810 he suggested to Madison that the United States take possession of West Florida and offered his aid. He was one of the signers of the Baton Rouge petition for a popular assembly to present grievances against the Spanish administration, on July 6, 1810, and two days later the Baton Rouge delegates to the convention were selected at a meeting held in his house."

Certainly seems Samuel led an interesting life. It appears this is the same Samuel Fulton who appears in the 1820 US Census of East Baton Rouge Lousianna with one male over 45 years old and one female under 10 and one female 18-26. This would appear to be our mysterious Samuel and his young wife Helena De Grend Pre' and their daughter Maria Josefina. More on that later. Then in 1830 is listed a widow Fulton with only two females in the household the correct ages to be Samuel's widow and daugther. Interestingly, nearby in 1830 is a Jesse Fulton born in the 1790's with 8 children, 3 boys and 5 girls. Jesse is not a very common Fulton first name and Orange County North Carolina reseachers will recognize that a Jesse Fulton, born before 1755 was in Orange County North Carolina by 1779 through early 1800's. Also in 1840 a Joel C Fulton family is found in East Baton Rouge Parish Louisianna. Joel is another rather rare Fulton first name also found in Guilford County, NC. A connection? One wonders is our mysterious Samuel was the same Samuel Fulton found to have fathered two children out of wedlock in 1785 and 1786. Could these Fulton's be his illegitimate sons coming to Lousianna to perhaps share in their father's estate?

AN AUGUSTA VIRGINIA CONNECTION? In the Baton Rouge Rouge Lousianna Catholic Church records is found the following entry: "Maria Josefina Fulton (dau. of Samuel and Helena De Grand Pre' Fulton) born 16 November 1818, baptized 13 January 1819. PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: THOMAS AND ELIZABETH GAMBLE FULTON OF NORTH CAROLINA. Maternal Grandparents: Carlos, Governor who escaped from that place and Helean Paget spo. Antonio Cavalier stoood for Henriquez De Grand Pre and Josefina Favrot"

>From this entry we see that our Samuel Fulton was from North Carolina and was the son of Thomas Fulton and Elizabeth Gamble. Now for the Augusta Virginia connection. In Chalkley's Augusta Virginia records are numerous entries for a Thomas Fulton and wife Elizabeth selling out property in Augusta Virginia, appearing to be in preparation for a move. In volume 3, page 145 is the abstract of the will of Margaret Cawley, October 7, 1776. She leaves a bequest to her grandchildren, William and Margaret Fulton, children of Thomas Fulton, of Camden, South Carolina. In volume 3 page 497 (as well as other entries) it is clear the Margaret Cawley had previously been married to Joseph Gamwell (also represented in other places as Gamble) "27 September 1769. John Cawley and Margaret, of Staunton, to ... conveyed by Joseph Gamwell to said John Cawley, now husband of the late Margaret Gamwll. ... " Previous analysis had quite logically concluded that this Margaret was married even earlier to another Thomas Fulton who died in Augusta VA in 1756 and whose estate was administered by Margaret Fulton. However with this latest information, I think it more likely that the name Margaret was a coincidence here and that Margaret Gamwell (Gamble) was leaving items to her grandchildren William and Margaret Fulton by her daughter Elizabeth Gamble Fulton. I think Samuel was a later son of THomas and Elizabeth Gamble of Augusta VA who moved to Camden SC by 1776. I think they stopped off along the way. Entries cease for them in Virginia in 1764. In the 1767 Tax List of Cumberland County, North Carolina is a Thomas Fulton. No other entries are found for him there earlier or later. In Craven County, SC (included in the old Camden district) are two land entries for a Thomas Fulton each for 450 acres. One on August 28, 1772 and the other February 3, 1775. However in the 1790 census, Thomas Fulton is not found. There is a William Fulton Sr. and Jr there then. Again back to Chalkley volume 3 page 249 in the will of William Patton of March 31, 1793. William Patton was an executor of Margaret Cawley's will. In William Patton's will he makes a conditional bequest to "the children of Thomas Fulton, deceased." This entry and the fact Thomas Fulton is not found in the 1790 SC census indicates to me it is likely that Thomas was dead by 1790. His widow Elizabeth Fulton apparently moved to Guilford County NC. She may have been remarried and under another name or perhaps living with relatives and not a head of household. In 1790 Guilford County NC Census were a William and an Andrew Gamble. Relatives? The age of our mysterious Samuel Fulton from the 1820 census fits with his birth between 1764 and 1772 the dates between when Thomas and Elizabeth left Augusta Virginia and buy land in Craven County, SC. It also fits with Draper's reference to his being a native of Fayetteville NC, which is in Cumberland County, where we find a Thomas Fulton on a tax list of 1767. Is his move with his mother to Guilford NC, apparently leaving his elder brother behind in SC an indication of kinship between the Augusta Fulton's and the Guilford or Orange NC Fulton's?

Can anybody add to or correct any of this?

More musings later on the several pre 1755 Augusta Virginia Fulton families and their possible connections back to Ireland, and even, heaven forbid, some new theories on relationships to Steamboat Robert Family.

Thanks, Rich Fulton, rfulton@us.ibm.com

Bibliography :

Selections from the Draper Collections in possession of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, to elucidate the proposed French Expedition under George Rogers Clark against Louisiana in the year 1793-94 in : Annual report of the American Historical Association, Vol. 1, pp. 930-1107 (added by : evegiosin@yahoo.fr)