Person:William Fulkerson (2)

[Sources: Biography beginning at p. 560 of the History of Jersey County, Illinois, Oscar B. Hamilton, Editor; Chicago, Munsell Publishing Company, 1919.]

See: http://www.greatriverroad.com/fulkerson/fulkersonbio.htm.

A CONFEDERATE OFFICER - HIS HORSE, HIS HOME A Confederate Officer William Houston Fulkerson who was born September 9, 1834 in East Tennessee, the first child of eight children to Dr. James and Frances (Patterson) Fulkerson. William was a "country" boy, working in the fields and also in his Uncle's store. His Uncle, Col. William Houston was a member of the Tennessee legislature and little William took several trips with him including visiting the Hermitage to see General Andrew Jackson. William was excited to meet Jackson, but when seeing Jackson with his hair standing up, he became scared. But when General Jackson ran his hand through William's hair and told him to grow up and be a good man like his uncle, it immediately put him at ease. His next trip with his uncle was to Philadelphia and Baltimore. Going by stage coach to Lynchburg, Virginia to Richmond by canal boat and then to Philadelphia by the Camden and Amboy Railroad. It was William's first ride on a train and almost the last one because William was seated and had just stepped into the aisle when the end of a rail called a "snake's head" came up through the floor and seat William had been sitting on.

William H. Fulkerson was educated in Tennessee, with two years training at West Point where Robert E. Lee was his math instructor. In 1858-59 he served to quell the Mormon  Rebellion. In 1860-61 he was a Pony Express rider for Russell, Majors and Waddell. He  returned home to Tennessee to marry Cornelia T. Russell, daughter of Joseph and Jane Russell on October 17, 1861. William joined the Confederate Army with the rank of Captain with the Sixty-Third Tennessee until he was wounded in the battle of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. A Surgeon wrote the following to Cornelia from an Atlanta, Georgia hospital on October 8, 1863: "I take great pleasure this evening in writing to you concerning the Captain who is here wounded in this hospital. He received in the late battle of Chickamauga, quite a severe wound in the side and heel of right foot. His wound has been and is much more painful than dangerous.  had two operations for the extraction of the fractured bones and fragments of shells that did  the mischief. The piece of shell is still in his foot but will soon be taken out, when the wound gets in right condition. His general health is very good, and I think that he is doing very well,  and that a few days will find him much improved."

The Sixty-Third Tennessee was part of Johnson's Brigade under Bragg, orrest, Hill, Longstreet and Robert E. Lee fighting in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. William was promoted to Lt. Colonel in late 1864 and by April 9, 1865, the 63«sup»rd«/sup» surrendered at Appomattox Court House as part of General A. P. Hill's command numbering only 28 men. Colonel Fulkerson returned home to Rogersville, Tennessee to his wife and two children where future plans were made to move to Illinois. His Horse - Great Britain, the Civil War Horse In 1856, a beautiful coal black horse was born in Rogersville, Tennessee on a farm owned by Joseph Russell. He had a faint star in the middle of his forehead, a fine neck and sharp, sensitive ears. Stout of body with a deep chest and barrel of a Morgan with a fiery disposition, and large intelligent eyes, he was the favorite aaddle horse of Joseph Russell who names him "Great Britain". At the age of five, Great Britain was off to war, with Russell's son, Joseph C. Russell, riding him to join the Black Horse Cavalry. Although Russell hated to see his son and horse ride off to war, it was the right thing to do, for young Russell and Great Britain survived many battles until one on the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, Chickamauga. Great Britain and Russell were in the thick of battle and Great Britain's ear was split by a Union soldier's sabre and young Russell was shot out of the saddle and killed. William Fulkerson, Russell's brother-in-law was also in the battle. William's horse had been shot under him and his right foot was severely wounded, tearing off his boot and spur. Seeing the horse without a rider and recognizing Great Britain, Fulkerson called to him and Great Britain immediately responded. mounted and rode out of the line of fire. Union forces fired after him trying to avoid hitting the magnificent black horse that they wanted for their own use but were no match for the agility and speed of Great Britain. Great Britain carried Fulkerson to safety, first to a Georgia hospital and then on to Rogersville, Tennessee where Fulkerson partially recovered from his wounds. Great Britain stayed with the Colonel from that time on, moving with him to Illinois after the war, still earning his keep, but greatly pampered until his death at the age of 32. The beautiful black horse that is credited with saving Colonel William H. Fulkerson's life is buried under the buck-eye trees in the front pasture area of Hazel Dell Farm. His Home - Hazel Dell Cornelia's father, Joseph Russell, platted much land in the early 1830's, not only in Tennessee, but also in St. Louis, Missouri, Alton and Jersey County, Illinois. After the war, opportunities were limited in the South. In 1866 William and Cornelia arranged to purchase 640 acres in Jersey County, Illinois from Joseph Russell, leaving Rogersville with their two children, Francis and James, and three former slaves that chose to accompany the family as servants. arriving in Jersey County they built a beautiful home in two stages with William Embley as the architect. The first stage was finished in 1866 and after starting a successful Short-horn cattle operation and accumulating some wealth the second stage was finished in 1872. The Colonel attended to many fine details of the home that was designed for entertaining, writing out specifications including stained glass doors, the great hall and spacious south wing. The most modern amenities were purchased, a gas machine in the basement to provide gas for the many chandeliers, an inside bathroom with three different level stools and a wooden bathtub, and marble-top sinks in all bedrooms as well as in the North Parlor that was used as an office and family room. The Colonel was well aware of the importance of cleanliness from his experiences during the War.

Britain hauled wagons down to Macoupin Creek to get mud to make bricks for the  home. While building the home, a blind man stopped to ask for a job. He was asked what he could do without his eyesight. He replied that he could tell if the bricks were fired correctly and  usable by feeling each brick. He was hired and the bricks picked by him have remained good through the years. A Carriage House was built as well as several barns, fences, and a large  garden. The farm was named "Hazel Dell". The Colonel and his wife added three children to  their family - Sarah Blanche, Joseph Russell, and Frank Eberle and all the children were kept busy tending to the garden and carrying wood to the six fireplaces in the winter time. One day a  small package arrived for the Colonel. It contained the spur that had been found on the  battlefield fifteen years later with the Colonel's name inscribed on it.

The Colonel had books and brochures printed to promote his cattle and potential buyers were wined and dined for several days before a sale was made. Two glass showcases were built to display a massive collection of first place ribbons and awards received through the years. The Colonel had over 200 horses at Hazel Dell and perhaps this is why the James Gang came to Hazel Dell in order to obtain fresh horses. Although the visits by the James Gang were never made public by the Colonel or the Fulkerson family, it was widely known that the Colonel sympathized with Jesse and Frank James. The Colonel's grandson, William H. Fulkerson II, son of Frank E. Fulkerson, in an effort to convey family oral history, signed an affidavit in 1999 stating: "That he, Frank E. Fulkerson, and his father Lt. Col. William H. Fulkerson, felt sorry for Jesse and Frank James and felt that the authorities were not always accurate in their portrayal of the James Brothers. "That Jesse and Frank James had camped in the woods along D'Arcy's Branch behind the barn at the farmstead known as "Hazel Dell", and that Lt. Col. William H. Fulkerson provided them with food and supplies that they needed. "That Lt. Col. William H. Fulkerson's freed black female slave known as "Aunt Mary" would prepare the food required for Jesse and Frank James. "That Lt. Col. Fulkerson's son, Frank Fulkerson would carry the food and supplies to Jesse and Frank James' campsite by D'Arcy's Branch." The James Gang was not the only "famous" visitors to Hazel Dell. Charles M. Russell, a nephew of William and Cornelia would often visit Hazel Dell and developed his love of horses when learning to ride on Great Britain with the Colonel as his instructor. As teenagers, Charles Russell and the Fulkerson's oldest son, James, traveled to Billings, Montana in 1883 where James died of Rocky Mountain Fever at the age of 18. This was the third family tragedy for the Colonel. He lost his brother, James, a Major in the Civil War at the Battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863 and his brother Robert, a Major in the Civil War, died at the Colonel's home in 1880 from a tumor caused by a blow on the stomach from a longhorn Texas steer.

stayed in Montana and became a famous western artist, returning to Hazel Dell  the years, and always paying his respects to Great Britain.

Colonel Fulkerson, a Southerner in Northern territory, was accepted as a productive and citizen. He was a Jersey County judge for one term, two terms as President of the Illinois Board of Agriculture and was member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. He was also a member of the Illinois State Board of World's Fair Commissioners Fair at Chicago) and a Commissioner of the World's Columbian Expositions, 1893. He General Manager in 1881 of the St. Louis, Jerseyville and Springfield Railroad Company, a in the Jerseyville Agricultural Works and a bank Vice President and Director for years at the National Bank of Jerseyville. He was instrumental in forming located nearby on the Mississippi bluffs and had a summer cottage there. In 1898 Colonel was requested by Edwin D. Lowe Post, No. 295, G.A.R. to raise a regiment of from this district to serve in the Spanish-American War; however, the war ended before it was organized. As the Colonel aged, his old war wound on his foot became extremely painful and he was laudanum, a tincture of opium for his pain and the use of a cane was necessary. After died in 1909 at the age of 86 at the home of her daughter, the property was placed in the name of their son, Frank. Hazel Dell was in the name of Cornelia until her death, unusual due to the fact that women could not even vote during this period. She had graduated from Rogersville Female Academy, Salem College and the Old Marvian School, Salem, North Carolina. Cornelia travelling and visited much of this country, including Canada and portions of Europe. She had felt hardships in the late Civil War, her home being the seat of the war. Her home was headquarters for a period of time for both armies and penetrated by cannon balls during battles. The Colonel continued to live with his daughter Sarah and her husband, Judge Charles White, in until his oldest daughter, Frances, died in 1918 at the age of 56 at Hazel Dell. The Colonel moved back to Hazel Dell with a male caretaker to tend to his needs until his death in at the age of 85. Colonel Fulkerson and his wife are buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville, Illinois. Footnote: In 1995 Hazel Dell was purchased by the Nolan family and restoration of the beautiful Mansion immediately began. The Colonel Wm. H. Fulkerson Farmstead was placed the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Many original Fulkerson items remain, a special display of the Colonel's Civil War personal items. Hazel Dell Historic Farm the site of the Annual Jersey County Victorian Festival that is held Labor Day Weekend, Sunday & Monday). The festival promotes the educational, historical and cultural of our agricultural history and furthers the education and understanding of the Civil War through reenactments, encampments and living history, while emphasizing the Fulkerson legacy. «i»The above was prepared & presented by Brenda Nolan, present owner of Hazel Dell «/i»

(Research):From internet (and not verified by me): Children of WILLIAM FULKERSON and CORNELIA RUSSELL are: FRANCES RUSSELL FULKERSON, b. August 09, 1862, Tennessee; d. December 07, 1918; JAMES WHITEHILL FULKERSON, b. December 12, 1864, Rogersville, Hawkins County, TN; d. May 28, 1883, Billings, Yellowstone County, MT.; SARAH BLANCHE FULKERSON, b. September 20, 1867, Jersey County, IL; d. November 12, 1925; m. CHARLES S. WHITE; JOSEPH RUSSELL FULKERSON, b. August 16, 1869, Jersey County, IL; d. 1962, Illinois; and FRANK EBERLE FULKERSON, SR, b. June 05, 1873, Jerseyville, Jersey County, IL; d. December 1968, Dow, Jersey County, IL.