DR. WILLIAM FULLERTON.
Dr. William Fullerton was born near Chambersburgh, Pennsylvania, in November, 1802, and died on the nineteenth of July, 1875, at Chillicothe, Ohio.
His father was a lineal descendant, in the third generation, of Major Humphrey Fullerton, who, under William, king of England, was conspicuous for gallant conduct at the battle of Boyne, and afterward was a man of wealth and position in this country, owning a large landed estate in the Cumberland valley, Maryland. His son, the father of the subject of this sketch, moved with his family to Chillicothe in 1804, engaging in business and investing largely in real estate. His investments proving fortunate, his means were greatly increased, but, being always generous to his friends, and sympathizing with those among them less fortunate than himself, he was, at the time of his death, involved in financial difficulties occasioned by endorsing for those friends. Having been offered by the Mexican government large areas of land in Texas, on condition of settlement of the land by colonies, he visited Texas, and, on his return, the steamer on which he had embarked for home at New Orleans exploded her boiler, and, though not among the victims of the explosion, so great was the shock sustained, added to the sight of so much suffering, that he did not rally from its effects, but died in 1830.
His son William, having entered Chillicothe academy, was there fitted for college. Entering the University of Ohio, he studied the full course, and, but for sickness, would have graduated in 1822. Recovering his health, he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Pinkerton, and, having attended the lectures of the professors of Transylvania university, in Lexington, Kentucky, graduated in 1825.
Returning to Chillicothe, Dr. Fullerton began the practice of his profession, and at once arose in the estimation of those who engaged his services until, in the course of a few years, he stood among the first practitioners of his day; and, being endowed with strong mental powers, unusually fine appearance and address, and scholarly attainments, he inspired confidence in all to whom he ministered. Politically, the Fullerton family were Federalists; but sharing the sentiment of resentment entertained by his father toward the Federal leader, John Quincy Adams, for accepting office under President Jefferson; and, being of age when Mr. Adams opposed General Jackson for the presidency, in 1824, he voted for the general and acted with his party until the slavery question assumed prominence. An ardent lover of liberty and justice to the oppressed, Dr. Fullerton became an active abolitionist and assisted freely in those preparations for the freedom of the slave, which, to his intense satisfaction, culminated in the emancipation proclamation of the lamented President Lincoln, on the first of January, 1863; and from that time to the close, he felt that at last the proper object of the war was squarely announced to the whole world.
In 1834, Dr. Fullerton married Miss Sophia Lyman, daughter of Elias Lyman, of Greenville, Massachusetts, whose father was an officer in the Revolutionary war. This lady survives him.
Of their children,
- Lyman, born April, 1835, died in Kansas city, 1871:
- Sophia L. born 1844, died in 1867;
- Margaret is the wife of Thomas N. Marfield, of Chillicothe;
- William D., a Commission merchant, resident in Baltimore; and
- Lucy H., a young lady living at the old home in Chillicothe.
Dr. Fullerton was a man of very decided character, but never in haste in forming his opinions; and these characteristics, in consequence, added weight to their expression. A loyal friend, a model husband and father, in the social circle he was genial and courteous, and he has left, as a sacred legacy to his family and the friends he loved, his virtues and honorable record.
