Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Fuller, Owen H 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 7:10 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

OWEN H. FULLER.

During the colonial epoch in the American history there came to the shores of 
New England a sturdy band of Puritans, who crossed the Atlantic in the 
Mayflower, and among the number were two brothers, Samuel and Edward Fuller, 
who were signers of the famous compact drawn by the colonists who had braved 
the dangers of the ocean voyage in order to enjoy religious liberties in the 
New World. It is from these brothers that many representatives of the name of 
Fuller are descended. Matthew Fuller, the grandfather of our subject, was born 
in Massachusetts, in 1768, and became a cooper by trade. After his marriage he 
located in Salisbury, Connecticut, and about 1808 removed to New York, 
locating in Tully, Onondaga county, where he carried on farming. He secured 
there a tract of timber land and cleared the same, transforming it into richly 
cultivated fields, which yielded him good harvests in return for his labor. 
Upon that farm he spent his remaining days, dying in 1860, at the venerable 
age of ninety-two years. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and with a 
militia company was on his way to Plattsburg when news was received that the 
battle there had been fought and won. He was a man of iron constitution, of 
strong principles and of strict morality, commanding the respect of all who 
knew him. His children were Matthew, Augustus, Albert, Hiram, Austin, Philena, 
Edward, Harlow, Permelia and Ruth.

Hiram Fuller, the father of our subject, was born December 31, 1803, at 
Salisbury, Connecticut, and was afforded the usual common-school privileges of 
the day. In Onondaga county, New York, about 1825, he married Mary Ann Owen, 
who was born in Saratoga county, that state, on the 9th of January, 1806, a 
daughter of Elijah and Mehitable (Nash) Owen. Her father was a son of Jonathan 
Owen, one of the officers in the American army during the war of the 
Revolution. The family was founded in Massachusetts in colonial days, and 
representatives of the name became pioneer settlers of Saratoga county, New 
York. Elijah Owen, the maternal grandfather of our subject, died in middle 
life. His children were Permelia, Amanda, Sophia, Lydia, Mary Ann, Augustus 
and Alexander K. Elijah Owen was a substantial farmer and respected citizen, 
who constructed a part of the Erie Canal under contract. At an early period in 
the development of Onondaga county, New York, he removed to that locality.

After his marriage Hiram Fuller located in Onondaga county, and there resided 
upon a farm for about eleven years, coming to Illinois in 1839. On the 10th of 
May of that year he and his family left their home in the Empire state, 
proceeding by team to Syracuse, thence by canal to Buffalo, by the Great Lakes 
to Chicago, and by team to Mazon, where they arrived on the 31st of May, 1839. 
Here Mr. Fuller secured a tract of wild land and improved a farm, upon which 
he remained until 1855, when he took up his residence in the village of old 
Mazon, where he engaged in general merchandising. For many years he and his 
wife were members of the Methodist church, and their lives were in harmony 
with their professions. His political support was given the Democracy, and he 
held several local offices, including that of township clerk. He was also 
justice of the peace for many years, and discharged his duties with marked 
promptness and fidelity. His children were: Elizabeth, born November 23, 1828; 
Owen H., born January 19, 1834; Velasco L., born May 10, 1836; and Orville C., 
born April 10, 1850. Mr. Fuller died in Mazon, April 17, 1872, when about 
sixty-eight years of age, and in his death the community lost one of its 
valued citizens.

Owen H. Fuller, whose name introduces this record, was born in Onondaga 
county, New York, January 19, 1834, and pursued his education in Illinois, 
attending the subscription schools. His advantages in that direction, however, 
were rather limited, but experience, observation and reading made him a well-
informed man. He was only five years of age at the time of the removal of the 
family to the west, and he can well remember the journey, and also has a vivid 
recollection of his labors on the home farm. Subsequently he learned the 
carriage-maker's trade and, after his marriage, he located on a farm of sixty 
acres in Mazon township.

He was only twenty years of age when, on the 31st of July, 1853, he wedded 
Miss Weltha Isham, who was born in St. George, Vermont, October 23, 1836, a 
daughter of Gursham and Eliza Ann (Sanford) Isham. Her grandfather, Jehiel 
Isham, was born in Vermont, was a farmer by occupation, and served his country 
in the war of 1812. He had his belt shot off at the battle of Plattsburg. 
After his marriage he located upon a farm near Williston, and afterward made 
his home at St. George, ten miles from Burlington, Vermont. He was a 
substantial agriculturist of the Green Mountain state, industrious, 
enterprising and progressive. He lived to be about ninety years of age and was 
accounted one of the most respected citizens of his community. His children 
were all born in Williston, Vermont, and were named as follows: Henry, Ebbins, 
Silas, Ezra, Amasa, Elias, William, Gursham, Cassius, Sophia, Sallie, Docia 
and Eunice.

Gursham Isham, the father of Mrs. Fuller, was born in Williston, Vermont, on 
the 31st of March, 1801, received the usual privileges of pioneer days, and 
was reared upon the home farm. He also learned the mason's trade. On the 9th 
of September, 1822, in Charlotte, Vermont, he married Miss Eliza Sanford, who 
was born in that city, February 22, 1802, her parents being Zachariah and 
Lydia Sanford. Her father was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, and lived upon 
a farm. He was also a representative of one of the old Vermont families. 
Removing to the Empire state, he took up his abode in St. Lawrence county 
about 1821, becoming one of the pioneer settlers. There he cleared and 
developed a good farm near the town of Canton and became a substantial 
agriculturist of the community. In 1843: he removed to McHenry county, 
Illinois, making his home with his two sons, Stanley and Nelson Sanford. There 
he passed his remaining days, his death occurring when he was about eighty-
seven years of age. His wife died when about ninety years of age. They were 
both members of the Methodist church and people of the highest respectability. 
Their children were Lorana, Aurilla, Betsey, Sally, Samantha, Hepsey, Eliza, 
Minerva, Polly, Clark, Israel, Stanley, Nelson, one who died in childhood and 
one whose name is not remembered. Nearly all reached the age of maturity, were 
married and reared families of their own.

Gursham Isham, the father of Mrs. Fuller, took up his abode in Williston, 
Vermont, living upon his father's farm for a time. He afterward made his home 
in St. George, Vermont, until his removal to St. Lawrence county, New York, in 
1823. He cast in his lot with the early settlers of that locality, but in 1826 
returned to St. George. Some years later, however, about 1838, he again went 
to St. Lawrence county, where he purchased a tract of land covered with heavy 
timber, only a small portion having been cleared. This farm was located in 
Canton township, and thereon he made his home until 1844, when he disposed of 
his business interests in the east and removed to Illinois in the fall of that 
year, making the journey with teams and wagons. His son-in-law, Richard 
Fuller, who had married Cornelia Isham, was with them. The party were six 
weeks in making the journey to McHenry county. They camped by the wayside, the 
women sleeping in the wagons, and they cooked their food over a camp fire in 
the usual pioneer style of the times. Mr. Isham rented land in McHenry county, 
Illinois, for one year, and in 1846 came to Mazon township, Grundy county, 
settling a mile east of the present site of the village of Mazon. There he pre-
empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, for which he paid a dollar and a 
quarter per acre. It was a tract of wild prairie, but he made there a good 
pioneer home and for many years maintained his residence on that farm. He then 
sold the property and bought one hundred and twenty acres of school land near 
the center of Mazon township. Some years later he retired from business life 
and lived in Mazon village until his death, which occurred October 8, 1877, 
when he was seventy-six years of age. His wife died March 8r 1896, at the 
advanced age of ninety-four. She was a member of the Methodist church and a 
woman of many virtues. Mr. Isham was in politics an old-line Whig until the 
dissolution of that party, when he joined the Republican party. The children 
of this worthy couple were: Cornelia, born in Chittenden county, Vermont, 
September 1, 1823; Albert, born in St. Lawrence county, New York, in April, 
1825; Edward, born in Chittenden county, Vermont, January 15, 1828; Michael, 
born in Chittenden county, June 7, 1829; Zachariah, born in that county, 
February 11, 1831; Lydia, born in the same county, May 15, 1834; Weltha, born 
in Chittenden county, October 23, 1836; Jehiel, born in Chittenden county, 
October 18, 1838; Qarinda, born in St. Lawrence county, New York, October 5, 
1842. All of the children were married with the exception of Sallie A. and 
Eliza, both of whom died in early life.

In order to give the history of the Sanford family to which Mrs. Isham 
belonged we publish the following article which occurred in the St. Lawrence, 
New York, Plaindealer:
"Russell, New York, October, 1875. "Editor Plaindealer:—
"I noted in your paper of September 10th an account of the death of Mrs. 
Sallie Bachellor, of Pierpont, a sister of my mother. Perhaps a few lines in 
regard to who she was may be interesting to some of your readers. .She was the 
widow of Samuel Bachellor, who died in Canton, New York, several years ago, 
and the daughter of Zachariah and Lydia Sanford, who came from Charlotte, 
Vermont, in 1821, with their family, settling in Canton, New York, where they 
remained until 1843, when they removed to Seneca, McHenry county, Illinois, 
with three of their sons, Israel, Nelson and Stanley. They traveled the whole 
distance by land, the father and mother driving in an open buggy and the sons 
and their families traveling in covered wagons. They stopped one week in Ohio 
to rest. They were then eighty years of age. They arrived at their destination 
in their usual good health. Her father planted a peach orchard soon after 
their arrival and lived to eat peaches that grew on his trees. They were the 
parents of fifteen children, one of whom died, but fourteen lived to rear 
families of their own. Their parents were very pious people and were members 
of the Methodist church. By their good example and precepts they had the 
pleasure of seeing thirteen of their children members of the church, twelve 
joining the church of their parents' choice, the other, Mrs. Sallie Bachellor, 
being a close-communion Baptist. They were very industrious and temperate, and 
the husband supported his family by his trade, being a tanner, currier and 
shoemaker. The wife, whose hands were never idle, sat at the old family loom 
weaving her ten yards of cloth in one day or spinning wool and tow at the 
great wheel, or sat singing at the little wheel spinning linen from the flax 
on the distaff with both hands, as her wheel filled two spools at the same 
time, thus doing two days' work in one. All of the children were taught to 
work while young, the sons helping their father, while the daughters were 
taught to spin, weave, sew, knit and do general housework, each having their 
allotted task. When they had finished their day's work all gathered around 
their evening meal, after which they all joined in the singing (the parents 
being good singers, the children were taught to sing). After the singing 
followed the evening prayer, led by the father, before retiring for the night. 
There was formed in that family circle a tie which has never been broken, 
except by death. There were at that time one hundred and seventy-five of their 
descendants, thirteen of their children and one hundred and fifty-seven of 
their grand and great-grandchildren. Their oldest son lived to be eighty years 
old, and the second seventy-nine. One daughter died, having been the mother of 
six children. On the 1st of February, 1874, there were still living eleven of 
the children. Mrs. Hepsibah Barbar died in February, 1874, in Massachusetts, 
at the age of eighty-five years. Mrs. Sallie Bachellor died September 5, 1874, 
aged eighty-three years and ten months. There are nine children still living 
(1875), the oldest is eighty-eight and the youngest sixty-six. The united age 
of those still living is six hundred and eighty-one years. Their father and 
mother were aged respectively eighty-seven and ninety years when they died. 
The record is correct and true, as I have the old family record lying before 
me while I write, and my mother is sitting beside me as prompter. She is 
seventy-one years old and enjoys the best of health and her mental faculties 
are unimpaired. She is the youngest of seven daughters in a row, six of whom 
are still living, three in St. Lawrence county, New York,—Mrs. Aurilla Olin, 
of Canton; Mrs. Samantha Lincoln, of Sabin Corners; and Mrs. Minerva Crary, of 
Pierpont. All attended Mrs. Sallie Bachellor's funeral in Pierpont, September 
6th.  --  Mrs. Marcia A. Royce."

To return to the family of Gursham Isham, father of Mrs. Fuller, we note that 
he was a farmer of St. George, Vermont, but removed from the Green Mountain 
state to St. Lawrence county, New York, whence he came to Illinois in 1844, 
settling in McHenry county. Two years later, in 1846, he came to Mazon 
township, Grundy county, where he spent his remaining days. A tract of wild 
land he transformed into a rich farm and became one of the successful 
agriculturists of the community. During his boyhood he witnessed from an 
adjoining hill the battle of Plattsburg, one of the most important engagements 
of the war of 1812. His political support was given the Whig party, and on its 
dissolution he joined the ranks of the Republican party.

The land upon which Mr. Fuller located at the time of his marriage was a tract 
of wild prairie, on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made, 
but he at once began its development and soon transformed a portion of it into 
rich fields. On selling that property he engaged in the manufacture of wagons 
in old Mazon, carrying on the business for fifteen years. In 1875 he began 
dealing in coal and lumber, and in 1878 he enlarged the field of his 
operations by the purchase and sale of grain. In this enterprise he was 
associated with A. O. Murry from December, 1875, until 1883. The firm did an 
extensive business, its members being the first to engage in operations along 
those lines in Mazon. In the spring of 1876 Mr. Murry built the present 
elevator and Mr. Fuller purchased the property in 1883. He became one of the 
best known men in his line of business in Grundy county, and successfully 
carried on operations on an extensive scale until 1896, when he sold out to 
his son, Olney B., who still conducts the business. Mr. Fuller has since lived 
retired, enjoying the rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fuller have been born the following children: Olney B., born 
December 18, 1860, was married October 25, 1883, to Josie Wright, whose birth 
occurred in Ancona, Illinois, December 11, 1861. Their children are Earl D., 
born April 1, 1885; Ray E., born May 30, 1887; and Carrie Ferne, born January 
23, 1893. Alta A., born November 1, 1863, is the wife of O. S. Viner, a farmer 
of Mazon township, and their children are Flossie and Fred. R. Dale, born 
December 10, 1865, married Lulu Keltner, by whom he has three children, Ethal, 
Hazel and Eulalia. He is now engaged in the grain business. Olin M., born 
December 30, 1867, died in August, 1887, at the age of twenty years. Erlan G., 
born December 25, 1875, a graduate of the medical department of the 
Northwestern University at Chicago, Illinois, and is now a practicing 
physician of Chicago.

In his political affiliations Mr. Fuller is a stanch Democrat, and his fellow 
townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, elected him justice of the peace, 
in which position he served for three years. He has also been notary public 
and village president five terms. He has prospered in his business affairs, 
his industry, sagacity and capable management winning him success. He sustains 
a high reputation for reliability and is known as an enterprising and loyal 
citizen, who gives his support to every measure which he believes will prove 
of public good. Mrs. Fuller is a member, of the Methodist church, and a 
pioneer mother of many virtues.


Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p684-690

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/fuller54gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 17.5 Kb