BIOGRAPHY: John FULTON, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann Olsen. Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty Mirovich and Sharon Ringler. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 37-8 ____________________________________________________________ JOHN FULTON. In reviewing the family history of John Fulton, a notable engineer of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, we are constrained to admit the truth of the old saying, "blood tells." The father, Rev. Thomas Fulton, was an honest, industrious, intelligent, God-fearing man; the son possesses the finest characteristics of the father. The Rev. Thomas Fulton was born in Ireland, May, 1797, and died in Campbell county, Virginia, June 24, 1890. At about nineteen years of age he professed religion and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and soon afterward was licensed to preach. He was not loth to begin the work for God and his church as a minister, and he continued in it faithfully, until his death. The first part of his labor was in Ireland, but about the year 1848 he moved with his family to America, first settling in Pennsylvania, but in 1867 went to Campbell county, Virginia. He never became a circuit preacher after coming to this country, but remained an elder in the local ranks, and yet as long as he was able he kept up regular appointments, preaching with such zeal and earnestness that the people heard him with gladness. He was never a dead preacher, and although he made no pretentions to oratory, he had the eloquence which comes from a burning soul. By this very force he commanded the attention of his hearers, and again and again were they heard to say: "I love to hear Brother Fulton preach." He was a man of prayer and great patience, who never flinched nor complained when reverses came upon him. He was a firm believer in the old-time religion and its forms, prayer meetings, class meetings and all the details of the old Methodist service. He was also a man of unbounded faith in God, and to his death never wavered in his trust in Him who is able and willing to save unto the utmost. His end was a complete justification of his godly life, for he died peacefully and in the full assurance of his eternal reward. At his funeral a large crowd gathered and wept with his bereaved family, and they were tears of genuine sorrow for the gentle, loving man, the kind father and affectionate husband who had passed from them. For his wife and children, who are esteemed and honored members of the church there is the sweet joy of living so that they may meet him in heaven. There were born to the marriage of Rev. Fulton and Maria (McKeon) Fulton six sons and one daughter. John (subject), Thomas, William, James, Alfred and Adam, are all residents of Concord, Virginia. Sophia, deceased, was the wife of Samuel Dilworth, of Wayne county, Pennsylvania. Edmund, who died in Saxon, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, was at the time of his death agent and telegraph operator for the Huntingdon and Broad Top railroad. His ancestors on the paternal side were of the Lowlands of Scotland, living at the time in history of Scotland when there was a general movement of the Scotch to the north of Ireland. His ancestors on the maternal side being from the Highlands of Scotland, Mr. Fulton is therefore one of the those fortunate persons who can claim Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Fulton was carefully educated in Erasmus Smith's school, a high school, and at Ardtrea Classical seminary, Ireland. He studied civil engineering in Dublin, and was employed in the construction of the Midland Railroad from Dublin to Galway, this being his first professional work. In 1848 he came to America with his father, and began his professional career by superintending the work in the completion of the old North Branch canal, Pennsylvania. This lasted from 1848 to 1852. From 1852 to 1854 he was assistant in the construction of the Junction canal, which connected the Pennsylvania system of canals with the New York system. For the next two years he was assistant engineer of the Barclay Railroad, in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and from 1856 to 1874 was resident civil and mining engineer of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad and Coal company, and from 1870 to 1873 he was chief engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad company, of the Bedford and Bridgeport Railroad under the Pennsylvania Railroad company. In 1874 he came to Johnstown, and until 1887 was general mining engineer of the Cambria Iron company. He was general superintendent of the Cambria Iron company from 1887 to 1888, and general manager of the company from 1888 to 1892. On account of failing health and requiring more out-door exercise he was, upon the advice of his physician, relieved from the service of the company in 1893. During the second geological survey of Pennsylvania he was assistant geologist, reporting on Cambria and Somerset counties under Prof. J. P. Lesley. Now (1896) he pursues the occupation of mining engineer, and also has a half interest in a coke manufacturing plant in the Connellsville coal and coke region. He is a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and of the American Philosophical society of Philadelphia. He is the author of a treatise on the manufacture of coke, comprising about three hundred and fifty pages and containing many important facts. He is also the engineer of the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics. Mr. Fulton is a member of the Board of Trade of Johnstown, before which body he delivered an address setting forth the advantages of the city of Johnstown as a manufacturing centre and a desirable place for all such enterprises. He is an ardent republican and is president of the park commissioners. His church connections are with the Presbyterians, he being a ruling elder of the church at Johnstown, a teacher in the Bible-school, and an active, earnest participant in all church work, in this respect most clearly showing the traits of his excellent father. He is also president of the Young Men's Christian Association organization of Johnstown. Mr. Fulton was married in 1855 to Ann Mackay, a daughter of James Mackay, a man of "gude Scotch blood." To this union have been born two sons and two daughters: Maria, the wife of J. D. Ligon, an employee in the printing department of the general government at Washington, D. C.; James E., deceased; Thomas W., also deceased, and Ann West, who lives at home. The best monument to the memory of a man is the record of his good deeds; so are the responsible positions that he has held and the work he has done the best evidence of Mr. Fulton's superior attainments in his profession and of his character as an honorable citizen and Christian gentleman.