In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1909) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Memorial record of Licking County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the county (1894), Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, vol. II: Biographies (1909)
WILLIAM N. FULTON. The life record of this gentleman is worthy of careful perusal, for it shows how a poor boy. without capital or influential friends, solely by the exercise of an indomitable will, untiring industry and great perseverance, has gained a place among the moneyed men of Newark and the esteem of all the citizens of the community. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., January 23, 1841, and is a son of Robert and Keziah (Newlon) Fulton, natives of the same county.
As early as 1813 the Fulton family emigrated to Ohio and settled on a farm near Homer, Licking County. After two years spent in clearing and improving that place the father returned to Pennsylvania, hoping that the change would benefit his health. Three years later he returned to Licking County, and his death occurred at Granville in 1864, at the age of fifty-three years. His widow is still living (1894) and makes her home with William N., being now seventy-seven years old.
In politics Robert Fulton was a Democrat and for many years served as Justice of the Peace. He was a man of fine education and in early manhood was a school teacher. His principal occupation in life was that of an agriculturist, although while residing in Licking County he conducted a mercantile store at Homer. He was a correspondent for the Adwcaie at Newark when W. D. Morgan was its editor. Possessing sincere religious principles, he was until death a devout member of the Presbyterian ('lunch and served as Sunday-school Superintendent. Kind hearted and generous in disposition, no hand that was stretched out to him for aid was ever turned empty away. Notwithstanding his benefactions he accumulated a competence and at his demise left a valuable estate.
In the parental family there were two sons, of whom our subject is the younger. The elder, Henry II., was born in 1839, enlisted in Company E, Twentieth Ohio Infantry, and served for three years. At the expiration of his period of service he again enlisted, marched with his regiment to the front, and near the close of the war was killed at Goldsboro, N. C, by Wheeler's Cavalry. At the time of his death he was a non-commissioned officer. William N., of this sketch, was two years of age when brought to Ohio by his parents. During boy] d be assisted in clearing and improving the home farm, and he was obliged to work hard t" place the land under cultivation. Farming was his chosen occupation until he was thirty-five, when lie removed to Newark and embarked in the lumber business, which he had previously conducted in Homer in connection with his agricultural pursuits.
At Newark Mr. Fulton also followed contracting anil building and conducted an extensive trade as a dealer in hard wood logs and lumber. He made large shipments of walnut and cherry to Scotland and Germany. His connection with that business is still maintained, though the entire management lias been placed in the hands of the other partner, David II. Ramey. In iST Mr. Fulton was elected Treasurer of Licking County, in which responsible position be served for two terms, being the first Treasurer in the new court house. In ISHOastock company was formed, with him as President, and purchased the Newark Advocate, with which he was connected for four years.
In addition to his elegant residence in Newark, on the corner of Fifth and Locust Streets, Mr.
Fulton owns several improved farms in this county. In 18G4 he married Miss Belle, daughter of Milton and Emily Selby and a native of Homer, Licking County. Bight children have been born to this union. Politically a Democrat, Mr. Fulton is one of the influential workers of the party and has held various otlice of trust. For fifteen years he has been a Trustee of the Second Presbyterian Church, and is also officiating as Warden.
As printed in Memorial record of Licking County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the county (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM N. FULTON.
Macaulay has said that the history of a country is best told in the lives of its people, and certainly the record of William N. Fulton forms an important chapter in the annals of Newark, for he has promoted and controlled various business interests which have contributed to the substantial upbuilding of the city. A man of great natural ability, his success from the beginning of his residence here has been uniform and rapid and his advancement is attributable to the fact that he has noted and improved opportunities that others have passed by heedlessly, being quick to appreciate that which is worth while and equally quick in discarding that which is non-essential.
Mr. Fulton is a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, born January 23, 1841. His father, Robert Fulton, was a native of the same locality, and the family is of Irish lineage, Abraham Fulton, the great-grandfather of our subject, coming from the north of Ireland to the new world early in the eighteenth century. He was accompanied by his wife, Maragaret Guthrie Fulton, and settled in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where some of their descendants still live. The father came to Licking county in 1843 and took up his above in Burlington township near Homer. He followed the occupation of farming and was prominent and influential in community affairs. For many years he filled the office of justice of the peace and his decisions, strictly fair and impartial, “won him golden opinions form all sorts of people.” He voted with the democracy and his ideas concerning political interests carried weight in the local councils of his party. He married Keziah Newlon, also a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in which state their wedding was celebrated and their wedding journey consisted of their removal to Licking county. Robert Fulton died at the age of fifty-three years, while his wife survived to the ripe old age of eighty-one years. They had two sons, the brother of our subject being Henry H. Fulton, who joined the Twentieth Ohio Infantry and valiantly served until near the end of the war, when he was killed at Goldsboro, North Carolina.
William N. Fulton, reared on the home farm, early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. The country schools afforded him his educational privileges and in early manhood he purchased a farm near Homer, paying for it with his own labor. Later, however, he abandoned the plow and turned his attention to merchandising in Homer, becoming the proprietor of a dry goods store and also establishing a lumber yard there. He prospered in his commercial undertakings and thinking to find a broader field of labor in Newark, he removed to this city in 1873 and began purchasing suburban real estate, directing his energies toward speculative building. He improved much property, erecting at that time thirty houses and in addition to his building operations he engaged in the lumber business. Whatever he has undertaken he has carried forward to successful completion, for he has learned to make good use of his opportunities and has ever based his advancement upon the safe substantial qualities of unfaltering energy and unabating perseverance.
His fellow townsmen recognizing in him a citizen of worth called him to public office, entrusting to him the care of the public funds, when in 1877 they elected him county treasurer. He served for two terms of two years each, which is the law limit, and retired from office, as he had entered it, with the confidence and good will of all.
Mr. Fulton then resumed the pursuits of private life and in 1882, with others, organized the Peoples’ National Bank, of which Hon. Gibson A. Atherton was elected president, with Mr. Fulton as vice president. On the death of Mr. Atherton Mr. Fulton succeeded to the presidency and continued as the chief executive officer of that institution for fifteen years, his sound business judgment and discriminating sagacity being strong elements in the success of the bank. During the same period Mr. Fulton was president and Mr. Atherton vice president of the Advocate Printing Company for six or seven years. Mr. Fulton was then reelected to the position of county treasurer and once more served for two terms, making eight years in all. No other incumbent in the office has served for four terms and the fact that Mr. Fulton was called to the office by popular suffrage four terms was unmistakable evidence of the confidence reposed in him and the ability with which he discharged his duties. In 1902 he organized the Licking County Bank, of which he was elected president, continuing in the position to this writing. While rendering his county efficient public service and conducting important financial interests, Mr. Fulton has at the same time been extensively and successfully engaged in the lumber business as exporter of walnut logs, and has likewise been president of the Pan-American Coal Company. He is a man of resourceful business ability, looking beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities and opportunities of the future and accomplishing what he undertakes by reason of a strong, determined nature and the employment of modern, progressive business methods. Moreover he has ever believed that honesty is the best policy and has shaped his course in accordance with this old and time-tried maxim, his business reputation being unassailable.
In 1866 Mr. Fulton was married to Miss Belle Selby, a native of Homer, Ohio, and a daughter of Milton Selby, who was also born in Licking county, while her grandfather, the Rev. Caleb Selby, was a pioneer Methodist minister of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Fulton have become the parents of eight children: Harry S., now of New York; Maud, who married Dan Bushnell, but both are now deceased; Jane H., now the wife of Henry Buell; Josephine, who married James K, Hamill, of Newark; Anne, the wife of John Holloway, of Kentucky; Florence A., the wife of James R. Fitzgibbon; Robert G., a civil engineer of Sandusky, Ohio; and race.
Mr. Fulton is an active and helpful member of the Second Presbyterian church and has served as one of its trustees for over thirty-five years. He is a high-minded gentleman, imbued with the courage of his convictions, holding steadfastly to what he believes to be right, and his name is an honored one in financial and commercial circles.
As printed in Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, vol. II: Biographies (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: George W. Chase (b. 1814) Robert Fulton (b. 1819)
The printed record stops around 1894. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.