Joseph Warren Fulton

Generation 5

Historical Notes

Photographs of Joseph Warren Fulton

In our perambulations this week we halted at the farm belonging to Joseph Fulton, the man chosen to collect grain and seeds of all kinds such as come under the head of Group 10, to be placed on exhibition at the centennial of '76. Mr. Fulton is a very energetic man and is doing all he can to have Iowa well represented, and if he fails it will not be his fault. He is well fitted for the position, taking great delight in obtaining the different varieties of seeds. He has now on hand of his own raising 70 varieties of rye, oats and wheat, 30 of other grain and field seeds, 250 varieties of garden and vegetable seeds, and has growing on his farm this year 53 varieties of corn. He has been five years in collecting the above assortment.

I see an item from Morgan county, Illinois, boasting of having a stalk of corn 16 feet 4 inches long. That is nothing compared with several that John W. Pancoast has. The tallest one is 18 feet 2 inches high, and they have an average of from 20 to 23 ears to the stalk. J.W. Fulton will take them to the Centennial. The ears will average from six to nine inches in length. How is that for corn?

Joseph W. Fulton, Esq.
Libertyville, Iowa
Dear Sir
Herewith I hand you Auditors Warrant of this date for sum of $500.00 in compliance of agreement between Executive Council and yourself, regarding the exhibition at the Centennial Exposition, of the Grains and Seeds collected by you, and matters connected therewith. The balance due will be paid when necessary - when you get your collection ready to ship, please forward here Triplicate Bills of Lading and the amount due for freights will be promptly paid and forwarded. You should have your collection complete, and ready for shipment by last of week. I believe our agreement was to the effect that your monthly pay was to commence when you start for the East, and you should be careful to notify us the precise day of your starting in order to the correctness of our accounts.

As I understand it, Mr. Christy, our Treasurer of State, who has just returned from Philadelphia completed arrangements for the glass vessels in which you purpose to exhibit grains and seeds, and everything of that nature will be ready for your use on your arrival in Philadelphia. You will remember to have your Permits for space with you, that you be not delayed then.

The Warrant enclosed will be redeemed by the County Treasurer of you County.

J. W. Fulton, Sr. arrived here the latter part of the week from Houston, Texas. He has been in ill health for several months and hopes that a short stay in Iowa will benefit him. Dr. A. M. Fulton, a son, accompanied him to this city.

Joseph Warren Fulton, who died in this city Wednesday, was the youngest [Error] and sole surviving child of Alexander and Eliza Fulton, two of the pioneer settlers of Jefferson County. He was born in Delaware County, Ohio, May 6th 1833, and ten years later came to Fairfield with his parents. The family located on a farm a mile west of the city, where the parents spent the remainder of their lives and where the young man was reared. March 9, 1858, Mr. Fulton was married to Miss Sarah E. Minear near Chillicothe, Ohio. They resided on a farm in Des Moines township where they reared a large family. The survivors are Charles J., Joseph W., Jr., and Miss Eliza of this city; William A. and Pearl L. of Des Moines township; and Dr. A. M. Fulton of Thomas, Oklahoma. Mr. Fulton was a man of unusual energy and activity and even in ill health was reluctant to retire. For sixteen years following 1850 he carried the United States mails between this city and Bloomfield, while the succeeding twenty were devoted to farming and stock raising. For eighteen years past he had been connected with the Western Wheeled Scraper Works of Aurora, Ill., and was one of the company's oldest and most trusted employees. He had charge of territory extending from Iowa to Texas and from the Mississippi to the Pacific coast and was singularly successful in his work. He had close connections with the early history of Jefferson county and a wide acquaintance among older residents. They knew the man best and esteemed him most and will regret his death. Mr. Fulton came here from Houston, Texas, early in May because of ill health, and it was hoped that rest and a change of climate might benefit him. In early years Mr. Fulton was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was also one of the oldest members of Jefferson Lodge, No. 4, I.O.O.F., of this city, and was buried with the rites of that order. Funeral services were held at the residence of Charles J. Fulton Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George Minear of Cantril and Rev. J. E. Corley of this city.

Joseph W. Fulton, Sr. came to Jefferson County, Iowa in 1843, accompanying his parents who settled one mile west of Fairfield. In 1858, after his marriage, he removed to Des Moines township, where he operated a farm until 1888, then returning to the farm one mile west of Fairfield. There he spent the remaining years of his life, living in comfort and traveling whenever he felt so inclined. He was a man of energy and initiative and had had many interesting experiences in his lifetime. From 1850 to 1866 he carried the mail on horseback between Fairfield and Bloomfield, during which time he had a number of hairbreadth escapes especially at the time of the high water in 1851. In 1853 and 1854 he had charge of a party of government officials who were making a tour of Kansas and Nebraska for the purpose of ascertaining detailed and accurate information regarding the Indian situation. He also had the distinction of being one of the original promoters of the Iowa State Fair at Fairfield. At the first state fair he exhibited a collection of Iowa and Jefferson county agricultural products which he personally owned, composed chiefly of grains and grasses. In 1875 he sold this exhibit to the state of Iowa for two hundred dollars, and received a commission from the state to show this collection at the exposition of 1876 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

farmer, section 15; P.O. Libertyville. Born May 6, 1833, Delaware County; in 1843 came to Jefferson County. Owns 535 acres of land valued at $25 per acre. President of School Board. Was commissioned in 1876 as Assistant Manager at the Centennial, representing the agricultural producers of Iowa. Married Sarah E. Minear March 9, 1858. She was born July 14, 1838 in Ross County, Ohio. Seven children, 6 living. Republican, member of M. E. church. Commenced carrying mail 1850 from Fairfield to Bloomfield, continued 16 years.

"My grandfather, who I understand always liked to have his joke, was approaching the timberland which he owned West of Fairfield, Iowa. It was late in the fall, he was most anxious to see if the many hickory trees were bearing the usual crop of nuts. Suddenly, he heard what seemed to be the chopping of a tree, which was most unusual. He got off his horse and proceeded quietly, discovering two men cutting down a large hickory tree loaded with nuts. Although it was just over the fence from his property, he was unable to avoid the temptation-just as the tree started to fall he let forth a tremendous yell, the men ran like they were shot. Grandfather Fulton calmly went to the tree, gathered the nuts and went home."

"Joseph Warren Fulton and his wife were noted for their hospitality and for their friendship to those less fortunate than themselves, although they were often in straitened circumstances as were many people of their pioneer times. Joseph Hunt was a poor, supposedly homeless, youth from Virginia who made his way west and eventually to the farm of Joseph Warren Fulton, which was located in Des Moines Township, Jefferson County, Iowa. Joseph Hunt was taken in, given work and made to feel like one of the family, though he was never adopted.

He [Joseph Hunt] arrived at the Fulton farm not long before the Civil War began, and he was in Fairfield when President Lincoln's call for volunteers was received, and signed himself for service in the Union Army.

When he returned to the farm he advised Joseph Warren Fulton of his action and of his desire to go into the cavalry. Those desiring to enter that branch of the service were encouraged to furnish their own mounts, which the War Department eventually paid for. Joseph Warren Fulton presented Hunt with a beautiful saddle horse and riding equipment as a contribution to the Union cause, and told the young man to 'Go and report'.

Joseph Hunt did just that, but being informed that he and the others would not be shipped out immediately, he started to ride back to the Fulton farm. Later in the day the horse arrived back at the Fulton home alone, but with blood on the saddle. Alarmed, the Fultons made a search for Hunt cross country; there were few fences then and the trip to Fairfield was generally made by a short cut. Young Hunt was found lying in a corn field. He had been shot with a rifle from ambush. It was never proved who shot him, but it was generally believed to be a neighbor of Joseph Warren Fulton's, a former guerilla, who was a Southern sympathizer from Missouri. The man had been forced to leave Missouri and came north and settled on a farm near Fulton's. His loose tongue conveyed his feelings of antagonism to the Northern cause, leading his neighbors to believe him guilty of the shooting. But if he had hoped to cheat the Union of a soldier, he failed. Young Hunt's wounds soon healed and he went to war.

Hunt was eventually captured and put into the infamous Andersonville prison. While he was incarcerated, Hunt was able to have a small photograph mailed of himself, giving the Fulton farm as the address. Hunt was eventually released, and joined the Regular Army. It is not known if he ever returned to the Fulton home. The picture remained in the Fulton family for many years, finally coming into the hands of Pearl L. Fulton, the fourth son of Joseph Warren Fulton and his wife.

My father, Pearl L. Fulton, gave me the picture in 1934, shortly before he was accidentally killed in a wood saw mishap. He requested that I make an attempt to find Hunt's family or heirs, and to give the picture to them. After a prolonged search I found that the family (Hunt had married) were last known to reside in Kansas City, Kansas. A search was made there and Hunt's only child, then a grown woman of considerable age, was located. She wrote me that her mother had been buried the day before my letter was received. She informed me that she had never seen her father, he having died a few weeks preceding her birth, and that she had never seen a photograph of him. The picture was mailed to her, and she expressed great joy in its receipt. No further word from her was ever received. I obtained a copy of Hunt's military record from the War Department, but have been unable to again locate his daughter."

SELMA,IA. - A forgotten era in Iowa's pony express days is recalled here with the completion of a farm-to-market road in this old Des Moines river community.

The road is a recently improved graveled highway which follows a section of the old pony express route from Fairfield to Bloomfield.

Fulton Research

Historical research by Col. Robert L. Fulton, retired, of Selma is filling in chapters of early road history in this part of Iowa. Fulton served as calls and quotas officer for Iowa Selective Service in World War II.

In pioneer days, Fulton's grandfather, Joseph W. Fulton, rode the mail route from Fairfield to Bloomfield. The contract was established in 1850 and the grandfather handled it 16 years.

Carrying the mail in saddlebags, Grandfather Fulton, made the round-trip of about 60 miles as an overnight run.

Speed was not the first requirement, but he told of maintaining a faster schedule in later years than was demonstrated on the early railway runs in Iowa.

Old Fulton family records have provided the story of the route, which passes through land owned by the Fultons more than 75 years.

Live in Ranch House

After his retirement, Colonel and Mrs. Fulton returned to the family farm here. They now live in a new ranch house, facing the old road.

"The road actually was established first as an old military trail," Fulton explained. "The newly improved farm-to-market road is about 3 miles long, partly in Jefferson and partly in Van Buren county, providing a shortcut between Libertyville and Selma."

Old records also reveal the original trail here was established at a time [when] the federal government allocated $60,000 for road work, after efforts had failed to establish the first military road thorough Iowa.

The original military road of Iowa extended from Dubuque, through Iowa City, and southward to Mount Pleasant and on to Missouri. Its uses were limited.

Today its fame lies principally in the fact that one Lyman Dillion blazed the Dubuque-Iowa City section of the trail by plowing a furrow between the two cities. It is said to be the longest furrow on record.

Burlington to Agency

Another early federal road extended from Burlington to old Agency City (now Agency), near Ottumwa.

This road also intersected the old Fulton pony express route - a passageway whose recent improvement brings [it] up to standards Iowa pioneers dreamed of more than a century ago.

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17 December 1998
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