Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton

Generation 5

Historical Notes

Photograph of Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton

From: DAR Nat. #428728, Ruth S. (Fulton) Oliver:

From Minear Genealogy in Fairfield, Iowa Library: Sarah Elizabeth Minear, born July 14, 1833; died Jan. 1, 1900; married Joseph Warren Fulton Mar. 9, 1858. Her parents were Phillip Minear, born June 3, 1795; married Elizabeth McCollister; he died Apr. 3, 1849, in Ross Co., Ohio. Phillip Minear's father was Phillip Minear, born Mar. 31, 1761; died Oct. 17, 1846 in Ross Co., Ohio. Phillip Minear (1761-1846) served in the Revolution. His father, John Minear, lived in Hampshire County, now West Va., was killed by Indians in 1781.

From the Fairfield Ledger, Sat., Dec. 18, 1926, Page 5, col. 3:

MINEAR FAMILY BOOK. Van Buren Barometer: The Minear family have a book of over 100 pages which so far as we know is the first of its kind in our community. It contains the names of descendants of one John Minear, born about the year 1726. He came to America when a young man and was the father of 11 children, 6 sons and 5 daughters. He and sons were soldiers during Revolutionary times. One son, David, who was born in Bucks County, Pa. in 1755, was at the age of 79 years granted a pension as a Revolutionary soldier, $80 per annum. Among David's great-grandchildren are the Minears of Kilbourne and the Talbotts of Douds. There is a record of nearly 3500 descendants of John Minear in eight generations. He was killed by the Indians near the present site of Phillippi, W. Va., in 1781. The eighth generation is represented by little Margaret Lee Short born April 12, 1923 at Bandera, Texas.
[A copy of this book is held, along with other family memorabilia, by Edith Fulton Stone.]

Sarah Elizabeth Morrissey Lawson Pheils Schildroth's (granddaughter of Joseph Warren and Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton) collection of approximately one hundred full and partial letters written to and from Sarah Elizabeth Minear and William C. Fulton, additional letters written by Joseph Warren Fulton, Alexander Fulton and Charles Jacobs Fulton and others, along with Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton's Bible given to her by her mother, Elizabeth McCollister Minear, and a number of photographs, has been generously returned to the Fulton family by Sarah Elizabeth Morrissey Lawson Pheils Schildroth's daughter, Martha Pheils. (Information from this collection will be added to the Fulton Family website as expeditiously as possible.)

Because of the collection of letters mentioned above we now know that although Fulton family tradition includes the story that Sarah Elizabeth Minear was engaged to Joseph Warren Fulton's brother, Robert, and after Robert's death Joseph Warren married Sarah Elizabeth to "uphold the Fulton family honor", it was actually Joseph Warren's brother, William C. Fulton, to whom Sarah Elizabeth Minear was engaged. We still have no idea what "uphold the Fulton family honor" might mean.

Also in the Sarah Elizabeth Morrissey Lawson Pheils Schildroth collection of materials given to the Fulton family by Martha Pheils is Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton's Bible given to her by her mother, Elizabeth McCollister Minear. On the fly leaf of the Bible is this presentation:
Presented to Mrs. Lizzie Fulton by her Mother
Chillicothe, Ohio
June 27th 1858

Inside the Bible is the following record written in Elizabeth McCollister's hand:

Sarah Elizabeth Minear was always referred to by her husband, Joseph Warren Fulton as Lizzie.

Sarah Elizabeth Minear must have been responsible, along with her sons, for much of the farm work during her life. During the first eight years of her marriage to Joseph Warren Fulton he carried the mail from Fairfield to Bloomfield, a trip that, according to records, would have been made at least twice a week and required a full day for each trip. Joseph Warren Fulton also travelled extensively from 1875 [the year Eliza Fulton was born] until after Sarah Elizabeth Minear died in 1900.
[At least two of Sarah Elizabeth Minear and Joseph Warren Fulton's sons, Charles Jacobs Fulton and Pearl Loyal Fulton, lived at times with their grandparents, Alexander and Eliza Jones Fulton. Another letter from the collection of Sarah Elizabeth Morrissey Lawson Pheils Schildroth, dated May 19, 1867 from Alexander Fulton to Joseph Warren and Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton includes a note written by seven year old Charles telling his parents that things are going well at school.

From the Fairfield Weekly Ledger, January [newspaper was torn removing the date], 1900:

PASSED PEACEFULLY AWAY

Mrs. Joseph W. Fulton, whose home is a mile west of the city, died in her chair Monday evening while surrounded by her family. About 9:15 she remarked that it was growing late and made an effort to lay on a table nearby some work which was in her hands. Her head fell upon the shoulder of a son who was sitting beside her. She gave a gasp or two and was dead.

Mrs. Fulton had been more or less an invalid for many years. Recently, however, her health had seemed much better and there was no premonitory symptoms or indications of approaching death whatever.

Sarah E. Minear was born in Ross county, Ohio July 14, 1838. She grew to womanhood there and March 9, 1858 was married to Joseph W. Fulton. They came to the home of the husband in Iowa at once [Error] and have resided here continuously since in town and country.

Six children were born to them, five of whom are now living; Charles J.; William A.[Error:Will A.]; Pearl R. [Error:Pearl L]; and Eliza Fulton of this county and Dr. Albert M. Fulton of Chariton. Mrs. Fulton had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since her early childhood. She was a woman of intelligence and refinement, loyal to her friends and devoted to her family. In town and country she had many friends who were shocked at her sudden death, and who will sincerely mourn her loss and sorrow with the stricken husband and children.

Funeral services will be held at the home tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock by Rev. I. O. Kemble. The remains will be buried in the Evergreen Cemetery.

Sarah Elizabeth Minear was a semi-invalid in her later years, suffering from severe varicose veins in her legs.

Pearl Loyal Fulton was the son mentioned in the obituary above as sitting beside Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton when she died. Rosa Alice McCoy Fulton shared this story told by her husband, Frederic Caroll Fulton, son of Pearl Loyal Fulton, which he remembered hearing from his father about Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton's death: Pearl Loyal Fulton awoke the morning of January 1st, 1900 with a 'strange feeling about his mother'. He shared this feeling with his wife, Edith Viola Snook Fulton, along with a deep desire to go see his mother. He walked the approximately twelve miles to his parents' home near Fairfield, spent the day with Sarah Elizabeth Minear Fulton, and was beside his mother when she died.

Another Fulton family story tells that when Sarah Elizabeth Minear died she was in the process of knitting a pair of socks for Joseph Warren Fulton. After her death he always carried with him, or had under his pillow, the sock on which she had been working.

From Jefferson County, Iowa Death Records:
Sarah E. Fulton, born 15 July 1838, Ohio; died 1 January 1900, Fairfield township; 61 years, 5 months, 17 days.

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6 July 2003
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