Ringgold County IA Archives Photo Person.....Fuller, Leroy
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Burt Fuller burtf(a)msn.com April 20, 2006, 2:42 pm
Source: Fuller Family Photo
Name: Leroy Fuller
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ia/ringgold/photos/fuller4372gph.jpg
Image file size: 118.2 Kb
LEROY8 FULLER (SAMUEL SMITH7, JOHN6, SIMEON5, NATHANIEL4, BENJAMIN3,
BENJAMIN2, ROBERT1) was born June 10, 1834 in Trumbull Co., Ohio1, and died
December 20, 1916 in Mt. Ayr, Iowa2. He married ELIZABETH ALICE MATHANY April
15, 1858 in Trumbull Co., Ohio, daughter of JOHN MAHANY and SARAH WOOD. She
was born October 28, 1835 in Liberty Twp., Trumbull Co., Ohio3, and died
October 29, 1905 in Mt. Ayr, Iowa3.
Notes for LEROY FULLER:
There may be some doubt about the true lineage of Leroy due to various
reasons. We do know that Leroy's death certificate does list Samuel Fuller as
his father. We also know that Samuel Fuller adopted his nephew Hiram A.
Fuller. Family lore tells that Leroy may have been adopted and that his true
surname is "Rice" however nothing can be found to back this up. An old photo
of them from Trumbull County, Ohio was taken at "Rice Photographers" so perhaps
the confusion is here? The Hiram Fuller connection .... "The History of Medina
County, Ohio" (1881) mentions a Hiram A. Fuller being the son of Augustus
Fuller and Eunice Perkins. The census shows Leroy and Hiram together in Samuel
Fuller's household but I strongly believe they are not brothers. Guardianship
records of Wayne County, Ohio show Samuel was appointed guardian when Augustus
died in 1843. It also shows Hiram had two sisters, Amelia and Maria. No
mention of Leroy is found in these records and they appear complete. Hiram's
obituary fails to mention Leroy if he was in fact a brother. Leroy's
granddaughter Ola, recalled memories of Leroy sitting in a rocker saying, "I'm
just a poor little waif." The will of Samuel Fuller not once mentions Leroy
and only once mentions Hiram as a note holder. We do know that bad blood
existed between Samuel and Leroy for some reason. Letters which I've reviewed
from Emily Wilson and Mary Jane Ashley (Leroy's sisters) to Leroy even tell
they never informed him about Samuel's death. It went on to say Leroy had
requested "that if father did not live you did not wish to have us send you a
letter as it would be of no satisfaction to see him after he was gone...."
These letters are addressed to "Brother." Another letter mentions childhood
memories of going to Sunday school with Leroy, indicating he was around as a
small child. In conclusion, we'll never know for sure short of a DNA test on
Samuel Fuller but I believe he was Samuel's true son and not adopted. Leroy
was described by his son Burton as "a farmer, a good Christian, conservative
and not one to take chances. He loved to associate with the members of the
G.A.R. and recall the events of the war."
File at:
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