PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD p.664-665

JAMES E. FULTON is a wide-awake citizen of Berrien County, Mich., and as he has resided here ever since his birth, on the 13th of May, 1851, the people have had every opportunity to judge of his character and qualifications as a man of affairs, and naught has ever been said derogatory to his honor. He has ever shown himself to be endowed with superior ability, and comprehensive knowledge of agricultural pursuits, together with the soundness of his judgment, has secured him prompt recognition in this section.

The parents of our subject, Alexander and Sarah (Gard) Fulton, were natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively, the father born in 1807. The latter, with three brothers, came to Michigan at an early date, and settled in Cass County, in Little Prairie Ronde, where he resided a short time. He then moved to Berrien County in 1840, and bought a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in Royalton Township. In addition to that he bought two hundred acres near Tryon Corners. He was a man of superior mental endowments, and, being industrious and enterprising, he was almost certain to prosper. The remainder of his days was passed in tilling the soil, and he died in the year 1863, respected and honored by every one. His wife had passed away in 1853.

The five children born to the above-mentioned union were named in order of their births as follows: Margaret, Elizabeth, John B., David and James E. After the death of his first wife, our subjectÂ’s father was married to Louisa Tryon, and by her had one son, Alexander H. All these are now deceased except James and Alexander H., the former, our subject, being fifth in order of birth. He grew to manhood in his native county, and his time in youth was divided between assisting his father in clearing his farm of the heavy timber with which it was covered, and in attending the district schools, where he secured a fair education. Being gifted with more than the average degree of intelligence and shrewdness, it was but natural that when starting out for himself he should choose agricultural pursuits as his occupation in life, and that he should make a decided success of that calling.

In the year 1888 Mr. Fulton was married to Miss Alice Helmick, a native of the State of New York, and the fruits of this union are two children, Robert Alexander and Stanley H. Mr. Fulton is a prominent citizen in his township, and has held many local offices, the most prominent being School Inspector, Township Treasurer, Highway Commissioner, and for several terms he was on the Board of Review. At present he is Justice of the Peace of Royalton Township, and discharges the duties incumbent upon that office in a creditable and very satisfactory manner.

Our subject settled on the farm where he now resides in 1884, eight miles south of St. Joseph, and has resided there ever since. He is the owner of seventy acres, and has them all under a good state of cultivation. At present he is a member of the Cass County Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Mr. Fulton joined Lodge No.15, I.O.O.F., at Schoolcraft, soon after attaining his majority, but he soon afterward withdrew and joined at Tryon Corners. Mrs. Fulton is a Seventh-Day Adventist. Mr. FultonÂ’s parents were members of the United Brethren Church. Grandfather Gard was an early settler of Berrien County, and here the closing scenes of his life were passed. The Fulton family settled in the Buckeye State at a very early period, and there the grandfather of our subject followed the blacksmith trade. He was an Indian scout for some time.