Willam Fuller Sr. (abt. 1750 - abt. 1824)

Descendants

Died about 1824 at about age 74 in Person County, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jana Shea [send private message]

Biography

Known as William Fuller, the Miller (written in transcribed records as William (Miller) Fuller and William Fuller Miller).^[1]

Was the same William Fuller who purchased 126 acres on both sides of Richland Creek from John Lea in 1780.

He married Sarah Bradsher/Bradshaw circa 1775.

Known children:

• Moses Fuller (m. Elizabeth Gunn)

• Asa Fuller

• Aaron Fuller

• Bradsher/Bradshaw Fuller

William and Sarah also had two daughters born between 1790-1800.

He died before 1824 in Person County, North Carolina.^[2]

Land Records

21 Mar 1780 - John Lea to William Fuller, for 300£, 126 acres both sides of Richland Creek of Hico adj. John Lea.^[3]

31 Mar 1820 - William Fullar, Senr. to Moses Fullar, for $1600, 130 acres on Richland Creek adj. Asa Fullar, Richard Atkinson, Carter Lea. William Fullar to possess land for his lifetime and lifetime of his wife, Sarah. Moses Fullar to take immediate possession of the mill. Witnesses: Aaron Fullar, Jesse G. Fullar, J.A. Pulliam.^[4]

25 Mar 1822 - William Fullar, Sen. to Bradsher Fuller, for $1000, 130 acres on both sides of Richland Creek of Hico adj. Asa Fullar, Richard Atkinson, Moses Fullar, Carter Lea. Witness: Barnett Winstead, Jesse G. Fullar. (same tract as conveyed to Moses Fuller two years earlier. After William's death, the brothers sued each other.)

Research Notes

NOTE: DNA testing of descendants would help determine if William is indeed related to the Fuller family of Baltimore Co., MD and Caswell/Person Cos., NC.

William Fuller’s parents are as yet unknown. Many researchers believe him to be a son of Nehemiah Fuller, though no William Fuller appears in Nehemiah’s estate records.

He is definitely not the son of Nehemiah’s brother, Henry Fuller, Sr. While Henry Fuller may have had a son named William via a first marriage, this William Fuller born in 1745 (if indeed Henry’s son), was not named in Henry’s 1788 will - nor were any of his heirs. Instead, Henry clearly stated in his will that his son John was his eldest son (and then named the rest of his sons in order of their births).

William’s age has been approximated using his son, Moses Fuller’s birth year (1775) and the fact that he was over age 45 years in 1800. He was also the elder of the two William Fullers taxed in 1784. This makes William too old to be a grandson of either Henry or Nehemiah.

It is more likely that William descends from another, possibly related, Fuller family.

It is also unclear whether he is the same "William Fuller (S.C.)" noted in the the list of debtors to the estate of John McNeill, a neighboring merchant/store owner. If so, it may be indicative that William's origins were in South Carolina.^[5]

Tax records for Caswell County indicate that there were two William Fullers who were taxable land owners (above age 16) living in the same time period.

1777 Caswell Tax List St. Lawrence District

William Fuller - 111 Acres (this is likely the same William Fuller, Jun. whose land claim was noted as a boundary in a land grant issued to Nehemiah Fuller in 1779.)

1784 Caswell Tax List St. Lawrence District

William Fuller - 126 Acres, Storey's Creek, 1 White poll (this is same Wm. Fuller who in 1780 bought 126 Acres from John Lea for £300 and married Sarah Bradsher. If he is also the same man who had 111 acres in 1777, no deed has been found indicating disposal of that land.)

William Fuller, Jun. - 233 Acres, Storey's Creek, 1 White poll (appears to be the same Wm. Fuller who was taxed in 1777. If so, this William Fuller would have acquired an additional 122 acres of land between 1777 and 1784, however no deed exists for this. Likely an inheritance, perhaps via marriage. The suffix Jun. indicates he was the younger man, though not necessarily a son of the other William Fuller or even blood relative. Henry Fuller (son of Nehemiah) had a son named William to whom he gifted 116 acres in 1789, but he was born ca 1768 and so would not have been of age (16 years) to have been taxed in 1777 nor of age (21 years) to have been taxed in 1784).

Tax records for Person County in 1795 show three William Fullers, all in St. Lawrence District.

The 1800 census shows three men named William Fuller living in Person County - one aged over 45, and two aged 26-45.

Sources

1. ↑ "Person County, North Carolina Compilations, 1792-1823", digital images, Ancestry.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006), [Original source: Kendall, Katharine Kerr, "Person County, North Carolina Compilations: Land Grants; 1794, 1805 & 1823 Tax Lists; Record Books Abstracts, 1792-1820; Letters of Attorney", (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997), p. 53]
2. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979", digital images, FamilySearch (Online: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2017), North Carolina State Archives, "Wills and estate papers (Person County), 1663-1978", (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988-1989, 1994)]
3. ↑ Caswell County, North Carolina Deeds, 1777-1963; land entries, 1778-1863
4. ↑ Person County Register of Deeds, "Record of deeds, 1789-1901; indexes, 1789-1966", digital image, FamilySearch (Online: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2020), [Original source: Deed Book E p. 289]
5. ↑ "Person County, North Carolina Compilations, 1792-1823", p. 23

• "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR8-YJM : accessed 19 February 2021), Will Fuller, Hillsborough, Person, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 217, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 32; FHL microfilm 337,908.

• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLM-LW5 : accessed 19 February 2021), William Fullar, Person, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 137, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 38; FHL microfilm 337,911

• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL7-5HJ : accessed 19 February 2021), William Fuller, Person, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 484, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 82; FHL microfilm 162,798