Probate of Nathaniel Fuller, Providence, Rhode Island, 1843

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Surname/tag: Fuller

Nathaniel Fuller was born ca. 1770 and passed away 31 October 1843^[1] or on 5 November 1843^[2], intestate. His probate documents are quite complicated, including many people, and so are genealogical riches, especially for a poorly documented family. This page is an attempt to catalog and contextualize these documents.^[3]

Contents 1 The Fuller Family 2 Account and Inventory 3 Requests for administrators 3.1 Appointed Representative 3.2 Letter from the Bowens 4 Distribution 4.1 Final Accounting 5 Sources

The Fuller Family

We present a summary of the family data for Nathaniel Fuller, his siblings, and the heirs named in the probate documents. His estate was divided into eight parts corresponding to his eight siblings who had living heirs when he died.

NATHANIEL FULLER and MARY LISCOMB Children:

LISCOMB Fuller (deceased), share divided in half and given to

• John C. Fuller
• Phebe (Fuller) Sisson

BENJAMIN Fuller (deceased), share divided into sevenths and given to

• Benjamin Fuller Jr.
• Joseph H. Fuller
• Wm. L. Fuller
• Nathaniel L. Fuller
• Clarissa P. (Fuller) Ellis
• Mary L. (Fuller) Lewis
• Elizabeth C. (Fuller) Allen

FRANCIS Fuller (deceased), share divided into fifths and given to

• Nancy (Fuller) Whitten
• Rebeckah (Fuller) Lamson,
• John C. Fuller
• Hannah (Fuller) Price
• Betsey (Fuller) Jones

ISAIAH Prosper Fuller (deceased), share divided into thirds and given to

• Lucy (Fuller) Tobey
• Phebe A. (Fuller) Slocum
• [J Cowing?] Fuller

JOSEPH Fuller (deceased) m. Elizabeth Gonsolve, divided into thirds and given to

• Eliza G. (Fuller) Burgess
• Joseph G. Fuller
• Rev. Edward K. Fuller

MARY ANN FULLER (deceased) b. 9 February 1766 d. 3 November 1811 m. SAMUEL STOW, divided into tenths and given to

• Samuel Stow b. 9 February 1786 m. (1) Catherine Ham and (2) Sally Barnaby Tobey d. 17 August 1856
• Polly B. (Stow) Chedel and Sophia (Stow) Lonsdale (children of Francis Stow b. 14 March 1789 m. Lydia Allen(middle name or maiden?) and (2?) Sarah _____ d. 14 June 1841)
• Mary L. (Stow) Willard b. ca. 1792 m. Nathan Willard d. 24 February 1871 at Providence
• Lucinda G. (Stow) Nickerson^[4] b. ca. 1798
• Joseph Fuller Stow b. 26 November 1805 m. Mary A. Handy d. 15 June 1890
• Rebecca (Stow) Munro b. 1808 m. Elisha Munro
• Sarah (Stow) Richards b. 20 March 1809 m. Calvin Richards^[4]
• Lydia M. Stow m. William Stoddard (see Providence Patriot 20 February 1822, "Sunday morning last"), child Wm. H. Stoddard
• _____ Stow m. _____ Gilman, child Edward G. Gilman

SARAH "Sally" FULLER (deeased) m. JAMES SHEPARD, her share divided into fourths and given to

• Nancy Shepard m. _____ Chedel
• Mary Shepard m. John Luther
• (son) _____ Shepard m. _____ _____, children

Betsey Shepard m. John Gray, children

George Gray

John Chedel Gray d. 1868 Providence

Eliza B. (Gray) Chace m. Otis Chace

• Elizabeth "Betsey" Shepard m. John Young, children:

Sarah Rogers Young m. Jonathan Tillinghast Thornton

Charlotte Dean Young m. Christopher Gore Dodge

___ Young m. Rob. J. Lincoln

HULDAH FULLER m. DARIUS THURBER, her share divided into ninths and given to

• Mary (Thurber) Bowen m. Thomas Bowen
• Darius Thurber
• Sarah S. (Thurber) Hale
• Hannah Thurber
• Alice A. (Thurber) Field m. Edward Field
• Ann (Thurber) Miller
• Martha (Thurber) Bosworth
• Experience Bacon
• James Thurber (deceased), distributed into seven portions to his children as follows:

three portions to Sarah Thurber for three minor children of the late James Thurber

Edw. Thurber

Abby Seamans (Thurber) Peck

A. J. Thurber

Alma (Thurber) Russell

Account and Inventory

Administrators were Hiram Barker and Christopher G. Dodge. Pages 1 and 2 include an account of probate and funeral fees with payments from January until November of 1844, and page 3 includes an inventory. Page 4 shows that the account of the administrators was allowed on 3 December 1844. Page 5 is a request by the administrators and granting of the request on 8 October 1844 to sell certain property at auction. Page 6 is a request by the administrators on the same date to dispose of certain personal property, namely:

• three shares in Mount Vernon Bank of Foster
• one share in the City Bank of Providence
• eight shares in High Street Bank
• one pew in the Rev. Doct. Tucker Church a.k.a. Beneficient Congregation Society
• one pew in the Roger Williams House

Pages 23 and 24 recount again the inventory from Page 3 in different form and then the oath given by the administrators concerning the veracity of its contents. Pages 25, 26, and 27 provide a copy of the appraisers warrant. Pages 28 and 29 provide a copy of the administrator's bond.

Requests for administrators

Page 7 is a request on 13 November 1843 that Hiram Barker be named administrator on the estate of Nathaniel Fuller of Providence, deceased. It was signed by:

• Thomas and Mary Bowen
• Wheaton and Elisa G. [Burgss?]
• Darius N. Thurber
• Alice A. Field
• [Sarah S.?] Hale

Pages 8 and 9 record a request dated 19 December 1843 that Christopher G. Dodge be appointed administrator, signed:

• [J. T. Thornton?]
• Sarah [Thornton?]
• Christopher G. Dodge
• [Chart??? D. ?] Dodge

Page 10 is a note written in Dartmouth on 1(?) December 1843? It says "Brother Samuel we wish this may be Presented as our request that Mr. Dogd [Dodge?] be Appointed Administrator of Uncle Nathaniel Fuller's Estate", signed:

• Elisha Munroe and Rebecca S. Munroe

Pages 11 and 12 are another request dated 19 December 1843 that Christopher G. Dodge be appointed administrator, signed by heirs at law of Nathaniel Fuller:

• John Fuller and Phebe Sisson (noted as heirs of Liscomb Fuller)
• Nancy Whitson and Rebecca Lamson (noted as heirs of Francis Fuller)
• Hannah Price
• John C. Fuller
• Betsy Jones ??? daughters
• Clarissa P. Ellis
• Benjamin Fuller Jr.
• Nathaniel L. Fuller
• Elizabeth C. Allen
• Mary L. Lewis
• Joseph H. Fuller
• William L. Fuller

The curly bracket indicating the heirs of Benjamin Fuller is strangely placed, seemingly half pointed at no names and half pointed at Clarissa P. Ellis.

Pages 13 and 14 are another requested dated 19 December 1843 that C. G. Dodge be appointed administrator, signed by heirs at law of Nathaniel Fuller:

• Joseph A. Chedel
• Mary ? Chedel (crossed out)
• Otis Chace
• Eliza B. Chace
• John C. Gray
• John H. Lonsdale
• Sophia S. Lonsdale
• Nancy Chedel
• John Luther
• Mary Luther
• Wm. H. [Slocum?]
• Phebe A. Slocum
• Joseph F. [Stow?]
• Samuel Stone
• Calvin [N.?] Richards
• Sarah A. Richards
• Nathan Willard
• Mary L. Willard
• Elisha Munroe
• Sarah S. Munroe
• Edward G. Gilman

Pages 15, 16, and 17 are requests written 19 December 1743 submitted by Dr. Samuel Stone on behalf of others. These requests include:

Letter written at Coventry on 11 December 1843 to "brother Samuel" asking that Christopher D. Dodge be appointed administrator of Uncle Nathaniel's estate, signed:

• Calvin W. and Sarah A. Richards

Letter written at Tivertown on 12 December 1843 to "brother Samuel" asking that Christopher G. Dodge be appointed administrator of Uncle Nathaniel's estate as Mr. Olney has declined, signed:

• legitimate heirs Nathan and Mary L. Willard

Letter written at Providence on 9 December 1843 to "uncle Samuel" asking that Christopher G. Doge be appointed administrator of Uncle Nathaniel's estate, signed:

• Edward G. Gilman

Pages 30 and 31 are a request that William P. Olney be appointed administrator, dated 12 November 1843. Mr. Olney declined. Signatories were

• Wm. H. Slocum
• Samuel Stone
• John Luther
• Joseph H. Fuller
• Joseph G. Fuller

Pages 34 and 35 are a letter "to the heirs of Nathaniel Fuller" dated 21 November 1743 requesting that the letter be presented to the probate court as a declaration of a wish that William P. Olney be appointed administrator. It was signed

• Lucinda G. Nickerson

Pages 36 and 37 are a letter dated 12 December 1843 requesting that Hiram Barker be appointed administrator of the estate of Nathaniel Fuller. It was signed

• Rev. Edward K. Fuller
• Wheaton Burgess
• Eliza G. Burgess
• Edward Field
• Alice A. Field
• Thomas Bowen
• Mary Bown
• Darius Thurber
• Palmria [sic] Thurber

Pages 38, 39, and 40 are a letter dated 16 November 1843 requesting that William P. Olney be appointed administrator. The letter states that the petitioners believed all the heirs of Nathaniel Fuller were either personally present or duly represented at the meeting in which they unanimously chose Mr. Olney. The letter is signed:

• Samuel Stone
• William H. Slocum
• Phebe A. Slocum
• John Luther
• Mary Luther
• Nancy [G?] Chedel
• Christopher G. Dodge
• Charlott D. Dodge, wife of C. G. Dodge
• Tillinghast Thornton
• Sarah R. Thornton
• Otis Chace
• Eliza B. Chace wife of Otis Chace
• John [C.?] Gray
• John H. Lonsdale
• Sophia S. Lonsdale
• [Clarissah?] P. Ellis
• Bengmin Fuller
• Nathaniel L. Fuller
• Mary L. Lewis
• Joseph H. Fuller
• William L. Fuller
• Elizabeth C. Allen
• Nancy Whitton
• John C. Fuller
• Hannah Price
• John Fuller
• Phebe Sisson

Appointed Representative

Pages 41 and 42 are a letter dated 20 November 1843 at New Bedford stating that Joseph H. Fuller was to act on the signers behalves in the appointing of an administrator. It is signed

• John Fuller and Phebe Sisson, heirs of Liscomb Fuller
• Clarissa P. Ellis, Benjamin Fuller Jr., Nathaniel L. Fuller, Mary L. Lewis, Joseph H. Fuller, William L. Fuller, and Elizabeth C. Allen, heirs of Benjamin Fuller
• Nancy Whitton, Rebeckah Lamson, John C. Fuller, and Hannah Prise, heirs of Francis Fuller

Pages 43 and 44 are a letter dated 13 November 1843, stating that the signatories are the heirs of Nathaniel Fuller residing at New Bedford, and later declare themselves specifically the heirs of the three brothers Liscomb, Benjamin, and Francis Fuller (all deceased). The point of the letter is the appointment of Joseph H. Fuller as their representative at the meeting of heirs on the 14th. The signatories are those in the letter of Pages 41 and 42, excepting that Elizabeth C. Allen has instead signed Elizabeth A. Fuller, "Whitton" has been spelled "Whitten", "Lamson" has been spelled "Lambson", and "Prise" has been spelled "Price".

Letter from the Bowens

Page 33 is a letter from Thomas and Mary Bowen dated 12 December 1843 noting that Mr. Dodge is to appear as an administrator on their uncle Nathaniel Fuller's estate, and noting their wishes that "none of the family connection may adm^r. They report that Mr. Slocum and Mr. Luther with a Mr. Ashley and carried away a box of papers and a book which was the property of their uncle. The men had "sacked his room for what they could find". They report that Nathaniel had lived with their family for the last 10-15 years of his life.

Distribution

Page 18 is an announcement that the account of Hiram Barker and Christopher G. Dodge was allowed on 6 January 1846. Pages 19 and 20 show the distributions that had been made after the initial presentation of the accounts. On December 11, payments were made to

• John Fuller
• attorney for Phebe Sisson
• [Benj.?] Fuller
• J. H. Fuller
• M. C. Lewis
• Wm. L. Fuller
• Wm. L. Ellis
• E. C. Allen
• Wm. Whitten
• J. C. Fuller
• Hannah Price
• Rebecca Lamson
• Betsey Jones

On 1 January, payments were made to

• A. M. Snow for Lucy Tobey
• Phebe A. Slocum
• Elisa G. Burgess
• attorney for [Josph?] G. Fuller
• [Earc.?] H. Fuller
• Mary A. Smith for Mary Willard
• Samuel Stow
• Joseph [F.?] Stow
• W. P. Scott for L. A. Richards
• Saml. F. Stow for Rebca L. Mann
• Saml. F. Stow for L. G. Nickemon
• Wm. H. Stoddard for his mother
• Edwd. G. Gilman for his mother
• A. Luther
• Polly B. Chedel
• Sophia S. Lonsdale
• Nancy Chedel
• Mary Luther
• E. B. Chace
• J. C. Gray
• C. D. Dodge
• L. R. Thornton
• Rob J. Lincoln
• Mary Bowen
• Darius Thurber
• Sarah S. Hale
• Hannah Thurber
• Alace A. Field
• Ann Miller
• Martha [Bosworth?]
• Edward Field for Exp. Bacon
• Sarah Thurber for 3 minor children of the late James Thurber
• Edw. Thurber
• Abby S. Peck
• S. S. Hale for A. J. Thurber
• Nathan Fuller
• [J Cowing?] Fuller
• George Gray
• Alma [Ransell?]

At the end was recorded that there was a disbursement of $600 among eight heirs, for $75 per heir.

Final Accounting

Page 21 is an account of expenses associated with administrating the estate, and page 22 is an official allowance of the updated accounts provided by Hiram Barker (Christopher G. Dodge having failed to appear). Page 32 provides further expense accounting

Sources

1. ↑ Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission, gravesite information online
2. ↑ Providence, R.I. probate files, case file A6285, letter dated 16 November 1843
3. ↑ Providence, R.I. probate files, case file A6285
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFQ-GZX : 12 April 2016), Lucinda Nickerson in household of Calvin W Richard, Rhode Island, United States; citing p. 88, family 782, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,973.