Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

Charles A. Fulton is a public-spirited citizen, interested and active in the work of promotion and progress that is being carried on in Buena Vista county.  He owns and operates a farm of two hundred acres on section 16, Hayes township, and deserves mention among the substantial agriculturists of this locality.  He is a native son of this state, born in Cedar county, September 16, 1865, and is one of a family of three sons and one daughter, born of the marriage of Robert and Jane (Wiley) Fulton.  The father was born in Pennsylvania in 1818 and removed to Warren county, Ohio, when a young man.  It was in the latter place that he was married to Miss Jane Wiley, who was likewise a native of the Keystone state but was reared in Ohio.  Mr. Fulton was engaged in farming and stock-raising in Warren county until 1861, when he opened up a farm in Cedar county. Iowa, and taking up his abode in that section of the country he became one of the large landowners, owning at one time eleven hundred acres.  He and his wife spent their remaining years in Cedar county, the father passing away in 1887, while the mother survived for only about a year, her death occurring in 1888.

Charles A. Fulton was reared on the home farm in Cedar county and after completing the high-school course entered college at Norton, while later he pursued a commercial course at that place.  After completing his education he returned to the home farm and there remained for some time.  He was married on the 15th of November, 1886, to Miss Pyra McQuillen, who was born and reared in Cedar county, Iowa, a daughter of Cyrus McQuillen, a native of Ohio.

The young couple began their domestic life in Cedar county and there made their home until 1890, when they removed to Buena Vista county and Mr. Fulton purchased his present home farm, comprising two hundred acres, situated on section 16, Hayes township.  At that time, however, it presented quite a different appearance from what it does today, for Mr. Fulton has erected a nice modern house, a good barn and other outbuildings, has fenced and tiled the land and has made it a valuable as well as attractive property.   With his general farming pursuits Mr. Fulton also raises and feeds stock, shipping both cattle and hogs to the city markets each year.  He is meeting with success in carrying on his business affairs and today he is numbered among the worthy citizens of Buena Vista county.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Fulton has been blessed with a son and daughter.  Robert Cyrus Fulton is a graduate of the Storm Lake high school and is now a student in Ames Agricultural College.  Ethel May is a young lady at home.  Mr. Fulton gives his political support to the republican party and while making his home in Cedar county served as justice of the peace and as township clerk.  He has been active in the promotion of many measures whereby the citizens of this district have been benefited.  He was instrumental in securing the rural mail route out of Storm Lake and was also the promoter of the Independent Telephone Company. He is a member of and a director in the Farmers Institute and also a member of the Chautauqua Association.  He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Fulton is a steward, while he is likewise serving as superintendent of the Sunday school, and his wife is also a worker in the Sunday school.  He takes a deep interest in the moral development of this community while his own example is well worthy of emulation.  Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows, the Yeomen, in which he is an officer, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors, and in all these various organizations is popular with his fellow members.  He is a man of strong conviction, opposed to misrule in public affairs and his labors have been of direct benefit to the community in which he lives.  While all recognize his superior ability and worth of character and are ever ready to pay deference to his excellent qualities, he is yet modest and unassuming in manner and all esteem him for what he is.