The Life of William Price Fullmer, Sr

Born May 27, 1849

Salt Lake City, Utah

Written by Carol Fullmer Christensen a granddaughter with quotes from an earlier history by  Phoebe Perry.

William Price Fullmer, Sr. was born May 27, 1849 in Salt Lake City Utah. He was the son of John Solomon Fullmer and Mary Ann Price. He was born to poor parents and humble circumstances, but he was rich, throughout his entire lifetime, in a faith and abiding testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When he was about six years of age, his parents moved to Provo, Utah, where they made their home for a short time. Then they moved to Spanish Fork and from there to Springville which was their permanent home for the remainder of their lives.

William’s Younger Years in Spanish Fork

I should like to relate a few of the interesting experiences that Grandfather had when he was a child and young man.

While living in Spanish Fork and at the age of twelve years, Grandfather and some friends were playing tag near the river. Unfortunately, some friends were throwing rocks, one of which landed across the river. Unknown to the children, a group of Indians were camped across the river. The flying rock had struck and Indian child causing a gash on his face which was bleeding very badly. Unaware of the presence of the Indians and fleeing from his playmates in the tag game. Grandfather ran across the river on a narrow foot bridge, On the far side of the river he said he was met by and old squaw who held a butcher knife in her upraised hand who struck at him but missed. Grandfather didn't wait to ask any questions but hastily rushed back to his frightened friends who had witnessed the whole procedure. They all reached home with no further harm than a bad scare Upon another occasion while a youngster, his life was nearly lost. He was playing "Run Sheep Run" with his older brother and sister. As he was running to hide he fell into a deep hole of water. However, his sister Johanna saw the accident and rescued him before he was drowned.

Of Grandfather his daughter Phoebe said,  “ As a young man, father was very studious.  He loved to read and learn how to spell every  new word also what it meant. His favorite book was the Book of Mormon. I have tried to find words that he could not spell, but I never did.  He could always spell, pronounce and give the definition to an word I ever asked him.”

Upon another occasion when Grandfather was a young man, his brother Samuel became very ill. His parents did all they could for him but his condition became steadily worse. They decided they must send to Provo for a doctor as there were none in Springville. Grandfather was sent for his team of horses which were pasturing in the bottom of Etta Thorpe's field, He searched far for the horses but he could not find them. He decided to climb to the top of the hill, which is now called Mapleton Bench, to see if he could see the horses so they could send for the doctor. When he opened his eyes, he saw before him upon the barren hill the image of two houses. Now this hill was bare of human life. No one lived there. Needless to-say he was shocked by the sight of the two houses, Needless the images faded in a few minutes. This unusual experience affected him so strangely that he forgot to seek further for the horses but rushed home to tell his parents of the strange experience. His brother Sam recovered without the aid of a doctor.

In telling this story to his daughter Phoebe, years later Grandfather said, "I never thought of that vision after telling it to my parents until I lived in this home which sits in the exact spot as one of those in that vision, and my brother Sam lived in the other one."

In the year 1868, Springville was asked to send its quota of team­sters to give aid to immigrants or pioneers who were crossing the plains. This was part of the "Down and Back" effort. They were to send ten teams of horses, four yoke of oxen, two men to act as night guards, and teamsters for the horses and oxen. Grandfather who was 19 years of age at the time, was chosen for one of the teamsters. He made several of those trips which were long arduous journeys plodding through the mountains. There were many rivers which the men and animals had to swim or ferry. The picket guard at night constantly kept watch against the marauders of the plains. All these things combined with the stampedes and night alarms made these trips very hard for both men and animals.  As a young man Grandfather was very attractive. He had a dimple in his chin and bright blue eyes. Many friends were his because of his quick-wit and sense of humor. 

William  Marries and Settles in Springville

After moving to Springville, Grandfather met Maria Jane Curtis who had been born in Springville September 23, 1853 and who had lived in that community all her life. She had been raised under similar circumstances both religious and financial, as those of Grandfather. When they reached adulthood, they fell in love and were married. Their marriage took place January 2, 1871 in the Salt Lake Endowment House.

Their first home was a two room log cabin in the back of the old Fullmer house in Springville. They planned to have it finished in time for their first child to be born in, but owing to poverty they could not get material to build, make a living and prepare for the new arrival.  So their first child was born in the Curtis home.  They were so happy with their first son..  They named him William Price Fullmer, Jr.  Before the new year they moved into the home and in that home their second son Samuel, was born. In the spring 1876 they left Springville and moved to Union Bench where Grandfather and his brother Dan each took up a quarter section of land. Their new home was a one room log cabin. In May of that year, their third child and first daughter whom they called Lutitia May was born. This was the first child born to Latter-Day Saint parents in Union Bench. Grandfather and Grandmother worked hard and long in order to get a start at Union Bench. Grandfather had no horses only a yoke of oxen and his one piece of machinery was a grubbing how. Their water for cooking, drinking, washing, cleaning, bathing and watering flowers all had to be hauled up the hill.  He spent long hours grubbing the sage, which he piled in large piles. At night the family would have entertainments around the bonfires of burning sage. There was an old man Childs in Springville who was pulling out some trees who told grandfather he might have the trees.  The first spring they lived at Union Bench Grandfather planted a number of those trees.

Three more baby girls were born to them while they lived in this one room house. Eventually, Grandfather built and adobe house on the same lot as the log room making the adobe himself. It took him quite some time to finish the house because he had to build it in his spare time, which you can well imagine was not very much. Grandmother gave him much assist­ance in this work both moral and physical. This house had two room and it gave them comfort they never realized.

Hazel and Geneva, two of Aunt Lizzie's daughters, were very talented when they were children, as dancers and singer. They were always on the program whenever there entertainment in Mapleton.

While Grandmother was having her struggles, Aunt Lizzie was having equal ones. She was talented at nursing so they began that work and stayed with it for many years. Of Aunt Lizzie and her family Aunt Lutitia made these statements: "They are all sweet girls and we are proud to have them for sisters. They are very kind and devoted to their Mother in her declining years. Aunt Lizzie will be eighty-two years young July 9, 1948. May God bless her and may she live many years to come."

Called to Serve

In the spring of 1887, Grandfather and Grandmother's thirteen months old baby girl whom they called Beatrice became very ill and passes away.  The following fall Grandfather received a letter from the President of the Church to fill a mission in the North East States Mission. It had been only a few short months since they had buried their little girl and Grandmother was expecting a baby in February. Grandfather was in debt and there were now eight children. In view of all these circumstances, Grandfather felt that it was impossible for him to answer his call in the affirmative. He said. "Much as I would like to go, I couldn't think of it under the circumstances." This was grandmother's calm reply: Do you think the Lord wants you to go and would you do it if things were any different?" "Yes," said Grandfather to both ques­tions. "Then," said Grandmother, "Sit right down and answer that letter. Say that in one month you will be ready to go. I wouldn't dare have you refuse because worse things might happen if you do.' 

So on November 10, 1887, the day his oldest son Will was sixteen years old, Grandfather left for Pennsylvania which was then in the North Eastern States Mission Field. He was the first missionary from the Springville Ward. Their ward was still Springville, although they lived several miles distance from there. When he left for his mission, he held Gertie in his arms at the train steps. She cried and wouldn't let him go until finally he had to hand her to her mother. Many times later he remarked how hard it was for him to leave his family. 

They were so hard pressed that Will could not attend his father's farewell party in the old school because he did not have dress clothes to wear. While his father was being honored. He stood outside the church. Hardships were many while Grandfather was gone because taxes had to be met, the Family's few expenses had to be kept up, and they tried to send money occasionally to Grandfather who was largely filling his mission "without purse or script." Aunt Hattie told of seeing Will returning dejected from cutting timber for Edwin Whiting’s mill in Dry Creek off Hobble Creek.  His horse had broken it’s leg and had to be destroyed.  She remembers feeling so sorry for him because his father was gone.

Grandfather had many wonderful experiences while he was a missionary. Perhaps one of the most outstanding was his experience of finding the cookies. Since he was traveling without purse or script, he knew many times of hunger. At one time, he and his companion were walking along a country road. They had had very little to eat for several days and were very hungry. They knelt down in the shade of a large tree and prayed to the Lord that they might someway receive some food. They were traveling through and area in which very few people lived and the houses were many miles apart. After they had prayed and rested for a few minutes, they aroused and started on their way again.  As they walked along Grandfather noticed a bundle on a fence post. Rushing up to investigate, he saw that the bundle contained two dozen cookies. "This Is the answer to our prayer!" he exclaimed. However, his companion was not so overjoyed as Grandfather was with the discovery. He cautioned Grandfather not to taste them because he was afraid that the enemy's of the Mormons might have poisoned them and set them out there as a trap f means of killing the missionary.  But Grandfather was too hungry to listen to such reason  and started to eat the cookies. His companion partook of them also when he saw that Grandfather was suffering no "ill effects. That experience was always a strong testimony to Grandfather of the power of prayer. 

Aunt Hattie remembers grandfather telling about being in Johnstown just prior to the great Johnston Flood.  They were driven away by the local residents.  Over 2,209 people died on that tragic Friday, and thousands more were injured in one of the worst disasters in our Nation's history which took place on May 31, 1889.

When he left for his mission the farm was left under the care of sixteen year old "Willie," as the oldest son was called in his youth. The first summer there was no rain and it appeared that the crops would never make it. Because of the serious conditions, a special fast meeting was called. Grandmother and Will walked over to the meeting. When they returned, there was not a cloud in the sky. Will asked his mother if she thought it would rain, "Yes," she replied, "and sooner than you think." She went into the bedroom to change her dress and when she returned to the kitchen, it started sprinkling out of a clear sky.

The clouds began to gather and grow thicker and darker. The rain poured down all night and the crops were saved. About the incident,  Phoebe, one of Grandfather's daughters says, "We had good crops that year.  Although I was just eight years old, I remember it very well and it has always been one of my greatest testimonies." 

Grandmother did washings and she made and sold butter to help pay the expenses during Grandfather's Absence. In February, after Grandfather left a baby girl, which she named Mary, was born to Grandmother.

Just to give you an idea of what their home and conditions were like, I shall quote from Phoebe. "Our table was small with one leg loose. It had to be propped to keep from falling. One leg was broken on the Charter Oak stove. Bricks were piled one upon another to take the place of the missing leg. Each night, a bed had to be made on the floor for the children as there were not enough beds for all of us. That autumn (that would be the autumn of 1889.) after the crops were gathered, Hyrum Clyde, our nearest neighbor, and my brother Will got a job working for H. T. Reynolds on the railroad. When they came home, Will had enough money to buy a new stove, a table, a couch that could be pulled out and made into a bed for the children, and also a chest of drawers. We surely felt blessed. As a family our blessings were greater then our trouble. At this time, Will was eighteen years old."  Grandfather returned from his mission in September, 1889.

Other Opportunities to Serve

In 1888, the Union Bench Ward, later to be called Mapleton because of the may maple trees on the bench, was organized a year later when Grandfather returned home, he was made president of the fifty-first quorum of Seventies in 1890.  He succeeded J.L. Whitney as counselor in the Sunday School. On August 27, 1893, he was called to serve as Superintendent  of the Sunday School with his brother Samuel D. Fullmer as first counselor and James Larsen as second counselor.

In February, 1896, Bishop Lucious Whiting passed away after suffering an attack of pneumonia.       The following May, William M. Tew was chosen to act as bishop. E. M. Snow became his first counselor and Grandfather was chosen as his second counselor. They served in that capacity until 1920, a total of twenty-four years.

After the Children Marry

Not long after Grandfather returned home from his mission his health began to fail. Grandmother began to slow down about this time also, but they kept struggling along in their efforts to make a living never giving into their failing health until nearly all of their family was married.  On grandmother’s 50^th birthday in 1903, grandfather wrote this poem in her honor:

Fifty years have com and gone

Since first you saw the day

And left its marks upon your brow

In silver threads and gray.

You have labored long and faithfully

To keep the wolf away

And now you Jubilee has come

All hail the glorious day.

You Children too both old and young

A joyous happy throng

Are here today to join with you

In praises and in song.

We pray the Lord to spare your life

Some fifty years or more

That you may help us on the road

To that Eternal Shore.

So take my hand and let us walk

Together down the hill

That we may gain Eternal Life

By doing  Father’s will.

---William Price Fullmer, Sr.

A few years before they died, they added several rooms to their old adobe home. Perhaps the greatest comfort they ever had in all their lives came to them when they had the water piped into their house. Not the hot, mind you, just the cold into their house. Several times throughout his married life, Grandfather had tried to dig a well, but each time and in each new location he had struck sand and the hole would fill up. They had carried water into the house all their lives so this single luxury was indeed a wonderful convenience. 

While attending, one of his greatest joys, in the spring or 1926 Grandfather had a stroke. His son Elmer took him to his home in Salt Lake where he remained for a few days. But he soon showed a desire to go to his own home in Mapleton. Then he arrived in Mapleton, he went to bed and never got up again. During his illness he never allowed Grandmother to leave his bedside. He passed away June 19, 1926, bearing a strong testimony of the Gospel. Shortly before he became ill, Grand­father made the statement that if his time was near, he and Grandmother would not be separated long. The separation they had had in life was when he went on his mission. He said if he went first and it was within his power he would call her to come to him. Whether or not he had that power is not for us to know. But just forty days after his death, on July 29, 1026 Grandmother followed him in death.

Of their thirteen children six have followed them in death leaving a total of seven who are still living, Of Grandfather and Aunt Elisabeth's six daughters five are still living, Aunt Elizabeth is also still living.

A great heritage

When their children were small they taught them the Gospel and how to pray. They taught them how to play and played with them. Their second daughter, Mary, tells abbot this in an interesting manner. "In the evening we would make a huge bonfire and play "Run sheep run" or "Hide and Seek". And what fun we had at night sleeping in the clean straw watching the stars in the sky and listening to the coyotes howl."

We would go to the sorghum mill a half mile away and get the skimmings to make candy. We didn't have white sugar but instead we had cane sugar that was brown and used largely for cooking. Later on sugar beets were raised in that area and we began to have a new treat--white sugar."

Each summer when the wild berries were ripe. Grandmother would prepare enough food to last for two or three days and we would go out into the mountains to camp out and pick berries. When all the containers were filled we returned home to make jams and fruit for winter.  And again she says, "We had plenty of fond recollection of our childhood and the little lob cabin. We were crowded but we were all  happy.

"Grandmother was a very frugal woman. She always had her family's clothes mended and cleaned. Every Sunday morning, the children were loaded into the lumber wagon and taken to Sunday School. She never complained about her lot in life, nor the poverty that she knew so well. Many times she said, 'poverty is no disgrace.  Keep your clothes clean and patched because dirt and rags are a disgrace. Be honest. Never steal or lie and always be prayerful. Per children were taught to pray as soon as they could talk."

After the children were married they and the grandchildren always liked to return home and often did on Christmas and other special occasions. There was always something ready to eat for whomever came.

Even though their children were all married and gone from home, their home was rarely empty of young people. Upon one occasions, one of their Granddaughters Margaret Fullmer was staying with them while she went to high school. She made the statement years later that she had always feared old age until she saw her grandparents growing old so beautifully and sweetly together I am sure that all of those who saw them in their later life felt a similar reaction Grandfather had very little formal schooling but he was well-educated. He loved to read and he could spell perfectly. He was never known to misspell a word. He was truly and educated mind because he never passed up and opportunity to study and learn.

One wise philosopher had made the statement that “a person is educated only to the extent that his thoughts are constructive” was reflected in his actions. He left his posterity a wonderful inheritance- one of frugality, courage, and faith in God. We should be proud to say, "He was my ancestor!

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Family History Outline

Younger Years

William and Jane Marry

The Family Mission

Service

The Children Marry

A Great Heritage

Related Links

Johnston Flood

Salt Lake Endowment House

John Solomon Fullmer and Mary Ann Price

William Price Fullmer, Jr.