John Solomon Fullmer

John S. Fullmer 

Son of Peter Fullmer and Susanna Zerfass Fullmer

Husband of Mary Ann Price

    Second Wife Olive Amanda Smith Cook

    Third Wife Sarah Ann 

Father to 

Mary Ann Price kids - 9 children

Lavinia Elizabeth Fullmer

Johanna Price Fullmer

Ann Adelaide Fullmer

Mary Ann Francis Fullmer

John S. Fullmer Jr. 

Olive Amanda Smith Cook - 10 children

Chauncey Harvey Cook - Step Son

Mary Ann Fullmer

Sarah Ann Stevens- 12 Children 

John S. Fullmer adopted my 3rd Great Grandpa Chauncy Harvey Cook. Well I guess it was more like took him in. Olive Amanda Cook married Milton Cook against her parents wishes and was sent away when they discovered she was pregnant. Once she had the child (Chauncy) she joined the "hated Mormons." When Milton found out he tried to convince her to leave the Mormons but she refused so he left and was never heard of again. I'm still trying to find information on Milton Cook. Olive later became the second wife of John Solomon Fullmer.

I have found many site that offer information on John Solomon Fullmer.

This site http://winmillfamily.org/john_s_fullmer.htm offers more information.

This is a copy of his history that was compiled by what I'm assuming to be a family member.

History of John Solomon Fullmer²

—compiled by Iona Jarvis Belka

The story of the life of John Solomon Fullmer is most interesting. His was a life spent in devotion to his religious beliefs and he never faltered in his faith. He possessed a great dignity and a great pride in doing everything as nearly perfect as possible.

He came from a good, religious family whose means of livelihood for many years was that of farming. He spent his youth and early manhood on his father's farm in Pennsylvania.

His ancestors were among the very early settlers of Pennsylvania, those of the Fullmer family coming from Germany on board the ship "Friendship" in 1738. Those of the Zerfass family also came from Germany.³

John Solomon Fullmer was born in Huntington, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, July 21^st 1807, a son of Peter and Susanna Zerfass Fullmer. He was their third child and one of seven children. He had two brothers and four sisters.

He received what was considered an "average" education. In those days an education considered as "liberal" would be to us but a grade school education. However, John S. possessed a driving ambition to better himself in every way and he never ceased to study and improve himself. He acquired a knowledge of law by taking a correspondence course while working in a newspaper office in Nashville, Tennessee, and, although he never practiced as a lawyer professionally, this knowledge served him greatly throughout his life.

In 1830, his father's family moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio. In the spring of 1832 John S. left the family to go to Nashville, Tennessee where he intended to study for the Ministry of the Baptist Church. He later changed his mind about becoming a minister as he felt himself incapable of filling such a position.

When he arrived in Nashville he had barely a five dollar bill in his pocket, was without friends or acquaintances and had no training in a trade. He First worked at the "Banner" newspaper office and within five years time, had become so well known and highly regarded that he received the financial backing of a wealthy merchant to establish himself, with a partner, in the mercantile business, which was known as "Fullmer and Mitchell."

It was while in Nashville that he met and fell in love with Mary Ann Price, a daughter of a wealthy planter. Mary Ann had known none of the hardships of life and had her own maid and a private tutor. Her father was very much opposed to her association with John S. and she was forbidden to see him.

Describing their romance in a letter to his parents, John said. "I always thought I would be better pleased for having a little romance in my courtship. In this 1 was fully gratified. She was prevented from having any association with me for a long time, and when we did have any, it was clandestinely conducted. She was not permitted to visit a neighbor's house alone, or even go to church without someone to attend her, lest I should intrude and take advantage of the circumstance. We at length, however, corresponded daily; and when we thought we were about to be discovered, we consummated the business to our liking, and to the utter astonishment and surprise of everybody.

"On the morning of the 24^th of May, 1837, she put on her morning gown as usual, and instead of walking among the flowers in the garden as usual, she skipped across the street, through an alley, and met me at the place of appointment. At 9 o'clock, we were at the parson's house and had the ceremony completed, and wrote a joint note to her mother (her father being at the time in Texas,) informing her of what was done, and hoped also that it was well done."

After the marriage her father did become reconciled as to what was done in that he was friendly toward the newly-weds. However, he did disinherit Mary Ann. Some years later, after her parents died and their estate was probated, Mary Ann did receive some settlement. (This was after she came to Utah.)

Being entirely on their own, the young couple found it less expensive to board and room than to maintain their own home and so, for about three years, this is what they did.

' The statement here quoted as Iona's reason for the compilation was appended to the typescript which she distributed to members of the family.

2Copied from a typescript Iona published for the Peter Fullmer family in August 1957.

3The Zerfass family actually arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Glasgow 9 September 1738, just eleven days prior to the Vollmars' arrival on the Friendship, 20 September 1738. Facsimiles of the passenger lists of these ships are reproduced in Pennsylvania German Pioneers, pages 216 and 234.

It was while John S. was away from his parent's home that they heard the gospel¹ preached and accepted it. He was bitterly opposed to their joining what he called some "new fangled" religion when it meant moving from their home to a new place and the breaking up of the family unit.

Theirs had been a closely knit family with John being the only one to leave the home. His three sisters had not joined this new church² and were to be left behind in Ohio while the remainder were contemplating moving to Missouri. "Wasn't the old religion they had lived for so many years satisfactory any more?" he asked. Finally, in a letter to his brother David, [see page 23] he says, "and as regards your religion, I have not another word to say in opposition, for I don't think you so lost in foolishness as to advocate any cause so zealously, without, to say the least, the appearance of some reason for it. I shall therefore cease the effort to laugh you out of your belief; neither will I debate the question, but will at once become your pupil, and will hear what you have to say, and if you can, by deed or doctrine, command my reason, I will make the acknowledgment."

Thus began the conversion of John S. Fullmer. At the end of two more years he decided to go to Nauvoo to visit with the portion of his family living there and to see for himself the Prophet Joseph Smith. He made the journey from Nashville to Nauvoo on horseback in the spring of 1839 and before returning to Nashville was baptized into the Church. He was baptized by the Prophet, 29 July, 1839.

He then returned to Nashville and prepared to move his family to Nauvoo. He and Mary Ann and their two daughters moved into their first real home, in Nauvoo, in the spring of 1840. Here they were, as John S. said, "comfortably but not splendidly situated."

Mary Ann, who knew nothing about the religious beliefs of John's family at the time of their marriage was baptized after their arrival in Nauvoo; however the exact date is not known.

From the time of their arrival in Nauvoo until the death of the Prophet the Fullmer family was closely associated with him and his brother Hyrum and their families. Stories are told in the family of how, in the evenings the rugs of the Prophet's home would be rolled up and evenings would be spent in dancing, and of the wrestling matches John S. and the Prophet would engage in. In the Fullmer family there is a sword and a watch which were given to John by the Prophet as tokens of his love and affection.

John S. served as secretary and clerk to the Prophet for almost a year, or until being sent to Kentucky on business for the Nauvoo House. He was active in all church activities and in some of his letters he relates the struggles required of the Saints in building the Nauvoo Temple and many other of their hardships.

He received his Patriarchal Blessing May 29, 1841³ at the hands of Hyrum Smith. In this blessing he was promised that he would never lose his clearness of mind, even in his old age. He never did.⁴

John S. was one of those who accompanied Joseph and Hyrum Smith to Carthage Jail and spent the day and evening before the martyrdom with them there. On the morning of that eventful day, when he was sent on an errand by the Prophet, John left his gun with him. It was this gun that Hyrum used to defend himself with later that day. The story is told that all those wounded with the gun that day, died a horrible death. When John S. returned to the jail that morning he was refused admission by the guards

Later, while on a mission to England, he wrote a lengthy article covering the martyrdom of the Prophet and Hyrum. This was published in a forty page booklet entitled, "Assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, The Prophet and the Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." [See page 104] He also wrote "A Condensed History of the Expulsion of the Saints from Nauvoo."⁵ [See page 189]

He believed, as he later expressed in letters written to relatives, that at no time on earth were there two greater men at the same time. He compared them (Joseph and Hyrum) to Peter, James and John. To him there was no more wonderful thing on this earth than the association he had with the Prophet.

Desdemona, a sister of John S., was one of the first women to enter into the order of Celestial marriage. She became a wife to Joseph Smith in 1842.

In May, 1844, at the birth of his fourth daughter, John S. hired a girl to work as a housekeeper. Her name was Olive Amanda Smith Cook.⁶

1 The "gospel" referred to is the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2John S. actually had four sisters: the oldest. Mary, had some years previous married Erastus Fellows; Desdemona joined the Mormon Church together with her family; but Charlotte and Louisiana did not join the Church. About that same time. Charlotte married Jonathan Ferris and Louisiana married John Hiskey, Both eventually moved to Iowa, near to where their sister Mary lived with her husband.

3 This was the first of three patriarchal blessings John received: the second was given 21 November 1851 at Salt Lake City, by Patriarch John Smith [see page 274]; the third was given 2 July 1880 at Springville, by Patriarch Zebedee Coltrin [see page 422].

4Even though he suffered three strokes about a year before his death, it was reported by his friend in a published tribute [see page 432] that his mind retained its clarity until the very end.

5 Both of these publications were included in the 40-page booklet spoken of and are included in this publication. They were actually written much earlier, as he stated in the "Introduction:"
6 A part of Iona's narrative is omitted at this point because further research has thrown serious doubt on its accuracy. She had quoted a story put forth by Olive's daughter, Olive Amanda Fullmer Bulkley, to the effect that Olive had eloped with Milton Cook, the father of her son, Chauncey Harvey. It now seems doubtful that Olive was married to Milton Cook. Since those details are not pertinent to this book, they are omitted here. The compiler of this book, Jerry D. Wells, 2554 Green Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, is willing to share those particulars with any serious enquirer.

After working in the Fullmer home for about nine months, Mary Ann, the first wife, asked Olive if she would consent to become her husband's second wife. Thinking that she would not find a better man, she consented when he asked her several months later. They were sealed January 21, 1846, in the Nauvoo Temple. (Her son from her first marriage, Chauncey Harvey Cook, was sealed¹ to John S. Fullmer, 25 January, 1911 in the Salt Lake Temple²)

In August, 1845, John S. Fullmer and Henry G. Sherwood were sent on a mission to Vermillion, about 700 miles from Nauvoo. The journey was made on horseback through wild, dangerous country. Several times on this mission their lives were spared by the hand of the Lord. They returned to Nauvoo in October, 1845 (A full account of this mission is recorded in Vol. 7, Documentary History of the Church. [See page 137])³

By this time it was fully realized by the leaders of the Church that the Saints would not be permitted to live much longer in Nauvoo and preparations were made for their departure. In a council meeting held by Brigham Young in the (Nauvoo) Temple in January, 1846, John S. was appointed as one of the three Trustees-in-Trust to care for and dispose of Church property.

John S. was paymaster of the Nauvoo Legion in which he held the rank of Colonel. He was a member of the "Spartan Band," that group of men who defended Nauvoo against the mob in September, 1846. He signed,⁴ much against his will, a peace treaty with the mob, in order to spare the lives of the Saints and to save the Temple. He describes the treaty as "ignoble and cruel" in all its features.

His wife, Mary Ann, and her children remained with him in Nauvoo throughout the struggles there. His wife, Olive Amanda left with the first Saints⁵ and lived in Council Bluffs where, in the wagon box she called home, her daughter Mary Ann Smith Fullmer was born.

After about a year and a half of trying to dispose of the Church property and, seeing that it was a useless task, the Trustees were told to leave what was left and move from Nauvoo. And so it was in the spring of 1848, John S. left on the journey that was to lake him to the valley in the mountains.

At Council Bluffs⁶ he joined his wife. Olive Amanda, and others of his parent's family and started on the journey. John S. was made a captain of 10 in the Willard Richards Company. They arrived in the

valley in October. 1848.

Those who came with him were; Mary Ann Price Fullmer and her children: Lavinia Elizabeth. Johanna Price, Ann Adelaide. Mary Ann Francis and John S. Jr.; his wife Olive Amanda and her children: Chauncey Harvey Cook and Mary Ann Fullmer; his parents. Peter and Susanna Zerfass Fullmer; his sister, Desdemona Fullmer Smith; a brother, David Fullmer and another brother, Almon L. Fullmer with his wife and children. The two wives of David and their children remained in Council Bluffs until 1850.

In March, 1849, a convention was assembled in Salt Lake City to consider the political needs of the community. A committee was appointed to draft and report a constitution for the temporary "State of Deseret." This committee consisted of: Albert Carrington, Joseph L. Heywood, William W. Phclps, David Fullmer, John S. Fullmer, Charles C. Rich, John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, John M. Bernhisel and Erastus Snow. The Convention adopted the constitution reported by this committee.

When the temporary "Slate of Deseret" was changed to the "Territory of Utah." John S. Fullmer⁷ was elected to the Council as representative from Davis County, his brother David was elected to the House of Representatives from Salt Lake County. His other brother, Almon L. was elected Deputy Marshall of the State. While living in Davis County he served as Postmaster.

In the fall of 1852, he was called to fulfill a mission to England. He left his wives, who between them had twelve children all under fourteen years of age, the youngest but a tiny baby. It is said that Mary Ann taught school to help with the livelihood while he was away and the 6th Ward records show they received some help from the ward storehouse. It was a difficult time for these women and their children and Mary Ann had the added sorrow of losing her eight-year-old daughter, Mary Ann Francis, by death.

While on his mission John S. was president over three large conferences in England, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. On 29 March, 1854, he and a companion were at Rochdale, England and while there administered to an 18-year-old boy by the name of Halsden Marsden, who had been born deaf and dumb. As they finished administering to him the boy spoke and indicated that he could hear.

Having completed a successful mission he sailed for home 27th February 1855, on board the ship Siddons being made president of the company of 430 Saints who were emigrating to the Valley. After seeing this company of Saints to the destination at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he returned to New York to meet another ship load of Saints and saw them to their outfitting place.⁸

1As a child to his parents, John Solomon Fullmer and Olive Amanda Smith.

2Salt Lake Temple record of sealings, living children to parents (Family History Library film: 1239614, p. 63, no. 2558.

3 History of the Church, 7:495-8.

4As one of the Church's Trustees-in-Trust.

5 Recent discoveries have revealed that Olive probably didn't leave Nauvoo in February, as previously thought, since it was known that she was in the company with Colonel Stephen Markham. It now appears more likely that she remained in Nauvoo, with her husband and his other family until Colonel Markham returned that summer for another load of Saints. Hence, she probably did not have to suffer the terrible winter months crossing the plains of Iowa.

6 Olive Amanda probably lived across the Missouri River from Council Bluffs, at Winter Quarters (later called Florence), Nebraska; as that is where her daughter. Mary Ann. is said to have been born 25 October 1846.

7It is worthy of note (that, except for the governor, none of this first body of legislators received any remuneration for this service. (Utah Historical Quarterly. Vol. VIII. Nos. 2-3-4, p. 87)

8 A careful reading of John S.'s missionary journal shows that he actually shuttled three more shiploads of Saints (the Juventa and the Chimborozo from Philadelphia and the S. Curling from New York), to boarding boats for St. Louis. That was all done before he visited his sisters in Iowa.

Feeling a "little weary" he went to Iowa to visit with his two sisters, Mary Elizabeth Fellows and Charlotte Ferris before returning to the valley. He arrived back in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1855.

After arriving in Salt Lake he moved his families to Springville, Utah, where for Ihe most part he lived for the remainder of his life. Olive Amanda later moved her family to Mapleton on a homestead, but she was unable to endure the severe winters there long enough to complete the terms of the homestead rights so moved hack to Springville, thus losing the homestead.

While on his mission, John S. met the family of James Stevenson, whose home was a stopping place for the elders. In this family there was a young woman by the name of Sarah Ann. She took great pleasure in helping the missionaries distribute tracts and in singing with them the songs of Zion as she had a beautiful voice. While still in England she had promised to come to America and become the third wife of John S. Fullmer.

Her entire family came to America on the ship Siddons in February, 1855, however, only Sarah Ann and her brother Charles came to the Valley that season. Her parents and the other children remained in Pennsylvania where her father operated a tailoring stop. Sarah Ann was also a professional seamstress.

Finding the families of John S. in such poor circumstances upon her arrival here she postponed her marriage to him for an entire year during which time she almost decided to marry John Taylor. However, she finally kept her promise and was married to John S. on 12 October, 1856 in the Endowment house. For six years they maintained a home in Spanish Fork, Utah and then moved to Springville near his other families.

John S. and Mary Ann both taught school in Springville and in Provo. Sarah Ann worked in her father's tailoring shop as he had, by this time, brought his family to the valley.

For about twenty years all three families made their homes in Springville, then as the children became older, they began to branch out. A new settlement called Orangeville was settled in 1881 and Sarah Ann took her family there to live. It was a desolate place located about forty miles west of Price, [in] Emery County. Here Sarah Ann made her home for the remainder of her life. She died 7 September, 1901.

Olive Amanda and some of her children also moved to Orangeville¹ and here she died 17 November, 1885. She and Sarah Ann are buried side by side in the Orangeville Cemetery.

John S. was stricken with paralysis on 21st of September, 1882. The first attack was followed by two more and he never recovered the use of his left arm and leg. However, as was promised in his patriarchal blessing, his mind remained clear until the time of his death, which came peacefully. In all his illness his last year, he had no bodily pain.

When he knew his end was approaching, he called all his family that were present together. He blessed them and admonished them to be true to their covenants and stand firm in the church and kingdom of God. Among his last words to them were, "I cannot remain any longer with You, I am going on a great mission."

He died on the 8th of October, 1883, at Springville, Utah.

After his death Mary Ann lived with her children in Springville and in Mapleton until about one month before her death, when she went to stay with her daughter in Marysvale, Utah. She died at Marysvale 29 November 1897.

Both John S. and Mary Ann were buried first in the cemetery lot on the old Fullmer home which was just east of Springville on Mapleton Bench. Some years later their remains were moved to the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville.

John S. and Mary Ann were the parents of eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity. He and Olive Amanda were the parents of ten children,² nine of whom grew to maturity, and he and Sarah Ann were the parents of twelve children having the good fortune of having them all grow to maturity.

1 Olive was still living in Springville when John S. died in October 1883. So her move to Orangeville was in 1884 or 1885.

:2John S. also reared his stepson, Olive's son, Chauncey Harvey Cook.

Autobiographical Sketch of John Solomon Fullmer (written about 1849)

The position of this brief sketch in his letter book suggests that it was written in 1849, the year after John and his families arrived in the "Valley of the Great Salt Lake."

Biographical Sketch of Jno. S. Fullmer¹

Jno. S. Fullmer son of Peter and Susannah Fullmer was born in the town of Huntington, Luzerne County in the State of Pennsylvania July the 21st A. D. 1807.

Emigrated to Ohio in 1830 and in 1832 to the State of Tennessee.

Was moved upon to enquire into the religion of the Latter-day Saints and for that purpose visited Joseph Smith, the Prophet, at Nauvoo in the Spring of 1839 and on the 8th day of July of the same year, was baptized by him.

Was ordained an elder at the first conference held at Nauvoo, under the hands of Brother Seymore Brunson.

Moved to Nauvoo in the Spring of 1840.

Was employed as clerk and secretary by the Prophet until sent, in January 1841, in company with Bishop George Miller, to Kentucky on business for the Nauvoo House.

Was ordained an high priest as Brother Hyrum Smith affirmed in my patriarchal blessing under his hands of the 29th of May 1841; which was confirmed some time afterward when admitted into the quorum.

In 1845 was appointed with Elder Sherwood to visit and organize Brother Emmett's camp on the Missouri River.

Received his first and second anointing in the temple in Nauvoo.

Was appointed in 1845 and 6 with Brothers Babbitt and Heywood as "Trustees in Trust" for the church to settle all unsettled business and to help the remaining brethren away.

1 Page 311-312 of a manuscript in which John kept copies of letters he (and his wife. Mary Ann) wrote  and a few additional items such as this autobiographical .sketch, beginning in 1816—hereafter referred to as "Letter Book." The original is housed in the Archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter referred lo as "Church Archive")

Was commissioned paymaster of the Nauvoo Legion during its continuance—was in the war in Nauvoo: first in council, then in the field as private soldier, a member of the Spartan Band—was in the spirited engagement where the lamented Anderson fell, and supported him in his expiring moments: and owing to the perilous situation that all were placed in, signed (much against his will) a treaty for peace, ignoble and cruel, in all its features, to save the temple and the lives of the brethren.

Left Nauvoo in the spring of 1848 with his family and arrived in the city of the Great Salt Lake in October following—and all is well.

J. S. F.

In a letter to his childhood girl friend. Desdamona Wadsworth [see page 19], John wrote, some five years after moving to Nashville in 1832 about that adventure: "When I came to Nashville, in the spring of 1832. I had barely a five dollar bill in my pocket, without business, without an acquaintance in the state, or even a letter of recommendation or introduction to any living being. I knew my prospects depended upon my conduct and deportment. Upon them I cast all my hopes and have already measurably profited by my determination; for I have not only established a reputation in this place, but have made many acquaintances through the greater part of the state. Besides, I have so far gained the confidence of one of our richest merchants as to be put into business by him, wielding a stock capital of about ten thousand dollars, besides sureties to several wholesale houses here, and in New York ..."