Bio: Francis M. Fults, (History - 1849)Contact:
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: FULTS LAWRENCE FISK BOARDMAN KERN

----Sources: Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin by The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891 Pg. 272 - 273; Clark Co., Wis. Records; Census Reports

FRANCIS M. FULTS, of Section 30, Withee Township, Clark County, was born in Dodge County, Wisconsin, February 28, 1849, the son of Joseph and Emeline (Lawrence) Fults, natives of the State of New York. They had eight children: Sevilla, now Mrs. Boardman Francis, our subject Alonzo, Elmer, Wesley, Austin, Ida and Alden. The father went to Idaho with Captain Fisk's expedition in 1864, and has not been heard from since 1865, and is supposed to be dead. The mother now lives on the Pembina Mountains, Cavalier County, North Dakota, as do all the children except the two eldest.

Francis M., the subject of this sketch, went with his parents to Dodge County, Minnesota, in 1855, where he was reared on a farm, and received a limited education, as the country was then new and inhabited by Indians and wild animals. He has hunted a great deal, killing deer, bear, wolves, lynx, wild cats, etc. He was engaged in farming there until the spring of 1873, when he came to his present farm, which was then covered with timber. Since that time he has worked in the woods nearly every winter, has driven logs several springs, and worked on the farm in the summers. He owns eighty acres of good land, sixty of which he has since cleared.

Mr. Fults was married October 6, 1871, to Laura Kern, who was born in Boone County, Indiana, April 16, 1857, the daughter of Jesse A. (deceased) and Mary E. (Beck) Kern the father was a native of Nicholas County, Kentucky, and the mother of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Fults had four children, three now living, namely: Jesse E., born January 16, 1873 Richard, January 25, 1878 and Walter M., February 7, 1880. One daughter, Core E., born August 10, 1875, died March 3, 1877. Mr. Fults has served as School Treasurer two or three terms, and is a Democrat politically.

The Blizzard of 1873

In the fall of 1873, Frank M. Fults was blown into the woods by a blizzard, from Rochester, Minn. and immediately homesteaded the northwest quarter of Section 30, Township. 29, 3 west, and commenced a clearing preparatory to erecting a log house. We should have said that Mr. Fults began three clearings. It happened in this wise, as Frank informed us confidentially. He boarded with E. A. Boardman at the time and walked one-half mile to his work. After chopping one forenoon he shouldered his ax and went to dinner. Returning after dinner he searched in vain for his "chopping" but it failed to materialize, although he sought it carefully. Frank admits that he was just fresh from the prairies and not very well versed in woodcraft; but scout the idea that his half-day's attempt at clearing had not made a sufficiently large opening, but it might have been found. After this had been repeated a second time, Frank concluded, on the forenoon of the second day, that when he went to his dinner he would blaze a trail from his chopping to Mr. Boardman's house. Mr. Fults had really no objection to clearing up two or even three farms as a mere matter of exercise, but the idea of getting lost in going a half mile was becoming monotonous to him.

He says he afterwards found where two or three trees had been cut down, yet thought it couldn't possibly be one of his "lost clearings", as the trees looked more like cut down by a porcupine or beaver than with an ax, but he swears by an oath stronger than the kick of an army musket that his bachelor neighbor, Nels Courter, stole his first clearing to use for a pattern to start his own clearing by.

Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 02/25/1887

Biography of Francis Marion Fults

Compiled by Lani Bartelt with contributions from a great granddaughter of Francis.

Francis "Frank" Marion Fults

Francis Marion Fults was born in Dodge County, WI on February 28.1849. He was the son of Joseph and Emeline (Lawrence) Fults, who were natives of the State of NY.

They would have eight children; Sevilla, b July 6,1843 Theresa Falls, NY. She married Ephraim Boardman and they would have a daughter, Grace Boardman, b 6 Mar 1881 d 9 Jan 1919. She married William J Frank and their daughter, Maxine b 1904. Sevilla, Ephriam, and Grace are all buried in Thorp Cemetery, Thorp, WI; Francis Marion, whom this biography is being written; Alonzo Valpariso; Elmer T.; Wesley Standard; Austin Ephraim; Ida; and Alden.

The father (Joseph) went to Idaho with Captain Fisk’s expedition in 1864 and was never heard from again and was supposed dead. The mother (Emeline (Lawrence) Fults was left with seven children ages 15 (Francis) to 2 (Alden) and she and the children would live in Olmstead Co MN for a number of years and later when son, Elmer homesteaded in the Pembina Mountains, Cavalier Co. North Dakota she lived with him and the last years she lived with daughter, Sevilla Boardman in Clark Co WI Elmer married about 1878 while living in Olmstead, MN and about 1884 he emigrated to Cavalier Co ND. He and his wife are buried out there.

The Captain Fisk referred to in the above paragraph actually took four trains west in 1862,1863,1864, and 1866.

Francis went with his parents to Dodge Co. MN in 1855,where he was raised on a farm and received a limited education. The country then was new and inhabited by Indians and wild animals. He hunted a great deal killing deer, bear, wolves, lynx, and wild cats.

When the Civil War broke out he served with the MN 1st Heavy Artillery Co unknown.

Note/ He would have been only fourteen years old at the close of the war. His Great Granddaughter cleared up that information and this is what she told me: The MN 1st Regiment, Heavy Artillery was the last body of men formed in MN. Francis enlisted on Jan 19,1865 in Rochester, MN, just shy of his 16th birthday. He was discharged on Mar 24,1865 at Ft Snelling MN because he was discovered to be too young, only 16. (The age of enlistment was 18 during the Civil War, but age was often hard to prove at the time.) This information on his Civil War record is from his enlistment and discharge papers at the National Archives in Washington DC. At the time of his enlistment he listed his home at Rock Dell, Olmstead Co MN

His rank in was as a PVT.

1st Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery

Organized at St. Paul and Rochester, MN. September 1864 to February 1865. Companies ordered to Chattanooga, TN, as fast as organized and garrison duty there until September 1865. Mustered out September 27, 1865. Regiment lost during service by disease 87.

After the war he worked in farming in MN until the spring of 1873, when he came to Clark Co WI.

The above story tells about his arrival in Clark Co WI during the blizzard of 1873.

Lani note/ May 2006   EA Boardman (Ephraim) was his brother in law, married to Francis sister Savilla. The Boardmans also came from MN when they came to Clark Co WI.

When he came to Clark Co his future farmland was covered with timber. He worked in the woods nearly every winter, drove logs several springs and worked on the farm in the summers. He owned eighty acres of good land, sixty of which he cleared.

Francis married Laura Kern October 6,1871. She was born in Boone Co. Indiana. April 16,1857 and was the daughter of Jesse A and Mary E (Beck) Kern, the father was a native of Nicholas Co KY, and the mother of Indiana.

 Frank and Laura had four children three of whom were still living: Jesse E, born Jan 16,1873; Richard born Jan 25,1878;

and Walter Spencer, born Feb 7,1880. One daughter, Cora E, born Aug 10,1875 died Mar 3,1877.

Francis Marion Fultz died Aug 1894. I have not found an obit online for him   He and his mother are both buried at Thorp Cemetery. His wife, Laura would remarry two more times and she and her second and third husbands are also buried at Thorp Cemetery.

 His widow, Laura is shown on the 1895 WI State Census for the Town of Withee on Pg 2.

Laura Fults remarried twice. Her second husband was Thomas Blechhold  Nixon , b 5 Feb 1865  son of Robert & Jane Nixon d 10 Feb 1902. His obit says he and Laura married on Feb 19,1896.and until about 1901 he was in good health. He began having bowel trouble and suffered with that until his death. His funeral was held from the Baptist Church and he is buried at the Thorp Cemetery.

Her third husband was Clarence Dudley Perry b 25 Nov 1862   d 01 Dec, 1952 who was the son of Joseph  & Jane (Newell) Perry and he was married first to Emily L Heagle (12 Oct 1880) and second to Laura (Kern) Fults Nixon on 20 Oct 1902. He is buried at Thorp Cemetery. Laura died 29 November 1935 and she too is buried at Thorp Cemetery.

Son, Edwin Fults married Ruby Marie Pacholke on Sept 12,1933 in Colby, WI.

She was born April 19,2005 in Marathon Co to John and Mary (Fuhrman) Pacholke.

After their marriage they lived in Stetsonville where he delivered gas and oil to customers. They moved to Abbotsford in 1948 where they operated the Abbotsford Oil Co. and she was the bookkeeper until 1959.

Edwin Fults died July 30,1959. After his death Ruby worked as a cook for the Abbotsford School District from 1966-85; was a Cub Scout Leader and owned and operated an antique business from her home. For 35 years called Ruby’s Antiques.

She was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church and she was their bookkeeper for 27 years. Ruby died Feb 15,2005. Services were held at the Maurina Funeral Home and she was buried at the Abbotsford Public Cemetery.

Surviving her were her children, Jerry (Sandra) Fults of Owen; Sandra (Gordon) Knight, of Colby; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren; and her brother, Herbert Pacholke of Cable. Her parents, her husband Edwin and one grandson, Allen Knight on March 23 1974, preceded her in death

Researcher's Notes