JOHN M. FULTON, dentist, Washington, is a native of the county, born in South Strabane township, July 14, 1858, a son of Samuel Fulton, also a native of South Strabane township. The family are of Scotch-Irish extraction, and John Fulton, grandfather of subject, came to this county in an early day, settling in the original township of Strabane, where he died. He had married Hannah McMillan, granddaughter of John McMillan, who founded the college at Canonsburg. She died in 1891 at the age of seventy years, the mother of the following children: Samuel (deceased); James R., in South Strabane township; Thomas, in Illinois; William and John, both in South Strabane township; Elizabeth, wife of William Pry, in Virginia; Belle and Robert. The grandfather, John Fulton, died in 1869, at the age of fifty-nine years. Samuel Fulton received a liberal education at the common schools of his native township, and at Jefferson College, where he took a literary course and graduated in the class of 1857. He then studied dentistry in Washington, and subsequently entered into partnership with one Robertson, in 1866, which continued for a short time when he bought out his partner's interest in the business, and continued with eminent success up to his death, which occurred February 11, 1890, when aged fifty-seven years, the result of an attack of the "grip." He was originally a Democrat, but in the later years of his life was pronounced Prohibitionist. In 1857 he was married to Miss Margaret J., daughter of John Rankin, of North Strabane township, and five children were born to them, as follows: John M. (subject of sketch); Mary Hannah, wife of Rev. John Scouller, in northwestern Pennsylvania; Ollie Belle (married to George Walker), now deceased; Anna H. and Ada M., the last named dying from the effects of the "grip." The mother is yet living in Washington. John M. Fulton, the subject proper of this memoir, received a thorough common-school training, and began studying his profession in his father's office. In 1879 he entered the Pennsylvania Dental College at Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1881, and he then at once commenced the practice of dentistry in Washington, in partnership with his father, which existed until the latter's death, since w hen our subject has continued the business alone. He is well skilled in his business, and has a wide circle of friends. On December 4, 1883, Dr. Fulton was married to Elizabeth, daughter of John E. and Julia A. (Winters) Bell, of Washington, to which union two children have been born--John Donnan and Samuel Floyd. The Doctor is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, and in politics is a Democrat. The Bell family are prominent in Washington county. Thomas Bell and Agnes Scott were married February 3, 1814, and became the parents of ten children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Robert, March 3, 1818; William, October 23, 1820; John E., September 24, 1822; Rachel, August 2, 1824; Josiah S., June 23, 1826; Thomas C., July 24, 1828; Esther, January 13, 1831; Violet, August 5, 1832; Boyd and James. Of these, John E., married Miss Julia A. Winters, and their children were as follows: Millie (now deceased), Gretta (wife of John Donnan, of Washington), Lula (wife of John Sweeney, of Elm Grove, Penn.), Sadie (wife of Dr. Thistle, of Washington), Carrie (wife of Horace P. rose, of Johnstown, Penn.), and Elizabeth (wife of Dr. John M. Fulton). The father of this family died December 29, 1874, in Washington; the mother is still living, and is now in her seventy-third year. Mr. Bell was a Republican, and held the offices of county treasurer, prothonotary, clerk of commissioners, and at the time of his death was Deputy United States Collector of Internal Revenue, all of which incumbencies he filled faithfully and to the satisfaction of all. He was a most highly esteemed citizen, and after his death was much missed in the community, for his uprightness and integrity of character had won him hosts of friends. His widow, Mrs. Agnes (Scott) Bell, is a daughter of Alexander and Rachel (McDowell) Scott, and a granddaughter of Josiah and Violet Scott. Alexander Scott (born in December, 1763) and Rachel McDowell (born November 17, 1773), were married November 18, 1790, by Rev. John McMillan, and were the parents of children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Violet, August 15, 1791; John, January 7, 1793; William, April 8, 1794; Agnes, January 24, 1796; John, September 29, 1798; Sarah, January 30, 1801; Josiah, December 1, 1803; James March 26, 1807, and Rachel, August 18, 1810.

Text taken from page 392 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed June 1997 by Kathy Petty of Evansville, IN as part of the Beers Project. Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]