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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" background="044c8982esnpes.jpg"> <div> The life and times of </div> <bR> <div> <B>James Jackson Fulton</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>1780-1869</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#CCCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" ><B>James Jackson Fulton</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#006633" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" ><B> |    </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="James Jackson Fulton"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 2"><U>Page 2</U></A>   |   <B>Page 3</B>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 4"><U>Page 4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 5"><U>Page 5</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 6"><U>Page 6</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 7"><U>Page 7</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 8"><U>Page 8</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="045f0030.gif" border=0 width="496" height="3" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Page 3</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>    But that God in whom they trusted watched over them and gave them refreshing as well as undisturbed sleep, with the early dawn of the morning, these brave men were astir, breakfast <IMG SRC="053a8690.gif" border=0 width="168" height="105" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">was prepared and sharpened appetites satisfied.  The arrangements of the previous evening were carried out.  Fulton started back to attend to the duties imposed on him.  The others started on to discharge the duties of their mission.  The course of the party from here lay in a northern direction.  From here their progress on their journey was but little impeded as they had no large streams to cross.  The place of destination was reached in safety, where and when a general inspection began after considerable time spent in looking here, there and elsewhere, satisfying themselves that beautiful and plesant homes could be opened up in this wilderness.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Yet they were conscious that it would require strong hands and brave hearts, and a great effort on their part.  Their mission was performed, they were now ready to return to their homes but not as those sent to view the promised land.  They did not nor could they take back with them the fruit of the land.  Yet their reports was such as to quicken and arouse their energy and give them new and bright prospects and high hopes for their future.  Their time during the winter was especially devoted to preparing an outfit for an early start the coming spring.  Long and dreary did the winter months seem and so slowly did they seem to pass in view of what was before them, anxiously did this little colony look forward to the vernal equinox to the chirping of the spring birds to the swelling of the buds, and to the springing up of the tender grass.  Well knowing with the coming of these, Spring with all its loveliness and beauty is near.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> The season so much desired and so anxiously looked for at last came great preparation had <IMG SRC="05855670.gif" border=0 width="85" height="103" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">been made by their little band for their removal.  Their goods, provisions and implements all put on pack saddles and strongly girthed to some of their horses.  While women and children were mounted on others with a courage, nothing daunted, those brave men and women bid dear friends and kindred good bye.  Leaving behind the many associations which rendered the old home so dear going forth strong in might, and firm in the faith of the God of their fathers to plant new homes and erect new altars around which to rear their young families.</div> <bR> <div>   </div> <div> Brave, true and honest hearts beat in the bosoms of those men and women who made such great sacrifices in order to develop the resources of a portion of country almost unknown at that time.  When we look abroad and see what rapid strides have been made in the onward march of civilization we say all honor to those true and brave men and women who did so much and so noble a part of the work.  It would indeed be difficult for those of the present generation to understand how families could move on horse back through an almost unbroken wilderness with no roads save an "Indian trail".  The women and children mounted on some of the horses others with their cooking utensils and others with indispensable articles packed upon while following on foot were the brave and stalwart men with their guns on their shoulders ready to take down any game which might cross their path and which would go forwards making up their next meal.  After a long and tiresome journey being weary tired and foot sore they had plodded on overcoming every obstacle and difficulty (and many there were) which presented themselves to them till at last their destination was reached in safety.  (This was then Armstrong Co.} (Now Clarion}.  </div> <bR> <div> No pleasant faces anxiously awaited their arrival.  No comfortable homes of kind friends and neighbors were open to receive or welcome them to their new homes.  No, they were not greeted with any of these accommodations.  They did not even have cabins or shanties in which to take shelter till something better could take their place.  With strong hands and willing hands and willing hearts they went to work.  The plan they adopted was this.  All work together, cut and carry the logs, put the buildings up, split the clap boards and put the roof on, completing so far a building each day until they had a house (as they called it) for each family.  It did not require a great amount of architectural skill to plan those houses so as to be convenient, neither was there so much taste and expense exhibited in furnishing them as there is at present.  To illustrate, the first table James Fulton and wife had was a punchon split from a large log, holes bored in each end and sticks put in for legs upon which it stood.  This answered the purpose for some years.  After making their home as comfortable as their circumstances would allow, their attentions were then directed to the clearing of the land, as the next thing in order.  This required a vast amount of heavy labor, a great amount of patience, perseverence and endurance.  The sound of the woodman's ax now echoed from hill to hill and from valley to valley and that from early dawn until the stars would peep out in the late evening.  Their time in regard to day's work was not governed by either the eight or ten hour law or by any means.  The food and raimnent of those brave men and their families during the first year of settlement in their new homes in some ways resembled that of "John the Baptist".  They did not of course eat locusts but their meat was deer, bear, wild turkey and it might be some of "John's" wild honey mixed in for top spreading.  Their clothing was home spun both linen and woolen as there were no carding machines in the country.  This in addition to the already heavy <IMG SRC="0682c0f0.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="271" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">labors imposed on them.  The women had to card the wool by hand.  For some time after settling in their new homes Cochran Fulton, James younger brother was kept packing on a horse from the older settlements such articles that was indespensable in the new home.  They were well trained in the schools of economy.  At times flour would get scarce, as a substitute they would boil wheat with potatoes and what game they killed gave them plenty on which to live (such as it was) until flour could be obtained.  Little does the present generation realize the amount of pravations, the suffering, the endurances and the terrible hardships those brave men and women (the early pioneers of our country) had to pass through in order that the "wilderness" might become a fruitful field and the desert bud and blossom like the "rose".  </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 2"><U>Page 2</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Arial Black" >    </FONT><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Page 4"><U>Page 4</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>