Compiled by Sue Jones.
This gentleman [Martin H. Fuller], who is a type of our old pioneers, and who came here when this country was sparsely settled and the dark forest was filled with lurking wild beasts and still wilder men, was born Nov. 14, 1812, in Dearborn Co., Ind. He is a son of Thomas Fuller, born Oct. 30, 1774, in VA. He died May 5, 1830; he [Thomas] was married in Indiana, to Susannah Torrence, born Aug. 28, 1776 ; she died Nov. 20, 1857. she raised 5 boys and 4 girls. Her father, Wm. Torrence, came from Ireland; her mother, Martha Stull, came from Penn. She was of German descent.
Thomas Fuller came to this county in 1820, living 5 years at Palestine, then removed 6 miles south of Palestine where he bought land near where his son, Martin H. Fuller , is now living, who spent his youth near Palestine, and at the age of 20 went to the Blackhawk war with his father who had formerly been in the war of 1816. After the war Martin H. took charge of W. Kitchell's farm while he was in the Legislature.
In 1835 he received a call to Knox County, Ind., where his fame as a trustworthy man had preceded him, to take charge of a large farm. In 1840 he returned to this county where he entered and bought land. Has now 237 acres of fine land, to the cultivation of its bounteous and virgin soil he pays considerable attention.
He has a coal mine and a fine prospect for oil on his farm. He has filled school offices and been Justice of the Peace for 30 years, marrying in that time 88 couples without charge. Through his just and fair dealing he is called the "compromising justice." Mr. Fuller was joined in matrimony in Lawrence Co., Sept. 21, 1837, to Rosana Tromly, born Nov. 18, 1814, daughter of Isaac Tromly, who married the widow of Joseph LaMotte, the old Indian interpreter, who spoke 7 different Indian dialects, besides French and English, his successor, Tromly, spoke only five dialects.
LaMotte at one time owned what is now called Lamotte Prairie, which was given him by the Indians for his services as interpreter, but it seems that they regretted the gift afterwards, and in order to draw pay for the land from the Government they killed LaMotte and threw his body in a deep hole of water west of the cemetery near Palestine, in the creek that bears his name.
Mrs. Fuller is one of our good old fashioned lady's. She was raised a Catholic and still adheres to that faith. Mr. Fuller is a Democrat in politics and has been a leader and spokesman among the old pioneers. His adopted son Edwin Fuller was born Dec. 2, 1866 and is a steady intelligent young man.