Fulkerson, Col. William Houston, was born September 9, 1834, on the homstead of his father in Clairborne County, Tenn., but comes of excellent Virginia stock. His father, Dr. James Fulkerson, was born in Virginia a son of Col. Peter Fulkerson, who commanded troops in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Dr. Fulkerson was married to Miss Frances Patterson of Philadelphia, Pa., in the native city of his bride, and then moved to eastern Tennessee, where they rounded out useful lives. The Patterson family is a prominent one in Pennsylvania, and its members were very patriotic. A maternal uncle of Col. Fulkerson, Gen. Robert E.Patterson, was a veteran of three wars. Another uncle, William Chamberlain Patterson, was the second president of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Dr. Fulkerson was a medical man of considerable note and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Col. WilliamHouston Fulkerson was educated in the best schools of Tennessee, and finished his educational training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. During the trouble with the Mormons, he gave valuable service, during 1858-59, but when the north and south declared war his sympathies led him to espouse the cause of the latter and from the beginning of hostiles until their close he served gallantly as colonel of the Sixty-Third Tennessee, although wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. With the close of the war, Colonel Fulkerson returned to Tennessee, but like so many of those that fought so bravely for the "Lost Cause", he found that opportunities were lacking in his old home, so in 1866, he left Rogersville, where his boyhood, and young manhood had been spent, and moved to Jersey County., Ill. Here he found congenial surroundings and associates and developed the magnificient stock farm known as "Hazel Dell" and there entered extensively into the business of breeding Shorthorn cattle and met with a very gratifying success. He still resides on this farm where so many useful years have been spent.
On October 17, 1861, at Rogersville, Tenn., Colonel Fulkerson was married to Miss Cornelia T. Russell, born at that place November 16, 1832, a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Richards) Russell. Mrs. Fulkerson was educated at the Rogersville Seminary and at Salem, N.C., and was a lady of many accomplishments. Her death occured October 31, 1909. Colonel and Mrs. Fulkerson became the parents of the following children: Frances R., James W., Joseph R., Frank E., and Sarah B. Of these James W., is deceased, and Sarah is the wife of Judge Charles S. White.
Colonel Fulkerson was carefully reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church during his childhood. His political inclinantions and convictions make him a Democrat, and while he was never active in politics, he served one term as judge of the County court of Jersey County, two terms as president of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture and was a member of the board of trustees of the University of Illinois. He was also a member of the Illinois State Board of Worlds Fair Commissioners at the time of the Worlds Fair at Chicago. A man of sterling qualities, Colonel Fulkerson is honored and respected by all who have the honor of his acquaintance. While he has been more or less concerned in business operations, he has never neglected the finer things in life, and enjoys the best in literature, reading extensively and appreciating the productions of his favorite authors. Not only has he traveled extensively in his own country, but also abroad, and os one fo the most cultured and well informed men in his section of the state.