Elijah K. Fuller, Jr. & Sarah Elizabeth Glover


  Elijah and Sarah Fuller were the parents of Sarah Rosetta Fuller, who married Harold August Christensen.  Harold and Sarah were the parents of our Harold Elijah Christensen and Irving Fuller Christensen.


  Elijah K. Fuller was born February 4, 1847, at Council Bluff, Iowa. He was the eldest son of Elijah Knapp Fuller and Catherine Walker. His father was born June 13, 1811 in Windham, Green County, New York. Father's mother was born May 29, 1824 at Vermont. She was baptized in 1835 at Ogdenberry, New York.

  Mother's parents were William Glover, Jr., and Jane Cowan. Her father was born August 19, 1813, at Kilmarneck, Ayshire, Scotland. Her mother was born December 9, 1816, at Clayland, Lanarkshire, Scotland. They came to America when they were children. Later they were married (November 15, 1832), and had a large family. They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1842.

  They sailed from New York on the 4th day of February 1846 on the ship Brooklyn, with Samuel Brannon who was in charge of the Saints. Four of their children had died but they took the three living with them. The ship landed in San Francisco, California, on July 31, 1846.

  On September 25, 1846, Grandmother gave birth to a baby boy who was named William Francisco Glover. Two years later on November 7, 1848, she gave birth to a baby girl. She was named Sarah Elizabeth and after her marriage to Elijah K. Fuller became my mother. They left California in an ox team and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1849. Later they purchased a farm in Farmington, Davis County, Utah.

  Father's parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. They left Nauvoo with a company of Saints in April, 1847, and arrived in Salt Lake Valley in September 1847. Grandmother gave birth to five children. Grandfather married again and this caused a separation between them.

  As Father was the eldest child in the family, it was his responsibility to help support his mother and family. In order to get means to do this he hauled freight with a team and wagon. In doing this kind of work there were many times when he had to make his bed and sleep on the damp cold ground. In doing this he took cold and was left with lung trouble which gave his ill health for the rest of his life. His mother's family then moved to Farmington where mother's parents lived.

  I have heard my mother say how she and Father first met. Mother was acquainted with Father's sister, Rachel, but as Father was away most of the time she had not met him. Mother was twenty one years old and had never seen any man that she cared enough to marry. She went to a dance with her brother, William, one evening and Father and his sister Rachel were there. His sister made Mother acquainted with Father and after the dance he asked Mother if he could take her home. She refused saying, "I came with my brother and I will go home with him." Mother said it was love at first sight for they kept company and were engaged in three months after. They were married June 28, 1869 in the Salt Lake Endowment House.

  They lived at Farmington, Utah. They had two children born there and one at Granite, Utah.

  My parents then moved to West Weber, seven miles west of Ogden. There they purchased a farm. There was no bridge across the Weber River so it had to be forded. There the river was wide and deep and Mother, being a very nervous person, worried a great deal. Father's brother, Edwin Fuller, was drowned in this river in an attempt to save a man and his son. They all three drowned together and he was taken to Father and Mother's home.

  Mother gave birth to four children while they lived in West Weber. Two of the children died there and after the loss of the last little girl, two years old, Mother was so unhappy living there that Father sold his farm and moved to Brigham, Box Elder County, Utah. He bought a home in the Third Ward on Main Street. While here Mother gave birth to a baby girl. Later Father sold this home and bought land one block east of the Courthouse. This land was owned by Abraham Hunsaker. Father sold the corner lot to his brother-in-law, Charles Davis, who built a hotel on it. I was eight years old when we moved to Brigham, Utah.

  Father built a Livery Stable and a home for his family north of the hotel. Father had a lot of fine horses and buggies to hire out, also sleighs for winter. He also owned sheep in a partnership with his brother-in-law.

  Father was a good provider and was very kind to his family, but he was in ill health and under the Doctor's care at Salt Lake City. He and Mother had driven to Salt Lake and were on their way back when father took very ill.  They had to stop at Farmington where Mother's parents lived. He had the folks send for us children and his brother-in-law to bring the books so they could get settled up with their business. But it was too late; he died on October 8, 1885 soon after we arrived.

  This was a hard trial for Mother and all of us. She was left with five girls, the oldest fifteen years old, and the baby boy, four months old.

  Their oldest boy had been buried in Farmington, so she had Father buried there. Mother had been in ill health for two years and felt like she could not go back to her home, so she stayed with her parents in Farmington for awhile. I stayed with Mother, and the other children were taken into the homes of relatives.

  When Mother finally got to feeling better she gathered her children together and went back to her home in Brigham. As she had been in poor health she had paid little attention to Father's business affairs; therefore, she knew little concerning them.

  Her brother-in-law took charge of settling up her affairs and after things were settled she had very little left to support her family. She had her home, the Livery Stable and some pasture land. She rented the Stable and sold the land for $500.00. She loaned the money to another brother-in-law to buy sheep but he lost that, so Mother didn't realize a thing from her $500.00.

  She had a cow and that was a great help to her in supporting her family until one day it was found dead in the pasture. This was a great blow to Mother and was just like a funeral in our home.

  Mother always taught us to be honest and truthful. She was always ready and willing to give service in time of sickness and trouble and willing to share whatever she had with her children and others.

  My two older sisters and I worked out doing housework to help support ourselves. As soon as the younger ones were old enough they too helped to earn their own clothing.

  Mother was a Relief Society teacher for years and was always faithful in doing her duty. She always paid her tithing and fast offerings no matter how little it was. She had great faith in the Priesthood and always called in the Elders instead of Doctors whenever there was sickness in the home.

  On April 15, 1891, my two oldest sisters were married at a double wedding in the Logan Temple. I was married on December 12, 1894, also in the Logan Temple.

  Mother died at my home in Tremonton, Utah, January 29, 1921, and was buried in Brigham City, Utah.

                                                               --Catherine Elizabeth Fuller Watkins, Tremonton, Utah


Note: Elijah K. Fuller was buried in the Farmington City Cemetery. However, the exact spot is unknown. It is believed his grave may be under one of the roadways in the cemetery. A flood came down through Farmington many years ago and destroyed many markers.


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