Fulkerson Family papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0363

Staff Only

The collection consists of related to three members of the Fulkerson family: Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1822-1862), his brother Abram Fulkerson, Jr. (1834-1902), and Abram's son, Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1863-1926). Significant items include:

Civil War correspondence (dated March-May 1862) written by Samuel V. Fulkerson (1822-1862)
Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862) reports of the Battle of McDowell and the Battle of Winchester (dated May and June 1862)
Wartime correspondence (dated 1863 and 1865) written by Abram Fulkerson, Jr. Two letters were written while he was a prisoner of war.
A letter of appreciation (dated September 1862) written by General Stonewall Jackson following Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862) death in battle

In addition to the battles mentioned above, topics include:

Battles of Port Republic and Kernstown
Death of Turner Ashby
Refugee and civilian life
Camp life
References to Stonewall Jackson, including Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862 assessment of his character and Abram Fulkerson, Jr.'s reflections following the Jackson's death

Also included are biographical and genealogical material, business and financial papers of Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1863-1926), and family correspondence.

Dates

1835-1925

Creator

Fulkerson, Samuel V. (Samuel Vance), 1822-1862 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Extent

0.50 cubic feet (approximately 50 items)

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1822-1862) was born in Washington County, Virginia to Colonel Abram Fulkerson, Sr. and Margaret Laughlin Vance on October 21, 1822. As a young man he undertook the study of law, and in late 1846 he obtained his license and opened a practice in southwestern Virginia. He served in the United States Army during the Mexican War (1847-1848), and subsequently returned to practice of law in Estillville and Abingdon, Virginia. In 1857 he was elected judge of the thirteenth judicial district and held this position until the beginning of the Civil War. He was a member of the VMI Board of Visitors from 1852 to 1854 and from 1857 to 1858. During the Civil War he served as Colonel of the 37th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He was killed in the Battle of Gaines's Mill, Virginia on June 26, 1862.

Abram Fulkerson, Jr. (1834-1902) was born on May 13, 1834 in Washington County, Virginia and was the younger brother of Samuel V. Fulkerson (1822-1862). He graduated from VMI in 1857, and after a brief career as a teacher, went on to study law. During the Civil War he served as Colonel of the 63rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment and was a prisoner of war (one of the "Immortal 600"). After the War he continued the practice law and was active in politics, serving in the Virginia legislature and in the United States Congress. He 1862 he married Selina Johnson, of Clarksville, Tennessee, and the couple had nine children, including Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1863-1926), VMI Class of 1884. Abram Fulkersonm, Jr. died on December 17, 1902 in Bristol, Virginia.

Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1863-1926) was born on October 22, 1863 in Abingdon, Virginia to Abram Fulkerson, Jr. and Selina Johnson. He graduated from VMI in 1884 and subsequently studied law at the University of Virginia. He was a lawyer (partner in the firm of Fulkerson and Davis in Bristol, Virginia) and served two terms as City Attorney. During the Spanish-American War (1898- 1899) he was a member of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment, United States Volunteers. In 1904 he married Lura Bradley of Sherman, Texas, and the couple had twin sons in April 1906. He died on July 2, 1926 in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is buried at East Hill Cemetery, Bristol.