In 1786 Isabella Fulton married Peyton Cooke. In February of that year
he obtained a deed for “a lot of ground and hewed logs for a home.” At
the end of the document appear these words, “By Peyton Cooke’s direction,
this deed is made for Robert Fulton.” Probably Fulton had advanced money
for the transaction.
Some time later, Elizabeth Fulton, or Peggy as she was called in her
brother’s letters, became the wife of a Mr. Scott, who probably died in
a few years, for his wife and children made their home on the farm with
her mother, and its ownership was secured to her by Robert Fulton’s will
in 1815.
In 1790 Mary Fulton, or “Polly,” married David Morris, a nephew of
Benjamin West. Mr. Morris was a man of local prominence and his
intelligence seems to have rendered him the most companionable of Robert
Fulton’s brothers-in-law.
Abraham Smith Fulton, the only brother, is said to have opened a school
in the town of Washington. During his later life he was employed by his
brother in running an early steamboat on the Ohio River. Some time after
this, in overseeing the building of a log house, on a bluff not far from
Pittsburgh, he was instantly killed by the collapse of the structure.
[Illustration: BUILDING FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY CALEB JOHNSON’S SCHOOL,
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.]
This, in brief, is the story of the sisters and brother of Robert Fulton.
Through eighteen years’ absence in Europe his love for them remained
true; and when he made his will, in 1814, he left to each a legacy, and
relinquished all right to money which he had at different times lent them.
Mr. Morris built the home for his wife, Polly Fulton, upon the lot
adjoining Mr. Hoge’s home, given her by her brother. A letter, written by
Robert Fulton to his mother, from London, June 14th, 1790, alludes to the
happy event. It shows so clearly his unchanging love and generosity that
I quote it in full:
DEAR MOTHER;
I have rec’d yours of January 29th, 1790, and am happy to
hear of the good health of the family which is the first
consideration and nearest my heart. May Heaven continue to Shed
that blessing on you and I shall be happy.
I can easy conceive your garden to be the best in Washington;
Gardening ever was your delight, besides you have a taste for
that kind of cultivation which perhaps the people of your
Western Country are Strangers to.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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