Date Original
1825-1891
Description
The Fulton-Wright papers consist primarily of personal correspondence from William Savin Fulton during his time as Territorial Governor of Arkansas and as a United States Senator from Arkansas through his death in 1844, and financial materials relating to Fulton's estate in the years following his death.
Biographical/Historical Note
William Savin Fulton, lawyer, soldier, and statesman, was born in Cecil County, Maryland, on June 2, 1795. He was the son of David Fulton, a native of Ireland. He pursued classical studies and graduated from Baltimore College in 1813. Fulton commenced the study of law, but during the War of 1812 enlisted in a company of Volunteers at Fort McHenry. After the war, Fulton moved to Tennessee and resumed the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1817 and commenced practice in Gallatin, Tennessee. He was military secretary to General Jackson in his Florida campaign in 1818. He moved to Alabama in 1820 and settled in Florence. Fulton was elected judge of the county court in 1822. He was appointed by President Jackson secretary of the Territory of Arkansas in 1829. He was appointed Governor of Arkansas on March 9, 1835 and served until its admission into the Union in 1836. Upon the admission of Arkansas as a State, Fulton was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate; reelected in 1840 and served from September 18, 1836, until his death at his home “Rosewood” in Little Rock, August 15, 1844. Fulton is buried in Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock. Fulton married Matilda Frances Nowland in Florence, Alabama, in 1823. Their children who lived to adulthood were Elizabeth R., who became Mrs. Moorhead (or Morehead) Wright; Sophia (Sophie, or Sophy) Caroline, who married James M. Curran and, later, George C. Watkins; and Ida, who married William Hunter. This collection was secured in 1963 by permission of Mrs. Oldham Clarke of Louisville, Kentucky. All the papers came from the Little Rock home of the late Mrs. Louisa Watkins Wright Loughborough, a great-granddaughter of William S. and Matilda F. Fulton.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000071
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Fulton-Wright papers, MS.000071
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Fulton-Wright papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
