Individual Details
Robert Fuller
(Abt 1615 - 10 May 1706)
Fuller is an ancient occupational name coming from the woolen cloth trade. A "fuller" was someone who processed the cloth after it was woven to make it whiter and stronger. The quality of the finished cloth was determined by the skill of the fuller. There are eight early settlers of America by the name of Fuller who are ancestral heads of large and worthy progeny, wide-spread over the U.S. and in Canada.
The eight ancestral Fuller lines are:
Dr. Samuel and his brother Edward, of the Mayflower, 1620.
John of Ipswich, Mass., and William, of Hampton, N.H., who came in 1634.
Thomas of Dedham, and John, of Newton, Mass., who came in 1635.
Robert, of Salem, and Thomas, of Woburn, Mass., who came in 1638.
Robert of Dorcheser, afterward of Dedham, Mass. who came in 1640.
Robert Fuller came from Southampton, England, in the ship Bevis of Hampton in May 1638 and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. It is thought that Thomas of Woburn, Mass might have been his brother and sailed on the Bevis with him. In "Fullers, Sissons and Scotts" it says that Robert and Thomas are believed to be the sons of Thomas Fuller, the elder brother of Edward and Samuel of the Mayflower. That Thomas died testate in England, but his will is lost.
Robert's name appears in a Salem Court Record of Nov. 18, 1639, when he requested a grant of 5 acres of land to plant. This request meant he had probably married recently. In 1640 he took a freeman's oath in Salem. Robert purchased or held rights in land in Rehoboth as early as 1645, as he is found on the list of owners at a value of 150 pounds. His name appears in many Rehoboth town records, tax lists and deeds. His family lived in a new home at the south west end of the "Ring of Green" on Seekonk plain (now East Providence R.I.) He was made a freeman in Rehoboth in 1658. He was one of the first proprietors in Rehoboth and drew shares in the general divisions of land in 1661 and 1668. Rehoboth was the first town in New England to have free schooling paid for by taxes. He is also shown as paying a tax of 4 pounds 10s. 3d. for expenses fighting King Phillip's war in 1676.
King Philip's War broke out in June 1675 and the area was quckly involved. Indians harassed and ambushed the settlers when they worked in the fields. During 1676, the Indians attacked Rehoboth several times. Every able-bodied man carried a musket and was supplied with ammunition and did guard duty at one of the four garrisoned houses. At night families slept together in one of the garrison-houses, 50 to 60 men, women and children huddled together with straw or blankets on the floor of a house built for 10 to 12. Even still, Rehoboth was burnt to the ground on March 28, 1676, by a band of 1500 Indians. Only the four garrison-houses and one other survived. Robert Fuller then lost his son-in-law Nehemiah Sabin in May, two of his sons, John and Samuel, a week apart in August, and probably his wife in Oct. After these disasters he distributed much of his property to his remaining sons and grandchildren. He provided for the grandsons left fatherless by the Rehoboth massacres. Some property he held jointly with son Jonathan. He returned to Salem the year after.
In Salem, Robert continued to be active in town affairs. He was admitted by the Selectman as an inhabitant in 1677. On March 10, 1679 he was admitted to the First Church in Salem. In Sept. 1680 he took a freeman's oath in Salem, and in Nov 1682 he served on the Grand Jury. His name appears on tax list in Essex Co. in 1683.
In deeds Robert signs himself as the "brick-layer of Salem." It is thought that he was the first and only bricklayer in New England for many years. He probably completed an apprenticeship in bricklaying before coming to America. He was chosen to oversee the law concerning brick and received money for work done on the town house in Salem. In colonial times a mason constructed foundations and cellar walls, fireplaces, bake ovens and chimneys of brick or fieldstone. Some walls and ceilings of houses were back-plastered with lime mortar to provide needed warmth.
Sometime before July 26, 1687, he married the widow Margaret Waller as on that date she gave Robert her dwelling house with ten acres called Leach which had been bequeathed to her by her late husband Christopher Waller. She and Robert also gave a ten acre lot to Mary Salmon, who had been adopted in childhood by Margaret Waller. In Aug of 1687 they also deeded l2 acres to Nathaniel Felton of Salem.
On March 30, 1697, Robert and Margaret sold their homestead in Salem. They returned to Rehoboth where his two sons, Jonathan and Benjamin were living. Robert died May 10, 1706. No settlement of his estate has been found and it is thought he divided up all of his estate before his death.
The eight ancestral Fuller lines are:
Dr. Samuel and his brother Edward, of the Mayflower, 1620.
John of Ipswich, Mass., and William, of Hampton, N.H., who came in 1634.
Thomas of Dedham, and John, of Newton, Mass., who came in 1635.
Robert, of Salem, and Thomas, of Woburn, Mass., who came in 1638.
Robert of Dorcheser, afterward of Dedham, Mass. who came in 1640.
Robert Fuller came from Southampton, England, in the ship Bevis of Hampton in May 1638 and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. It is thought that Thomas of Woburn, Mass might have been his brother and sailed on the Bevis with him. In "Fullers, Sissons and Scotts" it says that Robert and Thomas are believed to be the sons of Thomas Fuller, the elder brother of Edward and Samuel of the Mayflower. That Thomas died testate in England, but his will is lost.
Robert's name appears in a Salem Court Record of Nov. 18, 1639, when he requested a grant of 5 acres of land to plant. This request meant he had probably married recently. In 1640 he took a freeman's oath in Salem. Robert purchased or held rights in land in Rehoboth as early as 1645, as he is found on the list of owners at a value of 150 pounds. His name appears in many Rehoboth town records, tax lists and deeds. His family lived in a new home at the south west end of the "Ring of Green" on Seekonk plain (now East Providence R.I.) He was made a freeman in Rehoboth in 1658. He was one of the first proprietors in Rehoboth and drew shares in the general divisions of land in 1661 and 1668. Rehoboth was the first town in New England to have free schooling paid for by taxes. He is also shown as paying a tax of 4 pounds 10s. 3d. for expenses fighting King Phillip's war in 1676.
King Philip's War broke out in June 1675 and the area was quckly involved. Indians harassed and ambushed the settlers when they worked in the fields. During 1676, the Indians attacked Rehoboth several times. Every able-bodied man carried a musket and was supplied with ammunition and did guard duty at one of the four garrisoned houses. At night families slept together in one of the garrison-houses, 50 to 60 men, women and children huddled together with straw or blankets on the floor of a house built for 10 to 12. Even still, Rehoboth was burnt to the ground on March 28, 1676, by a band of 1500 Indians. Only the four garrison-houses and one other survived. Robert Fuller then lost his son-in-law Nehemiah Sabin in May, two of his sons, John and Samuel, a week apart in August, and probably his wife in Oct. After these disasters he distributed much of his property to his remaining sons and grandchildren. He provided for the grandsons left fatherless by the Rehoboth massacres. Some property he held jointly with son Jonathan. He returned to Salem the year after.
In Salem, Robert continued to be active in town affairs. He was admitted by the Selectman as an inhabitant in 1677. On March 10, 1679 he was admitted to the First Church in Salem. In Sept. 1680 he took a freeman's oath in Salem, and in Nov 1682 he served on the Grand Jury. His name appears on tax list in Essex Co. in 1683.
In deeds Robert signs himself as the "brick-layer of Salem." It is thought that he was the first and only bricklayer in New England for many years. He probably completed an apprenticeship in bricklaying before coming to America. He was chosen to oversee the law concerning brick and received money for work done on the town house in Salem. In colonial times a mason constructed foundations and cellar walls, fireplaces, bake ovens and chimneys of brick or fieldstone. Some walls and ceilings of houses were back-plastered with lime mortar to provide needed warmth.
Sometime before July 26, 1687, he married the widow Margaret Waller as on that date she gave Robert her dwelling house with ten acres called Leach which had been bequeathed to her by her late husband Christopher Waller. She and Robert also gave a ten acre lot to Mary Salmon, who had been adopted in childhood by Margaret Waller. In Aug of 1687 they also deeded l2 acres to Nathaniel Felton of Salem.
On March 30, 1697, Robert and Margaret sold their homestead in Salem. They returned to Rehoboth where his two sons, Jonathan and Benjamin were living. Robert died May 10, 1706. No settlement of his estate has been found and it is thought he divided up all of his estate before his death.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1615 | Southampton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom |  | ||
| Marriage | Abt Nov 1639 | Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States - Sarah Bowen | | ||
| Marriage | Abt 1678 | Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States - Margaret Felton | | ||
| Death | 10 May 1706 | Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States | | ||
| Burial | Bristol, Massachusetts, United States |  | |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah Bowen (1616 - 1676) |
| Child | Jonathan Fuller (1643 - 1708) |
| Child | Elizabeth Fuller (1645 - 1688) |
| Child | John Fuller (1647 - 1676) |
| Child | Samuel Fuller (1649 - 1676) |
| Child | Abigail Fuller (1653 - ) |
| Child | Benjamin Fuller (1657 - 1711) |
| Spouse | Margaret Felton ( - 1700) |
Notes
Burial
Buried three miles from Seekonk (early name for Rehoboth)Endnotes
1. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), p. 247.
2. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), p. 2 & 247.
3. Brown, Walter LeRoy, Ancestors of Florence Julia Brown : and some of their descendants. (Albion, N.Y.: Eddy Print. Co., 1940, 358 pgs.), p. 209.
4. Dorsey, Jean Muir., Robert Fuller of Salem and Rehoboth Massachusetts and some of his descendants. (Urbana, Ill.: unknown, 1961, 30 pgs.), p. 1.
5. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), p. 248.
6. Dorsey, Jean Muir., Robert Fuller of Salem and Rehoboth Massachusetts and some of his descendants. (Urbana, Ill.: unknown, 1961, 30 pgs.), p. 1.
7. Dorsey, Jean Muir., Robert Fuller of Salem and Rehoboth Massachusetts and some of his descendants. (Urbana, Ill.: unknown, 1961, 30 pgs.), p. 1.