Name:
William Fulford 
Location served:
Chatham  
Years in Practice:
1817 to 1870
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. William Fulford was born in Watertown, Connecticut on the 30th of January, 1790.  Dr. Fulford’s parents were David Fulford and the former Lucy Doolittle.  Dr. Fulford had an older brother named Thomas Fulford. In 1796 the Fulford family moved to Sangerfield, New York. Dr. Fulford enlisted as a musician with the New York Militia. He was discharged on December 20th, 1813.  After his discharge he pursued his medical training.

Dr. Fulford married Abigail Brockway in Lima, New York in 1818. Mrs. Fulford was born on the 11th of November, 1790 in Lyme, Connecticut.  She was the 7th of 13 children born to Elisha Brockway and the former Abigail Hal.  Mrs. Fulford’s siblings were; Erastus, Elizabeth, Abel, Eunice, Elisha, Hepzibah, Eusebius, Nancy, Bella, Hannah, Chianna and Erastus (the eldest child also named Erastus died the year before the younger brother was born).

Dr. and Mrs. Fulford’s son Harris Fulford was born in New York in October of 1823.   Their son, William H. Fulford was born in Canada on the 23rd of September, 1828.  By August of 1831, the Fulford family was living in Raleigh Twp, (Chatham-Kent) and Dr. Fulford was practicing medicine in Chatham. Their daughter Alzora Elizabeth Fulford was born in Chatham on August 15th 1831. Another daughter Mary Ann Fulford was born in 1833.

In 1841, Dr. Fulford was part owner of the Chatham Weekly Journal newspaper but this was short-lived. The first edition appeared on the 3rd of July, 1841 and Dr. Fulford was listed as the editor.  In the third edition of the newspaper, there was an announcement that he was withdrawing his involvement in the newspaper.

The population of Chatham in 1841 was 812 people.  By now the Fulford family lived in a large, frame house on King Street in Chatham.  In 1843 Dr. Fulford was elected Treasurer of the Re-Organized Agricultural Society of Kent County. That same year, he was appointed special street surveyor for the Village of Chatham.  In 1848, Dr. Fulford was in Tecumseh Park re-loading a cannon when it prematurely exploded, shattering both of his wrists. One of his arms had to be amputated.

In 1852 Dr. and Mrs. Fulford moved to Livingston County, Michigan. According to the 1870 U.S. Census, Dr. and Mrs. Fulford, were living with their daughter Alzora and her husband George Hayner in Lansingburgh, New York. No occupation was listed for Dr. Fulford on that census and it is believed that he was retired.

Mrs. Fulford died in Milford, Michigan on the 10th of October, 1872.  She was buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.  Dr. Fulford died on the 20th of May, 1884 in Milford, Michigan.  Dr. Fulford was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Milford, Michigan.  Dr. Fulford’s daughter Mary lived in Milford with her husband Carnot Northrup.  Mary and her husband are also buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery.

The photo below is of Tecumseh Park.