FULLER, Edward, Esq. (see highlights for edits made 6/11/2019)

Edward Fuller was born January 22, 1782 in Readfield (then part of Winthrop), a son of Francis and Hannah (Cobb) Fuller.[i] He was a well known and respected lawyer in Readfield, whose name appears on many legal documents and transactions in our area.

He married first, in 1804, to Temperance Fuller of Barnstable, MA.[ii] She died in 1828 and he married Miss Elioenai Frost (dgt. of Edmund & Elioenai Frost) on 8/30/1829.[iii]



Edward Fuller, Esq. home on Main Street, Readfield

His home was located on Main Street near Gile Hall and believed to have been built by James Craig, Jr. circa 1788.[iv] After Craig died in 1805 his wife married William Luce who was living on the land at the time Fuller bought it in 1809. Luce’s father, Beriah, and Edward’s father, Francis both came to Readfield from Cape Cod at about the same time, before 1780. Francis settled, with his family, in the eastern section of town (near the current town line) in what later became Manchester.

In 1846 a mortgage was extended on this home by Jesse and Mary Ann Aiken, Edward's daughter and husband. In 1860 it was sold to Perley Fiske by his son Hiram and son-in-law Jesse Aiken. This lends itself to more exploration to figure out exactly who was living on the Fuller homestead during these years. Hiram was listed as a resident of Hallowell on the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census. Those same census records reveal that Jesse and Mary Ann were also living in Augusta and Hallowell during that time frame, so the heirs may have owned and rented the homestead. 

East of this location - beyond Readfield Corners - land was purchased in 1838 by an Mrs. Eleornia Frost (I have seen this unusual name spelled in various ways). There were no buildings on it at that time. In 1851 she sold it and stated in the deed "same which I with my family now resides". Could this have been the same Elioenai who was married to Edward Fuller? The dates work but why was her name Frost on the deeds. [vii] So, there we have another mystery to solve!  

Edward Fuller died at age 74 on August 26, 1856; his first wife "Tempy" died August 2, 1828; his second wife Elioenai died 9/15/1881 at age 76 years. Elioenai was living in Portsmouth, NH with her daughter Hellen and family in 1880. [viii] They, and several of their children are buried at Readfield Corner Cemetery.[ix]

Edward Fuller had four children by his first wife, Temperance,[x] and five by his second wife[xi]

1) Mary Ann b.1805 d.1888 New Bedford, MA m.1823 to Jesse Aiken of Wilton, ME 
2) Hiram b. 1809 d. 1896 in Hallowell m.1836 in Hallowell to Sarah Williams Fuller Whittier (her given name).  
3) George Gage b. 1814 d.9/14/1844 age 31years bur.Readfield Corner Cemetery
4) James b.1816 d.8/5/1839 age 23 years bur.Readfield Corner Cemetery
5) William H. b.1832 (more info not known at this time)
6) Gorham b.1836 d.8/30/1837 age 16 mos. bur.Readfield Corner Cemetery
7) Hellen Louise b.1838 d.1924 Portsmouth, NH m. Daniel L. Church b.1828 Farmington, ME. A Civil War veteran and a teamster by profession. He d.1910. They lived in Portsmouth, NH.
8) Charles E. b.1839 d.9/27/1840 age 11 mos. bur.Readfield Corner Cemetery
9) Mary F. b.1842 d. age 1 year bur.Readfield Corner Cemetery

---

[i] Potter-Clark, Dale; To Those Who Led the Way – Readfield VR’s 1768-1913; self pub. 2009; pages 15 and 16

[ii] Ibid page 104

[iii] Ibid page 130

[iv] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds 2/25/1809 Book 15 Page 423

[v] ibid pages 15 and 16.

[vi] 1850 US Census Readfield, ME
[vii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds Book 123 Page 319; Book 176 Page 15; and Book 149 Page 206
[viii] 1880 US Census Portsmouth, NH; Daniel Church, HOH
[ix] Potter-Clark, Dale; To Those Who Rest in Peace in Readfield, Maine, Readfield Corner Cemetery listings; personal library of Dale Potter-Clark, publishing pending.
[x] Potter-Clark, Dale; To Those Who Led the Way – Readfield VR’s 1768-1913; self pub. 2009; pages 15 and 16
[xi] Various birth, death and US Census records