Enjoy this excerpt from Sarah K. Herman’s new local history book. You can purchase copies of her book at Oblong Books at either of their brick-and-mortar stores or on their website here.
Susie Fulton
Susie Fulton (October 1861–1913) was the daughter of Elisha Fulton (27 Apr 1824–26 Mar 1903) and Margaret Smith (25 Feb 1827–14 Jul 1884). She and her sister, Jennie Z. Fulton, never married and were both teachers at one time or another at Jackson Corners, Cokertown, Elizaville, Rock City, and Mount Ross. Susie taught kindergarten in Red Hook in a large “double house” at the upper end of North Broadway and school at District No. 7 in Rock City before 1872, when the school was in its old location. She played a “rich-toned and sweet” Esty organ at the Cokertown church and “had a fine musical taste, and considerable ability,” per Burton Coon. He reported that Susie Fulton was a “person of culture and refinement, a graduate of De Garmo’s institute, [and a] member of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.” He considered her a community leader in these respects and had nothing but good things to say about her. In May 1903 Susie was sent home sick with Typhoid fever from her teaching job at the Poughkeepsie Orphan House and Home for the Friendless (which exists today as Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie). Their website gives a brief history of the organization, including remarking on trouble with contagious disease at the time that Susie became sick. She left that facility and taught in July of 1903 at the Newburgh Orphan’s Home. The Poughkeepsie Evening Enterprise thought that she was “a superior person for the responsible charge.” The Fulton family is buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Upper Red Hook.
The Fulton Family
A block from the 1903 quilt on which Fulton contributed embroidery. Click to view details.