Mary Pursifull was born June 9, 1830. She died in 1912 in Tipton Indiana.
Hiram and Mary were married on March 14, 1850 in Clinton County, Indiana.
Family legend was that Mary was a full blooded Cherokee Indian. I did some checking and although it makes a good story it's not the case. Her Grandfather on her dads side imigrated to the States from England and her mothers family is from Pennsylvania. Hiram lists himself as a farmer on the 1880 census.
Hiram was also one of the surveyors who mapped out the origional town of Goldsmith.
After he and Mary were married they lived with his father John in Clinton county for a time. he them moved to Illinois between 1856 and 1860 to farm and is listed there in Bureau in 1860, named spelled Hiriam. They had a three year old son (John) listed who was born in Illinois that is not in any of the later data. He and his family had moved back to Indiana and Tipton County by 1863 as Charles was born there in 1863. Hiram lived there until he died. The 1900 and 1910 census shows that Mary had 10 children and only 3 were left living.
Here is an interesting curiosity. in 1870 Hiram and Mary had living with them a 23 year old man named Henry Thomas Fulkerson (spelled Fulkison in the 1870 census) They had no children named Henry so who was he?? I did some checking and the only Henry I could find who was born in 1847 is the son of Epperson Fulkerson from Butler Ohio. Eppersons Brother was very very close to Hiram's Father. I find no other listings of this Henry at the moment.
The End Came While Visiting His Son Near Hartford City--Known in this city.
Hiram Fulkerson, of goldsmith, died at the home of his son, near Hartford City, he having taken sick while there on a visit to his son. Mr. Fulkerson was seventy-six years of age, and his death was due to bright's disease.
Hiram Fulkerson was one of the pioneers of this county, he settling in the western part of this county at a very early day, and during his long life, he was well known in that section.
The funeral services were conducted at the Christian church in Goldsmith Tuesday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. Rev. George Foster, of Tipton, conduction the services. The interment was at the Tetersburg Cemetery --Tipton Tribune.