PRESENTATION
OF THE
PORTRAIT OF HON. THOMAS C. FULLER
TO THE
SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA
BY
COL. CHARLES W. BROADFOOT
Colonel Broadfoot said:
Mr. Chief Justice and Associate Justices: With your consent, we are about
to recall to mind a distinguished North Carolinian, the Honorable Thomas
C. Fuller, late of this city. He was born in Fayetteville, N. C., on 27 Febru¬
ary, 1832, of one of those old families who settled upon Lord Granville’s grant,
in Colonial days, and have ever stood prominent in our State.
In early life he lost his father. His mother, some years afterwards, mar¬
ried Dr. Simeon Colton, of Fayetteville, a Presbyterian minister, of staunch
New England stock, noted for piety, austerity, and learning. Thomas became
the protdge of his uncle, Elijah Fuller. Esq., at the time a prominent and well-
to-do merchant of that place. The uncle, a man of generous impulses and
kindly nature, did his part generously towards the nephew, and gratefully,
bounteously, lovingly, was his family afterwards repaid.
Young Fuller received his training at the hands of his stepfather, Dr. Colton,
who taught a classical school of high order, and at the law school of Judge
Pearson. Upon being licensed, he hung out his shingle at Fayetteville, and
from thenceforth to the time of his death was a devoted son of this old
town.
The ancients said, it was a hard task to climb Parnassus. We know what a
rough and tiresome road it is which the young lawyer treads when first he
begins to climb. However, Mr. Fuller, with his many friends to cheer him
on, aided by strong and influential family connections, climbed rapidly, and
we find him with a growing practice, happily married, in 1856, to Caroline
Douglas Whitehead, daughter of Williamson Whitehead, Esq., of Fayetteville —
the lady of his choice, the woman of his undying love, one gifted in largest
measure with all the plain, homespun knowledge, accomplishments, and graces
which adorn true womanhood. She was, in deed and in very truth, as soft,
gentle, modest, bright, charming, and lovable a woman, with as sweet a smile,
as ever plighted her troth. Caddy Whitehead, or Caddy Fuller, was admired
by all who met her, and fondly loved by all who knew her. She was the idol
of her family and husband. From this marriage were born manly sons and
fair daughters, of whom we may not now speak.
This happy couple had scarcely begun housekeeping when the dark shadow
of war turned brightness into night. Mr. Fuller was an old-line Whig, and
of course an intense Union man, as indeed a large majority of our people were.
Lincoln’s proclamation for troops, to make war upon the South, was to him
the. call to arms. He promptly laid aside everything and volunteered as a
private in the LaFayette Light Infantry, Joseph B. Starr commanding, soon
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