The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-06-30
Levi X. Fuller.

Levi X. Fuller, the republican nominee
for Acknowledgements, was born February
a. 1S41, at East Westmoreland, Cheshire
county, N H., and moved to Windham
county in 1915 with his parents. His mother
was of German descent, his father was of
Welsh. AT the age of thirteen Colonel
Fuller obtained consent to leave the pa
ternal roof to seek his own fortune, with
twenty-five cents in his pocket and came to
Brattleboro and learned the printers trade.
He attended the Brattleboro high school.
He carefully studied and practced the
science of telegraphy until he became a
skilled electrician. Afterwards he attended,
and was graduated from, the high school at
Bellows Falls. After working for time in
the telegraph office, he turned his mind to
that of invention, the first being that of an
important improvement in steam engines.
This invention attracted considerable atten-
ton, and the Windham County Agricul-
tural Society awarded him premium there
for in 1857. Subsequently he went to Boston
and served an apprenticeship in the ma
chinist's trade. For a time while there he
was evening operator at the Merchants Ex-
change. He was one of the first electricians
to observe and note the influence of the
aurora borealis upon the telegraph lines.
The newspapers of those days gave full
recognition of the discovery and in Dr.
Warren'S astronomy the circumstances
are particularly detailed. During the time
Mr.. Fuller was in Boston he pursued a reg
ular course of study in science by attending
evening schools-often carrying his books in
his pocket, studying at his bench, giving
every hour to study that his labor in hand
would permit. His habits of industry and
studiousness thus early formed have been
kept up to the present time. His library
consists of several thousand volumes of
choice books; he is an amateur astronomer,
having an observatory and the finest equa-
torial telescope in the state. In 1860 Mr..
Fuller became engineer and machinist in the
Estey organ works. Later he bought a
machine-shop and went into business for
himself, and accumulated considerable prop
erty. In 1866 he became a member of the
firm of j. Estey & Co., and since he has
given that firm the benefit of his energy and
ability His inventive talents have been
great benefit to that firm and contributed
largely to making the Estey organ the finest
in the world. He is one of the best known
inventors, having obtained over one hun
dred patents upon his inventions. He
, figured prominently in the great Estey
Burdette lawsuit, which, it will be remem
bered, resulted in a triumph for his firm
He is member of the American Society OF
Mechanical Engineers also of the American
Society for the Advancement of Science
In 1873 he went to Europe and laid the
foundation of the great system of foreign
Europe in 1878, and still again in 1884, and
at each of these trips greatly advanced theil
trade in the Old World. He is eminently
man of business, shrewd, calculating anC
successful. He is identified with the Brat
tleboro Savings Bank, the town library, thu
Brattleboro Sewing Machine Company, ant
for eleven years has commanded the Fuller
Light Battery National Guard of Yer
mont. He was aide on the staff of Gov
ernor Converse. He is greatly interested
in educational matters, holding the Office o
president of Shaw University at Raleigh
n G., a large and prosperous educationa
institution. In 1873 President Grant ap
pointed him commissioners to the Vienna
exposition, which he declined. His firm
also partly built and endowed the academ,
at Saxtons River, vt. Colonel Fuller ha
rendered great aid to Baptist societies at ST
Johnsbury, Montpelier and many othe
places in this state. In a quiet way his lif
has been full of noble acts. He is generous
kind-hearted, warm in his attachments an
has many friends. His success in life is tn
result of industry and hard work, whic
have done much towards developing hi
natural abilities. He married Abby, tn
only daughter of Hon. Jacob Estey, who's
generous acts and noble and intelliger
womanhood have been great aid to he
successful husband.