Lt Colonel William Houston Fulkerson, 63rd Tennessee Infantry, CSA
William Houston Fulkerson was born in Tazewell,Tennessee on the 9th of September 1834. He joined the Confederate States of America, during the Civil War, on April 15, 1862. After helping form a militia unit in Clairborne County, he was elected Captain of his unit. This Southern Unit was designated Company “A”, 63rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment in July. At this time he was promoted to the rank of Major. The 63rd was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Abram Fulkerson and mustered about 400 men. Both William and Abram Fulkerson were wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga. The Regiment saw action in Alabama, Georgia,Tennessee and Virginia. The Regiment was assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E.Lee in 1864. At this time William was promoted to Lt. Colonel. The unit was surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The strength of the Regiment was reduced to 28 men at the time of surrender. After the Civil War William moved his family to Jersey County, Illinois,just north of Jerseyville. Here, he built a fine brick 12-room house and raised five children. He named this lovely home, “Hazel Dell”. He was a successful farmer and served on several boards.He headed up the construction of the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railroad. He was vice-president of the First National Bank of Jerseyville. He died at Hazel Dell on the 3rd day of December in 1919,at the age of 85 years.
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