Came to Catasauqua from Freemansburg in 1842

James W. Fuller, father of James W. Fuller, 2d, was born at Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, Aug. 22, 1821, and died at Catasauqua, Nov 22, 1872. He married Clarissa Miller, who was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Henry Miller, who was a German descent. Their children were: James W., Orange M., Clarissa C., Abbot F., and Clinton. During the Civil War, he became prominently identified with the political and military affairs of Pennsylvania, and was so recognized by Andrew G. Curtin, governor of the Commonwealth.

Abiel Abbott secured him as an employee of the Lehigh Canal Company. From 1855 to 1865 he served as Justice of the Peace. While a member of the State Legislature in the beginning of the fifties, David Thomas prevailed upon him to pray for a charter for the construction of the C. and F. R. R. During the Civil War Mr. Fuller became prominently identified with the political and military affairs of Pennsylvania and his influence with the Republican administration was generally recognized.

JAMES W. FULLER figures very prominently as a contemporary of David Thomas. His father, Chauncey Dorrance Fuller, came to Biery's-Port from the "Plains," above Wilkes-Barre, soon after the construction of the Lehigh Canal was started, upon the invitation of Abiel Abbott, one of the earliest superintendents of the canal, and was employed by the company for a number of years. Subsequently he served as one of the Justices of the Peace of the borough for ten years, from 1855 to 1865. The son, in his early years at Biery's-Port, ran boats on the canal, and afterward conducted the canal store at the bridge. From 1852 to 1856 he was specially employed by David Thomas, for the Crane Iron Co., to secure from the Legislature of Pennsylvania a charter for a railroad to extend from Catasauqua to Fogelsville and Red Lion (near Mertztown in Berks county), for the purpose of enabling the Company and also the Thomas Iron Co., to bring iron ore from the westerly and southerly portions of the county to their large works at a reduced expense, and also to discontinue damaging the public roads with their numerous heavy teams which had come to be a source of complaint by the tax-payers. But his efforts developed intense opposition which resulted in public meetings at Allentown to denounce the attempts of the "Black Republicans" towards securing such a charter, because, as alleged, it would finally destroy the fine farms of the yeomanry in the beautiful and productive valley of the Jordan. His skill and perseverance brought success, first obtaining a charter for a plank-road, and afterward another charter for a railroad. In the Spring of 1856, the railroad was commenced, and within a year the ore teams were no longer seen on the public roads, tearing up the roadway and making it well-nigh impassable as had theretofore been the case. Of course, the loud complaints subsided.

During the Civil War, Mr. Fuller became prominently identified with the political and military affairs of Pennsylvania, and his influence with the Republican administration then was generally recognized. He was married to Clarissa Miller and his children, who lived to mature years, were Orange, James W., Jr., Abbott, Clinton H., and Clara (married to Ogden E. Frederick.) Two of them survive, Abbott, who resides at Philadelphia, and Mrs. Frederick, at Catasauqua. He established the Fairview Cemetery in 1858. He died in 1872.