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John Fulton "Uncle Remus" Collection Finding Aid

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John Fulton "Uncle Remus" Collection Finding Aid

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Title: John Fulton "Uncle Remus" Collection Finding Aid
Author: Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Special Collections and University Archives
Description: Finding aid for a collection. Collection description: Photographs, postcards mailed to John Fulton, an election campaign card, guest registers, and a newspaper clipping. The photographs are of Vanderbilt University students of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and are almost all identified. John Fulton (1837-1932) was born a slave at the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's estate, and died in Nashville, Tenn. In 1885 he came to Vanderbilt University to serve the IV Club, composed of four bachelor professors who kept house together in Wesley Hall--William L. Dudley, Austin H. Merrill, J. T. McGill and W. T. Magruder. James H. Kirkland, destined to become chancellor, later joined the group. As members of the group married and left, there remained only William L. Dudley, and Fulton became his private servant. He resided in a small room in the basement of Wesley Hall, where he entertained the students by playing his guitar, singing ancient ballads, and reading Uncle Remus stories, which is how he acquired his nickname. Fulton collected photographs from the students and literally papered all four walls with the photographs; those that would not fit on the walls were stored in trunks. In 1914, after Dudley died, he became the caretaker for Mrs. R.F. Jackson. His duties kept him at her residence during the day, but at night he returned to his room in Wesley Hall, until there was a fire there in February 1932. Fulton died shortly after in April 1932.
Subject: Fulton, John, 1837-1932 -- Archives
LCSH Subject: Vanderbilt University -- Employees -- Archives
Freedmen -- Tennessee -- Nashville -- Archives
Vanderbilt University -- Archives
Vanderbilt University -- Students -- Photographs -- Archival resources
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1803/3870
Date: 2010-01-20

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