Shirley township

The Poet at the Depot

W. W. Fuller was born at Ickesburg in Perry County on November 6, 1837. He entered the Pennsylvania Railroad's service on March 5, 1865, and by December 1, 1866, was Freight and Passenger Agent at Thompsontown. On April 1, 1876, he accepted the Mount Union agency and held it for thirty years until his pension on December 1, 1906.

Besides his railroad interests, Fuller found time to seek the Muse. He was called the poet of the Juniata Valley and wrote verses including The Eighth Wonder of the World, The Horseshoe Bend, Jack's Narrows, The Youths of Fair Saville, and The Vale of the Juniata. He found much pleasure in singing of the natural phenomena and splendors of the Juniata Valley.

He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a teacher in the Sunday School. He aimed to be an upright citizen in the community.

What the fact check confirmed. Published without a source list. Every date and every poem title has now been read against Welch's 1909 history and all of them hold exactly. Welch adds what the post leaves out: Fuller lost both parents before his first birthday and was raised by grandparents and an uncle, trained as a teacher at Millersville State Normal School, and ran the schools at Port Royal, Duncannon, Thompsontown and Millerstown before the railroad. Checked 1 September 2026.

Sources

Charles Howard Welch, History of Mount Union, Shirleysburg and Shirley Township (1909), the W. W. Fuller entry: born at Ickesburg, Perry county, 6 November 1837; entered Pennsylvania Railroad service 5 March 1865; Freight and Passenger Agent at Thompsontown from 1 December 1866; took the Mount Union agency 1 April 1876 and held it until pensioned 1 December 1906 after forty-two years; called the poet of the Juniata Valley, with the five poem titles the post lists; a Presbyterian and a Sunday School teacher.

Checked 2026-09-28 · Historic Mount Union collection

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