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.

Checked and 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 original 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.

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