William Fuller, M. D.

(See Portrait)

William Fuller, M. D., of Grand Rapids, was born on a farm five miles north of London, Ontario, July 5, 1842, a son of Rodolphus and Jemima (Morden) Fuller, both natives of Canada. His grandfather, William Fuller, was one of the earliest settlers of Middlesex county, Canada. His father’s family removed to London, when he was eight years of age, and he received his early education at the union school, and subsequently at Mr. Baylie’s grammar school, of that city. At the age of fourteen years he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John A. Nelles, of London. In 1857, on account of financial difficulty which involved his father’s family, he abandoned the study of medicine, obtained a certificate from the board of education of Middlesex county, and devoted himself to teaching a district school for a period of five years. In 1862 he resumed the study of medicine under the tuition of the late Dr. Alexander Anderson, of London, matriculated in the medical department of McGill university, Montreal, in 1863, from which he received the degree of M. D., C. M., in the spring of 1866, receiving the senior prize for practical anatomy, and standing in the honor class of that year. In 1867 Dr. Fuller was appointed to fill a vacancy as demonstrator of anatomy and curator of the museum of McGill university, medical department, which post he continued to occupy with satisfaction for a period of seven years, until he resigned to accept the chair of anatomy in Bishop’s college, Montreal, which he retained for three years previous to his removal to Grand Rapids. During the same period he was one of the attending physicians to the Woman’s hospital of Montreal. He is a licentiate and member of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Quebec, of the American Medical association, of the British Medical association, has been a member of the Canada Medical association since its organization; is a member of the Medical and Surgical society of Montreal and Grand Rapids, and the Michigan Medical society. He has also from time to time contributed many valuable and original papers to medical science, which have been highly appreciated.

Dr. Fuller was married in Montreal, in 1868, to Miss Emeline Wickham, of Grand Rapids, Mich. He removed to Grand Rapids with his family consisting of his wife and four children, in 1878, where he rapidly acquired a reputation and lucrative practice as a family and consulting physician and surgeon. Dr. Fuller is particularly noted as a skillful surgeon. His chief characteristics are self reliance, energy and preservation, and he has justly won the confidence of the communities in which he has resided.