Alexander Fullerton

Alexander F. Fullerton was an American clergyman who served as the first General Secretary of the American Theosophical Society.

Early life and education

Fullerton was born on [[September 12), 1841 in Philadelphia. His parents were Alexander and Sarah A Fullerton. A graduate of Princeton University, he became an Episcopal clergyman for some years. Later he earned a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania, but he never worked as a lawyer. After touring Europe for five years, he returned to the United States to serve for three years in the Civil Service reform Association, working with Theodore Roosevelt and other prominent men. He wrote How You May Aid Civil-service Reform in 1882.

Lecturing

Involvement with the Theosophical Society

Testimonial to Alexander Fullerton, 1905 Convention, from TSA Archives

Last years

A newspaper report of November 18,1911:

Vivid recollections of Alexander F. Fullerton, ardent theosophist and 70 years old, were told in testimony in … court yesterday. His belief in his various reincarnations formed the moving cause in a suit in which his brother, Spencer L. Fullerton, and Foster Milliken seek to set aside a trust fund of about $20,000 created for himself during his lifetime and after his death for Henry Hotchner, who resigned as secretary to Simon Guggenheim to become a lecturer on theosophy; Walter Schuyler Ladd of Denver and the Theosophical Society at Adyar, Madras, India.

A year ago A. F. Fullerton was a patient in a sanitarium at Flushing and it is asserted that he was insane when he created the trust fund… Dr William B. Pritchard… who examined Mr. Fullerton prior to his commitment, testified regarding his condition

"When I called upon Mr. Fullerton," said Dr. Pritchard, "he told me of his graduation from Princeton, his confirmation as an Episcopal clergyman and his study of law. For several years he wandered about the world, stopping for a long while in India, where he said he became thoroughly imbued with the occultism of the East. He returned to this country, he declared, a confirmed theosophist.

"He remembered several of his reincarnations, he declared. In one of them he had been a woman and had a large family of children. In another he had done an injury to a young man, so, said he, he desired in this incarnation to do all he could to reimburse young men for the injury he had done them in that other life. Therefore, he asserted, he had created this trust fund."

His death, covered by the Associated Press, was announced in numerous newspapers

NEW YORK, July 23 – The death of Alexander Fullerton, a noted student of theosophy, at a sanitarium, on Long Island Sound, Monday night, became known today. For many years he was the American secretary of the Theosophical society of which Mrs. Annie Besant was president. He was a man of independent means and he devoted his whole fortune, as well as his life, to the study and dissemination of the principles of theosophy. He traveled widely, being known in Europe quite as well as in America.. He was 70 years old and a bachelor.

Writings

The Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists 219 articles by or about Fullerton.

He also wrote pamphlets and books:

• The Wilkesbarre Letters on Theosophy, subtitled "a concise exploration, the doctrines of Karma and Reincarnation being especially set forth and objections thereto answered." New York: The Path, xxxx.
• The Indianapolis Letters on Theosophy New York: The Path, 1891. This was a series of letters contributed to The Sentinel in Indianapolis.
• Theosophy the Religion of Jesus. New York: The Path, 1890. 16 pages.
• Topics in Reincarnation. New York: The Path, xxxx.
• Topics in Karma. New York: The Path, xxxx.
• Death as Viewed by Theosophy. New York: The Path, xxxx.
• How You May Aid Civil-service Reform in 1882.