TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: James Preston Fulkerson

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY (July 8, 2025): James Preston Fulkerson (1802-1852) 

Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Doc Holliday, and Wyatt Earp are men who may come to mind when we think of the Old West. The cowboy in his ten-gallon hat riding on his swift horse as he chases down hostile Indians, pursues wild outlaws, or is on the run from posses across the desert plains. That is what Hollywood’s interpretation has given us on the silver screen. It was also books and pamphlets with Tall Tales of the West, written by eastern journalists in the 1880’s with the intention of capturing the imaginations of readers who would be happy to spend their hard-earned money to read that next action-packed adventure. The truth of it was far from that. The truth was the “old west” was living anywhere west of the Mississippi. While there were times of adventure, danger, and at times maybe even deadly situations, it was mostly a mundane life. People lived their days as farmers, stock men, merchants, and other peaceful means of making a living for their families. Such was the life of James Preston Fulkerson. 

James was born in1802 in the state of Virginia to Isaac (1776-1836) and Rebecca Neil Fulkerson (1781-1860). He was the 2nd born of 10 children. His family was well to do, and his grandfather fought in the American Revolution. 

The 1830 United States Federal Census shows James is listed as living in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It also shows that he had 13 indentured servants working for him at that time. Many immigrants came to America as indentured servants, people who wanted to come to the colonies but who could not afford the passage over. They would make a deal for someone to pay their way in trade for a set number of years work to pay them back. When completed they were free to make their own way as a free citizen. He was a man who helped others get to America and live their American dream.

While living in Missouri, James met and married Louisa De Lorimier Steinbeck (1812- 1852) on January 7, 1830. Together they had 4 daughters and 3 sons, the eldest born in 1831 and the youngest born in 1848. 

In 1839 James and Louisa moved their family to La Vaca, now known as Port Lavaca, Texas. There was no obvious reason given for the family’s move, but Louisa did have tuberculosis, then known as consumption, and doctors often told patients suffering from it to move to a warmer climate. 

When the family moved to La Vaca, it was 3 years after the Texas Revolution, and 1 year before the last Texas Comanche Raid on Linnville and Texas was The Republic of Texas. La Vaca was little more then a few warehouses a wharf and a business or two, but that would soon change after the destruction of Linnville, a year later. Texas was annexed to the United States in 1845 as the 28th state and Calhoun County was formed in 1846 from parts of Jackson, Refugio, and Victoria Counties. When the Fulkerson family moved to Texas it was a time of great and rapid change. It was fraught with hostile Native American tribes, outlaws, and no creature comforts. La Vaca was truly part of the Wild West, and it took strong determination and arduous work to make a life here. 

Exactly where the Fulkerson family put down stakes is not known but the Calhoun County Tax Rolls of 1846 shows that James had 660 acres of land in what was once Jackson County, 1,476.1 acres in Victoria County, as well as some land that was part of Refugio County. What is known is during the time that they lived here there was great growth in both the City of La Vaca and the City of Indianola. In the 1850 Census James is shown to be living in the city of La Vaca in dwelling no.149 and his occupation is listed as a clerk. That same census shows Lavaca to have 11 merchants, 2 doctors,1 apothecary, 4 blacksmiths, 1 wagon maker, 2 printers, 2 lawyers, a baker, a teacher, a tavern keeper, hotel keepers, carpenters, farmers, sailors, ministers, and everything in between. The city was the County seat and boasted a population of 315. The business of Morgan Lines from New York helped boost the city as a port. That same year the city of Indianola had a population of 378, and being the port that immigrants looking to live in Texas arrived in, 237 of that population were foreign-born. In 1849 Lavaca went up on the docking fees to help pay for improvements to the wharves and Charles Morgan rerouted his ships to the deeper port of Indianola. What followed was a mass exodus to Indianola and in 1852 the City of Indianola became the county seat. During this time James Preston Fulkerson held the office of sheriff. His oaths of office are recorded in the Texas, U.S. Bonds and Oaths of Office, 1846-1920. James was known as a family man of purpose, truth, and fairness. He was well known and well liked within the community and the county, in short, he had all the qualities that any small town would want to have in their sheriff. However, this was still the Wild West, and ever true to the stories found in a dime store novel, danger reared its ugly head. The aftermath of which captured the attention of people across the nation by way of the pages of newspapers from the Lavaca Commercial to the Boston Liberator. The best coverage of the incident can be found in the pages of the Texas Monument in LaGrange, Texas. Under the headline “Atrocious Murder and Summary Justice” it gives the reader multiple eyewitness accounts as given during the coroner’s inquest.

The Calhoun County Coroner at that time was Almond Reed. He lived on Matagorda Island and was an assistant keeper of the Saluria lighthouse. On April 4, 1852, in the City of Lavaca, the Jury of Inquest began before the County Coroner and the body of the deceased. Being sworn in and under oath the witnesses began telling the events as they saw them unfold. The first witness was rightfully David G. Sanders, as he was there at the beginning of the incident. “Sharkey and I were fighting. Mr. Ashmead jerked a slung shot from Sharkey’s boot and gave it to Fulkerson. Mr. Fulkerson took it and remarked ‘it was his.’ Sharkey told him ‘He would have the shot, or he would have him.’ Ten or fifteen minutes afterwards, saw the people running up to Major Maulding’s. I went up also. Fulkerson was dead. In the fight between myself and Sharkey, Fulkerson, as an officer, commanded the peace.” 

J.W Maulding’s statements were the first-hand clear account of what happened from there. “I was in my dining room this morning: heard some one call me from the front room. It was Colonel Fulkerson. He had the colt or shot, now here in front of my hand, and was very much excited. He told me that he had taken it from Sharkey, who had been fighting with Sanders. He said that Sharkey was loading his rifle and was going to shoot him, and that he wanted to get out a warrant. Whilst Colonel Fulkerson was talking to me, Sharkey jumped on the porch, presented from the door his gun at Col. Fulkerson, and before I could interfere, fired and killed him, and then run.”

Wm. B. Harmon told the same story with the variation that he had over heard Fulkerson asking Maulding’s for a warrant and then he returned to his room. He soon heard the gun fire and heard the man who shot it say- G-dd—n you: I will learn you to interfere with my business.” From the sound of the voice, he would say it was indeed Sharkey.

A.M. Boatright and Capt. H.P. Savery said the same as Harmon. They had been sitting on a bench on the street and had observed the Sharkey shoot, then heard him say the same as Wm. B. Harmon had told it. 

Robert J. Clow’s wrapped up the inquest with his testimony. “I was sitting at Young’s Grocery when Sharkey came in and loaded his rifle and said, ‘he would have his Colt or somebody’s life.’ I thought he was talking of a horse. He then went up to Maj. Maulding’s; I saw him fire his rifle. I ran up and took his rifle away from him. He then ran. I followed him, struck him with the rifle, and arrested him. 

Sharkey was taken into custody by the officer and a guard. At that time there was no jail in the county nor any adjoining counties, and the prisoner would have to be sent to Galveston and wait six months for trial. Due to the circumstances a public meeting was called to take into consideration the urgencies of the case case. The meeting was adjourned without recommending any course, other than the prisoner had forfeited his life and deserved to be hung.

Augustus Sharkey had confessed to the crime upon arrest. He also added that he wasn’t afraid of dying and he had committed 3 homicides before this one. He also made threats against several citizens in La Vaca if he should be turned loose. His own admission of guilt along with the threats were enough to coil the last loop in the hangman’s noose. That night, around midnight, some well disguised persons took the prisoner from his guard and the officer. He was taken below town about a mile and was hung on the limb of a sturdy tree. The next morning, he was cut down and buried. The citizens of Lavaca expressed their regret that such a manner of swift justice had to be administered to keep the citizens safe. They hoped that soon the county would build a jail to secure any criminals that might come their way in the future. In 1896 the Calhoun County Jail was finally built in the county seat of Port Lavaca. 

As for James Preston Fulkerson, he was given a proper Christian burial with the people he protected in attendance. Just 17 days after the death of her husband, his wife, Louisa joined him in Port Lavaca Cemetery. She succumbed to consumption. So was the end of this Wild West tale. 

Calhoun County Tax Roll 1846

Officer Down Memorials https://www.odmp.org/.../17607-sheriff-james-preston...

1850 U.S. Census

1830 U.S. Federal Census Slave Scheduler

Texas U.S. Bonds and Oaths of Office 1846-1920 (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)

Boston Liberator: Boston, MA 6/11/1852 pg.4

New Orleans Weekly Delta: New Orleans, LA 4/25/1852 pg.4

Vicksburg Whig: Vicksburg, MI 4/28/52 pg.2

Lebanon Courier & Semi-Weekly Report: Lebanon, PA 5/7/1852 pg.3

The Texas Monument: LaGrange, TX Vol.2, No. 39, Ed.1 4/21/1852 pg.1

Indianola Bulletin: Indianola, TX

Lavaca Commercial: Lavaca, TX

Tombstone Tuesday is written and compiled each week by Jody Weaver and Sheryl Cuellar of the Calhoun County Historical Commission, sharing the people and stories behind Calhoun County's history.