Fuller, Alfred

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Fuller
  • Wiki Biography Notes:
    • Alfred Carl Fuller (January 13, 1885 – December 4, 1973) was a Canadian-born American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who was the original “Fuller Brush Man”. He created the Fuller Brush Company, a multi-million dollar corporation.
    • Alfred C. Fuller was born on an Annapolis Valley farm in Welsford, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was the eleventh of twelve children of Leander and Phoebe (Collins) Fuller. With the encouragement of his parents to find a career, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1903 at the age of 18 to live with his sister.
    • He went to work for the Somerville Brush and Mop Company, and became a successful salesman for them. A self-described country bumpkin, he felt his success was attributed to his farm-boy charm, his ability to make his customer feel comfortable and his full money-back guarantee.
    • In 1906, with a $75.00 investment, he started the Fuller Brush Company in Hartford, Connecticut, manufacturing brushes in his sister’s basement and selling these brushes door to door. By 1919, the company had achieved sales of more than $1 million per year.
    • In 1908, Fuller married Evelyn Winnifred Ells, a fellow Nova Scotian living in Boston. Evelyn worked alongside Alfred acting as his secretary, accountant and working in sales as well. She is credited with outselling Alfred two to one. The couple had two sons, Alfred Howard born in 1913, and Avard Ells born in 1916. Alfred C. Fuller and Evelyn Ells Fuller were divorced in 1930.
    • Fuller maintained a lifelong connection with his native Nova Scotia, buying a home in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada where he and his family spent their summers. The home, known as the Pelton-Fuller House was originally purchased by Primrose’s maternal grandparents. Primrose’s mother, Susan (Bown) Pelton, resided in the home until her death in 1965. The Fuller family then used the home as their summer house. In 1996, Primrose donated the house, at 20 Collins Street, to the Yarmouth County Museum where it has been restored and is open to the public.
  • Third Great Grandson of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=13255
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26856465/alfred-carl-fuller