Oliver Clyde Fuller
Oliver Clyde Fuller | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Clarkesville, Habersham County, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 1942 (aged 81) |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, banker, golfer |
| Known for | President of Wisconsin Trust Co., First Wisconsin National Bank; pioneer of golf in Milwaukee |
Oliver Clyde Fuller (September 13, 1860 – August 17, 1942) was a prominent American financier, banker, and golfer.
Life
Fuller was born on September 13, 1860, in Clarkesville, Habersham County, Georgia, to Henry Alexander Fuller and Martha Caroline Fuller (née Wyly). His lineage included Revolutionary War generals, Tennessee Governor John Sevier, and members of French royal heritage.
At the age of 16, he enrolled at the University of Georgia, where he earned distinction as the boxing champion during his junior year before completing his degree.
Following the Civil War's impact on their family farm and the emancipation of their slaves, the Fullers moved to Atlanta. Henry Alexander Fuller launched what grew into the city’s largest grocery establishment during Reconstruction. Together with his sons Oliver and Clarence Paul Fuller, he managed this grocery enterprise. The firm transitioned from Fuller & Oglesby to Fuller & Sons. In 1881, Oliver married Katherine Fitzhugh Caswell from Milwaukee; they had six children. Through managing the estate of her father, Napoleon Bonaparte Caswell, in Milwaukee, they maintained ties to the Caswell Block.
Relocating to Milwaukee in 1891, Fuller established the O. C. Fuller Co., an investment company, in 1893. Later, in 1903, he founded and became president of Wisconsin Trust Co., which incorporated his investment firm. He was instrumental in forming the First Wisconsin Group—a combined bank and trust organization—and served as president of First Wisconsin National Bank, First Wisconsin Trust Co., and First Wisconsin Co.—precursors to Firstar Corporation and eventually U.S. Bancorp in 2001. Additionally, he acted as Treasurer and Trustee for Forest Home Cemetery under St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Fuller held executive positions across diverse sectors: Trustee of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.; Director roles at Wisconsin Telephone Co., Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee Gas Light Co., Wisconsin Securities Co., Wisconsin Public Service Co., Milwaukee Mechanics Insurance Co., Milwaukee Refrigerator Transit Co., and Milwaukee Auditorium Co.
Within the American Bankers' Association, Fuller contributed significantly—serving on its council from 1908 to 1910, chairing the Trust Company Section executive committee in 1908, acting as Vice President in 1909, and ascending to President in 1910. His memberships included serving as president of the Wisconsin Society Sons of American Revolution, participating in the Wisconsin Society of Colonial Wars, and affiliation with Phi Delta Theta during his University of Georgia years. He withdrew from active business pursuits in 1926.
Personal life
An enthusiastic golfer, Fuller was influential in advancing the sport throughout the Midwest. He founded and led various Milwaukee-based golf, tennis, yacht, and athletic clubs. In 1915, The American Golfer acknowledged him as a pioneering figure in golf within the Cream City.
Oliver Clyde Fuller passed away on August 17, 1942.