Hull, Lindley M., compiler and editor.  "A History of Central Washington,
Including the Famous Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan and the Columbia Valleys."
Spokane: Press of Shaw & Borden Co., 1929.  p. 208.
 
OTIS BYRON FULLER

     Deceased, was a native of Ohio and his boyhood days were divided between
active farm work and what are sometimes considered the more attractive
experiences of town life.  The education he acquired, which was to serve him
well as a business man in later life, was entirely due to his own efforts.  He
had barely reached his majority, when yielding to those impulses that have
induced so many young men of the East to seek their fortunes on the Pacific
Coast, he found his way to Washington and located at Waterville.  In Ohio he had
served an apprenticeship in the printing business and one of his first ventures
was newspaper work.  He homesteaded 160 acres near what is now the town of
Douglas, but did not devote much time to farming in that section.  He came to
Wenatchee in 1892 and was associated with Frank Reeves in conducting the
Advance.  Early in 1893, he with L. E. Kellogg bought the Advance and jointly
operated the same for about two years, when Mr. Fuller acquired complete
control, and for the next five years, except for changes of brief duration, he
continued to preside over the destinies and fortunes of this aggressive sheet
which were not always of the most satisfactory pecuniary kind, but he held
tenaciously to his course until the craft was floating in the tranquil waters of
financial success.  In 1899 he bade final farewell to his journalistic career by
selling the plant to Fred Reeves.  In the meantime, Mr. Fuller with a large
faith in the future of the country had given some attention to real estate.  He
acquired property north of Second Street on Wenatchee Avenue, which he improved
and disposed of to good advantage.  Upon a portion of this ground he planted
fruit trees, which he and Mrs. Fuller protected with zealous care, and as there
was no irrigation water at that time they regularly and faithfully hauled water
from the Columbia to keep the young trees alive, good humoredly accepting the
jokes of their friends about their skill in horticulture.
     Mr. and Mrs. Fuller were for some time associated with I. W. Reeves in a
general merchandise store, of which in time they gained complete control,
selling the same to N. I. Neubauer in August, 1902.  Mr. Fuller continued with
the new firm about one year, and then gave his entire time to real estate and
from that time forward did a prosperous business which was destined to pave the
way to much development work, and prove a veritable demonstration field to what
the future had in store for North Central Washington as a producer of extra
fancy fruit.  Mr. Fuller was the prime mover in organizing the Wenatchee Realty
and Investment Company.  The new firm bought the entire holding of Philip Miller
and at once entered upon extensive plans for the platting and planting of the
large estate for small orchard tracts.  The venture was highly successful.  In a
few short years numerous homes had been established in this section called
Millerdale, and what is much to the point the new homes had steadily increased
in value above the purchase price from this company.  A number of substantial
buildings in Wenatchee stand as a monument to the foresight of Mr. Fuller, and
to his faith in the town and valley.  He passed away a number of years ago, cut
off in the prime of life.
     
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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in April 2006 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.