Benna Fuller (1888-1977) is the daughter of Ben and Mary Ann Fuller. Benna Fuller's father, Reverend Benjamin P. Fuller (1865-1945) was the principal of the Shingwauk and Wawanosh Indian Residential Schools from 1909-1929.
Benna was born on July 6, 1887 at Tenby Bay, St Joseph Island where her family were homesteaders. As a young child the Benna moved to Richards Landing where her father worked wit T.J. Foster at the general store. In the late 1800s Benjamin Fuller became involved in church work and was assigned to Sheguiandah where he worked as a teacher and a catechist. While Benjamin Fuller pursued education at Huron College in London Benna, her mother, and her sister Lesley continued to work at Sheguiandah.
Upon his ordination in 1902 Mr. Fuller was asked to work with First Nations living on Lake Nipigon. Rev. B.P Fuller and his family moved to this northern outpost and Benna began teaching the children in the settlement. Benna and her father were learning Ojibway from their congregation while teaching them English.
In 1909 Rev. B.P Fuller undertook the principalship of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School. While at the school Fuller hoped to built a self-supporting institution by farming the land. Mrs. Fuller acted as matron of the school, Rev. Fuller acted as principal, priest, teacher, and farmer. Benna also taught at the school. During the Fuller family's time at Shingwauk Mrs Fuller passed away.
In 1929, Benna's father left Shingwauk to become the priest-in-charge of the Silverwater mission. Benna stayed on at Shingwauk until 1945. In 1927 she began to receive a salary for her work at the school. Benna was made a diocesan life member of the Women's Auxiliary in 1938.
In 1940 Rev. Fuller was installed as a Canon of St. Luke's Cathedral. He retired in 1945 and passed away on December 7th in Silverwater of the same year. He was buried alongside his wife and daughter Lesley in the Shingwauk Cemetery. Following the death of Rev. Fuller, Bishop W.L. Wright asked Benna to carry on services in the Silverwater mission which included Sheshegwaning First Nation.
Following her retirement in Little Current Benna became the organist at the two Sheguiandah churches, helped with the Sunday School, and carried on her WA activities. Benna Fuller passed away at St. Joseph's Hospital, Little Current, on January 27, 1977 at the age of 89. For several years prior to her death she had been a resident of the Manitoulin Centennial Manor and had resided in Little Current, Ontario for many years.
Source:
"Miss Benna Fuller served Algoma under six bishops", The Algoma Anglican 21, no. 4 (1977): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_011_1977Apr.
