Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/867

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Mr. Tucker has been a member of the Masonic Fra- ternity about fifty years.

TUCKER, JOHN (deceased) ; he was born in the township of Hemmicker, county of Hillsboro, N. H., Dec. 20, 1792. His father's name was the same as his own and his mot^ier's maiden name Elizabeth Lucas He was of Scotch-Irish descent. His parents, however, were both American born. He was pretty thoroughly educated in his youth. In 1816, he left the parental roof, and started on foot to seek a home and fortune in the wilds of Indiana. Terre Haute, which he made his stopping place while in the West, at that time contained but one house besides the post. While he was there, a council was held for the purpose of purchasing the land from the Indians. Gens. Taylor and Posey, together with five prominent chiefs, consti- tuted this council. After the council was concluded, the soldiers and Indians had a jubilee, in which fire- water flowed freely, and the frolic terminated in a drunken row. Gen. Taylor had a leg fractured by be- ing tripped while dancing with an Indian. While there, Mr. Tucker was almost the constant companion of Gen. Taylor. He remained at the fort until the General recovered, and was fit for duty, when he started on foot through the wilderness on his return. He returned by way of Cincinnati. While in that place, he was offered 10 acres of land, in what is now the heart of that city, for §100. In 1818, he came to Richland Co.; made the entire trip on foot. He entered the north half of Sec. 28, in Monroe Township ; he erected a cabin thereon, and made some other improvements in the way of clear- ino-, when he returned as he came to his native State. He was married, April 3, 1821, to Miss Mary Ward, of his native town. Soon after their marriage, they stowed their scanty wardrobe, with a few indispensable articles of household goods, in a one-horse wagon, and by this conveyance they made the trip through the wilderness, to their future home in this county. They finally reached their destination, and commenced house- keeping in primitive style. Mr. Tucker was both farmer and school teacher. He taught school in winter, and labored on his farm during the warm seasons. When he first came to the county, there were but few schools, and for a year or two he went to Stark Co. to teach. He taught in all, about sixty terms of school ; was among the first teachers in the county, and was con- sidered one of the best ; he was also a skillful surveyor, and was engaged to some extent in that business ; prac- ticed medicine for some time, on the Thomsonian sys- tem, but seldom, if ever, did he charge for his services. Besides the feats of pedestrianism already spoken of, he took a trip to the Black Swamp region, east of Fort Wayne, in 1828. In 1838, he went to Kosciusko Co., Ind., where he purchased 1,600 acres of land, which he subsequently divided among his children. In 1846, he made a trip to Missouri on foot, to see that country, but soon became disgusted with it on account of the scarcity and bad quality of water. He coatinued to resside in Monroe Township till 1853, when he sold his farm to his son Aurelius, and removed to Kosciusko Co., Ind., where he continued to reside till the death of his wife, which took place March 11, 1876; he then made a division of his property, and spent the remainder of his days in visiting his children. He was the father of

��nine children, six sons and three daughters ; has four sons and two daughters living — Aurelius, of Monroe Township; Mrs. F. Wager, of Cleveland; Kegulus Tucker, of Tennessee ; Horace and Albert Tucker, and Mrs. Vandermark, of Kosciusko Co., Ind. Mr.Tucker is entitled to credit for introducing good fruit into the county at an early day. He never could be prevailed upon to assist in butchering hogs, or any other animals ; never fired a gun at a living creature, nor with a leaden missile in it. In his political views, he was an Old Line Whig, and subsequently a Republican. In his religion he was a firm believer in the Swedenborgian doctrine. He departed this life Dec. 25, 1879. His remains were sent to Palestine, Ind., and interred alongside of those of his wife.

TUCKER, D. F., farmer ; P. 0. Lucas ; he was born in Merrimack Co., N. II., Nov. 2, 1841 : he is the young- est son of David and Clarissa Tucker ; when he was about 8 years old, his father removed with his family to the farm on which he now resides in Monroe Town- ship ; he was trained by his parents to excellent hab- its : his education was about as thorough as is usually acquired in the common schools ; he remained with his father, assisting him in his farm work, till the 10th day of November, 1864, when he was married to Miss Mary, only daughter of Christian and Mary Welty ; the marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. L. Wiles, a Lutheran minister ; since his marriage, :Mr. Tucker has continued to reside on the old farm, and has been engaged chiefly in farming ; he is an excel- lent farmer ; during the last few years, he has dealt considerably in hogs, and has met with pretty fair suc- cess. He is now one of the Justices of the Peace of his township. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker are the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters— John Al- fred, born Nov. 17, 1865 ; Norman Webster, May 29, 1867; Eceum Sophronia, June 25, 1869: Clinton Welty, Jan. 7, 1872; Clarissa Euphemia. April 3, 1874 ; Mary Etta, Sept. 11, 1877. Their mother was born Nov. 10, 1846; she was trained by her parents to hab- its of industry and economy.

TUCKER, AURELIUS, farmer ; P.O. Lucas ; he was born in Monroe Township, Sept. 11, 1826: he is the second son of John and Mary Tucker, pioneers of this township ; he received, in his youth, a pretty thorough education in the common English branches, and was trained by his parents to habits of industry, sobriety and strict integrity ; he assisted his father very ma- terially in cultivating and improving his farm ; while a young man. he taught several terms of school, and was well liked as a teacher. He was married to Miss Isa- bella Alexander, youngest daughter of Peter and Jane Alexander, of Worthington Township, April 5, 1849 ; his wife's parents came to Ohio while it was yet a Territory : they settled first in Belmont Co.: about the year 1827, they removed to Richland and bought a large farm, adjoining Newville on the northeast ; here they continued to reside as long as they lived, and on this farm their remains lie buried in the family grave- yard, on the hill east of the Clear Fork : Mr. Tucker farmed on shares with his father for a number of years. By industry and careful management on the part of himself and wife, he was enabled, in a few years, to amass considerable means. His father desiring t© go

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