MRS. MARTHA E. TUCKER

A liberal-minded, open-hearted, hospitable lady enjoying the good-will of a wide circle of friends, and highly esteemed by all who know her, is Mrs. Martha E. Tucker, a successful business woman who has been equally prominent in women's club circles. She was a Miss Dingley before her marriage, and she was born in Boston, the daughter of Samuel Dingley, also a native of Massachusetts. He came of an old and honorable New England family, and was a cousin of Nelson Dingley, Jr., the journalist who rose to be governor of Maine and the congressman who was the author of the Dingley tariff. He married Sarah Sherman, also a native of Maine, and preceded her to California in 1850, being joined by his wife and family two years later. He ran a hotel at Knights Ferry, where he made his home, and had a stock ranch in the hills and followed stock raising until he died. His demise occurred in Stanislaus County on June 3, 1886, when he had rounded out seventh-five most fruitful years. He spent his last days with Mrs. Tucker in Modesto, Mrs. Dingier having died at Knights Ferry on September 21, 1879. Three of their five children are still living, among them being Albert, ex-sheriff of Stanislaus County ; Ella, who is Mrs. Richards of Modesto. and the subject of our interesting review.

Mrs. Tucker came to California with her mother by way of the Isthmus in 1852, and went to school at Knights Ferry. At her home she was married to Simon Enslen, a native of Philadelphia who had been reared in Missouri, his sketch appearing on another page of this work. He crossed the plains with two of his brothers in 1854, driving a herd of cattle, from which he expected much profit; but the Indians stampeded and stole the cattle, and he finally arrived in California with one donkey.

In 1877 Mr. and Mrs. Enslen located in Modesto, where they bought a lot and built the residence which she still owns at 918 Twelfth Street, and where she makes her home; and from there he ran his stock business. He was among the largest sheep growers here, having 14,000 head of sheep in seven different hands. For about two years, however, he was handicapped with poor health; and on January 22, 1880, he died. He was a fine type of American. a typical old Californian, having strong faith in the future of the state, and he never failed to do what he could to contribute toward the development and building up of the community and county in which he had cast his lot. He was a strictly temperate man, and thus set an example more and more appreciated by educated American sentiment. Two children were born of this marriage: Maude has become Mrs. Holtham, and Eva is Mrs. J. J. McMahon,
both of Modesto.

After his death his widow sold out all his interest in the sheep business, and making her home in Modesto, she married, on February 15, 1882, John Franklin Tucker. a native of Kentucky, who was born on February 9, 1836, and came to California in 1865. He settled for a while at Crows Landing, where he was a merchant until he was elected county assessor, an office he filled with signal ability for several years. Then he engaged in real estate and the abstract business, and with George Perley as a partner, organized the Stanislaus Land and Abstract Company. He was well posted on property and land values, and continued actively in business until his health became impaired, when he retired. He died on November 26, 1904, lamented by many, and mourned especially by his fellow-Masons. Two sons blessed this union: Clarence Eugene is county sealer of weights and measures, and during the war was food administrator for Stanislaus County, while Elmer Carlisle has been in the aviation section of the U. S. Army service.

Mrs. Tucker has improved and built up valuable property in Modesto, and owns, among such edifices, the telephone building and also a business structure on Tenth Street, and has also built and still owns several bungalows. Some time ago she built a cottage at Pacific Grove, where she spends each summer. and there, as well as in her Modesto home, she finds delight in dispensing an old-time Californian hospitality. Mrs. Tucker has always been interested in various plans for the development of Stanislaus County and Modesto. She has aided in the organization of different banks and enterprises as well as public movements for enhancing the importance of the county and the happiness of its people. She is a stockholder in the Modesto Bank and The Bank of Italy. Of a natural strong physical makeup and a pleasing personality and endowed with rare business ability, she is indeed a woman whom Stanislaus County is proud of. She was one of the original members of the Modesto Woman's Club, and is also active in the Ladies' Guild of the Episcopal Church.

Source: History of Stanislaus County California with Biographical Sketches of The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present by George H. Tinkham, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles California 1921.

Submitted by Deborah Crowell