Photo Photo
Newspaper
Cassville Republican, March 10, 1896

A sketch of one of Roaring River’s Oldest Citizens.



If any one wants persimmon and can’t find them, if they will go up on one of the benches, taking the Cedar Creek road from Roaring River, they will find plenty of them during their season. They will also find an old, graybeard gentleman who is known throughout southeastern part of the county.

Agreeable to request, Mr. Tucker, kindly furnished the following interesting sketch of his life: "I was born in With (Wythe) Co, West Virginia (meaning the west part of VA) near what was called the Iron mountain. My father left there when I was about 9 years old and went to Roan (Roane) Co Tenn. He then moved in the year of 1834 to Montgomery Co., Ill, I there became acquainted with a girl by the name of Catharine Bradley and married her. I lived with her about 55 years, during which time was born to us eleven children, since which time she died and left me. I left Illinois, in the spring of 49 and came to Barry County, and have been here ever since except during the war (Civil). When I came here it was a wild country, and very thinly settled. There were about ten houses on Roaring River and none on the side borders nearer than Butlers Creek and Rock Creek and Washburn and Cassville, were our only trading points in the county. There was one weekly horse mail from Cassville to Carrollton, Ark,. And no post office between Cassville, and Berryville, Ark. At that time.

There was one voting place on White River at what is known as the GREEN EASLEY, place. We had a little Baptist church here held under a shed. We had plenty of game of all kinds – bear, deer, turkey and all sorts of small game. There was one little pole school house in the township just high enough to walk in and not reach too high, and everyman paid for all his own scholars as we had no school money and we did not have much school.

So things rocked along as one might suppose till the 25th day of July 1861. That night I left – the only time I ever run away and I did that to escape the Johnnies, Parson Sellers and his outfit tried to catch me and did surround my house. But they failed to take me in, so I went on to General Lyon’s camp, a little west of Springfield, MO. With others from there I went to Rolla and enlisted in the 24th Mo. INF. And served 3 years and two months. I was honorably discharged at St. Louis, MO and in the fall of 65, I came back home and have been here on this place ever since.

I was born the 25th day of December, 1813. My age is 83 next Christmas. My health is extra good for the age. I never had a paper served on me stronger than summons for grand jury in my life, so I think I never did anything very bad nor anything very good so far. I have been a farmer all of my life, am financially poor and a poor manage too. (He left well over 100 acre farm and a nice house when he died).

Concerning the last statement, it might be well to add that Mr. Tucker’s hospitality, for which he has a wide reputation, did not permit him to retain as much of his wealth as he might otherwise have done.

James Tucker lived in the Roaring River Township, on what is now the Herman Ball, farm, in Munsey, James’ son Richard Tucker also served in the Civil War with his father. The family of James and Catharine Bradley are as follows: Sarah, Richard (a Judge of Barry Co. and served also in the Civil War) Mary, James, Cynthia, William, Francis (Frank) (My Great Great Grandparents) and Marada Catherine. Three other children, I have not their names. (One was Eliza Catharine b. June 10, 1959 m. W. M. Simmons) and there may be two babies in Munsey Cemetery.) Typed by Darla Ball Marbut from a copy of the interview.
History

JAMES AND CATHARINE (BRADLEY) TUCKER



James Tucker was born December 25, 1813 in the west most tip of Virginia near the Iron Mountains in Wythe Co. Virginia. He was the son of Robert Tucker, Sr. born 1775-1785 in Virginia and Mary Pierman born 1794 in Virginia. Mary’s father was Michael Pierman.

It is thought that Robert Tucker Sr.’s father was Lewallen Tucker. The reason it is thought Robert Sr.’s father was Lewallen, is that the daughter-in-law of Robert Tucker Sr., and wife of Robert Tucker Jr. Nancy Jerden Tucker wrote it in a letter. (Copy of letter on file.) James’s brothers and sisters were Mariman, William, Elizabeth, Robert Jr., Mary, Michael, Fannie, Jathina, Mahalia, Susan and Cynthia. The census and the birth places of the children indicate that the family left Virginia sometime after the birth of Robert Jr. in 1823 and Mary who was born in 1827 in Roane Co., Tenn. (In an interview of James Tucker , he states they left Virginia for Roane Co., Tenn. when he was ABOUT 9 years old.) In the fall of 1834 the family moved to Montgomery Co., Ill. living in the Rillmore and south Fillmore Townships. (This information based on the research of Richard Brattain.) Richard Brattin thought that Robert Tucker Sr. is related to the Tucker lines in south/south-west Virginia prior to 1800. There are many variations of the name Lewallen such as: Lewelling, Luallen, LuAllen, LewAllen. Also one of his descendants went by a shorten version of Allen even though his name was Lewallen.

In B. DeRoy Beale’s book: "Tucker Trails Through Southside Virginia", page 211, there is a Lewallen Tucker. This Lewallen Tucker was on the Pittsylvania Co., Va personal tax records in 1789-1790 but not on Land Tax Records. Also Merrymonwright Tucker appeared on the Personal Tax Records in 1789-90, Colston Tucker in 1815-1820, and Edmond Tucker in 1820. On the Land Tax Records, Colson Tucker held 100 acres on Sandy Creek 1822-1826. (Lewis Tucker’s older brother William Tucker owned land in Pittsylvania Co. Beginning in 1779, and died there ca 1804.) Pittsylvania Co., VA may have once been a part of Wythe Co., VA and is presently one county away from Wythe Co.

On page 191 of the same book, Lewelling (Lew) Tucker, son of George Tucker, Sr. and 2nd wife Catherine____born ca 1767 in Amelia Co., married ca 1788 in Lunenburg Co., Ursulla Pettipool.

Since "Lewallen" Tucker married in Halifax in 1808, and "Lewelling" Tucker of Lunenburg still had wife Ursula in 1809 (DB 22-57), they do not appear to be one and the same person. They may be father and son, but this was not further researched by Beale

Therefore, Richard Brattain’s suggestion that our Tucker’s might be connected with those mentioned in Beale’s book seems to be likely. Further research is needed to confirm what Nancy Jerden Tucker wrote in her letter. That Lew Allen is Robert Sr.’s father, Robert Jr.'s grandfather and James Tucker’s great grandfather.

James’ father, Robert Tucker Sr.’s death date and place have not been found, he probably made the moved from Roane Co., Tenn. to Montgomery Co., Ill and died between 1835-40. Mary was listed as head of household in 1840. They lived in or near VanBurensburg…southeast corner of Montgomery Co. (From research of Richard Brattain.

James Tucker married Catharine Bradley June 6, 1836. (Copy of certificate on file). Her father was Richard Bradley and her mother’s names was Sarah. James and Catharine were married in Montgomery Co., Ill June 6, 1836 by Willis Dodson, preacher of the Gospel.

James and Catharine left Illinois in 1849 according to an interview James gave a reporter in the Cassville (Missouri) Republican Paper Mar 10, 1896. James would have been 36 years old. He first went to Arkansas between 49 and 50. He moved from Arkansas to Missouri 1850. James’ and Catharine’s first child Sarah was born about 1839 in Illinois, the 2d child, Richard was born Jan 18, 1842 in Illinois, the 3d child Mary was born about 1844 in Illinois, the 4th child James was born 1845 in Illinois, the 5th child Cynthia was born August 14, 1847 in Illinois, the 6th child, William born December 18, 1849 in Arkansas, the 7th child Francis was born August 7, 1854 in Missouri, the 8th child, Marada Catherine was born Jan 13, 1857* in Missouri, and the 9th child, Eliza Catharine was born June 10, 1959 in Missouri. In the interview he said they had eleven children. There may be two babies that didn’t live. There is a five year difference between when William was born in 1849 and Francis born in 1854, so there was probably another baby born here. As they stopped in Arkansas for a time, the baby could have been born, died and buried there.

Marada Catherine has 1855 on her tombstone in Fairland, Oklahoma Cemetery shows she was born January 13, 1855. Therefore either Francis Tucker’s Aug 7, 1854 or Marada Catherine Tucker Wallen’s date on tombstone of 1855 could be wrong. As the Wallen’s were separated from the main Tucker family and probably any available records, they were probably going by memory. In the census, Marada Catherine Tucker was born in 1857. The next child Eliza Catharine was born in 1859. It would seem the spacing is more correct for 1857. There may be another child after this one that died. If so it would probably be buried in the Munsey Cemetery (Eagle Rock, Barry Co., MO)

When James Tucker came to Barry Co, MO to live near Roaring River and is now Eagle Rock, it was a wild country, and very thinly settled. There were about ten houses on Roaring River. They only place they could trade was at Cassville over 15 miles away. Once a week a mailman riding a horse came to the area from Cassville going through to Arkansas. There was one voting place on White River on the Green Berry Easley place. Church was held in a shed. There were all sorts of game such as deer, turkey, small games.

It has often been said that there was a road that followed the Roaring River from what is now Roaring River State Park to Eagle Rock. There was an old road that left Cassville and went through what is now the Horner community and came into the back side (East) of the Roaring River State Park. Perhaps this is the trail the man delivering mail took and many of the early families on their way to buy supplies.

James and Catharine’s homestead was in three 40 acres parcels of land, Township 21, Range 26, Section 8, and two in Section 7. It is still owned by a family connection, Gary Ball. It is just a short distance from where they built their home near Roaring River. When Gary’s father and he tore down the last old two story white clap board house owned by Tuckers, he said there were signs of there having been 3 houses built in the same spot. They took the original chimney stones and made a wall, flowerbed and walkway with them. The stones were cut there on the place. Some that were not used are still in the field back of the present day house.

photo
Photo from the files of Gary Ball.
The following is from the March 10, 1896, Cassville Republican interview as told to the reporter by James Tucker: "So things rocked along as one might suppose till the 25th day of July 1861. That night I left – the only time I ever run away and I did that to escape the Johnnies (Confederate Recruiters and Bushwhackers). Parson Sellers and his outfit tried to catch me and did surround my house. But they failed to take me in, so I went on to General Lyon’s camp, a little west of Springfield, MO. With others from there I went to Rolla and enlisted in the 24th Mo. Inf. And served 3 years and two months, my son Richard Tucker also enlisted". It is not know if he went with his father that night but probably did. Any boy old enough to carry a gun was taken and forced into the army on either side of the Civil War. If they refused to go they could be killed. The homes were robbed and woman and children were left to starve. It is told that Catharine had a secret place she hid things to keep them from being stolen. She probably hid out food as well. If the armies on both sides didn’t get their food and property, outlaws called Bushwhackers would take advantage of them and take what was left. The families left behind were in constant danger not only from the armies, Bushwhackers, but from starvation.

James is listed in Co B, 24th Reg’t MO Inf:, He drove an ambulance during most of his service. He was in the battle of Pea Ridge, AR, Mar. 7 and 8, 1862;
Licking, MO; May 26, 1862;
Pittman’s Ferry, AR; Oct. 27, 1864;
Van Buren, MO, Dec. 28, 1862;
Mill Creek Bridges, MO; Apr. 24, 1863;
Reelfoot Lake, TN; Aug. 16, 1863;
Fort DeRussy, LA; Mar. 14, 1864;
Pleasant Hill, LA, Apr. 9, 1864;
Jenkins Ferry, AR April 30, 1864;
Yellow Bayou, LA May 18, 1864;
Lake Chicot, AR, Jun. 6, 1864;
Tupelo, MS; Jul. 14, 1864;
Mineral Point, MO, Sep. 27, 1864.

The 24th fought two more major battles after James was "mustered out" in Oct. 1864….Franklin, TN, Nov. 30, 1864 and Nashville, TN, Dec. 15, 1864.

James Tucker returned to farming after his service in the Civil War but was to suffer with reoccurring health problems the rest of his life. He received a disability pension in his older days. There is a story told by a family connection that James Tucker was a friendly man to all and liked to be hospitable when company came.

Catharine Bradley Tucker is buried in the Munsey Cemetery not too far from where she lived all those years. In a letter written in 1969 by Martha Reed Porter, tells the story that "Catharine Tucker was getting some chickens ready to take to a little store operated by a man named Sweeten (where graves are in the garden and she knew it as the Russell Place). Catharine bent over to catch a chicken to tie its feet together and fell dead." Catharine and James had been married 55 years. As all that is left of Catharine’s head stones is her name we weren’t sure of her death date. A descendant found in an newspaper article that she had died Mar 10, 1896. James lived on for a few more years dying Dec 9, 1901 being just a few days short of being 89 years old. He left behind a large family whose descendants have scattered all over the United States. Although there are none by the name of Tucker left at Eagle Rock there are many who are his descendants still living in the area. There are a few by the name of Tucker still living in Barry Co., MO. James Tucker is buried beside his wife Catharine in the Munsey Cemetery.

Photograph of their tombstone can be seen in the files of Munsey Cemetery online.

Their Children:

Sarah Tucker, b. 1839 in IL; m. 1st m. Abraham Lewis, 2d m. John Smith, 3d married Joe Hill, and 4th a Mr. Morrison.
Richard Tucker, b. Jan. 18, 1842 in IL, m. Martha Lewis
Mary Tucker, b. 1844 in IL, m. Shadrick Johnson
James Tucker, b. 1845 in IL
Cynthia Tucker, b. Aug 14, 1847 in IL, m. Jasper M. Smith
William Tucker, b. Dec. 18, 1849 in AR, m. Milly Wallen, 2d wife Eliza Adeline Lewis
Franics "Frank" Tucker, b. Aug. 7, 1854 in MO, m. Emma "Emily" A. Thornton
Marada Catherine Tucker, b. Jan 13, 1857 in MO, m. Edward Stevenson Wallen
Eliza Catharine Tucker, b. June 10, 1859 m. W. M. Simons
There were two others who are believed to have died as infants, probably one in Arkansas and one in Missouri.
Resources:

Richard Brattain,

Jeanette Ponder,

Wadene Bennett,

Wanda Lechner,

Patsy Pettigrew,

Gerald Haddock

Joy Guentert,

Miriam Tucker,

Census,

Tombstone Information,

Family Stories,

Marriage Records,

Land Records
Home Site photo
James Tucker photo
James & Catharine Photo
Resource Family Photos and Documents
Submitted by Submitted in 2006 by: Darla Ball Marbut
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