Alfred  Smith  Tucker


          ALFRED SMITH TUCKER, a retired farmer, was born in South Carolina, June 16th, 1810.  He is a son of  Jesse  and  Rhoda (Smith) Tucker, both natives of the same State.  The father's death occurred in his native State, and that of the mother in Shelby County, Ind., in 1874.  Our subject re ceived a common school education, according to the custom in those days, was reared a farmer, and to this occupation has given almost his entire attention to the present time.  At eleven years of age, he was "bound out" to Mr. Isaac Jones, of South Carolina, with whom he remained one year, and then left for parts unknown. During his lonely voyage, which he made without money, and scarcely suffici ent clothing to cover his nakedness, he narrowly escaped drowning on one occasion, and finally reached the Georgia line, where he met an old acquaintance with whom he remained about six weeks. He was discovered and taken back to his mother's home, after which he was released by Mr. Jones, who afterward became insane. he then was employed in various occupations until he was seventeen years old. On the 19th day of June, 1827, he married Miss Jane Collins. To this marriages seven children were born, viz.: Edmond T., Susan E., Oliver N., Nancy J., John A., William  L.  and  Rhoda  A.  These children were all born in South Carolina, where his wife's death occurred April 20, 1842. He then removed to Georgia with his family. August 25, 1844, he married  Elizabeth  Hendricks,  a native of Georgia. Four children blessed this union, viz.: James V.,  Moraline  D.,  Jesse H. and  George  E.  In 1851, Mr. Tucker came to Rush County, where he lived for three years, then located in Shelby County, on a rented farm, over which he presided three years, and then purchased 160 acres in Hanover Township. September 15, 1873, Mrs. Tucker died. He married  Miss  Martha  Maudlin,  August 27, 1874, and the result of this marriage was the following issue: an unnamed son, unnamed (deceased),  Nettie,  Mattie,  another infant son, unnamed (deceased). This wife died September 4, 1881, aged forty-one years. He was married August 17, 1882, to  Mrs.  Mary  Kimback  (Donaldson),  born October 13, 1846, and of Irish extraction. Our subject is the owner of 310 acres of land in Shelby County, which is under cultivation and well improved.  When our subject located in Shelby County, he settled in the midst of a dense forest, and ensconced his family beneath the shelter of a rail pen, where they existed until the erection of a substantial "pole cabin" was completed. From this finally grew the comfortable and substantial buildings which now surround him. In 1880, the subject, in company with  W. A.  Bodine,  established the Morristown Bank, in which he served as President until the bank was closed in 1884. In the spring of 1885, he retired from active life, and moved to Morristown with his family, and purchased of Mr. Bodine, the most handsome and commodious residence in Hanover Townshp.  He was for a time, a member of the Know-Nothing organization, this being the only secret order to which he ever belonged.  He is a member of the Christian Church, and his wife is a member of the organization known as the "Shakers."  He was volunteer under John C. Calhoun, in the struggle of South Carolina, against the Union, for the admission of foreign merchandise, free of duty, into ports of that State, and the declaration of President Andrew Jackson, to the citizens at that time, made our subject a thorough Jacksonian Democrat, although since the organization of the Republican party, he has been its advocate.  Although he is living a retired life, he still superintends the tillage of his farm.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 646-648.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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