Bernard A Tucker

This adventure occurred 6/15/18 with Janet, Herb, and yours truly Chuck Newton.  We had arranged to meet Nancy Jones in Parsons, Tn for lunch.  She is the daughter of Bud and Blanche Tuten both deceased.  Blanche was cousin to my mother Carolyn as their mothers were sisters.  Grandmother Lena (Tucker) Strawn was a daughter of Bernard A Tucker.

Picture below taken 6/15/18 in Parsons, Tn at Gator’s restaurant.

(Left to Right, Herb Newton, Nancy Jones, Chuck Newton)

Picture below is Parsons water tower taken in Gator’s restaurant parking lot.

Next stop Decaturville, Tn the county seat of Decatur county.

Picture below is a Revolutionary war monument on the court square.  Includes the name of Richard Strawn.  Blanche Tuten had traced family genealogy back to Revolutionary war indicating she was a Daughter of American Revolution.  Blanche was quite the historian and had contributed to a couple of books documenting Decatur county history.

Picture below is a monument to Decatur county celebrating 150 years 1846-1996 and 200 years of Tennessee statehood 1796-1996.

Picture below is a Civil War monument including name of one Maness J Strawn.  It is quite possible this should be Manners J Strawn as it would fit the time frame and we know of no known ancestor named Maness.  Manners Strawn married Nancy MacKaslin (sp?). Their son Allen married Lena Tucker.

The story is told that Allen was not easy to get along with.  He had a brother Ben(?) and they tried to run a sawmill together.  Both being hard headed that venture did not survive long.  After being apart for some time (years) a traveler told Ben that he had seen Allen.  Ben responded, “The hell you say!”  Just hope they are getting along better now.

Below monument to veterans in various wars since 1900.

Below picture is a plate marking the location of a time capsule to be opened in 7/4/2026.

Next stop Scotts Hill, Tn.  This town is located on the county line between Henderson county and Decatur county.  There is a school located on the county line such that part of the campus is in each of the 2 counties.  At one time both county school boards had to meet together to determine budgets, hiring, and other issues with this school.  To my knowledge Henderson county abandoned this effort in early 2000’s and built their own separate Scotts Hill school.

Below is a picture of the monument erected to Bernard A Tucker.  The monument is located on the campus of Scotts Hill school.  He started and ran a college in Scotts Hill.

At city hall we met a David Austin who worked as a city planner.  There is a room dedicated to the history of Scotts Hill with several artifacts.  Many of the documents and pictures located there pertain to Bernard Tucker and the college.

David mentioned that one of the most frequently asked questions is about the grave of Bernard Tucker.   David had also taken the time to construct a model of the college building from pictures.  To my knowledge nothing remains of the college building.

Pictured below are some of the documents from the city hall history room.

We then went to the old home of Bernard Tucker in Scotts Hill.  The property is dilapidated, but still standing.  The driveway is blocked from traffic and the house appears to be abandoned.

Below are several pictures taken that day.

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Next stop Concord Cemetery.  This can be reached by traveling south on US 641 from Decaturville for about 10 miles.  Turn left on Concord Road.  The Concord Methodist church with cemetery will be about 0.4 miles on left.  You can’t miss it!

Below is the picture of Bernard A Tucker’s grave.

The grave markers have faded as many from this time were made of limestone.  Limestone simply will not endure the elements of this environment.

Below is the grave of Barbara, wife of Bernard.  Very difficult to read.

Below is a grave just south of B A Tucker’s believed to be that of child James that died after 2 months and 6 days.  It is considerably smaller than those of Bernard and his wife.  In his grief, Bernard wrote a poem included below.

Below is the grave of one Mary Tucker.  A 17 year old that died a few years after Bernard.  She seems to be buried with her parents.  Did she marry a Tucker?

Here is some contact information that may be helpful in further research.

Nancy Jones – Daughter of Blanche Tuten phone 731-733-1836

David Austin – City of Scotts Hill phone 731-549-3175

Mary B Strawn – Wife of Tucker Strawn (given name Taylor Strawn Jr, son of Taylor Strawn)
By Marriage aunt to Nancy Jones.
Currently Lives near Bath Springs (Decatur County) Phone 731-549-3468

Link to information about Concord Cemetery:
http://www.tngenweb.org/records/decatur/cemeteries/concord.htm
You may need to copy and paste the link to your internet browser

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THE LITTLE GRAVE

“It’s only a little grave,” they said.
“Only just a child that’s dead!”
And so they carelessly turned away
from the mound the spade had made that day.
Ah! they did not know how deep a shade
That little grave in one home made.

True, The coffin was narrow and small
One yard would have served for an ample pall,
and one man in his arms could have borne away
The rosewood and it’s freight of clay
But what darling hopes were hid
Beneath that little coffin lid.

A weeping Mother stood that day
with folded hands by that form of clay
And painful, burning tears were hid
‘neath the drooping lash and aching lid.
And her lip, and cheek, and brow
were almost as white as her baby’s now.

And then some things were put away
The crimson frock, and wrappings gay:
The little sock, and half worn shoe.
The cap with it’s plume and tassles blue;
And an empty crib stands with covers spread.
as white as the face of the sinless dead.

‘Tis a little grave: but oh! what care!
What world-wide hopes were buried there!
and we, perhaps, in coming years.
May see like her, through blinding tears ,
How much of light, how much of joy
Is buried up with our only boy!

Scotts Hill, Tenn. June 30, 1900
B. A. Tucker

My Great Grandfather