SocietyNEWSLETTER

Volume 10 Number 2 June 1999

AMBROSE L. RUCKEROF BEDFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA

AND FRANKLIN COUNTY, MISSOURIby Jean B. Robinson

"Ambrose L. Rucker died youngand without issue!" suggestedSudie Rucker Wood.

In Sudie Rucker Wood's RuckerFamily Genealogy, p.95, it saidchild #9: "Ambrose5 L. [Rucker],died 1832, Bedford Co. [VA];married Betsy McClure, 1824,daughter of William and wife[Hancock] McClure."

Because she printed that AmbroseL. had died in 1832, we allwanted to believe that he did.

Wood, p.102, under Anthony5 Rucker(Ambrose4 Jr., Ambrose3, John2,Peter1) said: "At the Januarycourt of Amherst County in 1833

continued on next page

Table of ContentsAmbrose L. Rucker p. 11-13Rucker Cemetery Marker p. 11,20Rucker Chapel p. 14Ruckers of Co. E, 2nd VA Cavalry. . . p. 15-16Questions and Answers p. 17Obituaries p.17-19Corrections and Updates p. 19President's Letter p. 19

EARLY WILLIAMSONCOUNTY, TENNESSEE,RUCKERS HONORED

by Ron Payne

On May 2, 1999, a beautifulspring day, a historical markerwas dedicated before a sizeableaudience in Williamson County,TN. The Williamson CountyHistorical Commission recognizedthe Rucker Cemetery near Arnowith the marker. The marker islocated on the South side of Owenr T „• 1 H T~> — -, -J — 1̂ -^ . - -i- 1 / A _ _ - • ] „ __ . „ . *_ „ -Cnx-L-L JAoaia, aDwuo j. / *•» Iuj--Le eaoi. w j.

Arno Road, south of Arno, TN.

Of the approximately 40 graves inthe cemetery, the greatest con-tingent represents the William5Rucker, Jr. (William4, John3,John-, Peter1) family. William,his wife Mary Jane Pillow, andnine of their eleven children.Six grandchildren of William,Jr., are also buried in there.

Recitations of family historiesby selected local descendants,woven about those noted on themarker, followed the formaldedication.

Following these poignant remem-brances, the cemetery was visitedwhere flowers were furnished forattendees to place on the graves.A moving poem was read by theniece of Freeman Jordan, dressedin a period costume, while appro-priate music was being played inthe background by her husband,

continued on p.20

The Rucker Family Society Newsletter -15- Vol. 10 No. 2. Jun 1999

The Rucker Family Society Newsletteris published quarterly

Editor:Terry Detamore O'Reilly

34 Schiverea AveFreehold, NJ 07728

<MrsTReilly@aol.com>

President:Jean B. Robinson

304 Charm ian RoadRichmond, VA 23226<ruckerfs@erols.com>

Membership$7.00 individual

$5.00 institutional

Copyright 1999. All Rights reserved

continued from previous pagethe scourt was satisfied' thatAmbrose Rucker, administrator ofJames Marr' s estate was dead andappointed Anthony Rucker in hisplace. This was where Wooddetermined that Ambrose L. Ruckerwas deceased by 1832.

Based on the information thatfollows, I think the will wasreferring to the father, AmbroseJr., and not Ambrose L. Rucker.

A few years ago, Violet Hill, ofGresham, OR, wrote and said shethought Ambrose L. Rucker movedto St. Louis, MO. My reply was tosend me proof that his name wasthe same. She sent a deed thatshowed he had the middle initial"L." Was he the same Ambrose L.?

There is a marriage record forAmbrose Rucker in St. Louis, MO,to Elizabeth "Susan" Branch,dated 23 Dec 1846.

The 1850 Franklin County, MO,census, showed Ambrose with wifeSusan, four children by aprevious marriage and two

children by his present wife:1850 Franklin Co., MO,

census, 31st Dist, p.29: AmbroseRucker, age 45, farmer, $1200, b.VA; Susan, age 36, b. TN; A. S.F., age 16, (all children bornMO; C. L., age 13; John R., age11; Sarah F., age 8; Eliza J.,age 3; Elisha H., age 7/12.

Who was the mother of the otherchildren? In studying the recordsof Bedford Co., VA, we wonderedif his first wife died and hemoved away. He had a great dealof property in Bedford, why didhe move on if not to begin a newlife in the Midwest? Ambrose wasnot listed in the 1830 censusrecords, either in Virginia orMissouri.

Ambrose L. Rucker disappears fromrecords in Virginia about 1830.

I recently heard from JerryProctor of Colorado Springs, CO.He wanted to find proof ofAmbrose L. Rucker's wives andfelt he was only married twice.If Ambrose was married a thirdtime, who was she?

On my recent trip to St. Louis,MO, I 'found an index on granteesand grantors in the area. One ofthem listed a deed for Ambrose L.Rucker and Elizabeth his wife,daughter of William and SarahMcCluer (note the spelling is alittle different than the way thename was spelled in Virginia--McClure). I went to the St. LouisCity Hall and found the followingevidence.

23 Apr 1838: Know all men that weAmbrose L. Rucker and Elizabeth my wife inconsideration of six hundred and fifty dollars tous paid do grant, bargain, sell and release toJohn Q. Dickinson all our share, right, title andclaim in and to the real and personal estate of

Rucker Family Society Newsletter Vol. 10 No. 2. Jun 1999

Sarah McCluer [sic] and William McCluer [sic]the father and mother of said Elizabeth consistingof a tract of land in St. Louis County that wasconveyed to said Sarah and her heirs by GeorgeCollier under a decree in chancery in the St.Louis Circuit Court and also of a number ofNegro slaves and other personal property andestate and we do convey to said Dickinsonwhatever share and title we have or are entitled toin said property and estate and do herebyauthorize him to take all necessary steps toreceive the same for this one use our share in saidproperty being one undivided seventh part and wedo warrant said property against all claims ofourselves and all persons claiming under us andnone others. —In testimony whereof we hereuntoset our hands and seal this 23rd day of April in theyear eighteen hundred and thirty-eight.

Attest: A. L. Rucker (Seal)Elizabeth Rucker (Seal)

State ofMissouri>In the St. Louis Circuit CourtCounty of St. Louis>March Term 1838Filed for Record April 2 3rd, 1838>Recorded May 19>h, 1838>

Jno Ruland, clerk

(From Deed Book D2, p.216, foundin City Hall, St. Louis, MO.)

Eureka! Now we know that AmbroseL. Rucker migrated to St. Louiswith his in-laws. Also there wasa deed where all the heirs ofWilliam and Sarah McClure werelisted including Martha McClurewho married Ambrose L. Rucker'snephew, Samuel" Burks Rucker(TinsleyS Ambrose4 Jr., Ambrose3,John:, Peter1) . Samuel and Marthawere listed in the 1840 and 1850Franklin Co., MO, census.

This deed showed that Ambrose L.Rucker was still married toElizabeth McClure, his first wife

and that the Ruckers and McCluresmoved together from Bedford Co.,VA, to St. Louis, MO. This deedalso proved that Ambrose L.Rucker was the same one thatmoved from Bedford Co., Virginia.

Note: One question, was Ambroselisted in the 1830 census withthe McClures? Or were they enroute to Missouri.

Conclusion: Ambrose L. Rucker(Ambrose4 Jr., Ambrose3, John2,Peter1) was married twice. Hemigrated to Missouri with hiswife's family, the McClures.

Issue of Ambrose L. Rucker andElizabeth McClure:1. William6 G. Rucker, b. before

1831, probably in BedfordCo., VA.

2. Elizabeth6 Rucker, b. before1831, probably in Bedford Co.

3. Le Grande6 F. Rucker, b. ca1834 (age 16, 1850 census),b. MO.

4. Clifton6 T. Rucker, b. 14 Sep1836, Franklin Co., MO.

5. John6 R. Rucker, b. ca 1839(age 11, 1850), MO.

6. Sara6 Frances Rucker, b. 1842(age 8, 1850), MO.

Issue of Ambrose L. Rucker andSusan Branch:7. Eliza6 J. Rucker, b. ca 1847

(age 3, 1850), MO.8. Elisha6 H. Rucker, b. ca 1849

(age 1, 1850), MO.9. Thomas6 Levi Rucker, b. 22 Sep

1852, MO.10. James6 Wilson Rucker, b. ca

1855, MO, d. 2 Jun 1873,(tombstone) Ft. Scott, KS.

(Source: Census records, Deeds ofBedford Co., VA, and St. Louis,MO; Marriage records.)

The Rucker Family Society Newsletter Vol. 10 No. 2. Jun 1999

RUCKER CHAPELSubmitted by Dorothy and Herman Rucker

It was a bright spring day in thesmall village of Wapella, Ill-inois. The time was 1912 on aSunday morning and the church wasalive with activity. A travelingphotographer happened along andwanted to photograph the congre-gation and their church. Everyoneposed in front including GrantWalden with his new "horseless"carriage (to the left).

The church, known as "RuckerChapel," is located near thesmall village of Wapella, IL. Thesmall Methodist church was builtin 1865 through the efforts ofthe Rev. James C. Rucker.

The church was very active withbaptisms, marriages, funerals andservices. The congregation tookgood care of it and remodeled theinterior in 1913. However, thebuilding was destroyed by fire in1932 and a new church was builtand dedicated on the same spot,December 11, 1933.

The church fell in disuse andbecame inactive in June of 1953.Since that time, the chapeltstrustees have sponsored activit-ies twice a year. A memorialservice followed by picnic in theyard held early in June and afall wiener roast on the firstSaturday night after Labor Day.

Across the street from the churchis the Rucker Chapel Cemetery.Since 1882, soldiers from the Warof 1812, the Mexican War, the WarBetween the States, and WorldWars I & II have been laid torest in the cemetery.

The church secretary, Helen Hume,has been involved in the churchesactivities since 1953. Volunteers

help keep the church and cemeteryin good shape.

The Rev. James Cook Rucker(Ahmed5, John4, John3, John2,Peter1, see Wood, p.24), was born6 Jan 1817, Woodford Co., KY, anddied 26 Sep 1900, Jacksonville,IL (aged 83 years, 8 months and17 days) . He was married 1st 29Aug 1849, to Rachel Howard, born23 Feb 1824, Bracken Co., KY,died 3 Sep 1883, Clinton, IL(aged 56 years, 6 months and 10days) . She was the daughter ofSarah and Rev. Joseph Howard. In1885 James C. Rucker marriedHarriett McCord, a widow. Thereis no record of any children.

The above article and picture wasfrom a local newspaper, datedSaturday, June 6, 1998. It wassubmitted by Dorothy and HermanRucker of Nashville, TN. Theysuggested it may have been fromthe Peoria, IL, newspaper.

In August, 1999, Jeannie Robinsonvisited the area and saw thechurch and cemetery just east ofthe town of Wapello. No Ruckerswere buried in the graveyard.Biography on Rev. Rucker is inthe History of DeWitt Co., IL,1882, p.191.

Rucker Family Society Newsletter Jur. 1999

"ALL PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR"By Christopher D. Rucker, M.D.

On May 23, 1861, Virginiansapproved the Ordinance ofSecession, and sons of AmherstCounty began joining the Cavalrycompany which would boast moreRuckers than any like-sized unitin the Confederacy. A desire tofind the final resting places ofthe Ruckers in the AmherstMounted Rangers, later Company E,2nd Va. Cavalry, led the author tocompile biographical sketches ofeach. The following summarizestheir military records. Moredetailed biographical and familyinformation is available tointerested readers.

Edward6 Lewis Rucker (John5,John4, John3, John2), clerk,enlisted May 23, 1861, 15private, one year. Re-enlisted,two years, February 24, 1862.Hospitalized January 21 1863,typhoid fever, furloughed ninetydays March 26, 1863. Re-enlistedMarch 1, 1864, "for the war."Killed at Yellow Tavern May 12,1864. The author placed aConfederate memorial headstoneJune 28, 1998 in Richmond, VA'sHollywood Cemetery.

Marcellus7 Parks Rucker (Nathan6Dawson, Ambrose0, Reuben4,Ambrose3, John2) enlisted May 31,1861, private, one year. Re-enlisted February 11, 1862,furloughed thirty-six days.Drowned April 14, 1862, RobinsonRiver, body lost. A memorialmarker was placed at his wife'scemetery, Poplar Grove. He wassurvived by a daughter, "MinnieClaude," called "Mary Marcellus"in Nathan's will.

Isaac'7 Henry Rucker (Benjamin6Jennings5, Isaac", Ambrose3, John:)

enlisted May 23, 1861, one year.Re-enlisted two years, February20, 1862. Promoted to 4thcorporal, promoted to 3rdcorporal; demoted to private,November 1863. Re-enlisted March1, 1864 for the war's duration.Possibly wounded at Haw's ShopMay 28, 1864. He lost threehorses in the war. August 1, 1906he lost his right arm in hismill's revolving wheel, diedAugust 6, 1906. Buried Section B,Amherst Public Cemetery.

Paul7 Brown Rucker, Isaac'syounger brother, enlisted March10, 1862, private, two years. Re-enlisted March 1, 1864. Receivedtwo wounds left leg, Haw's Shop,May 28, 1864. Paroled AppomattoxCourt House, surrendered carbineand saber, April 9, 1865. Died ofa stroke May 13, 1927, likelyburied Amherst Public Cemetery.The Author has arranged for aheadstone.

Godfrey6 Toler Rucker (Alexander5Marr, Richard4, Isaac3, John:)enlisted June 12, 1861, Lynch-burg, private, one year.Conscripted April 1862. Wounded,Second Manassas. Re-enlistedMarch 1, 1864 for the war. Diedbetween will date Dec 8, 1888 andprobated Dec 16, 1889, cause andplace, unknown. Confederatemarker Amherst County, 37°37.62Nlongitude, 79°14.42W latitude.

William6 Richard Rucker enlisted,conscripted, re-enlisted samedates as older brother, Godfrey.Perhaps wounded, Brandy StationJune 9, 1863, detailed to BrigadeCommissary until Spring 1864.Finger shot off, Fort Kennon, May24, 1864. Captured June 13, 1864,

The Rucker Family Society Newsletter Vol. 10 No. Jur. 19991

Amherst Courthouse, sent toAtheneum Prison, transferred CampChase, paroled City Point March2, 1865. Died between 1912 and1920. Stone, no dates, El BethelChurch, Amherst, next to brother,Isaac Willis (artillery veteran).

Valentine7 H. Rucker (Edwin6Sorrell, Ambrose5, Reuben4,Ambrose3, John2) enlisted May 29,1861, appointed 2nd lieutenantJuly 1, 1862. Lost re-election,retired, last paid April 30,1862. Exempted from furtherservice as mail contractor. DiedJul 12, 1900, buried in wife'splot at Lynchburg's Spring HillCemetery.

Washington7 Irving Rucker,Valentine's younger brother,enlisted with him, private.Furnished a substitute, Summer of1862, retired, re-enlistedMosby's Partisan Rangers January25, 1864. In May, "shot through,"bullet entering his back andexiting his abdomen. Died June 6,1922, buried Shiloh U. M. Church,Bedford County.

Ambrose7 Clark Rucker, another sonof Edwin Sorrell, served with Co.E, according to Sudie RuckerWood. The author erected aConfederate marker at hisprobable burial site in theGraham Creek Rucker cemetery.Subsequent research suggests heavoided service through hispositions as a slave owner andmail contractor.

William6 Ambrose Rucker (William5Ballenger, George4, JohnJ, John2;also Mary6 Ann Dawson, Ambrose5,Reuben4, Ambrose3, John2) enlistedMay 23, 1861, one year, private.Hospitalized in September. Re-enlisted, Spring, 1862, cited forbravery during Shenandoah Valleycampaign. Furnished substitute

Aug 12, 1862. Drafted, furloughedRichmond's Camp Lee March 3,1864. Exempted as an "agricul-turist", avoided further service.Died, son Dana's home, RichmondNov 7, 1922. Buried Ivy HillCemetery, Upperville, Virginia.

Sudie Rucker Wood claimed thatWilliam's brother, Addison6 ClayRucker, served with Mosby'scavalry, but no recordssubstantiate that. Older brother,Daniel6 H. Rucker, furnished asubstitute to Company E March 14,1862, presumably to avoid thedraft, and was subsequentlyexempt as a justice of the peace.Buried in Buena Vista's GreenHill Cemetery, a Confederatecross leaned against histombstone, an honor which shouldhave been reserved for veterans.

Further reading:Driver, Robert J. and H. E.Howard, 2nd Virginia CalvaryrLynchburg, 1995

Payne, Ron "A Listing of RuckersWho Served in the Armed Forces ofthe Confederate States ofAmerica," unpub.

Rucke'r, Christopher D."Biographical Sketches ofThirteen Ruckers of NineteenthCentury Amherst County,Virginia," unpub., 1998

Wood, Sudie Rucker The RuckerFamily Genealogy, Richmond, 1932

Please contact the author withcomments and corrections, or torequest more information on anyof these Ruckers .

Christopher D. Rucker, M.8511 Valley Falls RoadBoiling Springs, SC 29316(864) 599-1947

D.

Sucker Family Society .Newsletter 2. Jun 1999

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

WILLIAM RUCKER: I am lookingfor William Rucker, who was bornin Louisiana or Mississippi. Hemarried Lou T. Buford, daughterof Thomas J. Buford, in Guthrie,Logan Co., OK (Indian territory)in 1874. They had one son bornthere and then moved to Bonhan,Fannin Co., TX, where mygrandmother was born in 1880. Hedied there in 1889.

I was told that he was Choctawand that he was a Pony ExpressRider which might explain thembeing in Logan County before itwas open to the public after theland rush in 1889. Lou Buford wasborn in Camden, Ouachita Co., AR,in January 1861. She was halfCherokee and half Choctaw. Bothher parents were born in Georgia,and her mother came out on theTrail of Tears when she was 5years old.

If anyone can help identifyWilliam Rucker, please contact:Lynn VitasekP.O. Box 177847Irving, TX 75017-7847(972) 579-1487

VIANNA (VINIE) E. RUCKER: Iam still trying to find info onVianna (Vinie) E. Rucker my greatgrandmother who married R. A.Colbert in Rutherford Co., TN, 28Jan 1870. She was born someplacein TN about 1849. Don't have muchon her early life and very littleon her after they married.Thanks in advance for anything atall.Darlene Hall7501 SuncrestWichita, KS 67212<DHalll0383@aol.com>

OBITUARIES

JAMES RUCKER WIGGINS, 87, diedon 11 June 1999, in Henderson,Kentucky. His line is from hismother, Fannie8 Rucker (Joseph7A., Joseph6 B., Elzy5, Joel4,John3, Thomas2, Peter1) .

He was a veteran in World War II,a deacon of Audubon BaptistChurch and had retired fromHenderson Implement company in1977.

He was also an active member ofthe Green Valley Disaster Teamand had traveled on severaldisaster missions, includingtrips after hurricanes inMassachusetts and the Bahamas.

He was a Kentucky Colonel, amember of Disabled AmericanVeterans, American Legion WorshamPost No. 40 and Woodmen of theWorld.

His wife, Frances had died in1995, a daughter Mary Lynda Neffdied in 1985, and a son Robert"Bobby" Wiggins died in 1996. Heis survived by three daughters,Joyce Denton of Henderson, LoisBumpus of Charlotte, NC, andAlice Wiggins of Lexington; 10grandchildren, 17 great-grand-children and one step-greatgranddaughter.

At his funeral, the entire GreenValley Disaster Team served ashonorary pallbearers and woretheir yellow jacket uniforms.Rucker had been the oldest memberof the team when he reached his80th birthday.

He was buried at RoselawnMemorial Gardens in Henderson.Submitted by Maxine DillehayHammar, Palmyra, VA, his niece.

The Rucker Family Society Hewslt -i-8-Vol. 10 No. 2, Jur. 19991

Obituaries, continuedWALTER EARL CHE S SHORE, 89,

died Sunday August8, 1999, at homeafter a lengthyillness. He wasborn April 30,1910, in Jones,Oklahoma, son ofInman Norman Chess-more and Annie RheaMiller.

He and Lucille Rucker (Joseph7 H.,Joseph* M., Reuben , Reuben ,PeterJ, John2, Peter1) weremarried September 30, 1949, inAbilene, TX. They lived in FortWorth, Texas for 34 years.

Walter graduated from OklahomaA&M University (now OklahomaState U.) in 1938. While astudent, he began work as anagronomist with the CCC camp atGuthrie, OK. Immediately aftergraduation, he began a career ofmore than 40 years with the USDASoil Conservation Service. Heserved in several capacities inOklahoma, Texas and Nebraska. Atthe time of his retirement in1978, he was head of theemployment development unit inthe regional office in Ft. Worth.

During World War II, he servedfor three years with the army.

Walter was a member of Edge ParkUnited Methodist Church, the SCSAlumni of North Texas, The Assoc.of Retired Soil ConservationEmployees, The Soil and WaterConservation Society, and theNat. Assoc. of Federal Retirees.

He was preceded in death by his1st wife, Mildred Bynum Chessmore;his parents; and three brothers,Raymond, Francis and Claude.

In addition to his wife of 50years, Walter is survived by

daughters Nita Sue Bertsche andher husband, Jerry of Marietta,GA, and Karen Freeman and herhusband, Bruce, of Arlington; andthree grandsons, Bryan Beaty,Brett Beaty and ChristopherFreeman, all of Arlington, TX.Also two brothers, Roy Chessmore,of Idabel, OK, and Charles Chess-more, of Stillwater, OK; and asister Fern Cooper of Palestine.

Walter was buried at Laurel landMemorial Park in Fort Worth.From the Fort Worth, TX, Star-Telegram, 10 Aug 1999, submittedby Alice Rucker Allen (sister ofLucille), of Austin, TX.

WILLENA RUCKER BLACKSTOCK,72, died Wednesday June 23, 1999in Athens Regional MedicalCenter. Born in Elbert County, GAshe was retired chief accountantfor Macy's Inc. retail departmentstore in Atlanta. She was agraduate of Elberton High Schooland the University of Georgia.She was a member of the DAR andFirst Baptist Church in AvondaleEstates.

She is survived by her husband,James Blackstock and brothers,Kenelm E. Rucker of Elberton andBryon T. Rucker of Endicott, NY.

"Lena" was a daughter of K. EarleRucker (Joseph7 W., Elbert6 M.,Joseph5, John4, Cornelius3, Thom-as", Peter1) and Willie VickeryRucker. She was preceded in deathby a son, Carl James Blackstockand two brothers, Elbert M. andJoseph L. Rucker.

She was buried in ElmhurstCemetery in Elberton, GA. Lenahad recently restored the familyhome in Ruckersville, GA.Submitted by Jules T. Rucker ofEvans, GA.

Rucker Family Society Newsletter 10 No. . Jun 1999

Obituaries, continuedRAMONA L. (WATTS) RUCKER, age80, a retired school teacher,died Tuesday, 22 Dec 1998.

Survivors include her husband,Don Rucker; sons L. D. Rucker ofPonca City, OK, and John SnellRucker of Brooklyn, NY; brothersEldon Watts of Wichita, DaleWatts of Douglass, Dean Watts ofAugusta; and five grandchildren.She was a member of the DouglassUnited Methodist Church andSatterthwaite-Douglass SeniorCenter.

Submitted by Julia Beadles.Printed in the Wichita [KS]Eagle, 24 Dec 1998.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Corrections and Updatesby Christopher D. Rucker, M.D.

Following are corrections to myarticle entitled "Spring Cleaningin Amherst County, VA, " printedin Vol. 10, No. 1, March 1999issue of the Rucker FamilySociety Newsletter.

Ambrose Clark Rucker did not dieApril 20, 1891 as stated on page3. That is the date on which hiswidow was named as executor ofhis will. Ambrose's will waswritten June 14, 1890 (Amherst CountyWill Book22. p. 430). He died on June 17th,which is the date I had inscribedupon his tombstone. Thisinformation came from hisobituary, which was provided tome by his descendant Ann Denton,of Tucker, Georgia.

I can also now confirm thatAmbrose was likely not a memberof Company E, 2na VirginiaCalvary, as claimed by SudieRucker Wood. He took his firstdraft exemption in 1862 as an"overseer," or slave owner (Recordof

Exemptions in Virginia. 1862-63. C.S.A. Record Group 109. Ch.1, v. 251. p. 301. line 21} . His secondexemption was as a ConfederateStates postal employee, havingsuccessfully bid for the deliverycontract for the Lynchburg toPedlar Mills route, from July 1,1863 to June 30, 1867." (PostOfficeDept.Mail Contracts, Va 1863-64, C.S.A. R.G. 109. Ch.ll, v.14.p.129) .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

President's Letter

This summer, my husband & I wentto a genealogy conference in St.Louis, MO. I took one class onnewsletter editing and hope younotice the changes. We alsovisited Iowa and Illinois forresearching Ruckers in the area.Note articles on p.11 & 14.

Please submit articles or ideasfor articles to the editor. Whensubmitting newspaper obituariesor articles, please enclose thetitle of the newspaper, the cityand the date of publication. Thisis for future reference.

The RFS board meeting will beOctober 2 & 3 in Williamsburg. Ilook forward to seeing all boardmembers and their spouses. Ifanyone wants to serve on thereunion committee and attend themeeting, please let me know. Myphone number is (804) 358-3185.

It's time to renew if you havenot done so. Check your mailinglabel. The first number is youryear of renewal, the second isyour membership number. Send$7.00 for one year or $14.00 fortwo, made out to The RuckerSociety and mail to:Mr. Lewis M. White, Treasurer9751 Firth CourtVienna, VA 22181

Happy hunting, Jeannie Robinson

The Rucker Family Society Newsletter Vol. 10 No. :. Jun 1959

continued from p.11

THE RUCKER MARKERThe marker states: The Cemetery,which had its beginning in 1826, is located one-half mile south. William Rucker, Sr. (1760-1826),A Revolutionary War veteran, was the first personburied in the cemetery. Also buried there are hisson William Rucker, Jr. (1792-1868), a colorbearer in the War of 1812; Col. OctaviusClaiborne Hatcher, a Mexican War Veteran;Capt. William Pillow Rucker, C.S.A., who waskilled at the Battle of Fort Donelson in 1863;Captain Rucker's two brothers, AlonzoDeAlvarado Rucker and John S. Rucker; and abrother-in-law Robert Archer Jordan. The lastthree men served in Company D, 2ffh TennesseeInfantry Regiment, C.S.A. The cemetery ismaintained by the Historic Rucker FamilyCemetery Association.

The visit to the cemetery wasthen closed with a prayer. What alovely day it had been. I wishyou all could have been there.

Herman Rucker, Bill Jordan, Bob Rucker,In front of the Rucker Historical Marker

This marker and its dedicationwere the result of the extensiveefforts of Freeman Jordan, sup-ported by his brother Jim, andHerman Rucker. They have alsobeen responsible for themaintenance of the cemetery, aswell as significant improvementsin its condition.

:•• < '••' •

THE RUCKER FAMILY SOCIETY

EDITORTerry Detamore O'Reilly34 Schiverea AveFreehold, NJ 07728

The Unit(J{PSRfWs-oMwirrttr33"

FIRST CLASS MAIL

PRESIDENTJean B. Robinson304 Charmian RoadRichmond, VA 23226

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

01 176Mrs. Alice J. Rucker13331 Gridley St.Sylmar, CA 91342^529