John J. Tucker was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, May 23, 1824. In the fall of 1841 he, in company with his mother, three brothers and two sisters, came to Missouri and settled near Old Palestine, in Cooper county. In 1849 Mr. Tucker was one of the thousands of emigrants, attracted by the newly discovered gold fields of California. He paused, however, in Nevada, and for a time, followed mining, in the vicinity of Nevada City, and then moved to the village, in which he was one of the first settlers. Remaining there, engaged in mining in the celebrated Gold Run mines, till the fall of 1850, he returned to Cooper county, and married Laura, daughter of James Hutchison. His wife lived only four years after their marriage, but Mr. Tucker, since the loss of his first wife, has married Miss Sarah E. Fisher, of Morefield, Virginia. They have five children living: Mary S., wife of Frank G. McCutchen, Esq., of Cooper county, Laura H., John J., Jr., George F. and Robert Lee. After his return to Cooper county as stated above, Mr. Tucker lived at Bell Air, where he was engaged in farming and merchandising at the same time. He has ever been a public-spirited, unselfish gentleman having at heart the welfare of the people, and lending personal support, as well as material aid, to whatever tended to promote the good of his fellow citizens. His education is such as he obtained in the common schools, but strong native intellect and a retentive memory, enriched by studious, careful reading, do much of obviate the deficiencies of early scholastic advantages. In the spring of 1865 Mr. Tucker went to Nebraska City, Nebraska, but remained there only a year, when he returned to Bell Air and lived in that village till March, 1879, at which time he moved to Arrow Rock, in Saline county, where he succeeded T. C. Rainey in the dry goods and grocery business, in which he is now engaged. Mr. Tucker’s experience in life has been extensive and varied, but upright and honorable, and it may be truly said that he has not lived in vain.
