Clara (Eison) Rucker (abt. 1861 - aft. 1910)

Born about Jan 1861 in Double Bridges, Lauderdale, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Samuel Rucker — married 16 Oct 1890 in Lauderdale, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

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Biography

Clara (Eison) Rucker is a part of US Black heritage.

Clara Eison was born enslaved by John Hames Eison, in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. Clara's parents were William and Ada, who were also enslaved by John.

Clara's paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, and two paternal uncles, were also enslaved by John Eison. Ada is presumed to have died during the Civil War.

William ran away to join the Union army during the war, and after emancipation, despite William returning to Lauderdale, Clara was taken in by another ex-slave named Andrew Soward.

When Clara was a teenager, she was sent to live with her paternal grandmother, Elivira Eison, who was living on the land of Sam Rucker, another ex-slave.

Sam was a known womanizer. He was married while enslaved, but also had several children with several women. Sam was also in a relationship with Elvira, but that produced no children, as Elvira was older.

Sam and Clara began a relationship, that resulted in the birth of several children.

Their children were Etta, Allie, Flora, Clarence Allen, and James. In 1890, the church that Sam attended pressured him to marry Clara, despite being married to a woman named Martha for thirty years, although because her and Sam were married while enslaved, it was not legal, and Sam was legally able to marry Clara.

On October 16, 1890, Sam held a ceremony at his house for two weddings, one for him and Clara, and one for Rinda Soward and Tim Hinton (Rinda was one of his illegitimate children).

They married that day and had more children, Holly, Dolly, Charles, and Dixie. Sam died around 1904, and his land rights were given to the children with him and Clara, because she was his legal wife.

Lucinda Gamble, a daughter from his first marriage, took Clara to court to 1909, on behalf of her, and her brother, and also her deceased sister's children. Lucinda also included two illegitimate sons of Sam in her suit against Clara.

Lucinda got her rights, and by 1910, Clara was living in Fletcher, Arkansas, according to the 1910 United States Census. No records for Clara appear after 1910.

Sources

• 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1900; Census Place: Civil District 8, Lauderdale, Tennessee; Roll: 1583; Page: 15; Enumeration District: 0090
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #54216410
  Clarra Rucker (39), wife, in household of Samuel Rucker (62) in Civil District 8, Lauderdale, Tennessee. Born in Tennessee, USA.

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GH4J-PXT