William Vernon Tucker M.D. (1867 - 1947)

Born 15 Dec 1867 in Greensburg, Green, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Anna Victoria (Lawson) Tucker — married before 1892 in Green, Kentucky, United States

Husband of Christina Kemper — married 12 Sep 1944 in Cimarron, Oklahoma, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Dec 1947 at age 79 in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lorraine Nagle [send private message]

Chosen 12 Mar 2023

Biography

William Tucker M.D. was an early pioneer in Kansas.

Dr. William Vernon Tucker was the first Doctor Pioneer of Elkhart, Morton County, Kentucky. Dr. Tucker is credited with building the first hospital in Elkhart, which opened to the public in 1920.^[1] Dr. Tucker also served his community as a Kansas State Representative from 1919 to 1925.^[2]

At the Kansas Diamond Jubilee Exposition in 1936, the people of Morton County voted for Dr. Tucker in a contest for the "most famous citizen". His picture was displayed in the Wichita Hall of Fame. ^[3]

Medical Practice

William graduated from the Louisville Medical College in 1893.^[4] After his graduation Dr. Tucker opened his practice in his hometown of Greensburg, Green County, Kentucky. About 1903, responding to a call for more doctors, Dr. Tucker decided to move his family to Sylvia, Kansas. In the 1905 Kansas State Census the Tucker family were living about 10 miles from Sylvia, in Huntsville, Reno, Kansas.

Three years later Dr. Tucker received a letter from his father saying that he was going to the Oklahoma Panhandle to live, along with many other community members from Greensburg, Kentucky. They would organize as a Colony and could purchase good land for a small fee. William, who knew they would need a doctor, decided to leave Kansas and join them. Dr. Tucker and his family are found residing in Township 5, Texas County, Oklahoma in the 1910 United States Federal Census. They remained in Oklahoma for about nine years.

Then news of a new town being built in Kansas reached Dr. Tucker. He saw an opportunity to expand his practice and bought two lots in the new town. About 1913 Dr. Tucker moved his family (and his house) to Morton County, Kansas. The family appears in the 1915 Kansas State Census in Taloga Township, which is about 4 miles out of Elkhart. Dr. Tucker became a popular figure in the community, often referred to as "Mr. Willie" or "Doc Wille". ^[3]

Shortly after the 1st World War ended Dr. Tucker, along with his partner Dr. Harvey Hanson, built the first hospital in Elkhart, Kentucky. The hospital was opened to the public on December 30th, 1920.^[5][6][1]

TuckerHansen Hospital Open to the Public - Fine New Building and Splendid Equipment

The 1930's brought the depression years. People began moving away from Elkhart to find work, and Dr. Tucker's practice slowed. It was about 1933 when Dr. Tucker sold the hospital to Morton County. ^[1]

Dr. Tucker would continue to treat his patients for many years, despite his failing health.^[3] On the second image of Dr. Tuckers Deceased Physician File ^[4] there is a notation with the date of 1944 that could be a record of his date of retirement, but it is not clear. His death registration in 1947 gives his status as "retired".^[7]

Early Life

Like his father, William was born and raised in Greensburg, Green County, Kentucky. Born on the 15th of December, 1867^[4], he was one of ten children in the Tucker household. His father, Capt. Elijah Fisher Tucker (1842-1928), was a Union Captain in the Civil War, and his mother, Malinda (Sherrill) Tucker (1808-1889). was the daughter of Doctor and Mrs. Vernon Wheat from Adair County.^[8][9]

Family

William met Anna Victoria Lawson (abt.1871-abt.1940) in Canmer, Kentucky, when she was just seventeen. At the time William was teaching school at Russel Creek, and Annie was training to be a teacher. They married before 1892, based on the birth of their oldest child.^[10][11] After they married, William left his teaching position and took a job as a railroad postal clerk. His decision to become a doctor was made when he was nursing Annie through a life threatening illness. ^[3]

Together they had four children, all born in Kentucky.^[3]

Children;^[11]

• Ruth Tucker (abt.1892-)
• Lois Tucker (abt.1893-)
• Georgia Tucker (abt.1895-)
• Edwin Lawson Tucker (1897-1969)

One more child joined their household about 1914. He was William's nephew by his sister, Lucy Berry (Tucker) Calhoon (1883-1914). Lucy was ill and not expected to survive. Her youngest child, Avelette, was frail and needed extra care. Lucy and her husband asked William and Annie to raise him after she was gone. Avelette had five siblings that remained with his father,William Avelette Calhoun (1875-). William and Annie did not formally adopt Avelette, but raised him as one of their own.^[3]

• Avelette Eugene Calhoon (1914-)

William's wife, Annie, died in 1940 after a long illness. Four years later William would remarry.

On the 12th of September, 1944 William married Christina Kemper (abt.1870-) in Cimmaron, Oklahoma, United States. ^[12] Sadly, William would pass away just three years later.

In 1956 Dr. Tucker's daughter, Georgia (Tucker) Smith (abt.1895-), wrote, and published, a book called "Leave it to Annie". A story that follows the life of her family through her eyes. A tribute to her father , Dr. William V. Tucker, aka "Mr. Willie" and her mother, Annie "who applied the axle grease".^[3]

Death

William died on the 5th of December, 1947, at the Southside Hospital in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, United States. Cause of death was heart disease and a peptic ulcer. His death was reported by his son Lawson Tucker. He was buried in the Elkhart Cemetery in Elkhart, Morton County, Kansas, and rests beside his first wife Annie. ^{[13][14][4][7]}

Research Notes

Extra Child not biological

The FamilySearch website has a family tree (LZGH-72C) entry for William and Annie's family. An additional child, Calhaun Avellette Tucker, has been added as their son. However he is not their biological child, he is their nephew. His correct name is Avelette Eugene Calhoon.

(See Biography Section - Family Life for details.)

The child does appear in Williams household in the 1920 Census, listed as Nephew, then again in the 1930 Census listed as son.

Reference from Sources section;

• 1920 Census Pg. 2, Pg 2 IMAGE
• 1930 Census, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7QP-RYZ
• "Leave it to Annie", Pg 183-184 https://archive.org/details/leaveittomissann00smit

External Reference, not listed in Sources;

• Find A Grave entry for Lucy Berry Tucker Calhoon, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73271870/lucy-berry-calhoon
• FamilySearch Tree, LZGH-72C, (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZGH-72C )
• "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH5-1WNT : 11 February 2018), Avelette E Calhoon, 05 Jul 1914; citing Birth, Green, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort.

Marriages

• A primary source for Williams marriage to Anna Victoria Lawson has not been found. Marriage confirmed with 1900 Census and the book "Leave it to Annie".

Who was Christina Kemper?

• The only records found with Christina's name on it the marriage registration and William's death registration. Nothing more is known about William's second wife.

Census

• 1915 Kansas State Census - FamilySearch transcription error - says Richmond Township, actual document says Taloga Township.

Death Location

• Deceased Physicians File: show's Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, could be an error or it was his temporary residence during his visit to Arizona.
• Death Registration: shows Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, which was the location of the hospital where he died.
• Find A Grave: gives death location as Tempe, Maricopa, Arizona, which is another possible temporary residence as that is his son Lawson's address. William and Christina may have been their visiting.

Using Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona as the most accurate.

Birth Date

• Death registration gives birth year as 1866
• Physicians Deceased File shows birth date as Dec 15, 1867
• Find A Grave, Engraved on Headstone - 1867
• 1870 Census gives his birth year as 1868

Using 1867 as was recorded in his Physician's File and used on his headstone

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Dr. William V. Tucker", Source: Hospitals Data (hospitalsdata.com), online database, accessed 2023-03-12, Morton County Health System, Description "About the Hospital", a history of the Elkhart hospital and of Dr. William V. Tucker, Elkhart's first pioneer doctor, https://www.hospitalsdata.com/usa/morton-county-health-system-elkhart.html
2. ↑ "Kansas Legislators: Past and Present", Source: State Library of Kansas (https://kslib.info/), online publication, accessed 2023-03-12, Transcript: Tucker, W. V., Occupation: Physician, Town: Elkhart, County: Morton , Party: Republican, District: 125, Chamber: House 1919, SS1919, SS1920, 1925, Tucker, W. V.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Smith Tucker, Georgia, "Leave it to Miss Annie", Source: Internet Archive (archive.org), online publication, accessed 2023-03-12, Publisher:: Lawrence, Kan. : Allen Press, Pub Date: 1956, 221pgs, https://archive.org/details/leaveittomissann00smit
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968", database with images, FamilySearch , Digital Image #1819, 1820, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W679-BHPZ : 14 December 2020), William Vernon Tucker, 1947.
5. ↑ ""TuckerHansen Hospital", Source: Kansas Historical Society (https://www.kshs.org/), Kansas Digital Newspaper program, hosted by Newspapers.com, Elkhart Tri-State News, Elkhart Kansas, January 6, 1921, Page 1, Vol XXXIII, No. 51, Digital Clipping, TuckerHansen Hospital
6. ↑ "History of Hospital in Elkhart", Source: Morton County Health System, online publication, accessed 2023-03-12, https://www.mchswecare.com/history/
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLJX-71W : 6 April 2020), William V. Tucker, 1947; citing Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, reference , Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,114,736.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXW7-C8L : 29 May 2021), William T Tucker in entry for Eliga F Tucker, 1870.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCCL-QSQ : 14 January 2022), William V. Tucker in household of Elijah J. Tucker, Greensburg, Green, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 54, sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
10. ↑ Primary Source Needed
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M94H-TJL : 11 March 2022), William Tucker, 1900.
12. ↑ "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995." Database with images. FamilySearch. "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXL1-LG5 : 23 February 2021), William Vernon Tucker and Christina Kemper, 12 Sep 1944; citing Oklahoma, various county courthouses, Oklahoma; FHL microfilm.
13. ↑ "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLJX-71W : 6 April 2020), William V. Tucker, 1947; citing Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, reference , Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,114,736.
14. ↑ "Find a Grave", database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14341096/william-v-tucker: accessed 12 March 2023), memorial page for Dr William V. Tucker (15 Dec 1867–5 Dec 1947), Find A Grave: Memorial #14341096, citing Elkhart Cemetery, Elkhart, Morton County, Kansas, USA; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568).

See Also;

• "Kansas State Census, 1905", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPFC-N6RH : 23 September 2019), W V Tucker, 1905.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML75-Z1B : accessed 13 March 2023), William V Tucker, Township 5, Texas, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 248, sheet 5B, family 139, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1273; FHL microfilm 1,375,286.

• "Kansas State Census, 1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGK2-7HVD : 12 October 2019), W V Tucker, Richfield Township, Morton, Kansas, United States; citing Richfield Township, Morton, Kansas, United States, 8, 25, Kansas Historical Society, Topeka.

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN1Q-CQL : 3 February 2021)Pg 2 William and Annie Tucker : 3 February 2021), William Tucker in entry for Arthur Coy, 1920.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7QP-RYZ : accessed 13 March 2023), William V Tucker, Elkhart, Morton, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 11A, line 16, family 256, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 713; FHL microfilm 2,340,448.

• "United States Census, 1940", Unindexed database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:VRKR-QQ6 : Thu Aug 04 19:06:01 UTC 2022), Entry for Jennie R Newlin and William V Tucker, 1940., IMAGE