Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 553 - 554 

DR. HENRY C. TUCKER came to Kansas in the fall of 1871, and for a number of years was successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in Rockford Township and vicinity. He has his residence in the village of Derby, and is now practically retired from the duties of his profession, but is running a flourishing drug-store and is also conducting a private bank.

            Our subject is a native of Chester County, Pa., and was born Jan. 20, 1833. His parents, John and Mary A. (McBride) Tucker, were natives of the same locality, where the father carried on farming during his early life and later removed to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where his death took place in 1856. John Tucker was a man of much force of character and served as a Lieutenant in the War of 1812-15. The mother is still living and a resident of Derby, this county. The parents had been reared in the Quaker faith, but later identified themselves with the Lutheran Church. John Tucker was a Douglas Democrat, and stoutly maintained his early principles until the close of his life.

            The children of John and Mary Tucker were: Henry C., our subject; Leah, Anthony W., John, Hannah, Mary, Susie and William M. Our subject was a little lad five years of age when his parents removed to Ohio, and his education was conducted in the common school of New Philadelphia and the academy at New Hagerstown, in Carroll County. From this latter institution he was graduated in 1854, and after teaching for a number of years commenced reading medicine under the instruction of Dr. E. P. Buell, of New Philadelphia, with whom he continued four years. Later he attended a course of lectures in the National Medical College, at Washington, D. C.

            Dr. Tucker began the practice of his profession at Trenton, in Tuscarawas County, in 1860, remaining at home that year, and then removed to Uhrichsville, whence a year later he changed his residence to Gnadenhutten, in the same State, which remained his home from 1861 until 1871. In the meantime, during the Rebellion, he had served as Assistant Surgeon four months in the 161st Ohio Infantry. He removed from the Buckeye State to this county in the fall of 1871, and locating in Derby, which was then El Paso, gave his entire attention to his profession until his retirement, in 1886.

            Dr. Tucker, in April, 1886, established the private bank at Derby, which has become one of the indispensable institutions of the southeastern part of Sedgwick County. He is a stanch Republican politically, and held the office of Postmaster at Derby for a period of eight years. Dr. Tucker was married in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, on the 1st of July, 1860, to Miss Mary J. Clark, who was born in that State, Sept. 30, 1835. Mrs. T. is the daughter of Justin and Mary (Minnich) Clark, who were natives of Connecticut, whence they emigrated to the Western Reserve in Ohio soon after their marriage. They are now deceased.

            To our subject and his wife there has been born one child only, a daughter, Marietta, now the wife of R. L. Benton, a resident of Derby, and officating as clerk for his father-in-law. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject belongs to the Tuscarawas and Arkansas Valley Medical Associations, and is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Association of this State. Socially, he is identified with the Masonic fraternity and the I. O. O. F.

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