Fayette County, Alabama

~ George Tucker ~
(Revolutionary War Soldier)



Georgia Revolutionary War soldier George TUCKER, Sr., lived to be over 106 years old.  He was born December 13, 1745, in Amelia Co., VA.  He died January 16, 1852, in Marion Co., AL.  George was buried in Hopewell Cemetery, two miles east of today's Glen Allen, AL.  It is not known when or where George's wife, Rebecca LEVERETT, died.  It now seems reasonable that she may have died in Alabama.

George married again to Martha NICHOLS December 30, 1821, in Jasper Co., GA.  It is believed that George returned from Alabama to marry Martha.  Thomas TUCKER, Sr., the father of George, and most of the other family members had removed from Wilkes Co., GA, to Baldwin Co., GA, later Jasper Co., by 1805.  It is believed that George was in Alabama before 1820, perhaps in both Clark and Tuscaloosa Counties.  The Jasper Co., GA, 1820 census records list only George's son, Daniel, and the families of daughters Jincy and Margaret.  There is a letter from Allen TUCKER, son of George, Sr., dated January 20, 1820, Tuscaloosa Co., AL.  It was sent to Mr. William RHEW, Jasper Co., GA.  It is known that George's son Simeon was in Bibb Co., AL, in 1818.  Also, George TUCKER, Jr., who later removed to Marion Co., was married in Tuscaloosa Co. July 16, 1820, to Milly ROBERTS.  By 1826, George, Sr., had patented 160 acres of Sipsey River land in Marion Co.  His land now falls in today's Bazemore Community of Fayette Co., AL.

Remarkably, George, his brother, Thomas, Jr., and their father, Thomas, Sr., served together in the Revolution in Col. Elijah CLARK's Wilkes County Militia Unit.  An unidentified Robert TUCKER, who may be related, served in the same unit.  Robert's land joined that of Thomas, Sr.  In his 1832 pension application, George named battles and sieges he participated in.  Historically, George's most notable battle was Cowpens in South Carolina, January 17, 1781.  His militia unit fought with the regulars.  The militia played a critical role in defeating the British regulars.  The victory at Cowpens is credited by historians as having turned the tide in the South against the British.  George continued to serve on the frontier against the Indians until about the time he was married to Rebecca LEVERETT.

George's grave in Hopewell Cemetery is marked with large, flat, creek stones stacked about three feet high and about four feet wide by eight feet long.  In 1981, under the sponsorship of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an inscribed marker was placed at the foot of Lt. George TUCKER's grave.  He was commissioned by Georgia Governor HABERSHAM before Independence was declared in 1776.  In the Revolution, George served under Col. Elijah CLARK as a private.  By family tradition, George's wife, Martha NICHOLS is buried by George, Sr., on the south side, and grandson Moses TUCKER is buried by him on the north side.  Milly TUCKER, is buried at the head of George's grave.  Milly's husband, George, Jr., is buried by her on the north side.  It is hoped that the "Tucker area" around George's grave will be preserved for future generations to view.  The appearance today is near the same as it was in the 1800s.  Most of today's Fayette and Marion County TUCKERs, and those residents who have TUCKER ancestors, are descendants of Old George and his wife, Rebecca LEVERETT.

The 1981 DAR dedication of George, Sr.'s marker was organized by Anna Margaret Mitchell MOSS of Texas, now deceased.  The dedication was the beginning of an annual reunion, third Saturday in May, at Hopewell.  In 1992, the George Tucker, Patriot, Descendants Association (GTPDA) was formed.  Over two-hundred persons have paid annual dues, of which half is used for Hopewell maintenance.  Attendance at the reunion usually exceeds one-hundred people.  Many come from distant states.


Source:
William Sanders "Bill" Tucker [3605 Bear Cove, Benton, AR  72015] and Ina Morris,
"George Tucker," Heritage of Fayette County, Alabama, (Heritage Publishing Consultants).
Article submitted by Barbara Pruitt and posted here with the author's permission.



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This page last updated 21 Oct 2003.