Another of Kingman county's old settlers is gone with the passing Sunday evening of Levi Tucker. Mr. tucker died in Wichita at the home of his son, Irvin, following an illness of only three days.
Coming to Kingman in 1890, Mr. tucker was one of the charter members of the local Church of Christ and was also one of its first deacons. His wife, Harriet Tucker was also a charter member. Mr. Tucker who closely identified with the church throughout his life and was well loved by its members.
Levi Tucker, son of John and Ellen Tucker, was born Oct. 1, 1852, in Iowa, and died Jan 22, 1928, in Wichita, KS., at the age of 75 years, three months, and 22 days. He as the last of eight brothers and sisters.
When a small boy, his parents moved to Illinois and he lived there until 1887, when he came to Kansas. He settled first in Morton county, on a claim six miles west of Richfield. In 1890 he came to Kingman county and was employed at the salt works during the sinking of the shaft. In 1894 he bought a farm a half mile north and a mile west of Brown Spur, which he still owned at the time of his death.
Levi tucker married Harriet Bentley in 1871 and to this union six children were born, three of whom survived. Irvin Tucker lives at Wichita, Laura Tucker Downey lives at Kingman, Alice L. Tucker died at the age of 27 years, Alvin Tucker died when small, Arvil Tucker is dead and Francis O. Tucker lives at Vernon, N. Dakota. Mr. Tucker is survived by nine grandchildren, Virgil, Nabbie and Esther: Mrs. Veda Castlehut, Esther Roland and George Tucker: Mrs. Iva Morris and Mrs Bessie Hughes and by six great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon at the Church of Christ with Ren. Harley Snodgrass in charge. Burial will be at the Hoosier Cemetery.
From the Kingman Reader-Courier:
The end of life for a Kansas Pioneer came monday when Levi Tucker departed this life after having lived a life of susfulness for nearly 76 years.
Mr. Tucker passed away at the home of his son, Irvin Tucker in Wichita early Monday morning after an illness of pneumonia and his advanced age. His last illness was of only a few days' duration, but he had been very frail and getting weaker for many months.
The body was brought to Kinman and funeral services will be held from the Curch of Christ at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Interment will be made at the Hoosier Cemetery, where the body of his wife lies.
Until the past few months Mr. Tucker had spent most of his time in Kingman, living here with his daughter Mrs. Laura Downey and granddaughters, Mrs. Wm. Morris and Mrs. Herschel Hughes. About thanksgiving time he went to Wichita to spend the winter with his son and family. Mr.Tucker was a familiar man on the streets of Kingman, and nearly every day found him strolling along with some of his little grandchildren. He was a great lover of children and spent much of his later life striving to make them happy. His walk had become feeble of late and during his last months could not walk without the aid of his crutches or cane.
Mr. tucker has been a resident of Kansas since 1886 and of Kingman since 1888. He was the son of John Tucker and Ellen Aikin Tucker and was born in Iowa on October 1, 1952. As his father died when Levi was only six years old he was given the responsibility of helping care for his mother and the rest of the eight children and managing the family affairs.
He was married to Harriet Esther Bentley in Pike county, IL in 1871. the family lived in Illinois until 1886 then came to Morton county KS, and lived there for two years. They homsteaded in Morton county. When they came to Kingman county the bought a family eight and one half miles west of Kingman and lived on that place until the death of Mrs. Tucker in 1917. she passed away on July 1st of that year.
After his wife's death, Mr. tucker rented his farm and came to Kingman and has lived here with his daughter and granddaughters since.
Mr. Tucker has been active in the affairs of the county. While the family lived in Kingman, before moving to their farm where worked at the salt plant, helping to build the plant and worked up until its completion. He was a charter member of the Kingman Curch of Christ and was one of its earliest deacons. He was also a member of the Woodman lodge.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Tucker, and three of them preceded their father in death, Alice L., Alvin and Arvel. three are left; Mrs. Laura Downey of this city, Irvin Tucker of Wichita and Francis O. Tucker of Cerona, North Dakota, together with eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. One great=grandchild, Doris Hughes, preceded him three weeks.
More About Levi TUCKER: Fact 13: KIngman Co, KS, Hoosier Cem.84
More About Levi TUCKER and Hairett Ester BENTLEY: Marriage: 18 September 1872, Pike Co, IL.84
Children of Levi TUCKER and Hairett Ester BENTLEY are:
+Clarence Irvin TUCKER, b. 06 June 1873, Fairbury, Livingston Co, IL84, d. 28 March 1961, Wichita, Sedgwick Co, KS84.
Laura TUCKER, b. 14 November 1874, Fairbury, Livingston Co, IL84, d. 195484.
Alice L TUCKER, b. 08 November 1876, Fairbury, Livingston Co, IL84, d. 09 March 190484.
Marien Alvin TUCKER, b. 12 January 1879, Fairbury, Livingston Co, IL84, d. 08 January 188184.
Arvel N TUCKER, b. 06 December 1881, Morton Co, KS84, d. 12 February 189184.
Levi TUCKER (b. 01 October 1852, d. 22 January 1928)
Notes for Levi TUCKER: