The Tucker Brothers: Organizers of Third Baptist Church
Hannah Tucker was born in Fork Union, Fluvannah County, Virginia, in the 1820s. She and her husband moved to Youngstown in the 1870s. Hannah was the common-law wife of Frank Morris. They lived in Lansingville, on the south side of Youngstown, until 1890, when Frank deserted Hannah to run off with one of her nieces, leaving the house to Hannah.
Hannah’s sons, Pleasant and Phillip, also came to Youngstown in the 1870s. They were among the organizers of Third Baptist Church, the oldest African-American Baptist church in Youngstown.
 Third Baptist Church Elders, 1912 |
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 1891 Youngstown City Directory listing |
Pleasant Tucker was ordained in 1885, though he also worked as a coal miner, and with his brother Phillip started a contracting company, the Youngstown Excavating Company, also known as Tucker Bros., which is listed in the 1893 Youngstown City Phone Directory as doing vault and yard clearing. Along with other work, Tucker hauled away “night soil” (before sewage systems existed, human waste had to be hauled away). This task was regulated and contracted by the local health department. Tucker had been awarded the contract for this work at one point, but later his application to renew the contract was rejected, even though his offer was the least expensive. In 1890, Pleasant Tucker was arrested for hauling “night soil” illegally, a charge he fought on the grounds that the city was not providing adequate service and customers had hired him to do the job. Tucker’s great-granddaughter, Stacey Adger, has researched the case, but has not been able to determine how it was resolved. |
Pleasant was married to Eliza Jane. Together they had eight daughters. She died in 1904. He later married Sarah Nannie Cole.
 Photo of Pleasant Tucker from his 1915 obituary |
 One of Pleasant's eight daughters, Leila Tucker McGriff, with her husband John McGriff |
The woman in the insert is Hannah Tucker, another of Pleasant's daughters and Stacey Adger's great-grandmother; her husband, the Rev. R.L. Thomas is also pictured here.
Phillip Tucker also helped found Third Baptist Church, though he received less attention in the local press – at least until his wife died in 1890. Elizabeth (Betsy) was found dead in a trench at Elm and Madison in August, 1890, though her death was never explained. No one could figure out how she would have fallen into the trench. Phillip was suspected, but the coroner reported no sign of foul play. Betsy was thought to have dementia. She was about 70 years old, and newspaper articles at the time describe her “losing herself” in earlier incidents.
The Tucker brothers were sufficiently prominent in the local community that both Betsy’s death and Pleasant Tucker’s several decades later received significant attention in local newspapers. Several obituaries appeared about Pleasant Tucker, as well as articles about his funeral (to read the text, click on the image).
Obituary of Pleasant Tucker, from the Youngstown Telegram
