Tucker finally has a published history, thanks to Elias W. “Tim” Timmons, author of “A History of Tucker, 1821-1942.”
He has compiled information on this unincorporated DeKalb County community into a traditional history that makes an interesting study of the area. The book is divided into four major sections: the Land, Pioneer Life, Civil War and Early Tucker Families, where he covers 44 families. The appendix lists the 266 images included and their sources.
In the Land, besides the usual story of the Native Americans and the Georgia Land Lottery, he elaborates on each of 18 creeks in the area. In Pioneer Life he highlights historic houses and a dozen churches. Cemeteries are listed, but for burial names you should check an earlier book on Tucker cemeteries by Ted O. Brooke. Also covered are schools, with some early pictures giving insight into locations and faculty.
There is a good chapter about how the community was founded and grew to what it was in the 1940s. Anyone whose family lived in or around Tucker should find something about them among the families discussed. Some of the names covered include Browning, Cofer, Flowers, Henderson, Livsey and Shumate.
Unfortunately, the book has no index, making it hard to access information.
The book is on sale at several places in downtown Tucker and via mail for $29 plus $8 postage and handling paid to the Tucker Historical Society, P.O. Box 1391, Tucker, GA 30085. The society, which sponsored and printed the book, can be reached at www.tuckergahistorical.org.
Separating fact from fiction
Richard Hite has written about nine areas of family stories that can be full of misinformation in “Sustainable Genealogy: Separating Fact From Fiction in Family Legends.”
These nine areas are: ethnic origins of family names, maiden names of female ancestors, relationships to someone famous, relationships to royalty and nobility, birthplaces of ancestors, military service of ancestors, two or more brothers as immigrants, associations with famous people, and Native American ancestors. Consider your own family stories in regard to these areas.
This soft cover book is $18.95 plus $5.50 handling from Genealogical Publishing Co., 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211 or at www.genealogical.com.
Gift ideas
For a Christmas gift to the genealogists in your family, consider membership in a genealogical society, a subscription to a genealogy magazine, or funds for a DNA test.
