Frank J. and Carrie (Tucker) Beardsley

I was recently asked for a photo of Olive Beardsley, and was happy to comply with that request. I then thought about her family and decided I should post more about the Beardsley family.

Carrie (Tucker) Beardsley (b: 10 Jan 1866) is my great-grandmother’s sister, and the first child of William Lanning Tucker and Fanny Adelia Hosner. Carrie married Frank J. Beardsley (Nov. 1864-1938) in 1886.[1] Their children were Herbert W. (b: 23 February 1888),[2] Mabel E. (b: April 1890), and Olive A. (b: January 1894.)[3]

Besides keeping house and raising her children, upon her mother’s death in 1916, Carrie helped care for her father. In her free time Carrie stayed busy with the Mecklenburg Grange and Study Club.

Frank Beardsley earned his living as a blacksmith in the Schuyler County Town of Hector, New York, near Mecklenburg. In 1920 he was proprietor of a garage, and then by 1930 at the age of 65 he was helping on a nearby farm.

In his memoir, Mecklenburg resident Alton Culver remembers Frank Beardsley. Mr. Culver states: “He was a big powerful man and ambitious, and had the ability to turn off work like nobody’s business. He built wagons and he could do most anything. He was a good blacksmith, too. He was still running the shop when the model T Fords became quite prevalent. Beardsley got the reputation of being able to fix these Fords so they wouldn’t shimmy.”[4]

Obituaries for Carrie Tucker Beardsley

            Mrs. Carrie Beardsley passed away on Wednesday at her home. She had been ill several months. Besides her husband she leaves two daughters, Mrs. Mabel Carman of Jacksonville and Mrs. Olive Darling of Mecklenburg and six grandchildren. The funeral was held on Saturday at her home, the Rev. K. M. Walker of Chittenango officiating. Burial in Mecklenburg cemetery. [5]

            The death of Mrs. Carrie Beardsley, aged 66, wife of Frank Beardsley, occurred Wednesday, December 7, 1932, at her home in Mecklenburg, following a long illness. Besides her husband she is survived by two daughters, Mrs. C. Owen Carman of Trumansburg and Mrs. Raymond H. Darling of Mecklenburg; also three sisters, Miss Addie Tucker of Asbury Park, NJ, Mrs. John Rightmire of Trumansburg, and Mrs. Arthur Agard of Willow Creek; and six grandchildren.  She was an active member of the Mecklenburg Grange and Study Club.  The funeral was held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 10^th from the home with Rev. K.M. Walker of Chittenango officiating. Interment in the Mecklenburg cemetery. [6]

           

Obituaries of Frank J. Beardsley

            Frank J. Beardsley passed away suddenly at his home on the Smith Valley Road Wednesday about 5:00 p.m. [abt. 23 September 1938]. The funeral services were held at the home Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and burial was in the Mecklenburg Cemetery. Rev. Asa A. Nichols, his pastor, officiated. He was born and lived his life in this community and had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church over 51 years.[7]

            Frank Beardsley, 73, Dies; Rites Saturday. Services will be held at the home near Mecklenburg at 3 p.m. Saturday for Frank J. Beardsley, 73, who died there Wednesday. Although he had been in failing health for the past two years, his death came suddenly. Rev. Asa Nichols, pastor of the Federated Church of Mecklenburg will officiate. Interment will be in Mecklenburg cemetery. Mr. Beardsley is survived by two daughters, Mrs. C. Owen Carman of Trumansburg, Mrs. Raymond H. Darling of Mecklenburg; three sisters, Mrs. Elzy Jones of Yonkers, Mrs. Charles Benson of Mecklenburg, Mrs. Homer Rappleye of Penn Yan. Six grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.[8]

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[1] Marriage year from 1900 Federal Census where it was stated they were married fourteen years.

[2] WWI Draft Registration Form, www.ancestry.com, accessed 2 Oct 2012.

[3] Children’s birth dates from 1900 Federal Census.

[4] Culver, Alton, Mecklenburg, NY, recorded abt 1993, edited by Calvin Culver, October 1998, copy held by Harvey Paige, Yellow Springs, OH.

[5] “Carrie Beardsley,” society note, The Watkins Express, 14 Dec. 1932, p. 9, col. 2. [www.fultonhistory.org]

[6] “Carrie Beardsley,” obituary, The Watkins Express, 14 Dec. 1932, p. 3, col. 1. [www.fultonhistory.org]

[7] “Frank J. Beardsley,” obituary, The Watkins Express, 28 September 1938, p. 2, col. 1. [www.fultonhistory.org accessed 22 Jan 2013]

[8] “C Owen Carman,” obituary for Frank J. Beardsley, Syracuse Journal, 23 September 1938, p. 1, col 2. [www.fultonhistory.org; accessed 23 Jan 2013]

Sentimental Sunday – Fanny Adelia (Hosner/Hausner) Tucker

Secured by a straight pin into William Lanning Tucker’s Daily Reminder for 1922 was this newspaper clipping in which he filled in the blanks shown in bold:

In Memoriam

In memory of my dear wife Adelia Hausner

who died April 9, 1916.

I often sit and think of you,

When I am all alone;

For memory is the only friend

That grief can call its own.

Like ivy on the weathered oak,

When all things else decay,

My love for you will still keep green,

And never fade away.

Husband

Surname Saturday - Tucker

William Lanning Tucker was the second of ten children of Ezra D. Tucker (b: abt 1817) and Caroline Lanning Tucker (b: abt 1817).   The Tuckers raised their ten children in Enfield, New York; Ezra supported his family by a blacksmith trade.  William was born 19 September 1839. He married Fanny Adelia Hosner in 1863. Fanny Adelia is descended from the Rev. John Lowthropp of London, England and Barnstable, MA.

William Lanning Tucker and Fanny Adelia Hosner had three daughters: Carrie b: 1866, Adelaide b: 1871, Olive b: 1873, and Jessie b: 1876.

Addie Tucker

Addie Tucker

Reviewing information I had gathered on the Tucker family, I had only one sentence attached to Adelaide C. Tucker b: 7 April 1871 – “Adelaide Tucker remained unmarried.”  Not much of a bio for Addie! 

She is a bit elusive at this point, but I do know that for over thirty years she taught school in Asbury Park, New Jersey. For at least ten of those years she boarded with Cornelia Thompson on South Main Street in Neptune Township, Monmouth County, NJ.  Addie returned home to visit her family during summer vacation and at holiday time. My mother remembers Addie taking the train that ran through Willow Creek to travel to and from New Jersey.  Addie Tucker was the daughter of Fanny Adelia Hosner and William Lanning Tucker; her sisters were Carrie Tucker (Beardsley) b: 1866, Olive Tucker (Rightmire) b: 1873 and my great-grandmother Jessie Tucker (Agard) b: 1876.

Addie came to mind when I pulled out some photos my cousin gave to me recently. The photos were in an old box that was found in a corner of their barn.  I will do my best to learn more about Addie’s life.