The Mystery of Frankie Tucker Solved

The mystery of Frankie Tucker is solved (I think), another family line emerges, and wrong assumptions corrected.

William Lanning Tucker had twin siblings born in July 1855. One was named Frankie, the other Freddie.  Through the census, William’s diary entries, and newspaper articles, I found a good amount of information on the family of Freddie Tucker.

I came up blank on Frankie Tucker due in part to the fact that I assumed Frankie was male.  Looking at the 1860 and 1870 census more closely, I realized that Frankie was female. And during that time period there were many females named Frankie. I suspected the reason Frankie did not show up in the 1880 census was because she married.

Yesterday from my genealogy toolbox I utilized a number of ways to find this elusive ancestor.  To no avail I tried the 1875 NYS Census on Family Search for “Frankie Tucker,” newspaper articles on FultonHistory.org, the Index to Trumansburg Newspapers, “Frankie Tucker” on Tompkins County GenWeb, searching “Frankie” on the advanced search feature of HeritageQuest. Then, just searching females (no first/last name) in New York in the 25 year age range on HeritageQuest, looking for possible variations of the name. 

I then went back to Tompkins County GenWeb and did a search just on “Frankie.”  Browsing down the results, I came to Enfield’s Rolfe-Applegate Cemetery where Frankie’s parents are buried.  Once on the cemetery site I did a Command-F to find the “Frankie.” The one result was Frankie Wheeler, born 1855; died 1878.

Going back to the 1875 NYS Census on FamilySearch.org, I found Thomas (male age 24), Frank (female, age 20), and Oscar Wheeler. Oscar was one month old.

In the 1880 Census, Thomas and Oscar are living with Thomas’s father, Sumner, and Thomas’s brother, Melvin in Jerusalem, Yates County, New York.   I now believe this is Frankie Tucker’s family. She married between 1870 and 1874, had a child in 1875, and died in 1878. 

Sunday's Obituary - Fred Tucker d: 6 September 1924

William Lanning Tucker’s 1924 diary has a number of obituaries from 1924 and 1926 attached to the pages using straight pins. These obituaries have held up remarkably well, and I am excited to share them.  The first one is of William’s younger brother, Fred Tucker, who died 6 September 1924.

Fred Tucker, a well-known resident of Enfield, died at 5:30 o’clock Saturday afternoon at his home, following a brief illness. Death was due to paralysis. Surviving are his widow and two daughters, Miss Louella Tucker and Mrs. Erven Griffen; one son, Emmett W. Tucker, all of Enfield; two brothers, William Tucker of Ulysses and G. Smith Tucker of Enfield, also three grandchildren.  The funeral will be held at 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon at the residence, Rev. F.C. Booth of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Enfield officiating. Interment will be in Hayts Cemetery.