Written by Jim Tucker, the Great-grandson of James [Jim] Milas Tucker, Jr.; Edited and vetted by Cheri Todd Molter
James [Jim] Milas Tucker, Jr. (1830 -1900) was a wagon maker & farmer in Montgomery County, North Carolina. It is thought that he was very prosperous for his time and that he & his wife, Martha Jane Morgan Tucker–who was called Jane–were involved in gold mining in Montgomery County. The couple had eight children: seven boys and one girl. Jim had an interesting way of keeping up with their children’s births: He recorded them on a board, which he kept nailed over a door of their home place. That board remains in the family today.
On March 1, 1862, at the age of thirty, Tucker enlisted in the Confederate army, serving in Company F of the 44th N.C. Regiment. Records verify that Tucker was injured during the battle at Bristoe Station, Virginia, and was taken to Winder hospital afterward. He was admitted on October 19, 1863. According to his muster roll records for September/October 1864, Tucker was absent due to “sick furlough.” Afterwards, at some point during the war, he was captured because records confirm that he was paroled at Lynchburg, Virginia on April 13, 1865.
Jim & Jane farmed land near what is now Hwy 109, about 2 miles north of Eldorado. Jim was also a Primitive Baptist & did some preaching at times. Plus, he also operated a whiskey still for the government. According to the family lore, sometimes after Jim made a batch of whiskey and left to do his farm work, his sons would all get a few nips, leaving the spigot dripping a little so that when their dad came back, he’d think he hadn’t closed the spigot & that was why the barrel wasn’t full.
Jim died on January 6, 1900. A copper still was included in his estate under the household inventory. Both Jim and Jane were buried at the Henderson Cemetery, near Eldorado, in the same row as N. B. (Dink) Tucker & Cassie Tucker.
Sources: Pattern of Timeless Moments, Montgomery County Heritage, N.C. Vol. ll, assorted deed books, cemetery grave inscriptions, and Allene Hamilton (personal knowledge – the board remains in her possession today). After being in the family for over 150 years, the Tucker place was bought in 8/2007 by the Land Trust for Central N.C.
Addendum to James “Jim” Milas Tucker, Jr. (1830-1900)
My first cousin, Wallace Tucker, Jr. [ we are both great grandsons of Jim Tucker Jr. ] sent me the following: “I had visited Appomattox Courthouse in the fall of 2013. I was trying to [gather] information on J. M. Tucker, as I had [discovered that] he was captured at Lynchburg, VA and was paroled at Lynchburg. I could find no specific reference for what happened to him and wrote to the historian at Appomattox to see if he could help. The following is [and excerpt from] his response: ‘To answer your question specifically about him being at the Battle of Appomattox Court House, I would say that he was not. It seems like he was separated from his unit prior to Appomattox. The 44th NC was present at Appomattox, but was not engaged in the April 9, 1865, battle. [Eighty-two men from] the regiment were paroled at Appomattox. …[I]t would seem that Tucker was ahead of the rest of the regiment during Lee’s retreat. Perhaps he was one of those [who] made it to Appomattox Station and was trying to draw rations when Custer’s Federal Cavalry arrived. Some of the men fell back to connect with the Army of Northern Virginia, while others headed west for Lynchburg. This seems a possible scenario for Tucker, but as the early 1865 records for Tucker do not seem to exist, he could have been in the hospital in Lynchburg, or detailed to that city at some point. So, there are several options that are possible. There is also the possibility that he was in the advance of Lee’s retreat making for home as quickly as possible. …[I]t seems highly unlikely that he was involved in the events at Appomattox. Hope that helps. [Signed] Patrick A. Schroeder, Historian Appomattox Court House National Historical Park’”