The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-25

Acarns. chairman ~ the naval committee.
early in the Revolution. possibly in lsss-
The Tucker Mansion.
In Ire he sold his mill in Marhsehead
and bought u farm in Bristol. Ne. THIS
farm contained eae acres with 4 house and
haEn. The house was Of one story with
eniy 3 kitchen, bedroom and an unfinished
open chamber. Here he lived with his
wife. mother. daughter and grandson for
> years until. in lS9. a pension or -
month. wish hack pay amounting 20 500.
enabled him 10 bald more coEnrnodious
house.
This house, long known as the Tucker
mansion. stood within a mile Of Muscon-
gus Aarhor. IL was a white. two-s1oTy
building. Later occupants changed the Sp-
psarance Of the house very much. In 1871
it was unfortunately burned. With IL
went many memorials OF the old com-no-
dore- The owners at the time the house
was harmed have described TO me the old
fashioned secretary, tables. etc. which ne
used. as well as a spsnes and other relics
l have seen a pair OF scales used by the
commodore. The house itself was 10 feet
square. fat rooted. built of timber, painted
yellow. square rooted and had q hail run
ming through the center from front 10
hack The ell was later addition. as wen
as the slanting roof. The barn was not
burned and remains as IL was IN 100.
This part OF Bristol was set OF as Bre-
men in ISIS. On this Maine farm he spent
the rest OF his life as farmer. iaaoring
hard often in hardships. but. apparently.
contented He was fine horseman and
. frequently rode TO Waldoboro. the next
town. to visit DR.. Benjamin Brown. his
surgeon in tile Bostea, and sometimes ne
went TO Thomaston and called on Gen
Knox. his firm friend. who was living in
fine style al that time. A part or the
Knox mansion is now used as the railroad
station in Thomaston.
While living on his farm In Bremen, the
second war of independence broke out.
Commodore Tucker was offered no COM
mand. though an exploit in private ca
pacity shows that he was still full OF nre
and resource. The Rather. English, sew
enty-four. was on our coast. The schoon.
er Bream. of eight guns and 100 men. at.
tended her.
The Bream bothered the vicinity OF Bris-
toll great deal in 1913. by burning YES.
seis and houses. -bombarding towns. steal
ins cattle. etc. A party OF sailors met and
called Commodore Tucker in and asked
his advice. He advised them TO take the
Increase. a wood coaster arm her and 80
out and take the Bream. Her owners con-
scented TO the use OF the vessel for one
half the prize. Tie commodore took COM
mand.
A Little Expedition.
she proper papers were obtained from
the custom house at Waidoboro. muskets
were oatairei and boarding pixies were
improyised from poles and bayonets. Three
guns were procured from the fort at Wis
casset and thirty men from Beothbay
joined the Increase After few days
cruise they came back and returned the
80 men 10 Boothbay and the guns TO Wis
casser. This left the original q men and
for armament, one small swivel. Next day
they went out again, discovered the armed
schooner Crown, of six guns, loaded with
supplies for the Rather. As the vessels
drew near each other. the pilot of the
Crown, an impressed American. said he
thought he saw Commodore Tucker on
the deck of the Increase and IL So there
would be ''hot work" Thereupon the
English captain. Jennings by name. gave
the order to fire. The volley ruined the
or whom Tucker had kept out of sight.
jumped on deck. The Americans ;sept up
such vigorous fire that the English crew
was thoroughly demoralized.
One OF the crew of the Increase was a
giant, six and half feet tall. He stood
al the bow with the kedge anchor. ready
to throw it for grapple. Capt Jennings
saw this gigantic figure with a huge
anchor raised high, only 20 feet away. and
heard him roar. Commodore. shall
heaye it?" He said he thought 1t was the
devil after the vessel and as the Yankee
had every advantage. he surrendered.
Not man was killed or hurt on either
side in this engagement.
IRE supplies on board the Crown were
decided among the people who had been
robbed by the British and came very
handy to the impoverished fishermen.
Commodore Tucker was highly esteemed
by his townsmen. He was often chosen
selectman OF the town and was sent to the
legis stature az Boston in 1914, 1916 1917 and
10 aApt art IT, viy,
ing about the separation of Maine from
Massachusetts and was a member of the
first legislature ever convened in Maine.
serving in the house in 1920 and again In
1921.
All these years he kept unsuccessfrliy
petitioning congress for relief Four years.
pay as commodore was due him but was
never paid. Such men as Elbridge Gerry
and ex-President Adams interested them
selves for him. but IL was forty-eight
years before even a beggarly $50 a month
was given him. December 20. iso0. he was
chosen to carry the electoral vote OF
Maine TO Washington City.
Pitiful Reward.
His presence in Washington City must
have aroused some sympathy for him. for
early in is2I the senate passed a bill CIV
ing him $50 a month, but the shriysled
souls of political opponents In the house
defeated the bill by majority of one.
Not for eleven years thereafter was any
thing like decent treatment accorded him
by congress. June A. 1899. bill passed
both houses OF congress, allowing full pay
TO all Revolutionary SELLERS who had
served two years In either the army or the
navy. He was therefore granted $500 a
year as captain. Dating from March 4.
1891 Had this partial justice been rem
dered years before. what anxiety and suf-
fering he might have been spared. It is
a pitifui thing to mink of this man whose
skill and valor had directly contributed
millions TO his country's cause living to
the age of IS years. lacking the comforts
of life.
He lived but two years altar his pension
of $50 a month was granted He survived
only few months his wife. who had been
his partner for sixty-three years March
10, 1888, he died. after brief but painful
illness. He faced death as calmly as when
In the tumut of storm and battle His
last words were, My trust Is in Christ
Farewell
There still survives a few who remern-
Der Commodore Tucker personally He liz
said 10 have been a handsome man OF
impressive bearing. Not tall. OF medium
height. but of tremendous breadth of
chest and unusual strength and quickness.
His weight was about rs pounds
His picture Is considered Il fair likeness
but IL does not show adequately the dark
brows and blue eyes, which grew black
under excitement. His voice was loud and
clear. even in ordinary conversation
To the end of his life he retained all his
faculties and energetic opinions Only A
few months before his death letter
signed by him and addressed 10 his CON-
rades. appeared In newspaper. sternIy
condemning Andrew Jackson as a candi-
date for president. He was a patriot as