Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-02-18
HON. J. RANDOLPH TUCKER DEAD.

! A dispatch from Lexington, Va, on SAT
urday night, made the following announce
ment
''Hon John Randolph Tucker, B. l. LII.
| D.. died here tonight. He was conscious
up to o clock this afternoon, and told the
family and relatives goodbye. All OF MS
immediate family were at his bedside When
he died He passed away very quietly
( He was taken sick the first of December
last with bronchitis, but it was thought that
he would soon be out as the attack was
very slight In about a week it turned into
pleurisy in a very bad form. On the 18th OF
| December he had severe attack OF heart
trouble and was not expected to live through
the night. His strong constitution withstood
this attack, and he seemed to improve steadl-
| ly up to about three weeks ago, when ms
family physician and visiting physician
held a consultation and pronounced his dis
ease durable, saying that they expected him
| to be out in about six weeks. A short while
after that he began to get worse. Conges-
| tien of the lungs set in abOuttwo weeks ago,
and he gradually grew worse until death re-
lieved him of all pain at five minutes past
O'Clock.
| Mr.. Tucker was born at Winchester, Va,
December "a, 1928. He belonged to one Of
the most aristocratic and distinguished fami-
lies of the Old Dominion. Unlike most sons
and grandson of great men, he was greater
than any of his ancestors. His grandfather,
st. George Tucker, born in Bermuda, was
noted as statesman and an author, being
the author of fuckers Blackstone, and a
documentary on the Federal Constitution"
published in 1904. He graduated in law at
William and Mary College; was in the
| Revolutionary war for seven years, was
wounded at Guliford Courthouse, and was
at Yorktown when CORVALLIS surrendered.
| He was for good many years professor of
law at William and Mary College. His son,
Henry st George Tucker, father OF John
Randolph Tucker, followed his, fathers
! footsteps as a wise and learned man. He
served in the war Of 1872. and was member
of Congress from 1915 to 1919; was presi-
dent of the Court Of Appeals of Virginia,
was cultivated ana eloquent gentleman
and patriotic citizen.
| Hon. John Randolph Tucker was one of
thirteen children, all born in Winchester,
Va, and Of whom he was the only survivor.
| He was about twelve years old, when his
father, Judge Henry st. George fucker,
moved his residence to Richmond, after be-
ing appointed president of the Court of APP
pealS.
| He received his early education at his
home in Winchester, and was sent to the
Richmond Academy, at the corner Of Tenth
| and Marshall streets, at the age of thirteen,
| where he remained for two years. At the
age of fifteen he entered the University of
Virginia, graduating in pure mathematics
at that University at the age OF sixteen. Be-
fore leaving the University of Virginia he
received his degree. in the law department
in 1874. after having studied under his faith
er, when the latter was professor Of law at
the University.
He settled IN Richmond, Va. and prac-
ticed his chosen profession, but made very
little progress there He soon moved back
to the town of his birth, where he joined the
eminent lawyer, &. Y. Conrad. and continu-
ed in that partnership until he was elected
Attorney General Of Virginia, on the same
ticket with Henry A. Wise for Governor.
Ills OllC6 u6 u61u tuIe6 ttTmS.
Mr.. Tucker was associated in the defence
of jefferson Davis, President of the Confed-
eracy. He was appointed in 1869 counsel
for the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, at the
time when j. w. Garrett was president of
that railroad, and continued in his law prac
tice with great success, until he was called
to the Chair of Law at Washington College
by General r. E. Lee, who was at that time
| its president, but who died before Mr.. Tuck
er entered upon the duties of professor. In
| 1874, without his solicitation or consent,
Mr.. Tucker was nominated for Congress,
and was elected by an overwhelming ma
| iority. He served for six successive terms
| (twelve years., but six months before the
| Nominating Convention he published a let
| ter, declining denomination by his party.
In Congress Mr.. Tucker was we'll known
as a powerful speaker While he had at
| his command all the sarcasm and rid icule
| of his celebrated uncle and name-sake, John
Randolph, of Roanoke, such was the kindi-
ness of his nature that he seldom restored to
| its use.
| As an after dinner speaker Mr.. Tucker
had no equal In the South and he was
thought by his friends and by those who
heard both of them, to be far superior to DR..
Chancey M. Depew.
| His speech in Congress on the tariff on
the Sth of May, 1878, was pronounced by
Alexander Fl. Stephens, of Georgia, who
was then member of the House, as the
| ableSt speech ever delivered in Congress ON
| the tariff, and who added that he had read
| or heard every speech of all the prominent
men on that question. This speech was
probably the greatest speech made by him
lduring his public life.
In 1889, he was again elected by the trus-
tees Of Washington and Lee University to
resume the chair of Constitutional Law,
which ne filled in 1870. and which he held
up to the time of his death.
Mr.. Tucker for the past eighteen months
has been writing work on Constitutional
law. which is virtually completed, and ca n
soon be finished by his son, as Mr.. Tucker
has left the material for its completion.
i On the 9Th Of October, 1S4S, four years af-
ter he had graduated at the University of
Virginia, Mr.. Tucker was married to Laura
Holmes Powell, daughter of Colonel Hum
IillCJ 1OWClA3 VI AOuuOull COu1by, va.
OF his married life it may be truly said that
!, since the days of Isaac and Rebeeea none
has been more faithful and loving.
Mr.. fuckers family consisted of seven
children. A son, Powell, died while MI.
| Tucker was living in Richmond, during the
. war. His eldest, Evelina Hunter. married
!. Wilmer Shields, of Mississippi. The next,
Anne Holmes married DR. VIM p Nc.
CURE, of Winchester, Va; the third, Vir.
| ginia Brooke, married John Carmichael, of
t Georgia, but now Of Lexington. His only
: surviving son, Henry st. George, has been
for eight years the Representative in Con
| gress of the Tenth district of Virginia. An.
II other daughter, Gertrude Powell, married
Judge Logan, Of the United States District
Court of Idaho. Laura Randolph, the young
est Of his seven children, married E. M
lQtnn Low ~