Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-23
COMMODORE SAMUEL TUCKER
Forgotten Hero Of the Revolution Lies in
an Unknown Grave.
INSTANCE OF A REPUBLICS lNGRATITUDE
Man who served Faithfully ana well
His Country Allowed TO Die In OBJ
security and want and His
Very Memory Neglected.

.rhe removal Of the remains Of the naval
hero, Paul Jones. from France to America
In warship, the interment of the same In
this country and revival of the picturesque
career Of this patriot 50 long sleeping and
neglected in an unknown grave In a foreign
land without monumental stone to mark
the spot where his remains reposed, wildly
recall to my mind the ingratitude and neg
lect OF the services by this country Of an
Other equally deserving naval hero and
patriot, a contemporary of Commodore
Jones, Samuel Tucker, a native Of Marble
head, on Cape Cod, in the state of Massa-
chusetts. Tucker received naval cap
tain's commission from Washington in 1Il6,
and was in actua, service during the revo-
lutionary war as commodore during much
of the time. He captured slxty-two British
vessels 600 pieces of cannon and 1900
prisoners, besides out maneuvering the
enemys vessels and carrying John Adams
safely 10 France as envoy. For all Of this
he received the empty honor of vote Of
thanks from congress, and this was all he
ever got for his invaluable services to this
country and nation. After the close Of the
revolutionary war he removed to the town
of Brennan, in my native state Of Maine,
where for a livelihood he followed his
chosen vocation OF captain OF merchant
vessels.
Services in Second War.
During the war Of 1872 with Great Britain,
when English privateers and war vessels
were devastating our commerce along the
Maine coast, after the pencil Of time had
furrowed his noble face and sketched his
brow and the frost of years had whitened
his hair in a schooner with a crew of
undaunted and heroic Maine sailors, armed
with two brass cannon from The fort at
Wiscassett, he chased, and, after hard
fight, captured the privateer Crown and
drove from the coast of Maine the war
vessels of the enemy which had been so
successfully devastating the American COM
merce.
Samuel Tucker was universally honored
and respected by the people of Maine who
elected him one Of the selectmen OF the
town of Brennan where he lived. He was
a member of the constitutional convention
of 1920 and a presidential elector when
Maine was admitted to the union. and
after the states admission was a member
of the state legislature.
Defrauded of the fortune that belonged
TO him from his share of the prizes he
captured. Commodore Samuel Tucker APP
piled for the compensation he had justly
earned as captain OF the navy. This he
was denied because barred by the statute
OF limitations. In old age he eked out a
precarious existence In his accepted voca-
ton and died in poverty in 1888. He was
buried on n bleak, rocky neck of land
which runs out into the temDestuous At
lantic In the town OF Brennan and his
grave is unmarked and without monu-
ment or stone to show where his remains
lie.
Grave Unmarked and Ignored.
few years ago the selectmen of the
town of Brennan through Mr. Dingley,
one Of the noblest representatives in con-
gress, chosen from the district in which
: the town is located, presented to congress
petition stating that the grave of Com
modore Samuel Tucker would soon be I'M
known unless measures were taken to
provide a permanent memorial monument
and in view of the commodoHes services
Il would seem that the least congress could
do would be to grant the prayer of the
petition" This petition was pigeon-holed
and on It no action, as / understand, has
ever been taken.
Many a time have 1 sailed past this
rocky, bleak, barren cape and neck of land
where the remains OF this hero lie, ex-
tending into the ocean against whose
shores the vcves of the tempestuous At
lantic beat high and rebounded and receded
with dismal roar. How vividly at this
time and in this connection am reminded
of the ingratitude OF the human race.
Socrates and the Greek philosophers
taught that the first and greatest crime
that could be committed was ingratitude
and the secord was neglect of parents
Another Greek sage said; ITO pass now
to the matter OF gratitude and ingratitude
there never was any so abandoned anc
base as not to admire the former and de-
test the latter"
Seneca. think. said; "of all the guilty
train OF human vices base ingratitude 1.
the most to be abhorred and detested."
WILLIAM GAsLIN.
Alma, Neb.. July II. 1906.