This family is mentioned prominently in early New England records. Many of the name settled early in Massachusetts and rapidly passed into adjoining colonies, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. The family is numerous in New Jersey, where they were early settlers in the Passaic valley. A number of the early family went to Virginia, where the name is of frequent occurrence. In New England, Richard Tucker was one of the first white settlers of the present city of Portland. He was a business partner for a time of the notorious George Cleeves. Abraham and John Tucker were early proprietors of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, as was Henry Tucker, of Sandwich. Moses Tucker, of Salisbury, Massachusetts, born in England, had many descendants who settled in New Hampshire, where Captain Moses Tucker, a noted soldier of the earlier colonial wars, lived at Ipswich. His son Moses was also a soldier, serving in the revolutionary war. Moses Tucker, of Salisbury, Massachusetts, is mentioned in the records, October 14, 1661, when his marriage to Elizabeth Stevens is recorded. William Howard Tucker wrote a history of Hartford, Vermont. A numerous branch of the family settled in Newbury, Vermont, descendants of Robert of Weymouth. They were men of substance, of marked individuality, above the usual height and weight. It used to be said of them in earlier days that "90 lineal feet of Tuckers go into the Union Meeting house every Sunday." The family in Amsterdam descend from the Vermont Tuckers.
(I) Edward H. Tucker, born in Vermont, married and had the following children:
- Theodore S., a resident of Battle Creek, Michigan.
- Wilson S., M.D., was a prominent physician of New York city; left a widow, a son Wilson, and a daughter Mary.
- Virginia, married Robert Hasbrook, and left sons: Robert, Charles and William Hasbrook.
- Edward H. (2), see forward.
(II) Edward H. (2), son of Edward H. (1) Tucker, was born in 1825. He was reared and educated in Vermont, removing after his marriage to Montgomery county, New York. He met a tragic death by drowning. He, with his son and a young lady, were fishing from a boat on Joanna Lake, Minnesota, when the boat upset and all were drowned. He married, in Vermont, about 1830, Anna Waldon Fiske, a native of Vermont, and cousin of "Jim Fiske," former partner of Jay Gould, and one of the earlier kings of finance and captains of industry. She died in Amsterdam, New York, 1895, at the age of sixty-five years. Children:
- Henry, married and settled in Minnesota, near St. Paul; he met his death with his father in the accident previously mentioned.
- Edward H. (3), see forward.
- William, died young.
- Jennie V., married Richard Denny; she survives him, resident of Waterloo, New York, with a son, Richard Denny.
- Nettie, married James Neff; has Maud and May Neff; the family reside in Tampa, Florida.
- Benjamin, now of Chicago, Illinois, married, and has sons Harry and Walter D.
- Alma.
- Hattie, married Ward Schermerhorn, of Schenectady, New York.
(III) Edward H. (3), son of Edward H. (2) and Anna Waldon (Fiske) Tucker, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, May 30, 1847. He is a manufacturer of gloves in Amsterdam, and interested in the real estate business. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and politically a Republican. He married, in Amsterdam, February 23, 1879, Catharine V. Miller, born in North Broadalbin, June 2, 1854. (See Miller forward.) Children:
- Lena, died at the age of two years.
- William, killed in the west.
- Carrie, married (first) Simon Reese, accidentally killed in the mills, leaving a son, Edward Reese; she married (second) Edward Jackson.
- Maggie, married Warden W. Rhodes, a general merchant of Benedict, New York. Their only child, Dorothy, died at the age of two years.
(The Miller Line)
William H. Miller, grandfather of Mrs. Edward H. Tucker, was born in Northampton, Fulton county, New York; died in 1865. He was a farmer. He married (first) ———— Slocum, who died in middle life, leaving:
- Betsey, married Joseph Gifford, both deceased.
- Agnes, married Joseph King, both deceased, leaving three children.
- Nathaniel, see forward.
- Joseph, died unmarried.
(II) Nathaniel, son of William H. Miller, born in Fulton county, New York, 1827, was reared on his father's farm, educated in the public schools, and became a successful farmer of North Broadalbin. After many years of profitable farming he retired to the city of Amsterdam, where he died May 7, 1901, and is buried in Green Hill cemetery. He married, in North Broadalbin, Cynthia J. Van Derburg, born in Northampton, New York, April 24, 1827, died in Amsterdam, February 12, 1905, and is buried beside her husband. They were both members of the Baptist church. She was a daughter of Abram and Catherine J. Fay Van Derburg. For many years Abram Van Derburg was a merchant and hotel keeper, later a farmer of Fulton county. He became a man of means, and died at the age of eighty, surviving his wife many years. They were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Children: Cynthia J. (Mrs. Nathaniel Miller), and a son, Asa, who died at the age of seventy years; married (first) Betsey Brewer, who bore him George E. and Mary J. Van Derburg; married (second) Lucy Steele, who survives him, resident of Broadalbin; child of second marriage: Minerva, married Richard Van Valkin, and left children: Matilda, Abram, Frances, Henrietta. The latter married John Bundige, who survives his wife and resides in North Broadalbin with his children: Georgianna, Frederick, Eliza and Abram Bundige. The children of Nathaniel and Cynthia J. (Van Derburg) Miller are:
- George, a resident of Hagaman; married Marietta Forbes, and has Jennie, Carrie, Frank and Maud Miller.
- Frances, deceased; married Henry Buell, and had a daughter Alice, who died in childhood.
- Charles, deceased, married (first) Olive Van Arnam; children: Fannie Conant, Percy and Charles. He married (second) Catherine Seward, who survives him, resident of Tribes Hill, New York.
- Catharine V., married Edward H. Tucker.
- Mary Estelle, married Frank H. McConnell, of Amsterdam, and has a daughter Lela, born 1892.
- James M., a successful grocery merchant of Amsterdam; he has served as alderman of the city through two elections; he married (first) Martha Gordon, born March 15, 1867, in Amsterdam, died June 1, 1891, leaving a daughter Marjorie, born May 26, 1891; married (second) Harriet M. Helling, born in West Galway, Saratoga county, New York, August 20, 1868, daughter of Garrett and Jean (Whillie) Helling, of Dutch descent, who came from Vermont to West Galway, where he died. Jean Whillie was born in Greenlaw, Scotland, in 1814. The children of Garrett and Jean Helling were:
- Harriet M. (Mrs. James Miller).
- Garrett, married Mary Kavanaugh, and has a daughter, Lillian H. Helling.
- James, unmarried.