Meet James Tucker, Maud's Brother

It's so helpful when someone not only decides to label those old family photographs, but includes a roadmap to help negotiate those twists and turns in the family tree. The portrait of a young James Tucker provided that very detail, naming not only James Tucker, but his relationship as Maud's brother.

I'm pretty sure this is the same James we noticed as a child in his family portrait, taken in Wahoo, Nebraska, before the family moved to Oregon. Since we've already traced other branches of this Tucker tree, we know that Maud Tucker married a man named Burt Purkey and lived in Idaho—having a child who married and eventually moved to northern California, where I found the set of Tucker photographs in an antique shop.

Though his younger brother Frank served—and died—during World War I, it is unlikely that Jim Tucker saw any military duty, as he was already married to the former Edith May Jones, back in December of 1906. However, though he may have claimed responsibility for one dependent at that time, it's hard to determine whether he had any descendants who might, at this point, be interested in receiving this picture of the young Jim Tucker. Next week, we'll begin tackling that question and see what can be done about reuniting this portrait with family members.

Above: Photograph of a young James Tucker, likely a son of Samuel and Annie Tucker of Oregon; photograph currently in possession of author until claimed by a direct descendant.