Tucker Funeral Chapel

Some history of the Tucker Funeral Chapel.  This article was in The Crittenden Press, Oct. 1970

The beautiful Tucker Funeral Chapel located at 117 W. Bellville Street and is owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tucker.  The new chapel is in the remodeled building which housed Tucker Furniture Store until this past spring.

Prior to the opening of the chapel, the Tucker's operated the Tucker Funeral home at 251 W. Bellville.

Construction and remodeling work began for the chapel in early spring with completion of the fully carpeted and air conditioned funeral chapel being within the last two weeks.

The building contains a 200 seat chapel, a large reception lobby, a smoking lounge, several other lounge and display rooms and a business office.

Tucker Funeral Home originated in 1902 with John Nunn and W. O. Tucker.  During the First World War, W. O. Tucker bought Mr. Nunn's portion of the business and combined it with Hobert Franklin in 1923.

They operated together until W. O. Tucker's death in 1948.  Mr. Franklin died in 1949.  Thomas Tucker then continued the business beginning in 1952.

It was at this time that Thomas and Ethel Tucker began operating Tucker Funeral Home from their residence at 251 W. Bellville.

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Thomas and Ethel operated Tucker's Funeral Home until May of 1981 when they sold the business to Terry and Sandy Gilbert.  Today two of the Gilbert's sons, Brad and Keith, own and run the business.

They did extensive remodeling to the outside of the historic on building.

Thanksgiving's Past

Even in the 1950's, Christmas wasn't thought of just yet, Thanksgiving came first and it was special in it's own right, not like today, where it sometimes feels as if it is just pushed aside as Christmas decorations and toys have already been thrown in our faces before Halloween is even over.

In the 1930's our Drug stores and Department stores ran ads in the Press telling of their items for that special Thanksgiving day. There was fruits and candies available from the drug stores.

And  the department stores had many new clothing items for that trip to the Thanksgiving services or for visits with the kin folks over the Thanksgiving holiday. 

 One of the churches in Marion always had a special service on Thanksgiving Day with a Union Service for everyone to attend. Many of the county churches and schools also had a special Thanksgiving Day service.

Community service held at Southern Presbyterian Church, U. S. A. Thursday morning Rev. J. M. Damron delivered the annual Community Thanksgiving sermon to a packed house at the Southern Presbyterian Church. Assisting pastors were Rev. Charles A. Humphrey, pastor of the Marion Methodist Church and Rev. J. W. Flynn, of the Christian Church.

At noon the Parent Teachers Association served a Thanksgiving dinner at the Woman's Club building and in the evening another dinner was served.

Practically every business house in Marion observed a holiday on Thanksgiving.

Children's Day At Mt. Zion

July 17, 1913 - Children's Day at Mt. Zion.

Sunday morning at an early hour wagons, buggies, horseback and footbackers began to arrive till several hundred people had gathered, then came the auto with R. Kemp as driver with some of Marion's best citizens as passengers.

At 9:30 the house was called to order by the pasator Rev. J. A. Wheeler.  A song by the choir.

The program was then taken up for the children, it was very interesting.  

At 12:15 in the beautiful grove such as surrounds a country church, dinner was spread. Some wondered how this multitude could be fed, it was like the five loaves and fishes, there was plenty of as fine dinner as the writer ever saw, and everybody seemed to enjoy it.  

During all this time Mr. E. L. Nunn one of the building committee for our new church, had his book and pencil at work with the result of something over $300 subscribed.

At 1:30 out in the grove we prepared another program.  Bro. John A. Moore was called for, Bro. John responded with one complaint he couldn't talk - Well Paul, couldn't talk but the Lord loosened his tongue.  John's tongue got loose and he gave us a good talk.

There were several who made up the program that have already been mentioned.  Some of those who made up the afternoon program are as follows:  Bro. Gordon who used no direct subject but made us a fine talk, Ed Stone who gave the children a splendid talk.

Bro. Jim Pickens advocating a standard of moral and spiritual life and next was Thomas Enoch with a good talk.

The program was closed by Sister Duvall who by this time was so fill with the holy ghost that she gave us an old fashioned holy ghost talk.

To say the least of it we had an all around good time that will dwell with the memory through time and eternity.

A Visit To Old Piney Fork

                                                                                         Piney Fork Speaker's Lectern.

The lectern was removed from the tabernacle located next to the Piney Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church when the historic old shed was taken down in the spring of 1970, due to damage caused by the heavy winter snow. The tabernacle shed was built in 1886. 

 

This lectern was made at this time, also constructed from lumber cut from the Henry Brown farm and hauled by oxen to the sawmill by Jim Bugg. It would be placed at the front of the new tabernacle. 

Also unique about this pulpit is that it has three podiums attached to it, the middle one for the Evangelist who was holding the services, the one of the right was for the pastor of the church at the time, and the one on the left for the song leader. 

 

On the front is built a bench, this was for sinners to sit on that had come down to except salvation after the invitation was given at the end of the sermon. Some of the greatest ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church have delivered sermons at the Piney Fork annual camp meetings. 

(This piece of Piney Fork history is located at the Crittenden County Historical Museum)

From the Crittenden Press, August 24, 1936.

The annual services of Old Piney Fork Camp Ground closed last Friday evening, August 21, after eleven days of exceedingly successful communion, which resulted in 26 conversions and 30 additions to the church roll.

The Rev. J. E. Bell of Oklahoma, assisted the pastor, the Rev. Guy Moore, and preached from the same pulpit from which some of the greatest ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church have delivered sermons, interest grew from the opening service and large audiences listened attentively to the great spiritual messages. 

Piney Fork is the oldest church in Crittenden County regardless of denomination, having been started in 1810.  The organization was completed in 1812 on a sixteen acre tract of land given by John Travis and George Greene.

The present building is 70 years and is the third building that has stood.

The revival which just closed, was held in the open-air tabernacle which seats 2,000 people. It was built about 50 years ago and is the second tabernacle to have been erected on that site.

Piney Fork Camp Meetings are famous throughout the land.  One hundred and four annual revivals have been held there.  

Banker-Farm Day

In the 1950's the local banks of Marion, Farmers and People's, sponsored what they called Banker-Farmer Days at a local farmers farm.  The event was to share new and improved features on the farm, so other farmers could learn about these improvements and used them on their own farms.

In July 1950 this important and fun day was held on the Tom Carters Farm, located on Hebron Church Road.  Here is some of the history from an article in the July 7, 1950 Crittenden Press.

Improved pastures, fine beef cattle, a large farm reservoir and newly constructed terraces and diversion ditches for erosion control will be the main features observed on Tom Carters Farm.  

A large turn out always attended these special days of interest for our local agriculture and cattle raisers.

A tour would be conducted with stops at different points of interest and it would be pointed out their practical application as to how to help the farmers.  

Cattle was also an important part of the county and the Carter farm had some excellent cattle on hand to show the visitors.  Crittenden County had been breeding and producing a high grade of pure bred cattle for many years. 

At the close of the morning tour free lunch by the two banks would be served.  The lunch would be served by the Hebron Homemakers.  Around 300 attended the special farmers day.

In the afternoon there would be talks of interest by William Jonstone, Field Agent from the University of Kentucky, and Crittenden County's Farm Agent, O. M. Shelby.

Events such as these are now almost a thing of our past, as farming procedures have changed and there seems no need for these informative and enjoyable gatherings of our forgotten past.