Person Page 1,741

David Tuck Potter was born on 19 Jun 1890 in Bowling Green, KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Bowling Green, Warren Co., Kentucky, G in the household of his parents, Lucian D. Potter and Sallie A. Tuck.¹⁵ He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Bowling Green, Warren Co., Kentucky G, in the household of his parents.¹⁶
     David served three years in the Kentucky National Guard Hospital Corps, reaching the rank of 1st sargent.¹
     David married first Edith Dorman, daughter of James R. Dorman and Ruth Cogar, about 1915.^7,8,9
     He was an electrician, operating his own shop, at age 18. He then became an automobile salesman.^17,18
     David registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living at 1123 State St., Bowling Green, KentuckyG, reporting he was employed as an auto salesman at Bowling Green Garage. He reported his prior military service and requested exemption based on being the sole support of his wife and mother.¹
     David and Edith appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky, at 129 East Maxwell St. G, enumerated 3 Jan 1920, in the household of Harry V. Rouse and his family. They are shown as lodgers, along with two other couples.¹⁹
     David and Edith appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky, at 2023 Cherokee Pkwy G, enumerated 15 Apr 1930, reporting they were renting their apartment, for $87.50 per month. Their son David was listed as living with them.²⁰
     David and Edith appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky, at 2312 Broadmeade Rd. G, enumerated 12 Apr 1940, reporting they were renting their home, for $60 per month. Their son David was listed as living with them.²¹
     David worked in sales for Packard Motor Car Company for many years. He was wholesale manager when the firm converted 100% to war production in 1942. In 1940 he reported having worked 50 hours the last week of March, and 52 weeks the prior year, earning $3,640.^{22,23,24,25,26}
     David registered for the draft for World War II on 27 Apr 1942, while living at 409 Jarvis Lane, Louisville, Jefferson Co., KentuckyG, reporting he was employed by E. I. DuPont DeNemours & Co. in Charlestown, Indiana.²⁷ He was safety director at the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, Charlestown, IndianaG, which was operated by the DuPont company during the war. He also served as chairman of the Jefferson Co. passenger tire rationing board.^28,29
     He was appointed wholesale manager of appliances for Ewald Distributing Company, a distributor of electrical products on 14 Sep 1945.³⁰
     His wife died on 5 Feb 1946 in Louisville, Jefferson Co., KentuckyG.³¹
     David married second Mildred Sullivan, daughter of Charles Thompson Sullivan and Alberta Bennett, on 15 Jan 1955 in Second Presbyterian Church, Louisville, KentuckyG.^10,11
     He retired about 1962.³²
     David died on 28 Jan 1972 in Jefferson Co., KentuckyG, at age 81.^12,13 He was buried on 31 Jan 1972 in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, KentuckyG.¹⁴

Lucien Owen Potter was born on 22 Aug 1893 in Bowling Green, KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Bowling Green, Warren Co., Kentucky, G in the household of his parents, Lucian D. Potter and Sallie A. Tuck.⁷ He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Bowling Green, Warren Co., Kentucky G, in the household of his parents.⁸
     He was a clerk at a water works.³
     Lucien died on 4 Jul 1916 in Bowling Green, Warren Co., KentuckyG, at age 22, accidently drowned in the Barren River.³ He was buried on 15 Jul 1916 in Fairview Cemetery, Bowling Green, Warren Co., KentuckyG.³

William Harris Tidwell was born on 26 Nov 1869 in Jackson, TennesseeG.^4,5,6
     He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Madison Co., TennesseeG, in the household of his parents, Joseph D. Tidwell and Eliza Harris, in the household of W. and M. A. Tidwell, apparently his father's parents.¹² He appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Madison Co., Tennessee, G in the household of his parents.¹³
     William appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at 99 Madison G, enumerated 7 Jun 1900, boarding, with five other men, in the home of Elizabeth Little and her four teenage children.¹⁴
     William married Emma Williams Tuck, daughter of Dr. Henry Davis Tuck and Elizabeth John A. Smith, on 5 Dec 1900 in Bowling Green, Warren Co., KentuckyG, with William Irvine officiating.^7,8
     William and Emma settled Memphis after their marriage.¹⁵ They moved to California before 1910. They appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of San Francisco, California, at 695 Bush St. G, enumerated 26 Apr 1910, reporting that they rented their appartment.²

A Career Customs Agent --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He began working for the federal customs service about 1894. About 1910 he became a special agent for the U.S. Treasury and was made chief of the department in San Francisco. While there he became involved in a number of high profile cases.^16,17,18,19
     In his early years in the San Francisco office the department was focused on the opium trade. In one example of many, in Jun 1910 William was involved in a case against a "restaurant" called Steve's Place, where inspectors found no food, but quantities of opuim that had been imported through Mexico into El Paso, Texas. Ledgers found showed the place was taking in $33 per day.²⁰ In another example, on 1 Jun 1911 a team of customs officers under his direction boarded the America Maru when it docked in San Francisco from Hong Kong. They found half a ton of opium, worth $27,000, hidden in cans in the ship's water tank.²¹
     In Feb 1912 William was involved in a case that brought considerable press attention. Mrs. F. H. Beaver, a prominent San Francisco socialite, obtained four Parisian gowns which she declared worth 1400 francs, or $280, for customs purposes. They were found to actually be worth 2200 francs. The dispute, and newpaper coverage, continued for some months.²²

His Reputation Grows --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     In early 1913 William's office investigated the practices of Western Fuel Company, the major supplier of coal on the west coast. Initially the company was suspected of claiming larger amounts of coal was delivered to U.S. flag ships than was used. Customs duties on foreign coal were refunded when it was used to fuel U.S. ships, thus the company would collect larger "drawbacks" than it was entitled to. Then evidence was found of short-weighting coal sold to the Government to fuel military ships. Eight officials of the firm were indicted 19 Feb 1913. Three of them were convicted 17 Feb 1914 and the government filed suits to collect the amounts that had been lost to the fraud.^23,24 The civil suits, which asked for a total of over $1,000,000, were settled in Mar 1917 for $95,000. The actual losses to the Government were estimated at $42,000, and the cost of prosecution at $25,000.²⁵
     He was named a member of a committee to "expert" the special agents' branch of the Treasury Department, with a view to simplifying and modernizing the system. He spent a month and a half in Washington on the project, and visited every office of the special agents in the country. He returned home in Jun 1916 in Jun 1916.²⁶
     He was promoted in Apr 1917 to head the special Intelligence Bureau that was established after the U.S. entered the war. He was to coordinate the efforts of the investigating divisions San Francisco offices of the Department of Justice, Postal Inspector, Secret Service, and U.S. Attorney, on alien activity matters. In that role he was involved in a number of activities to improve security, including, in Apr 1918, the suspension of telephone service between the U.S. and Mexico. This was intended to keep information about military preparations from reaching German agents in Mexico in Apr 1917 in San FranciscoG.^27,28
     William and Emma appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of San Francisco, California, at 1106 Bush St. G, enumerated 12 Jan 1920, reporting that they rented their appartment.³
     On 15 Jan 1920 William was named chief field investigator in a high-profile case involving suspected massive fraud by west coast shipyards during the War. Press coverage if the event called him a "famous investigator." A number of shipyard officials were indicted, but apparently none were convicted. Still, government prosecutors said in September that the investigation had "resulted in the saving of large sums of money to the government."^29,30
     The federal government announced 10 Nov 1920 that it was stepping up its efforts to combat illicit whisky traffic in San Francisco. The federal prohibition director would double its force, and William would take full charge of the inquiry.³¹

Leaving San Francisco --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

      William was transferred to New Orleans 1 Feb 1922.³²
     William and Emma moved to Illinois by 1930. They appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, at 1161 Lunt Ave. G, enumerated 4 Apr 1930, reporting that they rented their apartment for $85 per month, and owned a radio.³³
     He was a supervising customs agent in ChicagoG. On 16 Apr 1936 300 people attended a dinner honoring him for 42 years of service with the customs service, apparently a retirement event, though accounts do not state that.^34,35
     William and Emma moved to TennesseeG, where she had family, after 1936. They appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at 1535 Vance Ave. G, enumerated 19 Apr 1940, reporting they were renting their home, for $53 per month, and had lived in Chicago in 1935.³⁶
      In 1940 he reported he was not working or seeking work, but had worked 48 weeks the prior year, earning over $5,000. Whether he had remained in the customs service until then or had other employment is unclear.³⁶
     William died on 9 Jan 1950 in Memphis, Shelby Co., TennesseeG, at age 80.^9,10 He was buried on 11 Jan 1950 in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TennesseeG.^9,11