Dr. William J. Tuck

Narrative:

     Dr. William J. Tuck was born on 22 Feb 1815 in Halifax Co., Virginia.^7,8,9
     William was born with the surname Edmondson, and he seems to have used that through his college years. But soon after that he began using the surname Tuck. One source shows he had his surname changed to Tuck by act of the Virginia legislature. But no record of a legislative petition for him has been found, and the law was changed in 1839 specifying that name changes should be directed to the circuit court. A review of the order books for all the courts in Halifax Co. during that time period all found no record of such an order.^3,16,17 Another source shows his given name as Joseph Jerome, one of which may have been the origin of his middle initial J.⁶
     He was apparently adopted by Elizabeth and Dr. Davis Green Tuck, between 1820 and 1830, when he was apparently included in their household. The adoption was likely informal, as he continued to use his birth surname through college, but as adults he and their other children referred to each other as siblings. There were a number of Edmondson families in the area, but his birth parents have not been identified.^{18,19,20,21,22}
     William was probably one of the two males age 15 to 20 appearing on the 1830 Federal Census of Halifax Co., Virginia, in the household of his adoptive father.²³

Attending College --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     William entered Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, as a freshman in 1831.²⁵ Kenyon is the oldest private college in Ohio, founded in 1824 by the Episcopal Church originally to train clergymen, but soon also became known as a liberal arts college.²⁶
     While there he joined the Philomathesian Society, the literary society at Kenyon. Literary societies were precursors to fraternities, providing libraries, debating exercises, and were the principal social outlet on campus.²⁵ Members of the society engaged in debate on issues of the day, and with many students from southern states, the tensions between North and South leading up to the Civil War produced strong conflicts between members. On 23 Jun 1832 William and other southern members resigned from the society and founded the Nu Pi Kappa society.^27,28
     William graduated from Kenyon College on 6 Aug 1834, with a bachelor of arts degree. There were eight graduates, and each spoke at the commencement exercises. William gave two "orations," one entitled "The Medical Profession" and the other in Greek. He apparently returned and earned a master of arts degree in 1845.^29,30,31
     He secured his medical training in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1839 and 1840, graduating with an M. D. degree.^32,33

Establishing a Medical Career --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     William moved to the Southwest, presumably Huntsville, Alabama in 1840. He moved to New Orleans in Jan 1841, staying until August.^34,35 After passing an examination on 26 Apr 1841 in New Orleans, he was admitted to practice medicine by the Comité Médical de la Nouvelle Orléans, also known as the Medical Board for the Eastern District of the State of Lousiana.^36,37
     He moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in Jan 1842.^4,38 A 6 Jan 1846 newspaper notice announced that he had relocated his office to Front Row, the street nearest the Mississippi River, over the book store of C. C. Cleaves.³⁹ On 1 Feb 1848 he signed a contract with the Medical and Hospital Department of the U.S. Army to provide "medical attendance" in Memphis. He was to receive $30 per month for his services.⁴⁰
     Dr. Tuck appears in the 1850 city directory of Memphis, with his office shown as under the Gayoso House, a hotel. He appears in the 1855 directory with offices at the southeast corner of Shelby and Union, boarding at the Gayoso. He had an advertisement in that issue, stating his office was opposite the steamboat landing.^41,42
     He appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, enumerated 5 Sep 1850, apparently boarding, along with another physician and his family, in the household of F. S. Latham, postmaster, and his family.⁴³

A Pioneer in Memphis Public Health --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     In Memphis was very active in public health, especially concerning yellow fever, which was a major health issue in the city. He published articles on that topic in the Southwestern Medical Advocate in 1847 and in the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal in 1854. He published four other articles on local health issues in these journals, the American Journal of Medical Science, and the Memphis Medical Recorder between 1845 and 1855.^44,45,46 The Memphis Medical Society was organized in Jan 1851, and he was active in it. He participated in a discussion there with two other doctors in Jun 1852, and again in Jul 1853. He was appointed the Memphis Society's delegate to the Tennessee State Medical Society in 1854.⁴⁷
     It has been difficult to fully substantiate published claims that he organized the Board of Health and was first Public Health Officer in Memphis, although there seems to be at least some truth in them. A Board was first organized in 1838, several years before he arrived, but it apparently did not long remain in operation. After several efforts, a new board was established in Jul 1849 in response to a threat of cholera, and Dr. Tuck was appointed one of the six members. What role he played in re-organizing the new Board is not clear.^48,49,50 He was appointed Secretary of the Memphis Board of Health in Oct 1852 and continued to serve until his death.^51,52,53 He filled the chair of the Institutes of Medicine in the Memphis Medical College during the 1858-9 session.⁴
     Surgeons in the U.S. Army had been recording weather observations since 1817 in an effort to determine what relationship there might be between disease and climate. Apparently William and the Memphis Board of Health shared that interest. He made daily recordings of barometric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and wind data in Memphis. It was published monthly in the local newspaper. He also furnished monthly meteorological reports to the Smithsonian Institution from 1857 until his death in 1859.^54,55
     In addition to his professional duties, he was active in public service and in literature.
     William served on the Board of Visitors (later known as the Board of Education) for the Memphis City Schools for the 1857-58 year.⁵⁶ He authored a book, Selections for Sabbath Reading, and Brief Miscellaneous Essays, Moral and Religious, published in 1857. It consists of quotations and short articles, with chapters on such topics as "Nature of True Friendship," "Vital Piety," "Importance of Self-Knowledge," and "Thoughts to be Remembered." A whole chapter is based on quotations from George Washington and there are brief quotations from a variety of other figures, but many of the passages seem to be his writings.⁵⁷

Financial Issues, But Living Well --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     William appears to have lived well for his time, but seems to have difficulty managing his finances. On 5 Oct 1846 he signed a note due "on demand" for $344.77, for reasons not recorded, which remained unpaid at his death. His creditor was repeatedly assured it would repaid, including in the fall of 1857 when Dr. Tuck had returned from a trip to Virginia saying that he had paid off one or two similar debts there.⁵⁸ A series of notes dated 1 May 1845, totaling $150 for payment of rent on his office on Main St. in Memphis also remained unpaid at his death. However his former landlord's estate owed him $459.50, suggesting part of his financial problem was an inability to collect his accounts. After his death his administrator collected this account, $336.66 owed by the city, and $1,062 in smaller amounts owed by 29 other people, apparently all patients.⁵⁹
     Despite his debts, it appears he provided himself the things that were important to him. His library included 536 books, 212 of them medical texts, which sold after his death for $621. Thomas Henry McNeill, of Christian Co., Kentucky and Coahoma Co., Mississippi, husband of William's younger sister, purchased over half of them at the auction.⁶⁰ He seemed to dress the part of a successful physician as well. At his death he had $233 in outstanding bills from clothiers, hatters, and boot shops.⁶¹
     His furnishing included:      William died on 14 Jun 1859, at the home of his sister Elizabeth in Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at age 44.^10,11,12,13 He was buried on 14 Jun 1859 in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, in the family plot owned by his sister and her husband.^14,15
          William's brother-in-law, Quintus C. Atkinson, husband of his eldest sister Sarah, was appointed administrator of his estate at the July 1859 term of the Shelby Co. court. He posted a $500 bond on 5 Jul 1859, having already taken an inventory of William's effects on 16 Jun. The inventory included the books, furnishings, household items, and a saddle horse. He had the books sold at an auction house, settled debts, and collected accounts due. The debts and costs amounted to $1,157, and the sale of the books and accounts collected totaled $2,650, leaving nearly $1,500 in cash in addition to the furniture, horse, and 51 shares of Memphis and Charleston Railroad in the estate.⁶³