Davis Henry Tuck1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 18556, (1888 - 1953)
FatherDavis Green Tuck6,5 (28 Jul 1863 - 7 Sep 1889)
MotherAlice Steger4,5 (8 Dec 1863 - 14 May 1944)

Key Events:

Birth: 30 Dec 1888, Lafayette, Kentucky7,8,9
Marriage: 6 Aug 1913, Washington, District of Columbia, Frances C. Hoblitzell (22 Dec 1894 - 11 Nov 1989)10,11,12
Divorce: about 1935, Frances C. Hoblitzell (22 Dec 1894 - 11 Nov 1989)13,14
Marriage: about 1936, Virginia Joli (1915 - 25 Jun 2012)15,16,17
Death: 5 Jul 1953, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut2
ChartsDescendants of Dr. Davis Green Tuck
Descendants of David Dutt/Toot
AncestryThe Dutt/Toot Family
The Tuck Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Davis Henry Tuck was born on 30 Dec 1888 in Lafayette, Kentucky.7,8,9
     His father died on 7 Sep 1889, when Davis was about eight months old.18,19
     Davis was an heir in the estate of his grandmother, Elizabeth John A. Smith, to receive a share of the proceeds of real estate sold after her other assets were found insufficent to pay her debts under a court order issued 7 Dec 1889.20 The land was sold to his father's uncle, Thomas Herbert Elliott. For reasons not clear from the record, he never received his share of the proceeds after the expenses of the probabe were paid. When his guardian was appointed he sued Thomas for the balance supposedly due the child. Thomas responded that the sale of his share of the land remaining after payment of her debts should not have been allowed, and that part of the sale was void. The guardian prevailed in the lower court, but Thomas appealed successfully, in a complex split decision taking 25 pages when printed. The case was sent back to the lower to resolve the details, the result if which have not been found.20,21
     Davis appeared with his mother, Alice Steger, on the 1900 Federal Census of Davidson Co., Tennessee, in the household of Dr. Francis Epps Harris Steger, his grandfather.22
     Davis graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1911 with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering.5
     Davis married first Frances C. Hoblitzell, daughter of Robert Carlton Hoblitzell and Frances Lizzie Tidd, on 6 Aug 1913 in Washington, District of Columbia.10,11,12
     Davis registered for the draft for World War I on 28 May 1917, while living at U.S. Marine Hospital, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, reporting he was employed as an assistant physicist for the U. S. Government in Pittsburg.1
     He was a lab assistant for the Bureau of Standards, and an assistant physicist for the U.S. Public Health Service before joining the Holopahane Glass Co. in New York in 1918. He was the inventor of industrial lighting units, a light meter, and other related apparatus. He was the author of articles on "Scientific Industrial Illumination" and "The Holophane Datalog."5,23,24 In 1940 he reported that he had worked 60 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the prior year, earning $4,200.25
     Davis and Frances appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Leonia, Bergen Co., New Jersey, at 124 Sylvan Ave., enumerated 7 Jan 1920, reporting that they owned their home. Their children Richard and Mary were listed as living with them, as was her mother, Frances.26
     Davis and Frances appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Leonia, Bergen Co., New Jersey, at 126 Sylvan Ave., enumerated 24 Apr 1930, reporting that they owned a home valued at $8,000, and did not own a radio. Their children Richard and Mary were listed as living with them, as was her mother, Frances.27
     Davis and Frances were divorced about 1935.13,14
     Davis married second Virginia Joli about 1936.15,16,17
     Davis and Virginia traveled to Bermuda in 1936, perhaps as a honeymoon trip. They returned on the Monarch of Bermuda, departing Hamilton on 11 Nov 1936, and arriving in New York two days later.28
     Davis and Virginia appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, enumerated 6 Apr 1940, reporting that they owned a farm valued at $12,000, and that he had lived in Norwalk Connecticut in 1935 while she had lived in New York City. Moses Moore, a 57-year-old caretaker, was listed as living with them.29
     Davis registered for the draft for World War II on 24 Apr 1942, while living at Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, reporting he was employed by the Holopane Co., Madison Ave., New York.30
     Virginia was a well-known dog breeder and judge for major dog shows, including the 1952 Westminster. She wrote a book on showing dogs and contributed to several magazines. She and Davis owned and operated the Silvermine Kellels in Redding, Connecticut.31
     Davis died on 5 Jul 1953 in Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, at age 64.2

Children:
     Children with Frances C. Hoblitzell:

  • Richard Davis Tuck5,26,27 (abt 1915 - 9 Apr 1959)
  • Better Frances Tuck32 (27 Aug 1916 - 6 Sep 1916)
  • Mary Elizabeth Tuck26,33,5 (30 Jul 1919 - 14 Dec 1995)

Children:
     There were no children with Virginia Joli

Citations

  1. [S4119] Davis Henry Tuck, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  2. [S4118] "Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001," Ancestry.com, record for Davis H Tuck, citing state file no. 11741.
  3. [S4402] Leonard, Who's Who in Engineering 1922-1923, pg 1284, shows name as Davis Henry Tuck.
  4. [S4117] Francis H. Steger household, 1900 U.S. Census, Davidson Co., Tennessee, shows the him as grandson, and her as daughter of head of household.
  5. [S4402] Leonard, Who's Who in Engineering 1922-1923, pg 1284.
  6. [S4117] Francis H. Steger household, 1900 U.S. Census, Davidson Co., Tennessee, shows the boy as grandson, and the elder Davis's widow as daughter of head of household.
  7. [S4119] Davis Henry Tuck, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows date, town, as Lafayette, and state.
  8. [S4402] Leonard, Who's Who in Engineering 1922-1923, pg 1284, shows date, town, as Hopkinsville, and state.
  9. [S4117] Francis H. Steger household, 1900 U.S. Census, Davidson Co., Tennessee, shows month, year, age 11, and state.
  10. [S4406] "District of Columbia, Marriages, 1830-1921," FamilySearch.org, record for Davis H. Tuck and Frances C. Hoblitzell, citing FHL #2108518, shows date.
  11. [S4402] Leonard, Who's Who in Engineering 1922-1923, pg 1284, shows year, city, and district.
  12. [S4404] Davis H. Tuck household, 1930 U.S. Census, Bergen Co., New Jersey, shows married, with his first marriage at age 24 and hers at 18.
  13. [S4409] Frances Tuck household, 1940 U.S. Census, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, shows her as divorced.
  14. [S4408] Davis Tuck household, 1940 U.S. Census, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, shows him married to someone else.
  15. [S4408] Davis Tuck household, 1940 U.S. Census, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, shows married, and that he had lived in Norwalk in 1935 while she had lived in New York, suggesting they were not married then.
  16. [S4410] Monarch of Bermuda arrival 13 Nov 1936, Passenger Lists, New York, 1897-1957, pg 8, no 21-22, shows married.
  17. [S8741] Virginia Joli Hall obituary, Sun Sentinel, shows him as her first husband.
  18. [S8734] Death Register, Tennessee, Aug 1889-Jul 1891, pg 7, no. 715, Davis Tuck, shows date and cause.
  19. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 31631270, Davis G Tuck, shows date, and includes photo of tombstone showing same.
  20. [S4139] Elliott v. Fowler &c., 19 Dec 1901, Kentucky Court of Appeals.
  21. [S7768] Deeds, Christian Co., Kentucky, 80:61-4, Hunter Wood, master commissioner to T. H. Elliott, 1 Jan 1891.
  22. [S4117] Francis H. Steger household, 1900 U.S. Census, Davidson Co., Tennessee.
  23. [S4405] Davis H. Tuck household, 1920 U.S. Census, Bergen Co., New Jersey, shows occupation as electrical engineer, industry as glass company.
  24. [S4404] Davis H. Tuck household, 1930 U.S. Census, Bergen Co., New Jersey, shows occupation as electrical engineer, industry as glass co.
  25. [S4408] Davis Tuck household, 1940 U.S. Census, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, shows occupation as electrical engineer, and industry as Holopane Co.
  26. [S4405] Davis H. Tuck household, 1920 U.S. Census, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
  27. [S4404] Davis H. Tuck household, 1930 U.S. Census, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
  28. [S4410] Monarch of Bermuda arrival 13 Nov 1936, Passenger Lists, New York, 1897-1957, pg 8, no 21-22.
  29. [S4408] Davis Tuck household, 1940 U.S. Census, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
  30. [S4403] Davis H. Tuck, Selective Service Registration Card, World War II, Fourth Registration.
  31. [S8741] Virginia Joli Hall obituary, Sun Sentinel.
  32. [S8742] Better Francis Tuck, Certificate of Death.
  33. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Mary Elizabeth Tuck, Soc. Sec. No. 057-16-3135.