California Biographies Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm TUCK BROTHERS. � Among the enterprising and successful young men of the county, whose prosperity is undoubtedly due to their hard, con- scientious work, together with their economy and thrift, and their determina- tion to win out at any honorable cost, are the members of the well-known firm of Tuck Brothers � Lorenzo Cornelius and Ira Thomas Tuck. Both were born in Granville County, N. C. Lorenzo on March 10. 1875, and Ira on February 16, 1880, the sons of William Alfred Tuck, who come from Halifax County, Va. Their grandfather, Richard Tuck, was a farmer, and the father was in a North Carolina regiment in the Civil War. After the great struggle he was married to Fannie Sanford, who also was a native of Granville County, and there they located on a farm, Mr. Tuck becoming a planter and raising tobacco, grain and stock. Now, in his latter years, he is retired and living in Granville County. His wife having died in 1887 at the age of forty- two, he married a second time, choosing Ella Allen as his wife. She was a North Carolinian, and died while on a visit to her brothers in California. By the first union, there were five children: Martha Eva. Mrs. Jones, deceased; 'William Robert, of Tranquillity; Lorenzo C. ; Mamie E., Mrs. Jones of North Carolina; and Ira T. By the second marriage there also were five children: Elza, Airs. West, and Gladys. Mrs. Dixon, both of North Carolina: Marion, also of that state; Roy, and Raleigh, of California. Brought up on their father's farm, the boys attended both the public and private schools of the neighborhood, and in the summer-time applied them- selves in farm work. After a while they spent the winters in the copper mines, working as stationary engineers. In 1000 Lorenzo came West, the first of the family to push out to California, and settled near Laton in Fresno County, where he was employed on a ranch. He began to help level land for the ditch on the Laguna Grant, when the company commenced to improve the tract, and soon made himself a valuable laborer; and in 1901 he easily found employment at lumbering at Pine Ridge, working also as a blacksmith and mechanic. In the spring of that year, Ira joined his brother and also worked at Pine Ridge, and there he ran a stationary engine. When the autumn set in, the brothers bought twenty acres of the Laguna Grant, and the following fall purchased twenty acres more, all of which they planted to alfalfa. Then they sold twenty acres, and bought ten adjoining the first twenty. They continued to plant to alfalfa, and prospered in the undertaking. In 1910 the two brothers came to Tranquillity and bought 180 acres of raw land, which they at once improved. They leveled and checked it and put thirty acres into alfalfa, and raised grain. In 1912 they sold the thirty acres near Laton, and three years later they bought a Case engine of 20x40 horse power. This they use in plowing and putting in crops, and they also run a stationary thresher and header. They lease land, besides, and sow from four to five hundred acres to grain. Lorenzo Tuck was married in Laton to Miss Mary Eller, a native of Missouri and the daughter of William Eller, a farmer near Laton. They have two promising children � Rosamond and Leon. Independent in politics, the Messrs. Tuck both vote for the best men and the best principles. They are especially interested in everything that makes for local reform, improvement and expansion ; for they have the great- est faith in Fresno County, and therefore, in the future of Tranquillity.