| Notes |
- Joseph Tucker, one of the earliest and most prominent citizens of moder n Canton, was a landowner in the original "Twelve Divisions" of Dorches ter. Purchased from the Indians, Tucker's property extended from the Ma ssapoag House south to the residence of Charles Endicott and was destin ed to eventually be bisected by Washington Street. Born at Milton on Ja nuary 11, 1679, Joseph Tucker was to gain a niche in the history of Can ton through his participation in politics, church and civic affairs. As e arly as 1711, he was appointed Surveyor of Highways. Among his accompli shments Mr. Tucker included service as the first Town Clerk in Stoughto n. At different times during his life, Joseph Tucker ran the old saw mill, m aintained one of the better farms in the area and kept an inn. For many y ears, after joining Mr. Morse's church with his first wife, Judith Clap p, in 1717, he held the office of Deacon. Unfortunately, his fondness f or the "bubbly" terminated that position in 1742. A widower, Mr. Tucker remarried in 1730, this time to a woman named Mar y Jordan. Deacon Tucker, like all men, suffered from human frailties. I t was during this second marriage that his tendency to imbibe occasiona lly cost him the position with the church. In 1742, word was spread that the good Deacon had publicly been "overco me and disguised with drink". The rumors further charged that his assoc iate and companion at the time was no less an individual than Parson Du nbar. Since such charges could only be determined by the church, the deacon a ppeared before members of the congregation on September 10, at which ti me he delivered a speech vehemently protesting his innocence. He attrib uted his behavior, which he admitted was similar to that of a drunken m an, to an injury suffered when his horse stumbled and fell. Following the testimony of witnesses, however, Mr. Tucker admitted that " On his last trip to Boston he took many drams and mixed drinks, perhaps m ore than he had realized". He was henceforth granted permission to part ake of Communion, but deprived of the deacon's title. Ten days later the former church officer took for his third wife, the f ormer Susanna Pelton. After three years of marriage Joseph Tucker was s ummoned by his Creator on September 25, 1745. Although his gravestone refers to "Deacon Joseph Tucker", the records k ept by Mr. Dunbar read, "once a deacon of this church".
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Puffer Genealogy
1678 - 1745 (67 years)
[1] 