Susan Harber, Daily News Journal, June 7, 2015
Portrait of William Reade Rucker taken at the Polk Home in Columbia in 1825.
When I research William Reade Rucker, the term ‘honorable’ always comes to mind.
At age 30, William was mayor of Murfreesboro from 1822 to 1823 in an exciting day when our town was state capital of Tennessee; and all was moving along in relative peace.
William was born on May 20, 1792, near Lynchburg, Virginia to the Rev. James and Nancy Reade Rucker of Amherst County, Virginia. He immigrated to Rutherford County as an infant and made this soil his lifelong home.
His father, James, owned vast parcels of land in the county. William had 11 siblings, including Samuel, a Jeffersonian Democrat, who also served as mayor of Murfreesboro in 1826.
William’s grandparents were pioneers Benjamin and Elizabeth Rucker. Moreover, he was in the family lineage of John and Peter Rucker, who were all important in the historical annals of Virginia and Tennessee.
My favorite story regards Williams’ great-great-great grandfather, Peter Rucker Sr., who was born in 1675. He was a French Huguenot and an original Rucker pioneer of Fairfax, Virginia. Peter was the first of his namesake to settle in America and had a dramatic entry into his landing at Jamestown in the year 1700.
He was traveling 12 miles from Jamestown almost to dock when his ship was violently tossed and turned amidst a turbulent storm. Thrown into the water, Peter resourcefully clung tight to two casks of rum that buoyed him for two days until he was rescued.
Had he perished, the original Rucker lineage would have never existed. Peter was wed twice to wives both named Elizabeth.
He had 10 children, whose ancestry filtered into Rutherford County.
William studied medicine with Dr. Wilson Yandell and later sold him land. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1817 with a degree in medicine. William served as assistant surgeon in the Creek Indian War with Gen. Andrew Jackson. He was an acting surgeon in the War of 1812 and was in the Battle of New Orleans.
In Murfreesboro, William was a physician of the highest order. He was very distinguished and cutting edge in the earliest days of medicine in the county. His home was off present- day Compton Road in Murfreesboro. William married Susan Childress of Rutherford County on Nov. 10, 1819. She was the sister of Sarah Childress Polk, who was wed to James K. Polk, governor of Tennessee (1839-1841) and first lady to our 11 th president from 1845-1849.
Susan bravely rode by horseback to Washington to meet President Abraham Lincoln in seeking release of Western Territory Rucker (brother of William) from prison during the Civil War.
Susan and William had five children, including Joel, Susan, Sarah Polk, Johanna and William Reade Jr. As matriarch, Susan was born into the Presbyterian faith and lived from 1801 to 1888. She attended Bradley Academy and was tutored by Instructor Samuel Black.
William was active in religious and civic events in Murfreesboro. He was instrumental in establishing Soule Female Academy and served as trustee.
He was city alderman from 1825-27 and again in 1831. William served as city treasurer from 1826-27. He was also a charter member of the First Methodist Church in 1821.
William died on Aug. 8, 1861 — the Civil War had begun four months prior at Fort Sumter. He would have lamented the encroaching horrors of war to a region he had built so solidly and with loving intent.
William is buried today at Murfreesboro City Cemetery and remembered as a role model and a hero with an everlasting influence for good.