Melissa J. Rowland and Telemacus H. Tucker
Melissa J. Rowland was born on 17 June 1844 in Rutherford County, the eldest child of Thomas T. Rowland and Elizabeth Smotherman. Melissa died on 25 September 1919 in Coffee County, where she is buried in Shady Grove Cemetery. She married Telemacus H. Tucker on 6 August 1859 in Coffee County, TN. T.H. (or "Lem", as he was sometimes called) was born on 21 July 1838 and died on 13 March 1913; his parents are unknown at this point. T.H. served in the Civil War, and after his death, Melissa was able to draw a widow's pension from Tennessee, based on his service.
It is slightly unclear exactly how many children were in Melissa and T.H.'s family. In both the 1900 and 1910 censuses, Melissa told enumerators that she had borne 8 children, with 7 alive in 1900 and 6 alive in 1910, and census records for Melissa and T.H. clearly show only 8 children in that family. However, in 1900, her mother, Eliza Rowland, was enumerated in Coffee County with her "granddaughter" Mary D. Tucker, and we aren't certain if Mary was actually a granddaughter or was actually, say, one of T.H.'s nieces. We are including her in this family group until we have been able to clarify her status.
Melissa J. Rowland (17 June 1844, Rutherford, TN - 25 September 1919, Coffee, TN)
m. 6 August 1859, Coffee, TN
Telemachus H. Tucker (21 July 1838, TN - 13 March 1913)
Children:
i. James D. Tucker (Nov 1866-aft 1919); m. Dora Gentry
ii. George T. Tucker (Aug 1867-1934); m. Otie E. Jarrett
iii. David L. Tucker (13 Jul 1869-26 June 1937); m. Mary Bradshaw
iv. Mary D. Tucker (May 1871 - aft 1900)
v. Nettie J. Tucker (or Mettie J. Tucker) (Jan 1872-aft 1900)
vi. Martha E. Tucker (Oct 1873-aft 1900)
vii. Robert Lewis Tucker (16 Apr 1875-13 Nov 1901); never married
viii. Fannie Ransom Tucker (21 Nov 1877-14 Sep 1881)
ix. Hattie J. Tucker (Apr 1880-aft 1900)