Henry County, Tennessee Family History Book, Vol. I

The Paris-Henry County Heritage Center is sponsoring, compiling, and publishing a new book documenting the history of Henry County and its people, from yesteryear through present day. The Henry County, Tennessee Family History Book will feature all aspects of our communities, churches, businesses, farms, organizations, and more, plus hundreds of family histories, past and present.

The book will contain material from 1821-2023, with approximately 200 to 300 pages. This hardbound, 8.5 x 11-inch book will be bound in an elegant Hunter green, swirl-grained leatherette cover with a gold foil-stamped seal depicting Henry County’s rustic heritage on the front, and gold on the spine.

All Henry County residents, past and present, are encouraged to be part of this historic publication. Your 500-word family history, along with one family photograph, will be included at no cost in the Henry County Family History Book. Send your family history and photograph(s), and order your copies today!

Pay for extra photos here

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Sample Family History:

Caption: The family of Rev. Edmund B. and Velma Patterson Rucker, 1945. Seated l-r: Virginia Rucker Routon (wife of Joe Routon), Rev. Edmund Rucker, Mrs. Rucker, Val Rucker Routon (wife of Jim Routon), and Louise Lampkins (wife of E.B. Rucker Jr. Back row: Richard, Robert Rucker, Jim Routon, and Edmund Rucker Jr. 

RUCKER-ROUTON — Peter Rucker and his wife Elizabeth were the first generation of Ruckers in America before 1700. Thomas Rucker, son of Peter Rucker, married Elizabeth, daughter of Cornelius Reynolds and Margaret Beazley. John Rucker, son of Thomas born about 1728, married Mary Burton, daughter of May Burton and Hannah Medley. John was a Revolutionary War Soldier and was founder of Ruckersville in Orange County, Virginia. 

Joel Rucker, son of John, married Nancy Oliver, daughter Durett Oliver and Tabitha Winn. 

Robert Elzy Rucker, son of John Rucker, married Sarah Gaines.

Joseph Burton Rucker, son of Robert Rucker, came to Rutherford County, Tennessee. He married as his second wife, Rebecca Champion, daughter of Alexander Champion and Mary Benson of Hancock County, Georgia. 

Joseph Allen Rucker married Amelia Kissire Overall, the daughter of Baxter and Martha Kirby Overall, both old settlers of Rutherford County. Their children were Maggie, Kate, Martha, Robert Morris, George, Allen Joseph, Fannie, and Edmund Burton Rucker. Edmund Burton Rucker, born 1885 in Rutherford County, was the eighth generation of Ruckers in America. He was a teacher and in 1927 became a Methodist preacher. 

In 1916, Edmund married Velma Patterson, daughter of Oscar and Lilly White Patterson of Carroll County, Tennessee. The children of Rev. E.B.Rucker:

1. Val Rucker, born 1917, married Stephen James Routon Jr., son of S.J. and Pearl Sanders Routon. They had three children: Gini, Stephanie, and Dick Routon. 

2. Edmund Burton Rucker Jr., born 1919, married Louise Lampkins with one son, Van Rucker. 

3. Virginia Rucker, born 1921, married Joe Routon,  brother to S.J. Routon Jr. They had seven children: Joe Jr., Bob, Ed, Amy, Elizabeth, Velma, and Phil Routon 

4. Richard H. Rucker, married Louise Crabtree with four children: Edmund, Jenerfry, Pat, and Walt Rucker.

5. Robert Patterson Rucker, married Mary Steadman with four children: Patty, Ann, Bob and Beath.

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