The committee on conference presented their report which was received and adopted and is as follows (viz)
Your committee appointed to confer with brethren impressed to preach the gospel have conferred with the following brethren (to wit) Jas. H. Harbison, L. G. Tucker, Wm. C. Walker, E____ C. Foster, and Wm. J. Kirkpatrick on their experimental acquaintance with religion and internal call to the work of the ministry and they having submitted themselves to the directions of Presbytery your committee recommends that they be received under her care as candidates for the holy ministry. (Monday)
[Source: Minutes of Richland Presbytery, Saturday before the 1st Sabbath in October, 1946, page 178]
At Hopewell church the 26th day of April AD 1847 the Richland Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church having received testimonials in favor of L. G. Tucker of his good moral character, of his being in the communion of the church, proceeding to take the usual parts of trial for his licensure; and he having given satisfaction as to his_______ to teach as to his experimental acquaintance with religion; as to his internal call to the work of the ministry; and as to his proficiency in divinity; the Presbytery did and do hereby express their approbation of all those parts of trial. And he having adopted the Confession of Faith of this church and satisfactorily answered the questions appointed to be put to candidates to be licensed, the Presbytery did and do hereby license him the said L. G. Tucker to preach the gospel of Christ as a probationer for the holy ministry within the bounds of this Presbytery or wherever God in his providence may cast his lot.
[Source: Minutes of Richland Presbytery, April 1847, meeting at Hopewell Meeting House in Giles County, Tennessee, page 194]
Bro Lewis G. Tucker, a Licentiate formally under the care of the Richland Presbytery, presented a letter and was received under the care of this presbytery.
Ouachita Presbytery
[Source: Minutes of Ouachita Presbytery, September 18, 1850, meeting at Benton, Saline County, Arkansas, page 28]
Roll Call
Licentiate absent - L. G. Tucker
Bartholomew Presbytery[Source: Minutes of Bartholomew Presbytery, Nov. 14, 1851 meeting in Monticello, Drew County, Arkansas, page 1]
Bro. L. G. Tucker presented his letter of dismission and recommendation from Bartholomew Presbytery which was read and he was received as a Licentiate under the care of this Presbytery.
Washington Presbytery
[Source: Minutes of Washington Presbytery, October 3, 1854, meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas, page 43]
Your committee appointed to examine the Licentiates and Candidates have attended duty assigned them, and are happy to say that on Literature in a majority of the brethren the examination was very satisfactory, and on Theology quite so, and recommend to your favorable consideration, the Lisensure of Bros. J. B. Daniel and John Hudson. They also find a petition a numbers of the members of Crook-Creek Congregation and others asking the Ordination of Bro. L. G. Tucker, which they would recommend to your favorable consideration. All of which is respectfully submitted. Adopted.
On motion Bros, J. F. King, John Mitchel and S. H. Ewing were appointed a committee to examine Bro. L. G. Tucker on all the parts of trial required by the book of discipline prepared to ordination. On motion Bro. M. Holdford was added to the committee.
Bro. L. G. Tucker was ordered to preach five sermons Yell-ville Congregation before the next session of Pre.
The committee appointed to examine, Bro. L. G. Tucker on all those parts of trial preparatory to ordination have attended to that duty and report that the examination was equally as satisfactory as your committee had expected, and would recommend his ordination forthwith. Adopted.
Bro. L. G. Tucker was ordered to preach his trial sermon at early candle-light to night. Ordered that J. F. King preach the ordination sermon at eleven o'c. To-morrow and that Bro. A. Buchanan preside and give the Charge.
Bro. L. G. Tucker preached from Romans 6-22.
Bro. J. F. King preached the ordination sermon from 2 Tim-4C, 1 part of the 2 v. Washington presbytery having received testimony in favor of L. G. Tucker of his good moral character of his being in the communion of the church; proceeded to take the usual parts of trial for his Ordination. And he having given satisfaction, as to his aptness to teach, as to his experimental acquaintance with religion, as to his internal call to the ministry; and &. Pres. Did and do hereby express their approbation of all these parts of trial. And satisfactorily answering the questions put before him the Pres. did then and there set apart the said L. G. Tucker to the whole work of the ministry by the imposition of hands and by prayer.
Bro. L. G. Tucker was invited and took his (seat) as a member of this Pres.
[Source: Minutes of Washington Presbytery, October 5, 1855, meeting at Crooked Creek Camp-ground in Carroll County, Arkansas]
On motion an opportunity was given to any who might wish to unite with or come under the care of the Presbytery. Where Bro. L. G. Tucker an ordained minister from Washington Presbytery Arkansas. His brother Edward Hudson a licentiate from the same Presbytery presented their letters.
Bro. Tucker was received and asked to take a seat. Bro. E. Hudson was received under the care of this Presbytery.
Little River Presbytery
[Source: Minutes of Little River Presbytery, July 7-8, 1859, meeting at Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas]
L. G. Tucker - Ordained - United with Presbytery July 8, 1859, Died July 13, 1880
Little River Presbytery
[Source: Roll of Ministers in back of minute book of Little River Presbytery]
Among the first ministers to locate in Williamson County was Rev. Lewis G. Tucker. He was born in Maury County, Tennessee, January 12, 1811. At the age of twenty-five he was converted and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. At this time he was teaching school, but immediately realizing his call he entered the ministry. In 1836 he married Hannah Rhea, Stephen F. Austin's first cousin.
In October, 1857, they reached Texas and camped north of Austin at Pond Springs. Brown Davis, a colony builder, hearing about the new family rode over to their camp and extended an invitation to them to locate with him at old Block House, a fort built (and occupied by a few families) to protect the early settlers. Upon learning that Tucker was a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, Mr. Davis was more eager than ever to get him to locate with them and hold services. The meeting between the Davis and Tucker families was like a family reunion, as both were Cumberland Presbyterians. This was the first Cumberland Presbyterian sermon preached in this part of Texas. Soon afterward a church was organized with twelve members and was called Pond Springs.
Later he moved fourteen miles west of Georgetown on a farm which he cultivated for a living, while he preached over a territory in a radius of sixty miles of his home. He always traveled by horseback, and in his saddle bag could be found the Holy Bible, a hymn book, and clean socks and shirt which were ever ready through the faithful help of his devoted wife. He organized churches at Pond Springs (known now as Pleasant Hill), Elm Grove (known now as Oak Grove), Hopewell, and Hudson's Bend.
With regard to the early history of Elm Grove, which was located in the community where the Tuckers lived, the following incident is related. Located in the same community was another Cumberland Presbyterian family named Matsler, and it was through Mrs. Matsler's influence, together with the help of the Tucker family, that a Sunday school was organized. Another Cumberland Presbyterian minister, Rev. W. R. Bauchman, also moved into this community, and it was decided among them that they should build a church. While they were hewing the logs an intruder came along and demanded to know if they realized whose timber they were using. Mr. Matsler who was overseeing the job remarked that he "didn't suppose it mattered." Some curt words were exchanged, and Bauchman, realizing that trouble was close at hand, yelled out, "Hold on, Brother Matsler, I'll fix him," as he rolled up his sleeves with ax in hand, whereupon the intruder took to flight. There was no further interference, and the log church was completed. Rev. L. G. Tucker died in 1880.
In the minutes of Little River Presbytery for December, 1883, there is a petition from a group of members of the Elm Grove congregation asking that the congregation be divided into two congregations. This was done, and a new congregation was organized known as Pilot Knob, which was in existence for a number of years. Evidently this congregation and Elm Grove were later united to form the Oak Grove congregation.
[Source: History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Texas. By Thomas H. Campbell. Nashville, Tenn.: Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, 1936, pages 109-111.]
