m»-
Roy Tucker’s death has removed
from the local scene a native New
Bernian who loved the town’s his
tory, and wanted it preserved for
posterity.
He not only loved history, but
was a part of it in this first State
Capital. He was one of the better
athletes produced here in a long-
ago era, and as a volunteer fireman
was among the daring lads who
brought world-wide fame to the
Butt^on Fire Company.
In this connection, It should be
added that Roy was the prime in
stigator in the establishment of the
New Bern Fireman’s Museum a
few years back. He got very tittle
credit for his interest and efforts,
when pubiicity releases were hand
ed out,,but at least he was made
chairman of the museum commit
tee. As such, he was a credit to
the cause.
He didn’t live to see his hope ful
filled for preservation and restora
tion of the hallowed spot where
Battleground Park is located,
across Trent river from New Bern.
It was a dream close to his heart,
and the last time we had occasion
to chat with him he talked at
length about it.
Unlike some amateur historians.
Tucker didn’t seem to be overly
concerned with tracing his own
ancestry, and pointing with pride
to members of his family tree. He
apparently took a broader view,
and was more interested in devel
oping the entire picture of New
Bern’s golden past.
Actually. Roy , was somewhat
aheii^ tif hi*'tiiqp»r‘^«iW.%w Bern-
' ihAs 4re Bbout his-
tory^ntf 'fia«Fe~>ower to them—
tut the former superintendent Uf
mails at the local post office was
already cognizant of the town’s
heritage, along with a few others,
a generation or more ago.
He was a member of the Button
hose team that set a world’s record
at Charlotte in 1911, and the record
still stands. Bob Whitley, Sr., was
captain of the team. With Whitley
and Tucker were George Herring
ton, Don Sparrow, Tom D. Davis,
Claude White and Fleet Smallwood.
Fleet |wa% driver for the horse-
drgwn wagon, and the trusty steed
that helped make the record possi
ble was named Ben Hurst, after a
leading citizen of the town.
. The mark was established on
May 20, 1911, while State firemen
were holding their annual conven
tion in conjunction with Charlotte’s
celebration of the Mecklenberg
Declaration of Independence.
Whitley, who certainly knew Roy
as well as anyone else, says he not
only was an outstanding competitor
in tournaments, but an excdlent
fireman when confronted with a
serious fire.
“While I was chief of the New
Bern fire department,’’ recalls Bob,
“I didn’t worry when I saw fellows
like Roy, Albert Jowdy, Emmett
McSorley and Bill Smith in the
thick of things.”
Just as a number of other inti
mate friends, Whitley appreciated
Tucker’s modesty. He was never
one to seek the limelight or try
to hog the gloty. This, we sus
pect, is why it didn’t worry him in
the least when the full credit due
him for starting and pushing the
firemen’s museum didn’t come his
way, as it should have.
Roy played halfback on New
Bern’s football team, back in 1913.
His teammates included Edgar
Tynes, Lyle Smith, Jamie Tolson,
George Terry, Ed Land, Fred Aber-
ly. Carlyle Harker, Fred Hardison,
and .Roy Shupp. William “Slim”-
Lewis and Charlie “Dutch” Seifert
were the coaches.
In those days, a football squad
consisted of very few players. If
you were good enough to be on the
team, you were expected to per
form the entire game. No injury,
short of something downright fatal,
was a valid excuse to limp or
The NEW BERN
0 r 2[-,. .) ~, j •
City
5 Per
VOLUME 2
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1959
NUMBER 1.5
QUALIFY FOR HIGH HONOR—These eight New Bern boys
have completed requirements for the Cod and Country
award, presented to Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts who
exemplify through study and deeds the ideals of religious
service. Left to right are Houghton Chunn Purser, Charles
Stephen Alford, James Thomas Johnson, Jr., Horace Eu
gene Stowell, David Lawrence Toler, Jr., Edgar William
Hunt, and Robert Miller Tyson, Jr. They are members of
Boy Scout Troop 13 and Explorer Troop 13. Charles Taylor,
Scoutmaster, and Ellen Carravvay, Explorer advisor, are
their adult leaders.
Miss Lucia' Didn't Mind Her
Exchange of Fame for Junie
When New Bern’s Lucia Hutchin
son got married a few years back
to a fellow from Williamston, she
was without doubt the best-known
bride in .eastern North Carolina.
Her “Rq^er Room” program on
Greenville^ WNCT had endeared
her to countless thousands of tele
vision fans.
As for the groom, folks down
this way knew lesf’^han nothing
about him, except that his name
was Elbert Sidney Peel, Jr., and
his nickname was Junie. To this
day, far too little is known about
him by the average New Bernian.
We say that because Junie, like
Lucia, is outstanding in his own
right. He is much too modest to
seek the limelight, but seeing as
how he is hitched to one of the
nicest and most talented girls this
town ever saw, it’s high time you
got better acquainted with him.
Among other things, he is the
State senator from the Second.Dis-
trict, which comprises Pamlico,
Beaufort, Martin, Hyde, Tyrrell and
Dare counties. A freshman in the
past Generai Assembly, he was so
crawl k) the sidelines.
From what we hear. Tucker was
quite a basebali player too. Be
cause of his interest in athietics,
it must have been a keen source of
satisfaction when his own son,
Roy Jr., and his daughter, Shirley,
also turned out to be outstanding
athletes.
Yes, Roy’s passing removed from
the local scene a man to remem
ber.
popular in his section that no onei
ran against him when he announc
ed his candidacy.
This political tribute from those'
who reside in his district isn’t sur
prising, considering the record of
this unassuming, soft-spoken native
of Martin county. He has packed a
tot of accomplishments into Ms
37 years of living.
Son of Elbert S. Peel, Sr., and
the forma- Myrtle Manning, he
graduated from Virginia Episcopal
High school at Lynchburg, Va., in.
1940, after graduating from Wil-
liamston’s 11-grade school in 1939.
At Williamston he was picked as
the school’s most outstanding ath
lete.
He graduated in 1944 from the
University of - North Carolina. In
college he played three years of
basketball, was vice-president of
the student body, made Phi Beta
Kappa, was tapped for the Golden
Fleece, president of Zeta Psi fra
ternity, and a member of Gim-
ghoul.
Junie entered the Navy in 1944,
attained the rank of lieutenant Cjg)
and served in the Atlantic during
World War II. When he came out
in 1947 he entered law school at
the University of North Carolina,
and graduated in 1949.
He entered legal practice with
his father at Williamston, and in
1950 was responsible for the form
ing of the National Guard unit in
his home town. Called to Korea in
1951, he served two years as a cap
tain, and returned to the practice
of law in 1953.
Despite the fact that he has been
kept pretty busy earning his hoe-
cakes, he wasn’t one to dodge his
share of community service. He
was president of the Williamston
Junior Chamber of Commerce dur
ing 1954-55; secretary-treasurer of
the Kiwanis club in 1958; president
(ContinuMi on back page)