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Jane Rucker

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Jane Morris Rucker
Born(1830-01-29)January 29, 1830
Ohio, U.S.[1]
DiedNovember 10, 1907(1907-11-10) (aged 77)[2]
Everett, Washington, U.S.[3]
Burial placeEvergreen Cemetery, Everett, Washington, U.S.[4]
MonumentsRucker Mausoleum[4]
OrganizationWoman's Book Club[1]
Known forA pioneer of Everett, Washington and the first female resident of the city. Mother, partner, and avisor of the Rucker Brothers, who are known as one the first Everett's landowners and vital developers of the city, its infrastructure and enterprises.
Children7, including [5]
Signature

Jane Morris Rucker (January 29, 1830 – November 10, 1907) was a pioneer of Everett, Washington. She was the first female resident of Everett, coming to the area in 1889. Jane Rucker and two of her sons, Wyatt and Bethal, became one of the largest landowners of the city. Wyatt and Bethal executed real estate dealings and were later known as the "Fathers of Everett," while Jane served as their partner and principle advisor.

The Ruckers became one of the first two landowners and inhabitants at the site of the future Everett City. They settled on the Port Gardner Peninsular (now a central part of Everett) in 1890, bought a large amount of land, and engaged in platting the town of Port Gardner with other pioneers of the area. Later, the Ruckers joined forces with John D. Rockefeller, president of the American Steel Barge Company Charles L. Colby, and the Great Northern Railroad director Colgate Hoyt. Plans for the town of Port Gardner grew into the development of the City of Everett. Having been engaged in real estate and property dealings, the family ended up owning 50 acres (20 ha) of downtown Everett and in 1891 they were the first to put the city's platted lots on the market, gaining a considerable profit. In 1905, the family moved into the Rucker Mansion. Thanks to their efforts, the site became an elite residential area and was later named Rucker Hill after them.

After Jane Rucker's death, her sons built the Rucker Monument, which later became the family mausoleum in Everett's Evergreen Cemetery. It is considered to be the largest monument in the cemetery and one of the biggest tombs in the country. Originally, the mausoleum was adorned with a seated statue of Jane Rucker.

Early life and family

Rucker was born in Ohio on January 29, 1830. Her parents were Moses Morris and Sarah Morris. Moses served as minister for more than 50 years. Both of the parents were pioneers of Ohio.[1]

Rucker married Wyatt Rucker in 1850. Wyatt Rucker's father, similarly to Jane's, served as a minister for more than 40 years. The Ruckers were members of the Baptist Church. They had seven children, four girls and three boys.[1]

Wyatt Rucker, died on May 27, 1878, in Ohio and was buried there. On November 4, 1929 his remains were moved to a familial Rucker Mausoleum, in Everett, Washington.[6][5]

Pioneering life

Coming to Everett site

Jane Rucker and her two sons Wyatt and Bethel Rucker moved from Noble County, Ohio to Tacoma, Washington in 1888.[1][7][5][3][4]

In 1889, after James J. Hill's announcement that the Great Northern Railway would come over the Cascade Mountains to Puget Sound region, the excitement rose that it would also reach the Port Gardner Peninsula (an area formed by the Snohomish River and Port Gardner Bay, which later became a central part of the City of Everett).[8][9][3] That same year, after reading about the opportunities for development of Snohomish County, the Ruckers moved to the peninsula. They became the pioneering family of the City of Everett and Washington State.[7][10][11][12][3][4][5] Jane Rucker also became the first female resident of Everett.[4][2][1]

At the time of the Ruckers' arrival, the area mainly consisted of forests and was sparsely settled by Salish peoples. There were no roads or merchant routes, and the only way to get provisions to the area was by row boats.[1][3]

Developing the Everett City

By 1890, the family bought 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land on the Port Gardner peninsula (the site which later became Everett's downtown and central business district), becoming one of the two early landowners of the city's lands. They built their house there and started to plat the Port Gardner town in partnership with William G. Swalwell, his brother Wellington, and Frank B. Friday.[8][13][14][15][5][3][11][12][1]

Their plan of building the Port Gardner town was interrupted by Henry Hewitt Jr., a lumberman and land speculator from Tacoma. He came to the area and wanted to establish an industrial city on a much larger scale. Hewitt invited John D. Rockefeller, president of the American Steel Barge Company Charles L. Colby, and the Great Northern Railroad director Colgate Hoyt to invest into the area's development. After securing the agreement, he persuaded the Ruckers, Friday, and Swalwell to join in. They agreed to cooperate and each of them transferred half of their holdings (overall, near 800 acres (320 ha) of land) to the East Coast Syndicate.[8][3] Despite giving away a substantial part of their property, the Ruckers still ended up personally owning 50 acres (20 ha) of Everett's downtown[14] and platted one of the city's districts later known as the Rucker Hill Historic District.[12] In 1891, they were the ones to put the first platted lots of Everett on the market and received a considerable profit from it.[3]

In November 1890, the townsite was chosen to be called Everett. The Everett Land Company was organized, spurring and managing all of the Everett's rapid development. The Rucker brothers were the company's co-founders and were considered its key members.[3][11][8]

In 1893, Everett was incorporated as a city. It had its own infrastructure and enterprises and was populated by more than 5,000 people. However, the Panic of 1893 and the national economic depression that came afterwards almost destroyed the city's businesses and infrastructure; many citizens fled the area. The city's government was almost bankrupt and additionally John Rockefeller started to withdraw his investments. Surviving the hardships, the city started to recover in 1899, when James J. Hill and his Everett Improvement Company bought the holdings of Rockefeller and the Everett Land Company (more than 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of Everett's townsite). The Rucker brothers took an active part in closing the deal between the businessmen.[16][3][8]

In different accounts, Jane Rucker was praised as "a woman of exceptional ability,"[13] "intelligent and independent," and was considered not merely a mother to her sons Wyatt and Bethel, but also a partner and advisor in their dealings.[13][4] Wyatt and Bethel Rucker became two vital people in Everett's development[16][3] and were considered "Fathers of Everett."[4]

Praised as "one of the first prime beneficiaries" of Everett,[12] the Ruckers were successful real estate and property owners and dealers. They even donated their property to house Everett's factories and were involved in major city negotiations, such as the construction of the fresh water harbor. They owned the Monte Cristo Hotel and the park nearby, were in charge of the Everett and Monte Cristo Railway and of the Everett Terminal Company. They built a mountain resort, the Big Four Inn, had interests in several banking enterprises and commercial organizations, engaged in timber and mining businesses.[16][12][17][15]

Later life in Everett

Rucker Mansion, 2009

In 1905, Jane Rucker and her two sons and daughter-in-law moved in to the Rucker Mansion on a hill later known as Rucker Hill, overlooking Port Gardner Bay. The Ruckers attracted other elite families to the city area. Their house became a setting point for the whole suburban district crowded with upper class residencies.[12][4]

Personal life, family, and death

Rucker was a life member of the Woman's Book Club.[1]

Rucker died on November 10, 1907, in the family mansion in Everett, Washington.[15][5][2][3] She was outlived by her three sons – Wyatt J., Bethal J., William Rucker, and one of her daughters.[2]

Historic legacy

Rucker Mausoleum

Rucker Mausoleum, 2009

After Jane Rucker's death, her sons built a pyramid-shaped monument with a tomb inside in Evergreen Cemetery honoring their mother. It is considered to be the largest monument in the cemetery[15][5][14] and "one of the grandest tombs in the country."[4] At some point, Jane Rucker's large seated statue stood over the doorway, but it was dismantled.[4] The inscription on the door of the mausoleum dedicated to Jane Rucker by her sons read "The Pioneer of Everett, The True Wife, The Perfect Mother, The Soul of Honor."[18]

The 30-foot (9.1 m) tall granite tomb became a family mausoleum for more than 20 family members and has a 9 by 9 feet (2.7 by 2.7 m) chapel area.[4][5] The mausoleum was appraised at $30,000 ($805,000 in 2021 dollars[note 1]).[20][4]

In 1994, the Assassins movie, starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas, was filmed at the tomb.[4] Ever since the monument was built, it has attracted attention of vandals. In 2008, the damage done to the tomb and nearby graves was appraised at $12,000 ($15,000[note 1]).[4][20]

Other familial historic landmarks

Rucker Hill Park, 2009

There a few other Everett locations that bear the Rucker family name like the Rucker Hill, Rucker Avenue, and the Rucker Mansion.[21][5][3][12]

  • The 13,000-square-foot (1,200 m2) Rucker Mansion, where Jane Rucker spent the last years of her life from 1905 to 1907,[15][7][12][3] is considered "the boldest, biggest mansion" of old Everett buildings[15] and "the most beautiful site in the city." The construction was appraised at $40,000 ($1,000,000 in 2021 dollars[note 1]).[12] The Rucker family owned the mansion until 1923.[15] In 1974[12] or 1975[3], the mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places register.[15]
  • The Rucker Hill Historic District is a residential area above Port Gardner Bay in Everett, Washington. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[12]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c The approximate value converted to 2021 dollars, based on a standard adjustment of the 1913 dollar value using the Consumer Price Index as calculated by United States Department of Labor.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prosser 1903, v.II, p. 184.
  2. ^ a b c d The Spokesman-Review; Nov 15, 1907.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Oldham 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Adventure Sisters; May 12, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Muhlstein 2012.
  6. ^ Rucker Family Society; Sep 1, 1993, pp. 22–23.
  7. ^ a b c Rucker Family Society; Sep 1, 1993, p. 21.
  8. ^ a b c d e Oakley 2005.
  9. ^ Hunt & Kaylor 1917, v.I, p. 400.
  10. ^ Prosser 1903, v.II, pp. 184, 525-526.
  11. ^ a b c Hunt & Kaylor 1917, v.I, p. 401.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k LivingPlaces.com 2021.
  13. ^ a b c History of Snohomish County 1926, v.I, p. 310.
  14. ^ a b c Rucker Family Society; Sep 1, 1993, p. 22.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h historiceverett.org 2021.
  16. ^ a b c Prosser 1903, v.II, pp. 184-185.
  17. ^ History of Snohomish County 1926, v.I, p. 345.
  18. ^ Rucker Family Society; Sep 1, 1993, p. 23.
  19. ^ Bureau of Labor 2020.
  20. ^ a b Holtz 2008.
  21. ^ Rucker Family Society; Sep 1, 1993, pp. 23, 25.

Literature cited


This article is based on the text donated by the Wenard Institute under CC-BY-4.0 license.

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