Mission 002: Tucker Family Cemetery Research Notes

On January 3, 1624 in Jamestown, a healthy male African was born to Anthony and Isabelle indentured servants of accomplished sea captain, William Tucker. Captain Tucker was the Commander of Kecoughtan (what would become known as Elizabeth City County and later present day Hampton) and a wealthy plantation owner.

Now let’s get the facts as we know them straight, God knows it has been totally confusing over the past 400 decades!

At one time Jamestown encompassed the shores that extend from the Chesapeake Bay to the present day National Park site of the Jamestown Village outside of Williamsburg. This would explain why the history reads William Tucker was born in Jamestown. Actually he was born on the property of Captain Tucker that was located in West Hampton between the interstate and Aberdeen Gardens. Today we know this property as Blue Bird Gap Farm. Clearly this was a massive piece of property at one time in that the Tucker Cemetery is actually located about a ½ mile from the present day Blue Bird Gap Farm.

His parents Anthony and Isabelle are said to have been a married couple. Now according to the interpretations given at Colonial Williamsburg a standard indenture contract was five years. At the end of their contract they were legally married what’s speculative is that who married them, as a sea captain William Tucker could have performed the ceremony.

Soon after the birth of baby William he was baptized and recorded in the Church register. The question is was he registered in a Church nearer to the present site of the Jamestown Village or was he recorded in the St. John’s Church in the present day Hampton. There is much about baby William that is still being researched,

Little Known Facts about Tucker Cemetery

·         According to the city of Hampton, Captain William Tucker was buried with his slaves in the Tucker Cemetery. The problem is that there is only one grave that has been disinterred, could this have been the resting place of Captain William Tucker?



·         The cemetery is owned by the Old Dominion Land Company closed business.

·         It is 2 acres.

·         We know that there are over 100 burials in the cemetery. 

·         The cemetery may have also been referred to as Little Zion Cemetery. Proof or dispelling of this will be provided as we are restoring the cemetery.

Courtesy of City of Hampton

More information on the Cemeteries can be found at

historiccemeteries.parks.officelive.com