More on the name Lucas

Here are some more details in the words of my dad. Thanks dad!

Let me share a little bit about the name Lucas. They were early settlers in Massachusetts in the late 1600’s. Just like in “The Last of the Mohicans” Indians raided their settlement and stole several of the children to sell to the settlers in Canada as slaves. John T Lucas' ancestors were among those captured.

When John T Lucas was 17 he was so passionate about the Union side of the Civil War he slipped south across the border and joined the Union army in Ohio. He was in the military until he had too many health problems and was discharged. He wandered for a few years and then in the late 1860’s was a buffalo hunter in Kansas where he met and married Emma Elizabeth Olds.

They married on New Year’s Day in 1871 and then moved to California. They had 8 kids and John Lucas rose to the high standing political office of county water commissioner. The family moved to Washington State and he received a land grant from President Teddy Roosevelt. While in Washington he invented a special plow called the “Lucas” plow to handle the soil in southern Washington State

The family was well loved and my grandfather Robert Levi Lucas was one of those happy farm boys. Descendants of John T still lived in that part of the country and still farm but they use more modern plows that the one John invented.

This is a family picture of John Thomas Lucas, wife Emma and 8 kids. Robert Levi Lucas is standing back center. They are in-period costume just like we do every year.

This is a still of Robert Levi Lucas who is my grandfather.

This is Robert Levi Lucas on his wedding day with his new wife Dora Isabelle Stebbins. Dora was raised in Vermont and came out to visit her Uncle Ash in Washington State and met Robert on a farm. They fell in love and she never went back to Vermont.