Ebenezer Tucker

Ebenezer Tucker (November 15, 1758 – September 5, 1845) was a United States Representative from New Jersey, a Revolutionary War veteran, a local jurist, and a prominent civic figure in the development of what is now Tuckerton, New Jersey. Born in Burlington County, New Jersey, he came of age during the American Revolution and entered public life in the early national period, eventually serving two terms in the United States House of Representatives in the 1820s.

During the American Revolutionary War, Tucker served under General George Washington and took part in the Battle of Long Island as well as other engagements. His military service connected him to the formative struggles of the new nation and helped establish his standing in New Jersey public affairs. After the war, he settled in the coastal area of Burlington County that would later bear his name. He moved to what is now Tuckerton, New Jersey, where he engaged in business and shipbuilding, participating in the maritime commerce that was central to the local economy. The community, originally known by other names, eventually became known as Tuckerton in his honor, reflecting the influence he exerted in its early development.

In the early years of the federal government, Tucker assumed important responsibilities related to trade and customs. He was appointed the first collector of revenue for the port of Tuckerton, at a time when that harbor was designated the third port of entry of the United States, after New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His commission as collector bears the date March 21, 1791, and was signed by President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, underscoring the significance of the appointment. In this capacity, Tucker oversaw the regulation and collection of customs duties in a growing coastal trade center, linking local commercial activity to the broader fiscal structure of the new republic.

Tucker also became a central figure in the civic life of his community through his long association with the postal service. He was appointed postmaster of Tuckerton in 1806 and held that position until 1825, when he resigned to take up his duties in Congress. As postmaster, he managed the flow of correspondence and information in a period when the postal system was the principal means of communication between distant communities. After completing his service in the national legislature, he returned to this role and again served as postmaster of Tuckerton from 1831 until his death in 1845, providing continuity in local administration over several decades.

In addition to his federal and local administrative posts, Tucker held judicial offices in Burlington County. From 1820 to 1825 he served as a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, a justice of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and a judge of the Orphans Court of Burlington County. In these positions he dealt with civil and criminal matters, as well as issues relating to estates and guardianships, contributing to the maintenance of law and order and the protection of property and family interests in the county. His judicial service coincided with his rising prominence in state and national politics.

Tucker’s congressional career began with his election as a Jacksonian to the Nineteenth Congress, followed by reelection to the Twentieth Congress. He represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1829. Serving during the presidencies of John Quincy Adams and the early administration of Andrew Jackson, he participated in the debates of a period marked by growing partisan realignment and the emergence of Jacksonian democracy. As a member of Congress from a maritime and commercial region, he was positioned to reflect the interests of his constituents in matters of trade, transportation, and federal administration, though the specific details of his committee assignments and legislative initiatives are less fully documented.

After leaving Congress in 1829, Tucker resumed his business interests and local responsibilities in Tuckerton. His reappointment as postmaster in 1831 and his continued engagement in the community’s affairs reinforced his role as a leading local figure well into his later years. He remained in Tuckerton until his death there on September 5, 1845. Tucker was buried in the community that bore his name, and his grave is marked by a most prominent obelisk, a testament to the regard in which he was held by his contemporaries and by subsequent generations in the region he helped to shape.