Little Fork Church Notes From History - Nov. 2, 2023

Notes from History No. 11, Claim of Colonial burial at little Fork

While working on the Church Burial Ground Map I attempted to research the one of the seven claims on the find-a-grave website of people buried at Little Fork. Capt. Johann “John” Rucker born January 1, 1689 and died January 28, 1742 find-a-grave 118456319 as claimed by Dale Lee Lane find-a-grave member number 47946546 from Texas that claims most of his memorials are direct family members or extended family.

As it turns out Capt. Johann “John” Rucker is the namesake for Ruckersville Virginia between Charlottesville and Madison. And was instrumental in the selection of a site for Saint Mark’s Church according to the historical marker.

Sure enough searching our Saint Mark’s Parish Book & Levies 1730-1785 Transcribed.pdf for Rucker shows that at a Vestry meeting at Southwest Mountain Chapel on Tuesday December 11, 1733 an order that there be a parish Church erected and built convenient to the Southwest Mountain Road within a mile of the first run below the Chapel and order that JOHN LIGHTFOOT, WILLM. PHILLEPS and JOHN RUCKER pitch on the place near some good Spring within the sd. bounds and make their return to the Church Wardens.

Now, why the claim that he and his wife Susannah L. Phillips Rucker are buried at Little Fork is still in question, maybe the results from this year’s GPR testing will give us more help.

While searching for the history of Ruckersville I came across The Rucker family genealogy by Sudie Rucker Wood published in 1932 and found an interesting result. I was searching the words St’ Mark’s and found on Page 438 that John Park bought 190 acres of land on Muddy Run of the Rappahannock River, from John Chapman of Caroline, in St. Mark’s Parish, adjoining John Lathan’s (Latham’s) line, for 280 lbs of tobacco, 1737 (D. B. 2, p. 186, Orange County). The same year he sold this land to Edward Dillard of King and Queen County, 190 acres, land in the great forks of the Rappahannock River, Mary, wife of John Park, signed the deed. Witness: John Lathan(m) (D. B. 2, p. 197, Orange). Culpeper GIS records to this day that the Park Farm is on State route 640, Ryland Chapel Road East of Rixeyville and is still very close to the original 190 acres. The Dillard and Latham families are mentioned throughout Rixeyville history.