LAURINBURG — William Daniel Tucker left his mark on Scotland County, one that remains visible more than 70 years after his death.

Human fascination with the unknown and unexplained sometimes take precedence over historical fascination when it comes to the past, but every now and then it is a good idea to let the mysterious take a back seat and learn something new.

A local builder by trade, Tucker was a sought-after architect in Laurinburg and the surrounding areas for more than four decades. His work overseeing the design and construction of the First Methodist Church on West Church Street in Laurinburg, built in 1918, might be his biggest legacy.

“He was the go-to guy for upscale properties in the area at that time,” said Beachum McDougald, a local historian.

Originally born in Union County in 1880, Tucker, also known as W.D. Tucker, was one of eight children. He left home at the age of 13 or 14 and moved to Hamlet, which was known as a railroad town at the time.

In an article on North Carolina Architects and Builders, his son, Tucker Jr., raved on his father’s math skills despite his lack of schooling.

The article quotes Tucker Jr. as saying: “He could figure the cost of a building on a single sheet of paper.”

According to the article, family history states that, in the 1890s or slightly later, Tucker Sr. moved to Laurinburg, which was expanding at the time.

The year 1905 was a big year for Tucker Sr., as he married Bessie Beachum, who was from Anson County.

“He married my great aunt,” said BeachamMcDougald. “He was my great uncle, but he passed before I was born.”

The article further stated that, in the 1930s, the amount of work he gained in the area left a lasting mark on the town’s architectural development.

“He built the old Gibson school,” said McDougald. “The story is that when he bid on it, he did not realize it was to be a two-story building. When he got the job, he built it anyway and did not add to the cost.”

According to the article, examples of Tucker’s work are abundant along East Church Street, South Main Street and the neighborhood around the old Central School. He built in all the popular styles of his day, including the Classical Revival, Bungalow, Tudor Revival, Romanesque Revival, Colonial Revival and in standard commercial and industrial forms.

“He built the James L. McNair house as well as Dr. Gibson’s house next to it,” said McDougald. “His final project was the Edwin Morgan building on West Church Street. He started on the foundation, but unfortunately, he had a heart attack and passed away before he could complete it. Fred Mabry completed the building.”

Tucker passed away on March 31, 1949, at the age of 68. His final resting place is Hillside Cemetery in Laurinburg.

JJ Melton can be reached at [email protected]. To support The Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/subscribe.