One of the outstanding business men of Providence in the field of industry and real estate development was the late Stephen R. Tucker, who played an important part in promoting the Oakland Beach property.
Stephen R. Tucker was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, January 15, 1841, son of Jeremiah and Mary (Godfrey) Tucker. He was educated in the public school of North Scituate, Rhode Island, and in youth entered the employ of the cotton mills in that town. He advanced to the position of superintendent and later was made foreman of the Bristol Mills. His cotton mill work then took him South for a time, when he was superintendent and erected a large mill at Nashville, Tennessee. Returning to North Scituate, he was again associated with the Reynolds mill until he was made superintendent of the Ashland mill at Scituate. His interest then veered to other lines of business enterprise, for he was a man of active and energetic disposition and initiative and vision. He was for a time interested in the Fountain Street livery stables with Samuel Stone, and he then retired in order to devote his entire time to the real estate business. It was during these years that he took an active part in the development of the Oakland Beach property.
His political views were those of the Republican party, and his fraternal affiliations were with the Free and Accepted Masons. He attended the Advent Church in Scituate, but transferred his allegiance to the Baptist Church in North Scituate, Rhode Island.
Stephen R. Tucker married (first) Ruby Jane Fisk, and (second) Olive A. Smith, daughter of John Lester Smith, of Killingly, Connecticut.
His death occurred on February 22, 1922, when he was eighty-one years old, thus rounding out four-score of useful and successful years. He was a man of generous and lovable traits, honest to a fault, strong-minded, high principled, and he was considered a potent factor in advancing important interests of his community.
Source: Carroll, Charles. Rhode Island: Three Centuries of Democracy, vol 3 of 4. New York: Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1932.