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A HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS The Leaders and Representative Men In Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities By E. Polk Johnson Volume III Illustrated Publishers: The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago — New York 1912

FREDERICK STUCY. — A man of fine initiative powers and extraordinary ability and one who has ever manifested the keenest interest in public affairs, Frederick Stucy has gained distinctive precedence as a prominent tobacco dealer and banker. He was born at Canton Glauris, Switzerland, on the 23d of March,
1846, and is a son of Henry and Afra (Stoneman) Stucy, both of whom were likewise born in Switzerland, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they emigrated to the United States in 1849, having for a destination the Swiss settlement at Vevay, Switzerland county, Indiana. The sailing vessel in which they made the voyage across the Atlantic encountered stormy weather and fifty-four days were consumed in the trip.

In due time they arrived at New Orleans and after disembarking they boarded a steamer and proceeded up the Mississippi river to their destination. Henry Stucy was a stone cutter and contractor by occupation, having been apprenticed to that trade in his native land. He was identified with this line of enterprise during the major portion of his active business career and was very successful. In 1852 he purchased a farm in Switzerland county, Indiana, and there located his family, following the work of his trade in Indiana and in Carroll county, Kentucky. He was summoned to the life eternal at Vevay in 1893, at the venerable age of eighty years, and his cherished and devoted wife passed away seven months later, her death having occurred in January. 1894 at the age of seventy-nine years.

Mr. and Mrs. Stucy became the parents of eleven children, one daughter dying in infancy and another at the age of fifteen years. Nine grew to maturity and of the number six are still living (1910). Frederick Stucy was the sixth in order of birth of the family of eleven children and he was but three years of age at the time of his parents' emigration to the United States. He was reared on the farm near Vevay and received his rudimentary education in the district schools of his home county.

When sixteen years old he enlisted in Company C. Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for a period of three months, at the expiration of which he enlisted in Company C. One Hundred and Seventeenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for six months. Thereafter he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days' service and when this last term of enlistment expired he tendered his services as a member of Company E. One Hundred and Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry-, for one year. All of the foregoing companies were organized at Vevay. Indiana. Mr. Stucy gave most valiant service until the close of the war and he was honorably discharged in August, 1865, being mustered out of the army at Baltimore, Maryland. He had seen active service all the time and was promoted from a private to the rank of lieutenant. Although he did not participate in any large engagements, he was in the valley of the Tennessee during the one hundred clays of continuous fighting. He was not wounded but while in the Shenandoah valley was severely injured by being thrown from his horse, this accident being the result of the saddle girth breaking. He suffered severe bruises and his right wrist and ankle were broken

At that time he was second lieutenant and was detailed as ambulance officer of the brigade. In September, 1862, he was captured, together with the entire company, at Shepardsville, Kentucky, by General Morgan's command, and that same day the Confederate forces were themselves captured by Union reinforcements and Mr. Stucy was paroled.

After many exciting adventures and most faithful service, and when peace was again established, Mr. Stucy returned to Vevay and attended school for one year. Thereafter he remained on the old home farm in Switzerland county until his marriage, at e age of twenty-three years. He then rented a farm near Vevay and operated the same with eminent success for three years, at the expiration of which period he removed to Ghent. Carroll county, Kentucky. Here he purchased a wharf boat and entered into the general commission business, shipping fruit, produce, and various commodities. He continued to be thus engaged for five years and succeeded in building up a large fruit trade, shipping big consignments to New Orleans and other points in Louisiana.

About 1874 he disposed of his interest in this line of enterprise and became interested in the tobacco business. It has always been characteristic of Mr. Stucy to make an exhaustive study of whatever interested him and when he directed his attention to the tobacco industry his first move was to become fully informed concerning the demands of the factories as to kind and quality of tobacco preferred. He set about to fill the demands and furnished a high-grade product. He purchased, re-dried and prepared tobacco on a large scale for a number of years, doing business with many of the largest factories, and he is now one of the best known tobacco men in the Blue Grass state. He sold large quantities of tobacco to the American Tobacco Company for many years and in 1904 confined his business to their market.

Soon after the Burley tobacco pool was formed he was urged, on account of his ability and knowledge, to become a member of the board of directors of that company, and for years he has been most active in the promotion of its interests. Mr. Stucy has other financial and real-estate interests of broad scope and importance. In 1877 he purchased large tracts of land in Texas, which have since increased considerably in value. He was one of the promoters of the Vevay. Indiana, Deposit Bank, served as vice-president of this substantial monetary institution for several years and he has been an active member of its board of directors since its organization. He is also a stockholder, director and president of the Ghent Deposit Bank in his home city. In all of his ventures he has met with the most gratifying success and he has accumulated a competency. His magnificent home at Ghent, overlooking the Ohio river, is one of the finest in Carroll county and is a recognized center of most gracious and refined hospitality.

In politics Mr. Stucy is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the Republican party in all affairs of national import but in local matters he maintains an independent attitude, preferring to give his support to men and measures meeting with the approval of his judgment. Though never ambitious for public office of any description he is ever alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with all measures projected for the general good of the community. In a fraternal way he has passed through the circle of York Rite Masonry, holding membership in the Blue Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons; Blue Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and DeMolay Commandery, Knights Templars, at Louisville. He is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Ghent, and both he and his wife are devout members of the Baptist church, to whose charities and benevolences he has been a most generous contributor and in the various departments of whose work they have ever been active.

On the 10th of February, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Stucy to Miss Anna Golay, a native of Vevay, Indiana, and a daughter of Seldon Golay, who died when Mrs. Stucy was a young girl. He was likewise born in Vevay, whither his parents emigrated from Switzerland in the early pioneer days. Mr. and Mrs. Stucy have two daughters, Ella and Estella. One son, the first born, was named Frederick, Jr., and was summoned to the life eternal when but four years of age. Ella is the wife of W. J. Rice, a merchant in Ghent, Kentucky; and Estella married J. W. Yager, a banker and agriculturist of La Grange, Kentucky.