Irwin St. John Tucker

Irwin St. John Tucker (January 10, 1886 – January 8, 1982) was an American priest of the Episcopal Church and a socialist activist. Born in Mobile, Alabama, he served as priest-in-charge of St. Stephen's Church in Chicago. He also served as pastor for St. Mark's Church in the Bowery. He contributed to the Chicago Herald-American and served as one of the founders of the Hobo College.

Early life Irwin St. John Tucker was born on January 10, 1886, in the rectory of St. John's Church in Mobile, Alabama. His father, the Rev. Gardiner C. Tucker, was the long-time rector of that church. The Tuckers had long been a prominent family in the Episcopal Church and in the American South broadly. Indeed, the Tuckers and Dandridges were founding families of Virginia. He counted among his notable relatives Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Henry St. George Tucker, Congressman Henry St. George Tucker, Sr., bishop Beverley Dandridge Tucker, journalist Nathaniel Beverley Tucker, author Nathaniel Beverley Tucker, politician John Randolph Tucker, Congressman Henry St. George Tucker, III, and judge St. George Tucker. This instilled in him a desire to emulate his family, especially his father, and pursue a ministerial career in the Episcopal Church.

He was educated in Mobile public schools, graduating at the age of 15 from high school in 1901.

Career Tucker's journalism career began in 1902 when he joined the staff of The Item; a now defunct newspaper in New Orleans. In 1906 he relocated to Chicago when he joined the staff of the Chicago Inter Ocean, but left there after a short period to pursue training as a minister in New York City where he became ordained in 1909 in the Episcopal church.

In Berger v. United States, the defendants accused Judge Landis of personal bias against those of German heritage. Tucker himself was not German nor of recent German ancestry, but his defense argued that they were "impleased" with Berger, Kruse and Germer and that Landis thereby was prejudiced toward the others in the group by extension. The case was argued December 9, 1920 and decided January 31, 1921, in favor of Tucker and the other defendants. Tucker served no time in prison.

Personal life

He married Ellen Dorothy O'Reilly, an illustrator, on July 4, 1914. They had at least 1 child, a son. He died in Chicago on January 8, 1982, at the age of 95.

Busy Philipps has claimed him as a great-grandfather.