COUNTY HISTORY BOOK: COMANCHE COUNTY HISTORY; Comanche County Historical Society, 1981, p.717; FHL 978.179 H2c

Tinker, "Bob"
Hiram Alwin "Bob" Tinker was born at Humboldt, Nebraska, April 29, 1881. His parents were Edward Porter and Frances Quackenbush Tinker. Anna Luce Tinker was born June 6, 1886 to Leonard Parker and Mary Casteel Luce at Hubbell, Nebr. On July 3, 1904 Bob and Anna were married at Hebron, Nebr. They set up housekeeping and farming on a farm owned by L.P. Luce southeast of Hubbell until 1910.
E.P. Tinker had purchased a farm, 880 acres, from W.T. Falkner 3 miles northwest of Coldwater. Bob and Anna moved from Hubbell to Coldwater with their three children--Alwin Paul, Donna Marie (m. John S.Thompson), and Forrest Leroy--to join his father in farming. They shipped their household goods, livestock, and farming equipment by train to Coldwater. Upon arriving here, their household goods, except the piano, were stored in the barn which burned. They were left with only a piano. The piano stayed with the family for many years and was finally sold to Mr. and Mrs. John Bilss, neighbors of theirs.
While living at Coldwater, six more children were added to the family--John Ross, Doris Pauline (m. John T. White), Mary Frances (deceased), Dwight Luce, Floyd Robert (deceased), and Jean Ann (m. Lee McKnight).
When the depression hit and the farm was lost, Bob, Anna, and younger children moved to Oklahoma in March 1930 to a farm later owned by Gardiner Lyon. Bob operated the farm in partnership with Gardiner until April 1948 when Bob sold out his interests and moved to Oregon. During their residence in Oklahoma, Roberta Eileen (m. Donald Todd) came to bless their home.
When they were enroute to Oregon, disaster struck again in form of fire and their trailer house burned with all their possessions. Still undaunted, they traveled on to Roseburg, Oregon where they purchased an acreage and set up in the chicken business for a few years. When egg prices dropped to the point of no profit, Bob then hired on at the sawmill and worked until retiring.
Bob and Anna always enjoyed the milder climate in Oregon and stayed there until their deaths.
Bob's death was July 2, 1970 on the eve of their 66th wedding anniversary. Anna's death was October 24, 1972. Burial was in Crown Hill Cemetery, Coldwater, Kansas.