Biography
Ford Kawood Lucas was born in Riner, Virginia on November 10, 1894. His father was Davis Kawood Lucas from Christiansburg, Virginia, and his mother Josephine C. Deforrest from Warren, Ohio. Ford’s parents were married in Montgomery County, Virginia on February 13, 1894. His father was 21 years old and his mother was 30 years old when married. Ford died on May 19, 1963 at the age of 68 years old. He is buried in his hometown of Riner, Virginia within the Lucas Family Cemetery.
Ford as a child around age 5 or 6.
Family Life
Ford grew up in Ashburn, Virginia and was the oldest of six children. He had three brothers and two sisters. His brothers in order of age include Charles Deforrest Lucas, James T. Lucas and Roderick L. Lucas. His two sisters in age order include Bessie D. Lucas and Josephine H. Lucas. Ford lived in Auburn, Virginia when he returned from military service. He then married Elrica Shelburne Lucas on August 30, 1921 at the age of 26.
Ford and Elrica had two sons named Davis Craig Lucas and Samuel Lucas. The first, Davis, was born on April 7, 1925 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Before their second son Samuel was born Ford’s father passed away on June 30, 1930 at age 57 years old. Samuel was born on April 24, 1931 in Blacksburg, Virginia. On July 16, 1934, after being married for twelve years, Ford and Elrica divorced.
Ford’s brother Charles died on March 13, 1939, around the age of 40 years old. Ford's mother, Josephine, died on August 18, 1940 around the age of 76 years old. Ford remarried a woman from Pittsylvania, Virginia named Julia B. Craddock. James (Ted), Ford’s brother, died February 21, 1957 around the age of 55 years old.
Ford's Family from left to right: Josephine (Ford's Mother), D.K. (Ford's Father) holding Ford's brother Rod, a Cousin, Ford, his brother Charles, sister Bessie, and brother James.
Ford and his brother, James T. Lucas or "Uncle Ted", as he was known by many.
This photo was taken in Ted's house around the year 1956, maybe a year or less before his brother died of heart disease.
War and Military Service
Ford served in World War I as an Ensign in the Navy during 1918-1919 at the age of 25 years old. In late January of 1918, Ford was assigned to the 5th Naval District, and reported to Annapolis, Maryland for the Naval Academy. On February 2, 1918, Ford received his acceptance of Duty as Ensign (D) Class 4 g.s. and signed the Oath of Office. After completing the Naval Academy at the end of May he reported to the USS Kearsarge which he would spend around eight months of service.
While overseas in Europe, Ford was a second in command submarine chaser. In January of 1919, Ford was detached from Duty on the USSC #352 because of a medical procedure conducted at St. Vincents Hospital in New York. After two months of recovery, Ford reported to the 3rd Naval District. On April 17, 1919, Ford reported to the McCalla where he would serve until resignation.
While on the McCalla, Ford traveled to Flores Island, Ponta Delgada, and Brest, France. While in France, Ford had another procedure done to remove an ulcer from his spinal column on June 26, 1919. From France, the McCalla headed for Harwich, England.
On August 31, 1919, Ford submited his Resignation as Ensign; the Resignation was accepted September 25, 1919 and Ford returned home. November 25, 1919, Lieutenant F.K. Lucas, Appreciation of Service.
School, Career, and Later Life
Ford graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) in 1917 with an undergraduate degree in Agriculture. While at VPI he was part of the Track Squad, the Montgomery County Club and the Tennis Club. He was given the nick name “Burley” during his time at VPI. In 1920 he earned a master's degree in Vocational Agriculture at VPI after leaving the Navy. On February 26, 1922 he became an Agricultural Instructor at Floria Vocational School Herndon, VA.
From 1924-1928, he was an enrolled student at University of Virginia Medical School, earning his M.D. as a General Practitioner. He interned at Vassar Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY because he had an interest in becoming a surgeon. This dream came to a halt for Ford when he ended up having a freak mishap while in an ambulance which led him to loosing part of his vision in one of his eyes. In 1942, he listed himself as self-employed on a WWII Draft Registration card by having his own Doctor's office in Blacksburg. In his later years, Ford spent a lot of his free time writing poetry and whittling wood.
Ford's graduate page from VPI's 1917 yearbook.
Source: VPI Class of 1917 collection from Virginia Tech University Library.
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Click on the above image to view a digital version of Ford's Gravestone and Obituary.
The above collection of pictures include Ford Lucas's Obituary from the Montgomery News Messenger and his gravestone located in the Lucas Family Cemetery on Childress Road in Riner, Virginia.
Sources: Obituary provided by the Montgomery Museum and the gravestone picture from Ancestry.com.