His Quaker grandfather Edward Lucas II moved to Virginia with his Philadelphia-born wife, and his son (this man's father) fought as a patriot during the revolutionary war.
[2] He also shared the name with his uncle and some cousins, but after two sons having the name died as infants, this baby received the additional letter as a mystical precaution.
Though their married daughter died in 1844, their three sons all survived the American Civil War not long after this Edward Lucas' death.
Although the National Road bypassed Shepherdstown, it went through Harpers Ferry (the county seat), as did the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, so internal improvements were very important to the area.
Lucas first won election to the Virginia House of Delegates (a part-time position) in 1819 and continued to win re-election until 1822.
He again won election to the House of Delegates in 1830, following adoption of the Virginia Constitution of that year which increased western representation.