David was the son of Susanna McElwee. He was born near Yellow Spring, Hampshire Co. VA. (WV after June 1863) In 1792 his mother married Jacob Clutter. Mr. Clutter had previously been married to Catherine McElwee who was probably related to David's mother. David grew up on the Clutter farm located about a mile east of Yellow Spring. During the War of 1812, David served from Sept.1812 to Apr.1813 in Capt. Park's Infantry Co., 1st Regiment Virginia Militia. In 1813 he married Elizabeth Secrest (Mar.12,1791-July 12,1849), daughter of Frederick and Catherine (Switzer) Secrist and he and Elizabeth moved to Guernsey Co. Ohio. David's mother went to Ohio with them, her husband Jacob Clutter having died in 1812. At Pleasant City, Ohio, David built a tannery which he sold and bought a farm at Senecaville, Ohio. He built and operated a flour mill on Seneca Creek. He was knowledgeable of law and legal procedure and was a notary and Justice of the Peace. Although he was not a trained lawyer he was an associate judge of the Common Pleas Court, Guernsey Co. Ohio from 1823 to 1829. (At that time, Ohio law required a board of three judges and only one had to be a trained attorney) He served on the Guernsey county commission, 1822-25. He was elected in 1831 and served one term in the Ohio Legislature and in 1842 he was elected to the first Board of Directors of Wittenberg College. In 1849 his wife Elizabeth died and was buried in Hopewell Cemetery, Guernsey Co. Ohio, three of their children and David's mother are also buried there. On Dec.20, 1849, David married Nancy Roach. He traded his Ohio property for a tract of land at Batavia, Iowa and he, Nancy and some of his children moved there. In 1853 he was licensed as a Lutheran minister and was ordained a Lutheran minister at the Iowa Lutheran Synod, Winchester, Iowa in 1854. He died in 1860 and was buried in Batavia Cemetery. He and Elizabeth had twelve children, all born in Ohio.

1.Jehu "John" Tulles, 1814-1827
2.Mary Tulles, 1816-Feb.28, 1895
3. Sarah Tulles, Nov.15.1817-May 6, 1920, married James Thompson, 1810-1886. Sarah died in California.
4. Catherine Tulles, Aug.18,1912-Dec.16,1912 married twice, first to William Thompson, Dec.27,1816-Mar.4,1850 and second time to Hugh McWilliams, 1814-?
5.Susannah Tulles, 1831-Apr.19,1882 married William P. Morrison, Jr., Mar.11,1808-Nov.4,1891
6.John Tulles, 1822-1950 married Charlotte Gregory, 1821-1906
7.Perry Tulles, 1824-1910 married Sarah Wheeler, 1827-1904
8.Maria Tulles, 1825-1831
9.Elizabeth Tulles, 1826-1906 married Alfred P. Heaton, 1821-1876
10.Lavina Tulles, 1831-1871
married Christian Moyer, 1825- ?
11.Rachel D. Tulles, 1833-1864 married Joseph Lawson, 1830-1913
12.David H. Tullis, 1836-Feb.2,1898, married Elizabeth Marshall, Mar.1,1840-Jan.12,1920, David died in Marion Co. Oregon.

Source: Family notes, county records and David's obituary which was published in the Sept.14,1860 issue of "The Lutheran Observer".
Note: The Tulles name is spelled either Tulles or Tullis.