America was born the daughter of William Tanner and Nancy Johnson. William and Nancy were married in Boone Co, KY on April 1, 1824. William was born in Kentucky, and Nancy in Virginia. William worked as a Millwright.

America married James T. Luke in Scott County KY on April 3, 1849. She and James had at least four sons:
1. John Thomas [1851] Kentucky +Sarah A. ?
2. James S. [1853] Kentucky
3. Albert [1856] Indiana
4. George W. [1858] Indiana

The family moved into west-central Indiana after 1853 and prior to 1860. James was farming near the town of Covington IN.
1860 census Troy Township, Fountain County, IN
James T Luke M 35 Ky Farmer
America Luke F 36 Ky
John W Luke M 9 Ky
James F Luke M 7 Ky
Albert Luke M 4 IN
George W Luke M 2 IN

Husband James had either passed away or was otherwise absent from the family before 1870.

By 1870 America and her sons were living with her brother-in-law David L. Moran, sister Catherine [Kate] and children in Andrew County Missouri. William Tanner, father of America and Kate, also lived with them. Mary Wood and Rachel Brumfield may have been single ladies who were friends of the family, or perhaps servants. They are both buried in the Moran Cemetery, Andrew County MO.

1870 census Platte Twnshp, Whitesville, Andrew Co MO
David Moran M 51 Kentucky
Kate A Moran F 51 Kentucky
Robert Moran M 23 Missouri
Samuel Moran M 21 Missouri
Elizabeth Moran F 84 Kentucky
America Luke F 49 Kentucky
Thomas Luke M 18 Kentucky
Albert Luke M 13 Indiana
George Luke M 12 Indiana
Mary Wood F 50 Tennessee
William Tanner M 75 Kentucky
Rachel Brumfield F 40 Kentucky

The next year, May 18 1871, America married Zachariah W. Richards, a widower and prominent farmer. They lived in Andrew County, just a few miles south of the Rea, Rosendale and Whitesville area on Zachariah's farmstead.