The Walker Families of Greene County, Missouri

JUDGE RALPH WALKER.

Judge Walker is the son of Ralph and Ann (Bigley) Walker, and was born in Cloncanon House, county of Galway, Ireland, November 27th, 1831. He was educated at Ranell a College Athlone, in the central portion of Ireland, and subsequently in that historic city Londonderry, where his family name became associated with the memorable defence of that place under the leadership of Governor George Walker in repelling the attacks of the forces by King James. At the age of eighteen he came to America, landing at Philadelphia in 1851, and in that year he went to St. Louis and accepted a position under his brother John, who was the agent of the Adams Express Company at that city. He continued in that position until 1854, when he accepted the first clerkship on the steamer Badger State, plying between St. Louis and St. Paul; then on the steamer Thomas Swann, from Louisville to New Orleans, and afterwards on the Edward Walsh and Michigan, between St, Louis and New Orleans.

From 1858 to 1862 he was general freight and passenger agent of the Wabash railroad in St. Louis. In the latter year he made a trip to Liverpool, England, taking over the first cargo of petroleum oil that ever crossed the Atlantic ocean. In 1865 he returned to St. Louis, and in 1866 he came to Greene county and engaged in the mercantile business at Ash Grove; organized and laid out that town. In 1870 he was elected county judge by those who favored internal improvements regardless of party fealty. He served six years. In 1876 he assisted in the reorganization of the Kansas City and Memphis railroad, in which ho became a director, and since the sale of that road to the Fort Scott and Gulf company he has laid out and organized the towns of Everton, Seymour, Cabool and West Memphis. He is also proprietor of the Ash Grove mines.

In 1857 he was married in the city of Dublin, by the Bishop of Cork, to Frances J., daughter of Major Henry Wilson, ef Her Majesty's 32d regiment of foot. They have had eight children, seven boys and one girl, two of whom died in infancy. His eldest son, Harry W., is at present connected with the Globe-Democrat of St. Louis. Judge Walker is a Mason and Senior Warden of Christ's Episcopal Church, Springfield.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ROBERT H. WALKER.

A worthy example of the progressive twentieth century business man is Robert H. Walker, president of the Globe Clothing Company of Springfield, Missouri. He is one of the potent factors in the upbuilding of the greater Queen of the Ozarks. which has been forging ahead at such noticeable strides during the past decade. As in the performance of his industrial duties, he leaves the impression of his individuality on his work, in like manner and degree he impresses his associates. He delights in good companionship, and his greetings are uniform and friendly. In his ordinary relations and contracts with his fellow men he is quiet and modest; with his intimate friends he is frank, genial and confiding. Mr. Walker's character is strong, deliberate, candid, truthful and he is punctilious in his adherence to obligations. He is a kind and generous hearted man, an inheritance of his sterling father, who never turns the unhearing ear to those who should be heard, whose acts of benevolence are not performed in an ostentatious manner, but with quiet and kindness, following the Divine injunction not to let the left hand know what the right hand doeth. Of Celtic blood, he has inherited many of the winning traits of that noble people.

Mr. Walker was born in Liverpool, England, December 18, 1864. He is a son of Ralph and Fanny J. (Wilson) Walker, the father born in the northern part of Ireland and the mother in the Isle of Man. It was in the historic Cloncanon House. November 2/. 1831, that the late Judge Ralph Walker first saw the light of day. lie was a member of one of the oldest families of that section of the Emerald Isle. There he grew to manhood and received excellent educational advantages, attending the preparatory schools, later Ranella College and afterwards studied in the city of Londonderry, lie immigrated to the United States in [859, locating in Philadelphia, but subsequently came on west to St. Louis to join his brother, and in the latter city he accepted a position in the office of the Adams Express Company. In 1854 he became clerk on a river steamer which plied between St. Louis and St. Paul, Minnesota, later he served in similar capacity on a steamer which plied between Louisville, Kentucky, and New Orleans, Louisiana. From [852 to [862 he was general freight and passenger agent of the Wabash Railroad Company in St. Louis. In 1862 he took over the first cargo of petroleum that was ever sent across the Atlantic ocean, returning to St. Louis in 1865 about the close of the Civil war. He came to Greene county soon thereafter, and in 1866 laid out the town of Ash Grove. lie was elected county judge in 1 S70. In the early seventies he performed one of his greatest services to the locality in assisting in the reorganization of the Kansas City, Fort Scott &.Memphis railroad, thus securing a new railroad for Springfield. He became one of the leaders of the count)- in public affairs, and one of the most influential and popular men of this section of the Ozark region. He served as mayor of Springfield three different times, and gave the city splendid administrations, doing much for the general welfare of the same and winning the hearty commendation of all parties. He was a leader in a number of important enterprises here for years, and his memory will long be revered by a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances. In 1859 he was married in Dublin, Ireland, to Fanny J. Wilson, a daughter of Major Henry Wilson. She is a lady of culture and strong mentality, and is now making her home in New York City. To these parents eight children were born, seven sons and one daughter, four of whom are deceased; those living are Harry Wilson, who is a prominent newspaper man and author of New York City; Rev. Ralph J., Albert E., and Robert H., of this sketch. The death of Judge Ralph Walker occurred at Paris Springs, Lawrence county, Missouri, in July, 1907, at the age of seventy-six years, thus closing a long, useful and successful life.

Robert H. Walker was brought to America by his parents when but a child. He received a good education in the common schools and Drurv College. He began his business career by starting in the clothing business in 1880 with Jake Rothschilds, where the Holland Bank now stands, corner St. Louis street and the Public Square. Later he was in the same business with Jake Marx, then was associated with the Nathan Clothing Company on the north side of the Public Square for a period of twenty years. Three years ago he began business for himself and at the present time is president of the Clobe Clothing Company, one of the largest clothing stores in the Southwest, occupying a large and conveniently located building at the corner of South street and the Public Square, and he is enjoying a rapidly growing business, carrying a complete and carefully selected stock of goods, standard brands of manufacture and is up to date at all seasons. He employs a large number of assistants, and courteous, prompt and honest treatment is his aim.

Mr. Walker was married in March. 1891, in Springfield, to Lottie A. Levitt, a native of Iowa, a daughter of the late Col. C. F. Levitt, for many years one of the best known and most influential Masons in the state of Missouri. Mrs. Walker was educated in the Springfield schools, having removed to this city with her parents when a child.

To Mr. and Mrs. Walker one child was born, Helen Marie Walker, whose birth occurred on December 20, 1891. She received an excellent education in the schools of Springfield and Belmont College. Nashville, Tennessee.

Politically, Mr. Walker has followed in the footsteps of his honored father and is a stanch Democrat, although he has never been active in political affairs. Fraternally, he belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Royal Arcanum lodge. Pie holds membership in the Episcopal church.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES THOMPSON WALKER.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Walker was lorn in Bedford county. Tennessee, September 23. (834. lie is a son of Isaac W. and Violet Matilda I Reed) Walker.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

The name of Leonard Walker is entitled to a high position in the list of Springfield s successful attorneys-at-law, as those conversant with his record will readily attest, for he possesses the personal characteristics that should always enter the make-up of the man who essays a legal career. In addressing the jury 01 the court he is interesting, forcible and decisively natural m his native conceptions of the law — forcible in his ecru tinizing of it, direct, lucid and concentrative in his presentations, employing and using in a remarkable measure the language of the law, if not by actual Cuotation, in a vocabulary of his own, highly comparative with its best standards of legal and literary expression. He easily obtains the understanding of the court, and uniformly places himself in such relations to it that he will not be misunderstood, llis powers with a jury is well known. His arguments come from the sources upon which decisions are based, radiate the light of his judgment and investigation, and his words are but the echo of the law with wliich courts are disposed to co-ordinate themselves.

Mr. Walker was born near Ozark, Christian county, Missouri, on March 1, 1866. He IS a son of Leonard and Nancy M. (Adamson) Walker, d'he father was born m Wilson county, Tennessee, on July 12, 1812, and was a son of William J. and Polly (Adams) Walker. William J. Walker was born near Dublin, Ireland, and he emigrated to America wien a boy, just after the close of the Revolutionary war. He first located in North Carolina, later lived in Virginia and Tennessee, and was a resident of the latter state during the war of 1812 and joined Gen. Andrew Jackson’s force and fought with the famous Tennessee Riflemen at the memorable battle of New Orleans. After the war he returned to Tennessee and accumulated a handsome fortune, owning six hundred and forty acres of rich bottom land, also a large whisky distillery. He owned many slaves, but sold them after the death of his wife, and began trading in live stock, buying up large herds and driving tnem to the far South and selling them, and while on one of these trips he contracted a fever in northern Alabama and died there about 1827. Politically he was a Whig, and was a great personal friend of both Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson. Religiously he was a Baptist. Leonard Walker, Sr., W'as reared on the home plantation in Tennessee, and received a limited education in the schools of his native locality. His mother died when he was ten years of age and he was reared by an old negro mammy, who did not accord him very tender treatment. He was fifteen years of age w'hen his father died. The estate was all squandered and he w'as left practically jiennyless. When young in years he began his career as a general farmer, also engaged in the tinware business, remaining in Tennessee until 1842, w'lien he made the tedious overland journey to Missouri, stopping first near Bolivar, Polk county, and farmer there for three years, then moved to the Finley Creek bottoms near Ozark, Christian county, where he purchased a farm of two hundred and five acres, which he developed and operated in a fairly successful manner until his death, wliich occurred on January 18, 1896. He was regarded as one of the substantial, useful and worth citizens of duit county and was more or less influential in public matters. Politically he was fii st a Whig, later a Repulilican and was a stanch Union man during the Civil war period. He belonged to the Baptist church. He and Nancy M. Adamson w'ere married in September. 1842. She was born in DeKalb county, Tennessee, on July 24, 1826. and was a daughter of WTlls.Adamson and wife, pioneers of that state and there Mrs. WHlker grew to womanhood and W'as educated in the old-time log cabin schools. Her death occurred on October 15, 1901. Tw'elve children were born to the parents of the subject of this sketch, ten of whom are still living at this writing. One son, W. J. Walker, was a soldier in the Civil war.

Leonard Walker, of this review, grew to manhood on his father’s farm and assisted with the general work during the crop seasons, and he had the advantages of a good education, attending the district schools in his home community, and later was a student in Drury College, Springfield, but was compelled to leave his studies on account of failing health. When only sixteen years of age he was deputy assessor of Christian county. He has remained a close student and has become a well educated man, not only keep ing fully abreast of the times in his chosen profession, but is familiar with the world’s best literature and well informed on current topics. He began studying law when quite young and made rapid progress in the same. How ever, ill health interrupted his studies and he underwent an operation in a hospital in St. Louis in 1890. He studied in the law offices of Harrington & Pepperdine, a well-known firm in Springfield, in 1891, and was admitted to the bar in February, 1892, and ever since he has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in Springfield, enjoying a constantly growing and satisfactory business and ranking among the leading lawyers of Greene county.

Mr. Walker was married in August, 1892, to Lucy Jania Robertson, of Ozark, Missouri, where her birth occurred on December 25, 1866, and there she grew to womanhood and was educated. She is a daughter of J. W. and Martha Robertson, a well-known and highly respected family of Christian county. To Air. and Mrs. Walker two children have been born, namely: Harold AL, born on November 2, 1895, is at this writing a junior in Drury College; Helen A., born on October 26, 1896, is now a sophomore in Drury 'College; they are both making excellent records in scholarship.

Fraternally Mr. Walker is a member of the Masonic Order and the Knights of Pythias, being past chancellor of the latter lodge in Springfield and a member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He is a member of the Congregational church.

LI is.Americanism and Republicanism, neither give nor take quarter from any faction, junta or party. Practically self-educated, self-qualified for the exercise of his civic duties, fortified in his political views by the confirming theories and opinions of the most brilliant and powerful leaders of the Republican party. Mr. Walker stands nobly erect in the ranks of the gigantic national political organization to which he belongs. The principles that gave birth to it, that vitalized it in infancy, nurtured its growing years, and in its maturity impart to it, its dominant and beneficent character, are those that he advocated in the days of Grant, Garfield and Blaine, for even when a boy he had pronounced views on national questions, and he has ever been in straight and uniform alignment with the Republican party and its policies.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.