David D. Walker

As printed in 1899

Walker, David Davis, merchant, was born July 19, 1840. near Bloomington, Illinois. His father was a native of England and his mother of Maryland, and both died on the farm near Bloomington on which the_\- resided for many years, the father passing away in 1875 and the mother three years later. David D. Walker was reared on this farm and obtained his rudimentary education in country scl 1 d, for a time, Beloit College of Beloit, Wisconsin in 1857. while still a youth, came to St. Louis, to enter upon a practical course of training for t'1" business of merchandising. The firm if ( row, Met Ireen & ( ' impart was then o m - ducting the largest wholesale dry; Is house in the city and Mr. Walker entered the employ of this house ns an office boy. He soon demonstrated that he had a genie merchandising and advanced from one pon to another until in [865, eight after he entered the employ "i tin was admitted to a partnership. His intense energy and activity caused him to overtax his strength and as a result he was compelled to withdraw from this business in 1873 and dette next two years to rest and the recovery of his health. In [880, having regained his physical vigor, Ikresumed merchandising forming at that time with Frank Eh an 1 others, the firm of Ely, Walker & 1 ompanv. The house thus founded by young and progressive men at once lock a prominent position in the trade and the expansion of its business brought about the organization and in- 1 or] m ration of the Ely & Walker 1 >r\ < goods Company, in 1883. The record of this house has since been one of constant progression.and it has become one of the famous mercantile institutions of the West. Mr. Walker has from 'die beginning of Ids career been a-indent of every phase of merchandising and of all the markets in which he has been either buyer or seller. He was trained to the business under the preceptorship of Wayman Crow, one of the most thoroughly accomplished merchants who were ever identified with the trade in St. Louis.and his success has done credit to his training. Mr. Walker married in 1862, Mis- Martha A. Beakey, dan Miter of Joseph Beakey of St. Louis. The children born to them have been Rose Marion, joseph Sidney, William II., David D. Jr., George Herbert and James Theodore Walker. Three of the sons are ass* with their father in business.

Walker. Jesse, clergyman, was and reared in Xorth < to Tennessee and settled a few 1 Xashvilk in the 1- 1 if this century. He became an itiner;

pal Church in i.v02 and was sent into North Missouri in 1807 after a year in Illinois. The next thirteen years were divided between the two territories. In 1820 he established himself in St. Louis as a Missionary and operated in the old Court House for a year. In that time he had organized a Methodist Society and procured the erection of a small frame church at Fourth and what is now Clark Avenue. He subsequently traveled and preached extensively in Illinois. Part of the time he was laboring among some of the Indian tribes then in Illinois. He did Missionary work in and adjacent to Chicago when the population was spare and introduced Methodism into that town in 1832. Having a society of ten members a deed was secured to a lot on which a church in time was erected, and the ground is now covered by the Methodist Block, in the midst of which is the Clarke Street or First Methodist Church. He died in Cook county, Illinois, in October 1835. He was a plain man in person, preaching and dress. A white cravat encircled an uncollared neck, drab woolen coat, pants and vest covered his person, and a fur hat of same color with spacious brim covered his head. No two cities of Methodism owe so much to one man 3s St. Louis and Chicago owe to Jesse Walker.

As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of St. Louis, a compendium of history and biography (v. 4) (1899). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.