In the death of Thomas Walker, who departed this life on Friday, January the 20th,
Cedar City loses one of its familiar land-marks.
Thomas Walker was one of the first pioneers of Cedar City, coming here in the year 1851,
with his parents, Joseph and Betty Smith Walker. He endured many hardships incident to
the settlement of a new country and took an active part in the trouble with the Indians
in the years 1860-62. From an early age he showed himself to be possessed of those
qualities which go to make up the hardy pioneers of our great West. He was ever
courageous and ready to respond to the call of duty.
He was born at Low Moor, Yorkshire, England, on Christmas day 1838. He with his
parents emigrated to this country in the year 1849 and was one of the company that
crossed the plains with ox teams that same year. He spent a little less than two years
in the northern part of the state and answered the call to settle Iron County and assist
in the erection of the iron works that were contemplated at that time.
He was married in the year 1862 to Charlotte Chatterley, who with eight children, six sons
and three daughters, are left to mourn his loss. He early embraced the gospel of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and remained staunch to his faith to the end.
Funeral services were held in the tabernacle on Sunday at 3:00 PM when a large gathering
of his old friends and relatives met to pay their last sad respects to an honorable life
well spent. The speakers were Bro. John Parry, Bp. Henry Lunt, Bp. W. H. Corry,
Bro. Henry Leigh, and Bp. Foster. Appropriate music was rendered by the choir.