- JOEL W. WALKER (deceased) was one of the pioneer settlers
of the town of York, and in his
- active days one of its representative farms and influential
citizens. He was born in New York, June 29, 1838, and died Dec.
7, 1894. Ira and Lucina (MILLER) WALKER, his parents, were both
natives of New York, of English origin, and came to Wisconsin
in 1842, making a home on section 26, of the town of York, Green
county. Ira WALKER was the father of six children, all of whom
are dead, with the exception of Minerva, who is living on the
old home place in the town of York, with her mother; and Clarinda,
who is the wife of Nelson ROBB, of the town of York.
- Joel W. WALKER was married Oct. 13, 1867, to Miss Anna R.
EVERETT, of Monroe, a
- daughter of Lawrence and Matilda (JENNINGS) EVERETT of New
Jersey. Her parents were among the early settlers of Green county,
where Mrs. WALKER was born Sept. 29, 1846, one of a family of
seven children, of whom Byron is in Michigan; Clayton is in Minneapolis;
Jane is the deceased wife of William CAMPBELL, of Green county;
Anna is the wife of Joel W. WALKER; Helen is the wife of James
GREEN, of Beloit, Wis.; Lydia is dead; and Charles lives in Monroe.
Mr. and Mrs. Joel WALKER became the parents of the following
family; Minnie, born June 10, 1876, died in infancy; Lucina,
born Jan. 22, 1872, is the wife of Clarence DEVOE, of the town
of Adams, and has two children, Roy and Helen; Charles, born
Jan. 5, 1874, has charge of his mother's farm in the town of
York, where he married Mary SOPER, of the same town, who has
borne him two children, Raymond and Hazel; Florence, born Jan.
5, 1874, was a twin to Charles, and died in infancy; Helen, born
Aug. 22, 1875, is the wife of George SOPER, of Blanchardville,
Wis., and has three children, Minnie, Earl and Everett; Harry
M., born Sept. 15, 1877, died young; B. W., born Oct. 14, 1880,
is the youngest of the family, and remains at home unmarried.
- Joel WALKER was four years of age when brought by his parents
to Wisconsin, and was reared
- in the town of York, where he had his education in the public
schools. In his politics he was a stanch Republican, and in his
belief a Baptist. Beginning life a poor man, by industry, economy
and a wise appreciation of the opportunity for progressive and
intelligent farming in southwestern Wisconsin, he had become
the owner of a fine farm of 230 acres, which was well cultivated,
and equipped with all the modern conveniences for successful
farming. During the war of the Rebellion he bore an honored part,
as a loyal and intelligent soldier from his native State. In
1861 he enlisted in company E, 8th Wis., V. I., and did a soldier's
duty until he was discharged in 1864, on account of disability.
The command to which he belonged was attached to the Army of
the West, and Mr. WALKER participated in many bloody battles
along with his regiment, the most important being the battles
of Corinth, Vicksburg, Iuka and Iron Mountain. He survived these
and many other hard fought fields, and returned home in safety.
- Mr. WALKER attained a prominent position in his community,
where he served as school director
- and town assessor for years. As a citizen and a neighbor
he was beyond reasonable criticism, and as a husband and a father
he was all that love could desire. Mrs. WALKER, his widow, is
still living on the hold homestead, which she rents. A devoted
Christian woman, and an educated lady, in early life she was
a successful teacher, and in her later years has been all that
a devoted wife and a faithful mother should be.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 639-640.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
|