Who We Were, Are & Will Be Our Family: Walker

Showing posts with label Walker. Show all posts

01 June 2022

New Sign at Powell Canyon Cemetery (Custer County, NE)

I have never visited it, but yet I have told my wife and family it is where I would like to be buried. I consider Custer County, Nebraska my ancestral home; and Powell Canyon my ancestral cemetery. Out of a listed twenty-nine graves, seven are direct ancestors (Phoebe Chesley, Charles H. Chesley, Candis Chesley, Warren D. Copeland, Lucy M. Copeland, Herold C. Walker, Norman Walker) and the more I research the more I learn the others are extended family.

I was doing a rudimentary search on Newspapers.Com and found the following last year --

What a beautiful sign! What a beautiful gesture! I was moved to track down the family and thank them. And when I did, wouldn't you know what I discovered? The Brooks family are kin too.

22 July 2021

Signature of 9xG-Grandfather Capt. Samuel Walker (1639)

(Click to Enlarge.)

This is the signature of my 9xg-grandfather Capt. Samuel Walker (1615-1684). He was the first of my Walkers to come to North America, we think immigrating in 1637, seventeen years after the Mayflower. Because he was a Scottish Presbyterian, the English Presbyterians would not let him settle in Massachusetts Bay Colony. So he and his fellow travelers went to Exeter, New Hampshire for some years, before moving back to Reading, Massachusetts and finally settling in Woburn, Massachusetts.

The document is The Exeter (New Hampshire) Combination of 1639, pledging loyalty to God and King, but also saying "We are not like those from Massachusetts."

19 July 2021

Another Case of Family Tree Serendipity (years 1668 and 1855)

"In 1668 Thomas Dutton [of Woburn] brought an action of slander against Michael Bacon Jr., who had charged him with being a thief…The following paper also appears as evidence in this case and is very valuable for its autographs: Wee whose Names are under written testyfy that Thomas dutton having lived amongst us in the Towne of woburne nere the space of tenne yeares, has bine very Industrus in his calling and and has not to our knowledg bine any way given to steall or to take any thing that is not his owne. Josias Conuars, William Johnson, Mathew Johnson, James Conuars, Samuell Conuars, John Broockes, Thomas Peirce, Samual Walker senyer, John Russell Junior, henry broockes, Isack Broockes, Edward win, Richard Gardner, John Russell Sen., John Carter.
"The plaintiff obtained a verdict of fifteen pounds."

-- Johnson, E. F. (1906). Woburn Records of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. United States: Andrews, Cutler, & Company, 3:83, footnote to Dutton.
-- AmericanAncestors.org,, Middlesex County, MA, Abstracts of Court Files, 1649–1675 (online database, 2003). Unpublished abstracts by Thomas Bellows Wyman, "Abstract of Middlesex court files from 1649," n.d.: 2:48, Dutton vs. Bacon.

Thomas Dutton (1621-1687) was my 8xg-grandfather, and Samuel Walker, Sr. (1615-1684) was my 9xg-grandfather.

One hundred and eighty-seven years later, in 1855, in the small town of Metamora, in central Illinois,

my 2xg-grandfather Henry Walker, Sr. (1829-1865) married my 2xg-grandmother Louisa Dutton (1833-1913). Direct descendants of Samuel and Thomas.

17 July 2021

Visit to Family in Nebraska (1964)

In 1964 my Dad, Paul Walker (1929-2019), took his budding family back to Nebraska to visit all the family. Our Mom Brenda Walker Cox (nee. Gibson, 1938-1989) is holding my brother. That is me wearing my new Dix (Nebraska) High School sweatshirt (when it was obviously summertime warm outside), and trying to show off my missing tooth. We are at Lee and Linnie Wistrom's (1906-1986) home in Kimball, Nebraska. Lee (nee. McNeil Walker, 1907-1980) was my Dad's oldest sister.

15 July 2021

Small Town Joy Evident in the Social Page (1941)

From the social pages of the Arnold Sentinel (Arnold, Nebraska), June 5,1941, Thursday, Page 4 --

Herald and Jerald Walker visited Sunday with their brother, Norman Walker,
and their cousins, Wayne and Paul Walker, of Dix, Nebraska.

What is so special about this? Norman is 14 years old, Paul is 12, and Wayne, Herald, and Jerald are all only 10 years old. And this is reported in the social pages of the local newspaper. In 1941, Arnold was the home to about eight-hundred souls.

A good friend of mine said jokingly, and with a smile on his face, that "Hedda Hopper had nothing on this reporter." But that is the point of it, isn't it? Small town charm versus the action, drama, and celebrity of high society.

To each their own, but give me the small town.

14 July 2021

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Kids Football (1940)

I date this circa 1940 in Dix, Nebraska. Left to right -- Bobby Wistrom (1930-1999), Wayne Walker (1931-2018), and Paul Walker (1929-2019).

Bobby was my first cousin, Wayne was my uncle, and Paul was my father.

13 July 2021

Tombstone Tuesday: Herold C. Walker (1892-1892)

Herold C. Walker

Born: January 13, 1892, Custer County, Nebraska

Died: April 13, 1892 (aged 3 months), Custer County, Nebraska

Burial: Powell Canyon Cemetery, Custer County, Nebraska, USA

Had he survived, Herold would have been my granduncle.

12 July 2021

Amanuensis Monday: Postcard Home

(undated: Circa 1915)

Mrs. K.G. Walker

Dix, Neb.

Show this to some of them so will know where I am at. Keith

"Well, geesh Kevin, that is not much of a transcription." Yeah, I know but for me it is an emotional one. My Grandpa Keith Walker (1894-1980) lived and worked on the Union Pacific Railroad. But in his heart he was a family man. He was writing home to his wife and large family wanting them to know where he was.

This day it was Rawlins, Wyoming.

07 July 2021

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Paul E. Walker (1929-2019) and His Son Kevin (Circa.1960)

05 July 2021

Wayne Needham Walker (1931-2018) Decorated Graduate

From The Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball, Nebraska), May 22, 1952, Thursday, Page 10 --

Wayne Walker of Dix.
Son of Keith Walker of Dix, Wayne is a cum laude graduate at Kearney with a major in mathematics and minors in physics and chemistry. Affiliated with the Caledonian fraternity; Lambda Delta Lambda fraternity; national honorary physical science organization; XI Phi, national honorary scholarship and leadership fraternity; and the Men's League, Wayne has also served as president of Lambda Delta Lambda and on the Men's League Council. Following graduation, he plans to attend Naval Officers’ School.

Wayne Walker was my paternal uncle.

30 June 2021

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Best Buds Keith Walker and Lindsay Mylar

Best friends Keith G. Walker (seated, 1894-1980) and J. Lindsay Mylar (standing, 1894-1976),

in 1912 on left, and in 1967 on right.

Keith G. Walker was my grandfather on my paternal side.

29 June 2021

Tombstone(less) Tuesday: Pvt. Henry M. Walker, Sr. (1829-1865) at Chalmette National Cemetery, New Orleans, LA.

I have made several big discoveries as a genealogist and family historian. But probably my proudest, most emotional, and most rewarding was finding the grave of my gg-grandfather Henry Walker, Sr. who died in a railroad accident during the Civil War. Another part of the circle closing the story has been fulfilled. My son Paul went to the grave and placed American flags over his burial spot, and the spots of those who died along his side and are buried with him.

He is buried at Chalmette National Cemetery outside New Orleans. In the second picture you can see that he and his fellow comrades who died in the railroad accident do not have grave markers. The cemetery did not even know they were buried there until I found records from the 1880s at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Now we negotiate getting them grave markers.

Step 1, he is found; Step 2, thanks to Paul, we have acknowledged him; Now it is time for step 3, for the government to give him his marker. By federal law, all veterans are entitled to one.

23 June 2021

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Close Cousins

My uncle Wayne Walker (1931-2018) on the left; My dad Paul Walker (1929-2019) on the right, and their cousin Anne (Walker) Shadel (1920-2004) in the middle. Circa 1945. My Dad said of all his cousins he felt closest to Anne. This picture sort of shows that, the way he tilts his head in toward her.

21 June 2021

Amanuensis Monday: Divorce Record of Lucy M. (Chesley) Walker against Henry M. Walker (1897)

(Click on images to enlarge.)

In the District Court of Custer County Nebraska

Lucy M. Walker

vs.

Henry Walker

Comes now above named plaintiff and for cause of action against the defendant alleges that she and said defendant have been residents of Custer County Nebraska for upwards of ten years last part and that said plaintiff and defendant are now residents of said county and residing therein
That on or about the 26th day of October 1884 she was married to the defendant

That there are three children now minors resulting from said marriage to wit;

Lynn C. Walker aged 9 years

Norman A. Walker aged 7 years

Keith G. Walker aged 2 years

That during all of this time since said marriage that this plaintiff conducted herself toward said defendant as a kind and indifferent wife.

That said defendant not keeping his marital duties and vows at various times and repeatedly was guilty of repeated and extreme acts of cruelty by the use of acts of personal violence and other means against this plaintiff

That defendant is a person of loose and dissolute habits and that it is dangerous to the lives of the children herein named and of plaintiff to live with defendant or to continue further in the marriage relation with said defendant

That said defendant is not a proper person to have the care and custody of said children by reason of his vicious and immoral habits

That plaintiff is a person fitted and able to take charge of said children and their care custody education and control

That the defendant has been convicted of a felony in the District Court of Custer County Nebraska and has been sentenced to imprisonment in the penitentiary of this state for the term of three years and over by said court and no error has been persecuted therein

Wherefore plaintiff prays for an absolute decree of divorce from said defendant and for the court to award to her the care custody and control of said children absolutely and without any interference on the part of said defendant and for such other further and different reliefs as to the court may be just and understandable.

Lucy M. Walker

By J. R. Bean, Atty.

________________

The State of Nebraska

Custer County

Lucy M. Walker brings forth duly sworn deposes and says that she is plaintiff herein that she has read and swears the contents of said petition; that the facts stated herein are true as she verily believes

Lucy M. Walker (signed)

Inscribed in my presence and sworn to before me this 11th Day of December 1896.

J.R. Rhoades

County Judge

_________________

In the District Court of Custer County Nebraska

Lucy Walker

vs. ANSWER

Henry Walker

Comes now the defendant Henry Walker and for answer to the petition of the plaintiff filed herein -- admits the marriage of the plaintiff and defendant as alleged in the plaintiff's petition -- But denies each and all of the other allegations therein contained.

Henry Walker

By Cameron & Reece

His Attorneys

Verification waived

J.R. Bean (signed)

Atty for Plaintiff

20 June 2021

Happy Father's Day Paul E. Walker (1929-2019)

I miss you.

19 June 2021

Zeroing In on British Ethnicity with LivingDNA

All my DNA tests have indicated I am by far mostly British, Scottish, and Irish. Knowing this I was excited to get tested by LivingDNA, a British-based DNA service that specializes in getting specific about the regional results in the British Isles. Well my results are in. It seems I am mostly East Anglian, originally the home to the Anglo-Saxons. Then coming in second are the Scots and Orange Irish (Protestant Northern Ireland). My grandmother always told me she was Welsh, there is a little bit of that too. This dramatically confirms my paper research, and opens up opportunity to dig deeper. More follow up later. (Click on image to enlarge.)

16 June 2021

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Lucy May Walker Copeland (nee. Chesley 1866-1940) and Warren D. Copeland (1859-1942)

At their homestead in Custer County, Nebraska. Lucy was my g-grandmother on my father's paternal side. Warren was her second husband, and reportedly a great father to my grandfather.

11 June 2021

Why Do I Love Nebraska? Because Nebraska Loved Me First!

Sixty-years ago, from The Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball, Nebraska) --

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Wistrom received the announcement of the birth of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Walker of California on Jan. 22. He has been named Kevin Wayne. Paul Is the uncle of Dick Wistrom. He graduated from the Dix High School.

I was born in California, but they were talking about me in Nebraska! I do genealogy because of family. My family roots are in Nebraska. In many ways I consider it my home state, but I have never lived there.

10 June 2021

Paul Walker Training as Aircraft Engineer (1948)

From The Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball, Nebraska), June 24, 1948, Thursday, Page 9 --

PAUL WALKER TRAINING AS AIRCRAFT ENGINEER
Pfc Paul E. Walker, son of Keith Walker of Dix, has been assigned to training as an aviation engineer at the Air Force school at Ft. Francis E. Warren In Cheyenne, it was revealed this week. He enlisted recently in the Air Force under the career plan which allows high school graduates to pick the type of training they desire.

Paul Walker was moved to the school of cartography. Upon the end of his enlistment he became a public school teacher which he remained for well over thirty years. Paul E. Walker (1929-2019) was my father.

07 June 2021

Amanuensis Monday: U.S. Army WWII Telegram/Citation for Glenn L. Walker (1917-1993)

Private Glen L Walker 37072436. Infantry United States Army.
For Heroic Achievement in connection with military operations
against the enemy on May 28, 1943, during the Attu Operation.
After a desperate fire fight with the enemy, Private Walker's company
was left in a situation so hazardous that it was deemed advisable
to withdraw to a higher position in the rear. After withdrawing
about five hundred yards it was discovered that two casualties
had been left to the mercy of the enemy. Private Walker immediately
volunteered to assist in the rescue of his comrades.
With complete disregard for his personal safety, Private Walker's
heroic action was inspirational to his comrades and reflected
great credit upon himself an the military service.

Glenn Lynndon Walker was my 1st Cousin, 1x removed.