Biography - William Walker
WILLIAM WALKER. The ideal life of an American agriculturisl is perhaps
not so often attained as poets and romances might lead one to expect, but
when one sees a man not past the prime of life, comfortably settled with his
wife and children upon a fertile farm which responds with generous crops to
the thorough and systematic culture bestowed upon it, whose home is
attractive and surrounded with beautiful grounds one can but envy a citizen
so situated, especially if to this material comfort we may add that in
reputation he stands high among his fellowmen as worthy of their confidence.
Such a life is that of William Walker, a farmer and stockgrower, who resides
on section 6, Oconee Township, and was born in Boston, Mass., August 18,
1846. His parents were Edward and Rachel (Simonds) Walker, natives of the
Bay State, where the father was born in 1824 and the mother in 1820,
Middlesex being her native county. He came to Illinois with his parents,
when he was twelve years old and made his home at Alton. After awhile he
returned to Massachusetts and remained for one year and then came to Pana,
Christian County.
In that town Mr. Walker was married in February, 1871, to Miss Mary C.
McConnell, daughter of Asa and Elvira (Newport) .McConnell, natives of Ohio,
where their daughter was also born in 1844. The young couple located on a
farm in Oconee Township, which Mr. Walker had procured the previous year,
and where he has since resided. Their happy union has been blessed by the
birth of four children, of whom Edward, now nineteen years old is the
eldest. The younger ones are Carrie C., aged sixteen; Asa, aged thirteen;
and Ray a frolicsome boy of five years all of whom are living and under the
parental roof, attending school in the neighborhood.
Matters of public interest always command the attention and consideration of
Mr. Walker, who is now a member of the Building Committee which is engaged
in erecting a church for the worshiping people of the community, and he has
served for several terms as School Director of his district. He had only one
brother, Edward, who died at the age of eighteen years. Our subject is a
member of the Oconee Detective Association. He votes with the Republican
party, having always supported its principles and believes that the theory
of government which was endorsed by Abraham Lincoln is the true basis from
which to secure prosperity for the country. Both he and his good wife are
earnest and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is an
honest, upright citizen, and enjoys the confidence of all who know him. His
finely improved farm lies mostly in Oconee Township, where he has three
hundred and five acres, and twenty acres he across the line in Montgomery
County. His pleasant home is delightfully situated and handsomely and
comfortably furnished.
Extracted 16 Feb 2019 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 607-608.
