Gone to Rest
Henry Walker, One of the Early Pioneers of This County
Last Wednesday evening the neighbors and friends of Henry Walker, one of the well
known and prosperous old settlers of the county, living one and one-half miles east of
Wawaka, were startled to learn that he had died at about 5:20 that afternoon. He had been
feeling as well as usual till that morning when he suffered from bowel trouble, which grew
more severe upon him as the day advanced. Along about three o'clock, his son,
William, who resides on the place, went from the field where he was at work to get a drink
and see how his father was feeling and found him in the outhouse unconscious.
Henry Walker was the son of Christopher and Magdaline Walker. He was born in
Baltimore county, Md., May 2, 1818, and died Sept. 4, 1901, aged 83 years, 4 months and 2
days. His parents moved to Morrow county, Ohio in 1819, where he grew to manhood and
where he was united in marriage to Catherine Davis, also a native of Maryland. To this
union were born five children, three of whom survive-Nehemiah, of Stuttgart, Ark.,
William, who resides on the farm, and Mrs. Celia Pelton, of Traverse City, Mich. One of
the children died in infancy, the other, George Washington, a couple of years ago.
In 1842, Mr. and Mrs. Walker came to Noble county, Ind., settling on the farm where he
has lived for nearly 59 years. They began housekeeping in a log cabin and later built a
better log cabin, but in the course of struggles and privations gave place to modern ease
and comfort.
About five years ago, his wife bade him a fond farewell, and the end of a journey of
54 years of happy married life, she went on toward a "home of many mansions".
Thus the community has lost another of those invaluable couples who, as early
settlers, came with sturdy strength and dauntless courage into the wilderness and have so
largely helped to make "the primeval forests" blossom into fruitful farms and
luxurious homes, and so made possible the progressive thrift and culture, in school and
church, of our christian civilization.
He was the second child of a family of eleven children, five of whom survive him-
Mrs. Mary Acton, living five and one-half miles northeast of Kendallville, whose age is
now 86 years, Mrs. John Hoffman, north of Albion, John Walker, east of Albion, a brother
living in Ohio and sister living at or near Kendallville. Three children, nine
grandchildren, and five great grandchildren also survive.
The funeral services were conducted from the residence on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 10:30
a.m. by Rev. J. W. Rendel, pastor of the Free Will Baptist church at Ormas, in the
presence of a very large audience of relatives and friends and the body was laid to rest
in the Oak Grove cemetery.
Mr. Walker was a kind and loving husband and father, an honest and upright citizen and
his presence will be greatly missed by his neighbors and friends. We extend condolence
to the relatives and friends in their bereavement.