Walker Township

Walker Township

The town of Walker is situated in the central portion of the township (n. Vn se. and se. ne. sec. 16, and s. % nw. and n. % sw. sec. 15), on the M., K. & T. The site is in the midst of a fine

The town was laid out in December, 1870, by the Walker Town Company, of which J. R. Barrett, of Sedalia, was presi¬ dent ; IT. L. Marvin was the surveyor. Hiram F. Walker, an old and prominent resident, for whom the town was named, and William Leslie, were the original owners of the land. Maj. B. J. Clinton, who located here a few years before the war, was per¬ haps the first settler in the vicinity.

Like many another town, Walker owes its origin to the building of the railroad. It was platted soon after the line was constructed to Fort Scott and grew apace.

Walker at this time has a population of 480 people, and in addition to its being the market for the usual crops of corn, wheat and oats raised in that vicinity, it is a prominent ship¬ ping point for live stock and hay. In an ordinary year from 250 to 300 car loads of live stock being shipped, and from 800 to 1,000 car loads of hay.

The town was incorporated as a city of the fourth class in 1886, and has an excellent graded school organized in 1883, caring for pupils up to the eighth grade, with an enrollment of 100 at present. The principal is Miss Phenia Floyd, assisted by Miss Blanche Gass and Mrs. Thomas Cannon. There are five organized churches, Christian, Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of the Latter-Day Saints, Methodist Episcopal.

The Walker ''Herald" was established in the summer of 1882 by S. J. Preston wTio, since that time, has been continuously recording the births, deaths, joys and sorrows, together with the expectations and realizations of nearly two generations of the people who have made Walker and vicinity their home.

The Farmers' Bank of Walker, with a capital stock of $10,000.00, is a safe and reliable institution, of which E. T. Letton is president and R. K. Palmer cashier.

The secret and fraternal orders are represented by the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America, Rebekahs and the Royal Neighbors.

The I. 0. 0. F. of Walker own a fine two-story building, the lower story being used for stores, while the upper story is a large and well-appointed hall, which is used by them and the other lodges in the town as a lodge room.

The health of the community is looked after by Drs. C. B. Davis and L. II. Moore. Logan & Moore sell lumber and build¬ ing material ; Dale & Son, hardware and implements ; Henry Boyer & Son carry on a general store; John A. Buck sells furni¬ ture and groceries; A. Cherry runs the livery stable; J. H. Higley operates a feed mill; Jim True, the harness-maker; Ed. Prichard runs a restaurant, and Otis Ferguson looks after the tonsorial parlor.

L. D. S. Church at Walker. The first preaching done in Walker by ministers of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was by Elder Alfred White, about 1891. He was soon followed by others, among whom were W. S. Macrae, I. N. White, Corner Wells, A. J. and F. C. Keck.

Several were baptized in 1892-94 and united with the Veve branch, but February 10, 1897, were organized into the Walker branch. For several years they rented a hall for services, but in 1906 they bought a store building, moved it onto a nice lot and remodeled it into a neat chapel.

Christian Church, Walker

Unfortunately this church lias no preserved records previous to 1883. The church house was built in the year of 1883 at a cost of about $1,600, and was dedicated October 28, 1883, by M. M. Davis. The elders elected were J. B. Rains, M. C. Darr and J. V. Cowan. Deacons elected were J. S. Rains, Caleb Embree, I). H. Clinton and J. W. Martin. Preachers employed to serve as pastor of the church were William Birge, W. W. Blaylock. W. II. Bryan, J. M. Clavpool, J. M. Rudy, J. II. Jones, O. II. Ishamel, Slaid, Ben F. Hill, McGee, Cook, J. D. Pontino and J. P. Adcock. Elders at this time were J. V. Cole, J. M. Compton and Charles Canon; deacons, E. F. True, S. T. Prewitt, James Forman, W. T. Prewitt and G. II. Boyer.