The town of Walton is located seven miles east of Newton, on the A. T. & S. F. R. R. and being near the divide between Cottonwood and Arkansas Rivers, is situated on the highest ground in Harvey County. The place, which has a population of about 250 souls, has an excellent location as a shipping point, being surrounded by a good farming country, settled up by a substantial class of farmers. Its business industries comprise two general stores; two groceries; one drug store; two dry goods stores; one elevator; two grain warehouses; one livery stable; two hotels; one blacksmith shop; one shoe shop. A first class flouring mill is needed.

Walton was laid off as a town site in December, 1871, by William Mathews. The original town site consisted of twenty-five acres, which has subsequently been increased to forty acres. The first building was erected by Mathews during the same winter and used as a dwelling. The next building was erected by Baldwin and Glynn, and after its completion was occupied by B. C. Johnson, as a general store. The third building was the railroad section house, which was followed by a stone building erected by Holley and fell. Messrs. H. B. Childs, T. J. Hawley and F. Sanders, were also identified with some of the first buildings.

On account of there being some difficulty in obtaining a perfect title to the lots, the place remained dormant until 1876, since which time a steady growth has marked its progress. Early in the year J. F. Watson became proprietor of the town site and March 11, 1876, he filed a plat of the town.

The Post Office was established in 1871, Mrs. E. Peck as Postmistress. The office was then located eighty rods west of the present town site, and subsequently moved to its present location. Mrs. Peck was succeeded in the order mentioned by R. Horton, H. B. Childs and T. R. Oldham, the present incumbent.

In 1871 a frame schoolhouse, 18 x 20 feet, was erected by subscription, for educational and religious purposes. the first school was held by Mrs. M. J. Sharron. In 1876 another frame building 20 x 30, was erected by the District. these buildings proving inadequate, a new building was erected in the fall of 1882, at a cost of $2,500. In the first school building was held the first religious services, by Rev. B. C. Johnson, of the Methodist Protestant persuasion.

An organization of the Presbyterian persuasion was effected in 1871, but after several years of existence it became defunct. The United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1872-3 with fifteen members. Services were held in the schoolhouse until 1877, when the present church edifice was completed at a cost of $1,500. Rev. J. T. Wilson, present pastor. Present membership, 175. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1876, by the Presiding Elder at that time, with twelve members. Present church edifice was build in 1880, at a cost of $1,500. Present pastor, Rev. A. J. Bixler. Present membership, twenty-five.

The First Baptist Church was organized four miles east of Walton, in the Hutching's schoolhouse, in 1876, by Rev. C. Wyman, the present incumbent. In June 1882, by an official act of the church, the organization moved to Walton. In December, of the same year, work was commenced on a church edifice, which will be completed in the spring of 1883. The Christian Church was organized two and one-half miles south of Walton, at the Mitchell schoolhouse, in 1874. In 1881, the organization moved to Walton. Rev. I. Sumner, present pastor.

Cutler's History of Kansas

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