Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 997 - 999 

JOHN G. WALKER, an influential member of the agricultural community of Delano Township, having his home on section 6, was born in Hocking County, Ohio, April 22. 1842, and is the son of John M. and Anna Katharine (Wich) Walker. His father and mother were both born in Saxe-Coburg, Germany, and came to this country in 1837, settling in Ohio. His father was born in 1817, and had married in his native land the widow of Frederick Roof, who died Dec. 24, 1837. She became the mother of our subject.

             Mr. Walker, of whom we write, was reared upon a farm, and received but a limited education in his youth, on account of his having been compelled to aid his father in the work at home. After coming of age, he sought employment in the neighborhood, and worked by the month, and, with a sad improvidence which he still regrets, spent his earnings as fast as he received them. March 27, 1870, however, he was united in marriage with Miss Sophia Beery, a native of the same county as her husband, born June 27, 1851, and daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Blosser) Beery, who were of German descent, and are both now numbered with the dead. The former was born June 17, 1815, and died June 27, 1862. The latter was born June 4, 1815, and died April 27, 1869. They were members of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ's Church. The sentiments of this esteemed couple were expressed on their tombstones in the following beautiful, hopeful language. That on the father's read thus:

 Farewell, vain world, I am going home,

My Savior smiles and bids me come.

Bright angels beckon me away,

To sing God's praise in endless day.

The verse placed on the mother's headstone was as follows:

Dearest children, do not weep,

I am not dead, but here to sleep.

Though cold and silent is my bed,

My rest is sweet, my sorrows fled.

            Having now a wife upon his hands, Mr. Walker mended his ways, and the summer succeeding his marriage rented a farm in his native county, upon which he raised a crop, but in the winter, following the advice of the illustrious Horace Greeley, the young couple moved West, and settled in Anderson County, this State, where he rented a farm and cultivated it, and harvested the crop, but in the spring of 1872 moved to Sedgwick County. On his arrival here he pre-empted the 160 acres of land which constitute the farm where he now lives, and at once entered upon the task of breaking up the tough prairie sod, so covered with weeds and sunflowers, and putting it into a shape fit for tilling. At that time Wichita contained but a few little shanties or box-houses, and all of the land west of Cowskin Creek was a vacant and uninhabited waste. His wife having inherited the sum of $1,500, they had enough capital to start with better prospects than most of the settlers in this part of the country, so he immediately put up a house, broke some of the ground, and raised a small crop of good corn the first year. He went to the trouble, also, and to no little expense, in setting out some fruit trees, the nucleus of an orchard, and has now, by his perseverance and industry, backed by the economy and excellent management of his good wife, as good a farm as there is in the township. He is the owner of a comfortable and substantial residence, a good and neat barn and other out-buildings, an excellent orchard, in which can be found apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, etc., and, in short, is surrounded by everything that is necessary to make life agreeable and home pleasant.

             Our subject and his wife are both members of the Jamesburg Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the former holds the position of Class-Leader and Steward. They are both of a free-hearted and generous disposition, and contribute freely toward the support of the Gospel, and gave considerable sums to aid in building the edifice where their worship is held. In his politics Mr. Walker usually votes for the Democratic party, but takes no active interest in that field, nor is he a seeker after office. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have a family of four children, as follows: August H., born June 22, 1871; Annie R., June 6, 1873; Charles W., Dec. 14, 1874; and Matilda C., Nov. 23, 1877.

             The subject of our sketch is the fifth child in the family of his parents, who had nine, all of whom are living, as follows: Johanna, the wife of Carl H. Beerhouse, and the mother of six children, is living in Delano Township, this county; Fred R., who was a volunteer during the entire war of the Rebellion,  married and has a family of six children, and lives in Perry County, Ohio; Chris., a resident of Pickaway County, Ohio, is also a veteran of the late war, and has a family of several children; Joseph is married and living in Kiowa County, Ohio, and is the father of four children; John S. is the subject of this sketch; William F. is married and living in Hocking County, Ohio; Sarah, now Mrs. Daniel Engle, has her home in the same county and State; Matilda, who married Philip Rudy, is living in Dayton, Kan.; and August H. is also married, and lives at Danville, Ill.

             Mrs. Walker is the seventh child in a family born to her parents, of whom the following is a record: Benoni, who served during the late war, is married, and living in Darke County, Ohio; Lucinda married Jacob Geil, but is now a widow, and lives in Warren County, Iowa, with her six children; Sarah, Mrs. George Boyer, has a family of eight children, and has her home in Darke County, Ohio; Mary Ann, the wife of Daniel Widner, has a family of six children, and lives in Moultrie County, Ill.; the next child was Mrs. Walker, the wife of the subject of our sketch; John H., the youngest child, is married and has a family of three children, and resides in Indiana.

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