ROBERT WALTHALL

WALTHALL

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 13:54:00

ROBERT WALTHALL, a farmer and stock-raiser of Mercer township, was born in Greene county, Ohio, in August, 1840, the son of Alfred H. and Catherine (Byran) Walthall. The former was a son of Alexander Walthall, a native of Virginia, and the mother was the daughter of Thomas Bryan, also a native of Virginia, and a pioneer of Ohio, where Mrs. Walthall was born. Our subject was reared on a farm, received his education in the common schools, and resided with his parents until the breaking out of the late war, enlisting October 9, 1861, in Company A, Seventy-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was detailed to guard prisoners at Columbus until the following April, when he went south and participated in the following hard-fought battles: Fort Donelson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Buzzard’s Roost, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, after which, on account of disability, he was incapacitated from active duty in the front, and was detailed in guarding prisoners in Washington city and Point Lookout, Maryland, serving in this capacity until the expiration of his term of enlistment. He was honorably discharged October 9, 1864.

Returning to his Ohio home he rented a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was married September 6, 1865, to Miss Sally McKillip, a native of Fayette county, Ohio, and a daughter of James and Rachel (Mills) McKillip, natives of Ohio. James McKillip’s parents were natives of North Carolina, and Mrs. McKillip’s of Kentucky. The grandfather Mills was born in Mason county, Kentucky, and emigrated with his father’s family to Ohio in 1796, Where they erected the first house in Greene county. He there grew to manhood, and afterward figured conspicuously in Ohio’s political affairs, and was one of the signers of the constitution of that State. Mr. and Mrs. Walthall are the parents of three children—Octavia, the wife of Robert McKay, Ulysses S. and Ardilla.

After his marriage Mr. Walthall followed farming in Ohio until 1876, when he came to Adams county, Iowa. He purchased 160 acres of wild land, which he has improved, and has one of the most substantial homes in the county. He makes a specialty of raising short-horn cattle, high-grade of horses and thoroughbred swine. He has served in many local offices of trust and responsibility, with honor to himself and credit to his constituents. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Instruction Lodge, No. 275. Politically he is a Republican.