HENRY L. WALTON

WALTON, CLARK, THORP, LOVING

Posted By: Jim Miller <jdm1968@pionet.net>
Date: 4/13/2003 at 19:25:59

Henry L. Walton, of Leon, is one of the pioneers of Decatur County, having
settled on section 4, in Eden Township in October 1853. At that time the
nearest mill was at Princeton, Missouri. There was but one store on the
village plat of Leon, and that was operated by I. N. Clark and Thomas Wing.
There were not more than five or six buildings, and they were of logs. Mr.
Walton was born at Williamsport, the county seat of Lycoming County,
Pennsylvania, in 1816. His parents were George and Martha Walton, the
former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New Jersey. When Henry
was five or six years of age they removed to Marion County, Ohio, where he
grew to manhood on his father's farm. In 1838 he married Elizabeth Clark, a
native of Wayne County, Ohio. Mr. Walton moved to Jasper County, Indiana,
and in October 1853, came to Iowa with his brothers Simon and George, and a
half-brother, John Thorp. All located except his brother George, Simon
settled in Center Township, where he lived many years, and now lives in
Kansas. George also lives in Kansas, his farm joining his brother's. Mr.
Thorp lives in Leon. Mr. Walton made a location in Eden Township and
immediately returned to Indiana for his family, which consisted of a wife
and eight children - two sons and six daughters. He resided on this place
twenty-two years. He purchased a claim on sections 3 and 4, of 320 acres,
for which he paid $660. It was a Very desirable location, consisting of
both prairie and timberland. Here in this pleasant home his children grew
to maturity. In 1875 he exchanged this farm for one in Center Township. In
the spring of 1886 he rented his farm, and removed to Leon. Of their eight
children six are living - Joseph W. died at the age of twenty-seven years,
and Archibald at the age of sixteen. The wife who labored with her husband
so many years left him for the better land in 1884, and in 1885 he married
Miss Lizzie Loving, daughter of John Loving. When Mr. Walton first came
here his means consisted of about $500 and two teams. But few are left of
the pioneers of '53 and less will their number grow from year to year till
all are gone.

- Biographical and Historical Record of Ringold and Decatur Counties, Iowa,
p. 653

Decatur Biographies maintained by Stacey McDowell Dietiker with the
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