Allen W. Walton (1936)

ARCHER, CONNALLY, SPEARS, STEVICK, WALTON

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 1/7/2012 at 10:22:11

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 18, 1936
Page 6

FORMER RESIDENT DIES AT PERRY

A. W. Walton was Pioneer Motion Picture Exhibitor

The death of A. W. Walton of Perry, who was a native of Madison county, but spent most of his life in Dallas county, was reported here this week. Mr. Walton died June 3, at his home in Perry. He was 63 years of age.

Mr. Walton was born January 7, 1873, on his parents’ farm five miles south of DeSoto. Later the family moved to Earlham, and his boyhood was spent in that vicinity. Later he entered the hotel business in Earlham, and after selling his interests there, he operated a hotel in Dexter.

In 1900, Mr. Walton moved to Perry, and entered the show business. For a time he operated what was known as the armory, later named Antlers Hall. With the advent of motion pictures he entered that field, first in the old Lyric theatre there, and then in the Grand theatre, which he operated for almost 20 years. He organized the Walton poster advertising company which he operated after his retirement from the show business in 1934.

Mr. Walton is survived by his widow; a son Harold A. Walton, of Eagle Grove, and two daughters, Mrs. H. J. Connally of New York City, and Mrs. H. M. Stevick, of Long Beach, California. Two brothers and two sisters also survive. They are: Mrs. Harry Archer and John M. Walton of Adel, Mrs. O. A. Spears of North Salem, Indiana and C. G. Walton of Des Moines.
________________________

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, June 11, 1936

A. W. WALTON DIED AT PERRY JUNE 3

Former Earlham Resident Passed Away Following a Relapse After a Serious Heart Ailment.

The following is from a Perry paper of June 3:

A. W. Walton, 63, one of the first Perry men to introduce moving pictures to the city, died June 3 at 2 o’clock at his home, 1211 First avenue. Death came suddenly and was due to a relapse which followed a serious heart ailment. He had been ill but three days.

Mr. Walton was placed in an oxygen tent this morning when his condition became critical but because of two previous attacks which left him in a seriously weakened condition he was unable to respond to treatment. He was taken ill only last Sunday.

The body was taken to the Workman Funeral home and will remain there until the time of the funeral.

Mr. Walton is survived by his wife, one son and two daughters. The son Harold A. Walton of Eagle Grove was called to Perry early this week by the father’s illness. The daughters are: Mrs. B. J. Connelley, New York City, and Mrs. H. M. Stevick of Long B each. Two brothers and two sisters also survive, Mrs. Harry Archer and John M. Walton of Adel; Mrs. O. A. Spears, North Salem, Ind.; C. G. Walton, Des Moines. Two sisters preceded him in death.

Mr. Walton was born January 7, 1873 in Madison county, five miles south of De Soto on his parent’s farm. Later the family moved to Earlham and his boyhood was spent in that vicinity. Later he entered the hotel business in Earlham and after selling his interests there he moved to Dexter where he operated a hotel.

Mr. Walton came to Perry in 1900 and entered the show business. He operated for a time what was known as the armory later named Antler’s hall. He entered the moving picture show business in partnership with “Daddy” Monroe in the old Lyric theater, located on the site of the present Fair Store, which was later burned.

Dissolving partnership with Mr. Monroe, Mr. Walton became manager of the Grand theater, which he operated for almost twenty years. It was while he was engaged in the operation of the Grand that he organized the Walton Poster Advertising company, which he has operated since retirement from the theater in 1924, when he sold his interests to Louis West. Al, as he was commonly known in Perry, enjoyed the friendship of hundreds of people residing in the city and vicinity. He was an inveterate golfer and was one of the original organizers of the Perry Golf and Country club.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen