Sankey, Winfield S.

SANKEY

Posted By: Wayne K. Sankey (email)
Date: 11/26/2007 at 01:06:51

W. S. Sankey came to Walnut from Blairstown, Iowa, with his parents, the family consisting of seven children, in November, 1873, and has been a resident of Walnut ever since. For more than forty years Col. Sankey followed the line of an auctioneer, being known all over southern Iowa as one of the best auctioneers that ever cried a sale. His services were in wide demand, and he was kept busy during the sale season retiring from active work about three years ago.

Scott’s father, Joseph Sankey, purchased the old Brigham farm of 200 acres, now occupied by Glenn Babbitt, north of Walnut, where he farmed for several years. His father also owned and conducted the old Central House, just north of the Exchange State Bank building. His brother, John Sankey, was proprietor of the livery barn located east of the hotel and across the alley.
Scott carried the mail from Walnut to Red Oak by team in the early days before the Rock Island built the Griswold and Carson branches. Mr. Sankey says the first postmaster in Walnut was the depot agent, a Mr. Robinson, the office being located in the depot building. The first up-town post office was in the building now occupied by Harvey Newman and was located on the S. R. Comer lot, the postmaster being P. M. Bowman.

He says the cemetery was started when a horse thief was shot in May, 1885, and was the first man buried in the potters’ field, there being but one other grave in the cemetery at that time.

(Chronology of Walnut, The Walnut Bureau, Golden Jubilee Edition, October 6, 1927)