Walker, Henry 1847-1926

WALKER, MCKITERICK, LITTLE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 10/7/2012 at 11:54:22

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; Dec. 24, 1926

HENRY WALKER IS
WELL REMEMBERED

At the funeral of Henry Walker, Rev. D.L. Cox read the following obituary:

Henry Walker, whose mortal remains we are about to lay to rest beside those of his father, mother and sister, Mary, here in plain view of where he spent practically all of his active life, was born near Versailles in Ripley County, Indiana, on February second, in 1847.

His death occurred at his home in Des Moines, Iowa, at the close of day on Wednesday, December 8, 1926, his life having extended over a period of seventy-nine years, ten months and six days.

He was the second son of Jerome and Sarah Walker with whom he moved to Iowa and settled on their home in this community in the year 1868. He being the older son at home, and the parents being well along toward the end of their active life, bore the responsibility for the family, providing for them and the younger brothers and sisters until they were ready to take their own places in life.

The sisters and brothers who have preceded him in passing on are: Mary Ann McKiterick, John M. Walker and Katherine Little, and those of the immediate family surviving him are his brothers Richard, Charles, Jackson Walker and two sisters, Caroline and Elizabeth Walker.

The burial service was conducted by Rev. David L. Cox of Newburg, assisted by Mr. Anson Moxley who brought to mind very interesting items of his experiences with Mr. Walker during the long term of years in which they lived together as neighbors on adjoining farms.

They had gotten on so well together despite the poor line fences that often permitted more or less trespassing by their stock, with never an unkind remark, or show of irritation, that he had nothing but he most pleasant recollections of Mr. Walker. He further said that if Walker ever had an enemy in this world, he had never heard of it. He was always cheerful, going about his work either whistling or singing some favorite melody, and though he said little about his religious convictions, his interest in a high plane of life was shown by his daily practice and his kindly efforts to influence the children about him to abstain from harmful habits.

Mr. Walker retired from active farm life about twenty years ago and there were just about enough of his old and intimate friends left in this vicinity to make up the list of pallbearers. The friends who acted in this capacity were Mr. Anson Moxley, E.F. Brown, Thomas S. Mason, Willis E. Newton, George Rasp and L.B. Stoaks.

The music for the service was furnished by a male quartette made up by George E. Mason, D.T. Moxley, Chester Newcomer and E.L. Cox, with Miss Elizabeth Breeden at the piano. Three of the grand old hymns, long used but never worn out, were sung. Ill health prevented the attendance of the sister, Elizabeth and her brother Charles W. Walker at the services, but the church was filled with relatives and friends and the floral offerings were beautiful.