JAMES C. WALTON

View Portrait of Mr. & Mrs. James C. Walton

The name of Walton is inseparably associated with the history of Cedar county. James C. Walton was a resident here for seventy-two years, a record scarcely paralleled in this part of the state, and throughout the entire period his upright and honorable life commended him to the confidence and good-will of all who knew him. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, April 27, 1830, and was the youngest in the family of eight children of David W. Walton, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He had a great-uncle who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The father arrived in Sugar Creek township and staked out two claims in 1835. In 1836 he brought his family and on the 10th of May of that year they arrived at their destination, taking up their abode upon a claim which their father had previously secured. James C. Walton was only six years of age at the time. Later, as his strength permitted, he assisted more and more largely in the work of the farm, at all times sharing with the family in the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life, when long distances and lack of rapid transportation cut one off from the comforts of the older and more thickly settled east. For fifty-five years he lived upon the old farm and always carried on general agricultural pursuits.

On the 3d of June, 1858, Mr. Walton was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Copeland, the wedding ceremony being performed in the Fleming House at Tipton, Iowa, by William Long, justice of the peace. Mrs. Walton was born in Harrison county, Ohio, September 25, 1840, and was a daughter of James and Christena Copeland. She accompanied her parents to Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1854 and there resided until her marriage. Her people were among the wealthy and influential families of Harrison county, Ohio. Mr. Walton took his bride to the homestead in Sugar Creek township, and they resided thereon throughout the entire period of their married life, covering more than half a century. Unto them were born seven children, six of whom reached adult age, while a little daughter passed away when but four months old. One of their daughters, Carlie Mabel, who was the life and light of the old home, was called to her final rest June 16, 1905, at the age of thirty-one years. The other children are: Mrs. Laura Hanna; J. Parker, of Sugar Creek township; Mrs. Addie Victoria Barclay, the wife of Joseph Barclay; Vernon C. and Albert Bell, all of whom at the time of the father’s death resided in Sugar Creek township near the old homestead with the exception of Mrs. Barclay, who makes her home in Wilton.

In his political views Mr. Walton was a lifelong republican with firm faith in the principles of the party which he supported by his ballot. He and his wife held membership in the Christian church and guided their lives by its teachings. This worthy couple traveled life’s journey happily together for more than half a century and in 1908 celebrated their golden wedding. They had prospered as the years passed and accumulated a considerable portion of this world’s goods. Mrs. Walton had carefully managed the household affairs, while her husband carried on the work of the farm, and as the years passed by he invested in real estate, becoming the owner of about nine hundred acres of land in Sugar Creek township. He was never known to take advantage of another in any business transaction, was never sued in all his life nor did he ever sue any one. He lived peaceably and honorably with all men and his many sterling traits of character won him the highest respect. On the 22d of June, 1908, just nineteen days after the celebration of the golden wedding, he was called to his final rest. He had the distinction at that time of being the oldest settler in the county, and he related many interesting incidents concerning the events which marked the county’s history and development. He had not only been a witness of the county’s upbuilding but had also aided materially in its progress as opportunity offered. He had seen the wild prairie converted into fine farms and had himself in his younger days broken acre after acre of the prairie sod. He had also hunted and killed all kinds of game, and he often told how in the early days on the present site of the Methodist church in Wilton he dug out a nest of young wolves. He never left Sugar Creek township but continued to reside there until his death, when he was laid to rest in Sharon cemetery beside his father, mother and daughter. Thus one by one the old pioneers have passed to the great beyond and all that are left of the Walton family in Cedar county are the widow and five children of James C. Walton, who live at or near the old home in Sugar Creek township.