Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 536
ANDREW D. WALKER

Andrew D. WALKER, a farmer of section 3, Washington Township, came to Harrison County, in February, 1880, and settled on his present farm, which he had bought three months prior to his moving here. It was all wild land, and the first year he broke thirty-five acres, built a house 10x34 feet one and a half stories high, which forms a part of his present house. His present farm consists of one hundred and sixty-nine acres, in Harrison County, and eighty acres in Shelby County. One hundred and thirty acres are under the plow, forty acres in tame grass, and the balance in meadow and pasture land. The entire place, shows the hand of good husbandry, and the annual harvest from this rich soil, is fast making our worthy subject an independent man.

Mr. WALKER was born in Blair County, Pa., May 15, 1838. He is the son of James and Ann (CHERRY) WALKER, and he is the fourth child of a family of thirteen children, four of whom still survive. The father was a farmer, and our subject remained at home as a young tiller of the soil, and attending the district school until he was sixteen years of age, and then set out to learn the cooper's trade, in Ashland Pa. He served three years as an apprentice, after which he worked at general labor, until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he enlisted as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, and was Corporal, serving nearly three years, during that terrible conflict, the like of which has never been recorded on the pages of history; he received an honorable discharge near Washington, D.C., July 14, 1865, after having participated in the battles of Petersburgh, Cold Harbor, Hatchie's Run, Bull Run, Deep Bottom and Gettysburg, Weldon Railroad. Notwithstanding the hotly contested fields upon which he fought, he was never wounded, but had many narrow escapes. At the battle of Cold Harbor, he had a bullet put through his hat, and his gun shot from his hands. After coming out of the service he had about $1000, and came to Iowa City, Iowa, in company with his parents. In a short time they removed to Iowa County, where the father purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and there our subject remained until he came to Harrison County.

Mr. WALKER was married November 29, 1866, to Mary Agnes MILLER, a native of Pennsylvania, born May 16, 1850, and is the daughter of Nicholas and Susan (RINSEL) MILLER, and is the eldest child of a family of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. WALKER are the parents of seven children: Charlie N., born August 26, 1867; Clara J., December 13, 1868; George A., February 5, 1870; Albert C., November 22, 1872; Francis A., April 16, 1878; Susan A, January 2, 1883; Alice C. January 16, 1887. Clara married Francis ELDER, October 2, 1888, and now lives at Pierson, Woodbury County, Iowa.

Our subject has always been a hardworking man, and is now reaping the reward of his labors in the possession of a comfortable and pleasant home. He votes with the Republican party, and belongs to Grand Army Post No. 353 at Persia.

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