Samuel Nathaniel Walker's 80th Birthday Party, (Newspaper Article)

Born July 24, 1869, not long after the Civil War, Samuel Nathaniel Walker lived well into his 80s and fathered 16 children.

The following information was forwarded to me by Marjorie Kimble when she scanned the newspaper clipping on this page:

I have told you how our family was an extended family, with the Moyers, inlaws, etc. [all being family]. I thought this particular clipping was a good example. I do not know who they all are. Mrs. E. N. Moyers was the widow of Ed and the other ones are her children; should be Vinnie, not Ve; the Vances were Aunts, I believe, of the Fortners. Mrs. Alfred Jackson was daughter of Hazel Eubanks (she belonged to the Frank Hamiltons -- Frank and Cora Moyers); Willa Wolfe was a sister of Geoffrey Umphrey. Confusing, isn't it?

Vinnie, Lela, Kenneth, Ralph, and Donald Walker

The Walkers - The 1950s
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S. N. Walker, 80,
Honored By Family

July, 1949

Relatives of S. N. Walker gathered in Locust Grove on Sunday for a family picnic dinner honoring Mr. Walker upon the occasion of his 80th birthday. There were 70 persons at the dinner and from them Mr. Walker received a number of gifts.

Present for the occasion were the following persons: Mr. and Mrs. Roy Fortner, Mr. and Mrs. Dan [sic: David] Howey, all of Detroit, Michigan; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Moyers, Mrs. E. N. Moyers, Doyle, Ethel, and Mabel and Elizabeth, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Krekel; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. P. Walker and Jean, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Belles and Carol Sue, Mrs. Vennie [sic: Vinnie] Walker, Ralph and Kenneth, all of Burlington; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Waker [sic: Walker], Olds; Mrs. Lillian Vance, Knoxville; Miss Thelma Vance, St. Louis, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. Max Dotson, Fort Madison; Mr. and Mrs. Sam C. Walker and Jerry, Mr. and Mrs. William Walker, Gary and Stephen, all of Marion.

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Allen, Paul and Phyllis, Winterset; Mr. and Mrs. Ted Dotson, Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Thomas, New London; Mr. Clifford Walker, Middletown; Mr. Frank Hamilton, Mrs. Hazel Eubanks, Mrs. Alfred Jackson and Carolyn, Mrs. Wila Wolfe, Mrs. O. B. Dotson, Mr. and Mrs. S. N. Walker, Robert Walker and Gerald Kimble, all of Morning Sun; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Dotson, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dotson, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Moyers, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Russell, all of Wapello

S. N. Walker, whose parents were C. P. Walker, a native of Indiana, and Ruth Ellen Fox, a native of Henry County, Iowa, was born in a log house 2 miles north of New London four years after the close of the Civil War. When he was 14 years old he went with his family to Texas, the whole journey being made by a horse drawn covered wagon.

A year later, in 1884, the Walkers drove the same team from Texas back to Iowa and came to live in the Morning Sun community. One daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker during the time spent in Texas.

S. N. Walker has spent practically all of the last 66 years of his life in this community and is widely known here. He and his first wife, the late Hattie Moyers Walker, became the parents of eleven children, nine of whom are living. There are Elsie E. Walker, George P. Walker, Maude M. Fortner, Paul Walker, Clifford Walker, Myrtle Dotson, Loeta [sic: Leota] Krekel, Sam Walker, and William Walker. Deceased are Ross Walker and Ruth Walker Broeker.

Mr. Walker and his present wife, Riel [sic: Reil] Hannah Walker are the parents of five children, three of whom are living. These are Viola Van Houten, Marjorie Kimble and Robert Walker. One son, John Walker, was killed in action during World War II and one daughter, Rosalee [sic: Rosalie], died in infancy.

A few months ago Mr. and Mrs. Walker disposed of their farm north of town and now reside in Morning Sun. Mr. Walker has been a member of the IOOF Lodge at Wapello for the past 40 years.