Family chart of Martha Elizabeth Wilkes and John Lorin Walker
The following brief sketch is a copy of "History of Martha Elizabeth (Mattie) Wilkes Walker" originally prepared by herself in 1947 and copied in this form by her daughters, Lily Walker McCoy and Pearl Walker Oldham.
"I was born at St. Charles, Idaho, August 17, 1876. I am the oldest daughter of John Wilkes and Martha Elizabeth Hunt. My grandparents were William Wilkes, Jr., and Elizabeth Haines on my father's side, and Daniel Durham Hunt and Martha Eynon on my mother's side.
"I had a good father and mother and grandparents. I remember staying with my grandmother very often and she would tell me about the old country which was England, and her crossing the water and how they crossed the plains with ox teams. I never got tired of listening to her.
"In 1881 my father wanted to go where he could get more land and make a better home for his family. At St. Charles the land was taken up and pretty thickly settled. Father, taking my mother, my brothers Johnny and Ed, my sister Lottie, Uncle Bee, and another Uncle (she would be referring to Moroni Hunt, and family and my grandmother, moved to Wyoming to a little valley called Star Valley.
"We settled near a pretty creek called Swift Creek. We went there in June and the next May 1882 our horses were all poisoned but one, from eating the whitewash which was to be used to paint houses and fences and had been left in copper boilers over night. Father went back to St. Charles and brought back teams and moved us back to St. Charles. In about five years we moved back to Star Valley again. At this time there were several families there and the town was called Afton.
"The people would gather together on Sunday and some of them would preside over the meeting. We were there to see the first bishop put in. It wasn't long till there was a president put in and the Star Valley stake was organized. The place built up fast.
"I enjoyed living there. They all looked out for one another. Although we had hardships of building up new country, we had good times and enjoyed ourselves very much. I was a Sunday School teacher which I took great pride in.
"In 1891 I met John Lorin Walker who came to Star Valley to visit his sister, Jerusha Blanchard. When we met, he decided to stay. We were married October 12, 1892. He had a city lot and built a house and we had a happy home of our own.
"A little girl came to our home in 1893 making it more perfect. We named her Martha Lavina. She was about six months old when Brother William W. Burton asked me if I would work in his store. I told him that I had a baby and a home to take care of now, and I didn't think I should leave them. Our baby passed to the Great Beyond when she was two years, nine months and 23 days old. How very thankful I have always been that I didn't neglect her to work out. I have always wanted to be at home, making a home and taking care of my children.
"October 12, 1895, the Lord saw fit to send us another darling little girl. We named her Sadie Irene.
"In 1897 we moved to Rockland, Idaho. While there a little boy was born, John Lorin. We stayed in Rockland a year and then we moved back to Afton. I was glad to get back to my dear folks again.
"My husband went to work and built us a house on 60 acres we had out north of town. We soon had a comfortable home again. We lived there many years contented.
"In January 1899 my sister (Nettie, L.B.) Was taken to her Heavenly Home. March 1905, my oldest brother, Johnny, passed away. January 20, 1915, my darling mother was taken from us, too. They were all layed to rest in the Afton cemetery.
"During this time seven other children blessed our home. This made ten children in all. Nine living. Six boys and two girls named as follows: the two names above and Frank Leroy, William Fredrick, Lillie Lavon, Donald Elgin, Hyrum Daniel, Pearl Evagene and Raymond.
"In 1918 I became very ill. The doctor told my husband if he wanted a wife and daughter who had become ill, too, he would have to move to a lower climate. He started looking for a place and found one in Jerome, Idaho.
"He paid $1,000.00 down and came back for his family. Our baby boy was three years old at that time. May 3, 1920, we left Montpelier. The neighbors and friends never thought I would make it to Montpelier. We made it fine. It has always been my prayer I would live to raise my family.
"We arrived in Jerome all right, but couldn't get possession of the farm we had purchased. The real estate company promised to fix it right up for us, but he took our money and skipped town. We lived in the hotel for a month and then in July went to Arco, Idaho, until the last of October 1920. We lost a team, harness and a wagon in this move. We came back to Jerome. There wasn't an empty house to be found. We camped out on a canal bank for a month. At last we were able to get a house.
"The spring of 1921 we bought a farm southwest of Jerome. We lived there three years when we learned this fellow had no right to sell the place to us. In December 1923 we moved to Boise. We rented a farm six miles west of Boise. We rented up to 1927; then we bought a nice little place near Meridian, Idaho. We were so happy there. Seven of our children were with us. Five were married. They would all come home and had good times together. We would think of Frank who stayed in Jerome and Sadie who lived in Hiawatha, Utah and their families and wish they were there with us.
"Then there came a year there was no sale for anything. We had hay, grain and cows and couldn't sell a thing. The bank closed in and we lost our home. The bank closed their door and took everything we had. We rented again, but this place had typhoid on it. The cows took T.B. and we lost 21 head of stock. We moved on to a dry farm but the crops failed.
"In 1932 Frank came down and wanted us to come back to Jerome and live on his acreage. All the children were married but Pearl and Ray. Pearl married after we moved to Jerome in the Salt Lake Temple. In 1935 Ray joined the arm. Frank and wife and Lorin and his wife went to Salt Lake and went through the temple and had their children sealed to them in 1925.
"After we moved back to Jerome my husband and I went to Salt Lake Temple and were joined together for all eternity. We had five of our children sealed to us. We hope and pray the others will get their work done and be sealed to us.
"When Ray joined the army that left us all alone. Then Frank wanted us to move into a large room in his house, so we did.
"On the 15th of November 1937 my dear husband passed away at the age of 73 years 7 months and 4 days. I felt I wanted to go with him. He was always so good to me through all my ailings in my life. I have the best sons and daughters in the world. My youngest son is 22 years old. I have lost all my homes, but I still have my dear children."
The following footnote was added:
"This was copied by Pearl Oldham and Lillie McCoy, Mother's two youngest daughters.
"Mother passed away to join Father May 31, 1948 in Boise, Idaho at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lillie McCoy. It was said she was unable to go to decorate Father's grave on that Decoration Day. So she joined him in heaven.
"Mother was one of the noblest women our Father in Heaven placed here on earth. Although her health kept her from doing many things she would have like to have done, she never lost faith in the gospel. She was always humble, prayerful and had my promptings."
Frank and Idella Walker of Jerome have in their possession the original of this history as was written by Frank's mother.
Aunt Mattie also wrote an interesting account of an experience her husband had while he was yet a young man and prior to their first having met. She titled it:
JOHN LORIN WALKER
John Lorin Walker was born 11 April 1864 at Farmington, Utah. He is the son of Lorin Walker and Lovina Smith Walker. (The compiler of this history may properly call attention of the younger generations who may not be acquainted, that John Lorin (Uncle Low as we knew him) Walker's mother, Lovina Smith, was a daughter of Hyrum Smith, the martyred brother of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, of this Last Dispensation. L.B.)
When he (John Lorin) was about 11 or 12 years old his mother died. He didn't stay home very much after that. He stayed with his sisters quite a lot. When he was about 15 years old his brother-in-law, Jess Smith, took a contract for grading for the railroad and went away down in Arizona and came back and worked on the Oregon Short Line that goes through Pocatello, American Falls and Shoshone and on. That was the railroad through this country. He would go back to his home town, Farmington, Utah, but would soon go again to find work. He went to work for Mr. Sparks on a big stock ranch west of American Falls. Sparks had a lot of range cattle and soon began riding the range gathering in beef cattle. Sparks thought a lot of him (John Lorin). There were several cattle ranches and a lot of riders to each ranch. He (John) said there was trouble among them for some time and it was getting tuff. One night he and one other man camped. Their partners hadn't come in yet so they pitched two tents and made their beds and layed on their beds waiting for their partners.
"Before dark his (John's) mother came to him. (She had been dead for a few years by this time) and he said, "Why, mother, what are you doing here?" She said, "I've come to tell you to go home." He answered, "I don't know what you want me to go home for, for there's nothing I can do there". She said, "I want you to go home", and she turned around and went out of the tent. He got up and followed her out but she was gone.
"The fellow in the other tent asked him who he was talking to and he said, "To my mother". The other fellow said, "Well, I wouldn't lose any time going".
"He went to his boss and told him what had happened. The boss said, "Take my best horse. He will take you there and don't lose any time." He rode night and into the day till he got home (to Farmington, Utah).
"He told his father why he came. His father told him he did just right. "You were in bad company", which he knew he was. He stayed around Farmington for awhile and then he and his brother, Jed, went to Rockland, Idaho and took up land and had quite a herd of stock of their own.
"In 1891 he went to Afton, Wyoming to visit his sister and family and met his future wife and decided to make his home there. In 1892 he married Martha Elizabeth Wilkes".
The copy of this account was written by Aunt Mat Walker and mailed to us by daughter-in-law, Idell (Mrs. Frank Walker). Thanks, Idella
The John Lorin and Mattie Wilkes Walker Children in Order of Birth
As was reported earlier in the story, the eldest of the Walker children, Martha Lavina, passed away when she was between three and four years of age.
We are indebted to Helen Reese, daughter of Sarah Irene - Sadie - Walker, second daughter of Uncle Low and Aunt Mat Walker for this very much abbreviated account of Sadie. A few years ago Helen and her good husband, Ed, called at our home and we became acquainted with each other. If correspondence once or twice a year mean 'keeping in touch' then we are doing so. We always enjoy a special thrill when the mailman delivers a letter from these special people. Our apologies to Helen for cutting from a very interesting life story to actually but a few notes of her mother. Our space is so limited, but we do want to introduce Sadie to those who may not have had an opportunity to have known her.
"She was born Sarah Irene Walker, the second daughter of John Lorin and Martha Elizabeth Wilkes Walker on 12th Oct 1895 in Afton. She grew up in Afton and on 16 Sep 1913 she married Charles D. Robinson who was employed with the early telephone company in Afton. Two children - both boys - blessed their home.
"After about three years, due to his seriously declining health, they moved to Price, Utah to be close to his parents. He passed away on 2 Dec 1916.
"On 16th April 1920 Sadie was married to Joseph P. Frandsen. She had been an employee in a cafe in Price. That fall the new family moved to Hiawatha, Utah, where he was employed as a carpenter with a coal-mining company. Sadie's eldest son, Charles Robinson, was killed in a car accident when 24 years of age.
"Thru the years Sadie was active with her family of three additional children, all daughters, by her second marriage. She was active in the Church, serving as counselor, a Visiting Teacher and the Magazine Representative in the Relief Society Organization. She became an outstanding catcher on the ladies' baseball team. She was always active in school related activities of the community.
"After 35 years working for the United States Fuel Company, her husband, Joe, retired and they moved to Boulder City, Nevada to be near two of their daughters and families who lived in that area. A high light in Joe's and Sadie's life was their visit to the St. George Temple in 1964 where they were sealed."
Two or three beautiful expressions by Helen in her story of her mother: "What Sadie lacked in formal education, she made up many times over with her natural talent and ability. All matters of art, creativity, and elegance came within her sphere as she had a highly developed sense of beauty." Also, "One of her outstanding characteristics was her sympathy for pain and suffering." And, "She was sociable, charming and had a talent for getting along with people. There was much sweetness in her kind nature and a warmth of expression that drew people to her - friends and strangers alike."
Her husband, Joe, passed away in 1967 and Sadie passed away 6 Mar 1982 at the age of 86. She was survived by her son, Darel Robinson and two daughters, Helen Reese and Dorothy Reese, of her immediate family. The two sisters married brothers. Thanks Helen for a lovely story and tribute. It is regrettable we couldn't have used all of it.
JOHN LORIN WALKER: Lorin, the third in the family and first boy was born in Rockland, Idaho. His father had a brother in Rockland, a small valley settlement about ten miles south of American Falls and it is likely that they may have gone temporarily for work but they didn't remain long. Lorin grew up in Afton and was about 20 years of age when the family moved due to his mother's health. They were counseled by the doctor to find a lower elevation.
On the 9th of May 1920 Lorin and Amy Thompson were married in Jerome. Lorin was adept to carpentering, but found themselves in a depression period following World War I and work became scarce. Their first, a little boy, James, was born 1 July 1922 in Jerome, but by 1924 they were in Rockland where a little girl, Cleo May, was born in 1924. About this time Lorin's folds had moved to the Boise Valley and, undoubtedly, there were better prospects for carpentering. At least, by the time Wilma was born in 1931 the family was in Meridian, ten miles west of Boise.
They had the misfortune of their eldest son passing away in 1935 at the age of about 13 years just five months following the death of their baby, Thelma, who passed away just shortly less than one year of age. On the 21st of February 1936 son William was born bringing the number of their living children back to number three.
During the last five or six years the entire country was in the depths of the Depression of the 30s and times were tough, especially for people like Lorin who were depending upon employment. Very little building was going on. Work being at such a premium, Lorin found work wherever it could be found and the family survived. Interestingly, their youngest, William L. was well over thirteen years of age when a new arrival came to their home. This time, David, who was born on 17th of September 1949.
This writer does not have the details but, at least, from this time on mother, Amy's, health was poorly and it was concluded that the family should move to Perry, Utah, just out of Brigham City. Amy worsened and suffered from a stroke or, perhaps, a series of strokes. The children grew up and married in Utah but continued to share with their father in taking care of their invalid mother who, for years, was confined to her bed and/or a wheel chair.
For many years all of us of the related families sorrowed for Amy and certainly sympathized for Lorin and admired him for his love and patience for his dear wife. She became totally dependent on others for her care and, fortunately for her, she preceded him in passing away. She passed away 13 March 1976. Lorin passed away subsequently. The date is not at hand.
FRANK LEROY WALKER: Frank was born at Afton on 1 April 1900 and grew up on the Walker farm 1 1/2 miles north of Afton on the west side of the Grover-Afton road and attended the Afton grad and high school with his parents and family he moved to Jerome when he was about 18.
He met Idella Stratton and they were married in 1923 and made their home in Jerome where they have resided ever since. They became the parents of four children, namely, Dora Lillian, Robert Eugene, George Lorin and Marian Ruth.
Frank found employment in the Jerome area and for many years he was employed by the Jerome Cooperative Creamery. This business grew into a sizeable operation with its daily pick-up milk trucks extending as far away as fifty miles or more; in fact, the trucks covered a goodly portion of south-central Idaho.
Frank advanced from his early positions to general manager which position he held until his retirement of a few years ago.
In our visit to their home on the 25th of July 1984, Idella jokingly reported that she was one of the proverbial 'church widows' while raising their family for her husband served seven or more years in a ward bishopric and several years as the stake clerk. Likewise, Idella was active in the M.I.A. program and the Relief Society organization.
The above photo was taken at the time of their 50th Wedding Anniversary on the 24th of June 1973. Eleven years later, while not as young as they used to be, they are enjoying relatively good health. Frank at 84 and Idella just a little younger boast of their two sons and two daughters, with twenty-seven grandchildren and sixty odd great-grandchildren.
WILLIAM FREDERICK WALKER: Bill, as the Walker's fifth child and third son was known, likewise spent his young childhood - in fact his first 16 years - on the family farm north of Afton and attended the Afton schools. We are not aware as to whether he attended school in Jerome following the family's arrival at that place.
It appears that several of the boys in the Walker family were gifted in an understanding of the laws of electricity and Bill was no exception to this natural talent. After working at various jobs he settled with work he liked best, that as an electrician with local employers in and near Jerome.
Bill married Margaret Lind and the young couple had two daughters, Frances Margaret and Bertha Louise, while yet living in Jerome. By the time of their next, this time Wallace Allen, the family had moved to Boise. Bill's parents has moved to the Boise Valley as early as 1923 so it is quite probably that on a visit to his folk he saw that there were more prospects in that more populated area than existed in Jerome. Their son was born in 1927 in Boise. How much time prior to this date they made their move we don't know.
How long Bill worked for others after moving to Boise we do not know, however, for a number of years he operated his own electrical business in Boise and had his own crew of men.
It was this writer's privilege to meet, among others of Bill's family, their daughter, Bertha, whose home is in Honolulu at her Uncle Hyrum's funeral service in April of 1982. Since that time we have corresponded any number of times and Bertha has been of great assistance in furnishing genealogical data of the family. No one could have been more cooperative. Thanks ever so much, Bertha.
Bertha married Joe Jeffers an Air Force captain and after retirement got a position with the U.S. Army Civil Service from which he retired at the end of 1982. They have two sons, Allen and Arthus, as their family chart shows. They find little wrong with the climate in the Islands and, apparently, intend to retain that place as their home.
Bill's life's companion, Margaret endured poor health during the last few years of her life and passed away 2 November 1982 in Boise.
A party of six, including Bill, made a Thanksgiving trip to Hawaii in 1983 to visit Bertha and Joe and family. Son-in-law, Joe, reported this event was the highlight of the year for his family.
LILY WALKER was born on the family farm north of Afton one mile and attended the Afton grade school until about the 6th grade and moved with her family to Jerome where she later met and married Ralph McCoy. They moved to the Boise Valley where Ralph was employed for a number of years by the Baker Dairy. Later Ralph and Lily farmed for a number of years. Six children were born to them in the Boise area, their first, a little boy died at birth in October of 1924. Their last, their only daughter, Dorothy June, passed away when only eight years of age.
Lily passed away on the 9th of August 1964 at the age of 59. Ralph and sons and families have remained for the most part in the Boise Valley.
DONAL ELGIN WALKER was born in Afton and attended the early grade school to about the fourth grade when the family moved to Jerome where he completed the first eight grades. Like some of his older brothers his aptitudes leaned toward work with electricity which became his life's work. On the 8th of July 1932 he married Carol Elizabeth White and to them were born three sons, Donal Jr., Duane and Bruce but prior to the birth of Bruce, eldest son, Donal, passed away when but five years of age.
Following Don's and Carol's divorce Don married Lottie Pusey in Boise and an opportunity for work in Cathedral City, California showed up and they moved. His was employed at Cathedral City for a number of years but due to a severe injury to his back it became necessary to take an early retirement. The home remains in Cathedral City.
HYRUM DANIEL WALKER was born on the 26th of March 1910 at Afton where he attended school during his early school years but transferred to the Jerome schools. He married Kathleen Hardy in Boise soon after he turned 18 on this bride's 17th birthday. To this union were born two sons, Lorin J., and Richard L.
Hyrum had a steady job which he had been working at for a couple of years prior to their marriage at the Baker's dairy where he drove their milk delivery truck for twenty years. Hyrum took a leave of absence while at the dairy and went to Chicago and completed an electrical course from a training center. This was during the Depression of the 1930s but was unable to find electrical employment upon his return in Boise and he returned to the dairy as milk delivery man.
Hyrum had an opportunity for electrical work in Cathedral City in California but never he nor Kathleen wished to move from their home in Boise and he turned the opportunity to his brother, Don.
Hyrum's training in Chicago did not go for naught for he gradually worked himself into the electrical field and set up an electric shop of his own which he was known as Hy's Electric in Boise where he remained until his retirement.
His wife, Kathleen's parents were immigrants from England, having migrated directly to the Boise area from Barmouth, England in 1909 with Kathleen becoming their first child born in America.
Hyrum passed away in Boise on the 11th of April 1982. This writer and wife, Mabel's daughter and family live in Boise and became acquainted with Hyrum and Kathleen who lived in the same ward. While visiting our children four or five years ago, we went with them to church and after many years - possibly 65 years - I again met Hyrum and we met for the first time, Kathleen. She, of late years, had joined the Mormon Church and they were both active, he being a high priest. At the time of Hyrum's funeral Kathleen asked that I be a speaker which honor I gratefully accepted. For a couple years prior to Hyrum's passing we called at their home and have so done since his passing. As recent as the 15th of September 1984 we spent a half to an hour visiting Kathleen. She is a lovely person whom we have learned to love.
PEARL EVAGENE WALKER, likewise, was born at Afton and started her schooling there before the family moved to Jerome. She met her future husband, Grant Oldham, there and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on the 16th of November 1933. Following their marriage Grant operated a tire and re-cap operation in Blackfoot, Idaho, and subsequently moved to Boise where he became involved in the solar heat systems.
Between December of 1934 and October of 1947 three sons and a daughter were born to them. Probably as early as the latter part of the 1960s Grant required heart surgery at which time it became necessary for him to retire. Since that time they have spent most of their winters in a mobile home in the Arizona winter wonderland.
RAYMOND WALKER was born at Afton, Wyoming, November 28, 1918. He was the tenth child of John Lorin and Martha Elizabeth Wilkes Walker. Moved with family to Jerome, Idaho, in 1919 where they lived on 160 acre farm.
The family lived there until 1923 when they moved six and a half miles west of Boise, Idaho. Ray started to school at Canyon Side in Jerome and was still in the first grade when they moved to Boise. He attended Cloverdale and Maple Grove schools when the family moved north of Meridian.
Ray started playing baseball and basketball when he was in the sixth grade. When in the seventh grade he played on the school football team.
The family lived at several different places while still living in Boise. His folks moved back to Jerome in 1931 where his father retired. Ray finished grade school and had two years of high school where he played in all sports.
In the spring of 1935 he joined the military service at Fort Douglas, Utah where he stayed for three years. He played and coached the Company basketball team to a Regimental Championship. After his discharge from the Service, he moved back to Jerome and worked for C.J. Marshall. He met and married Elvilah Jensen.
He and Elvilah moved to Pocatello, Idaho, at the time World War II broke out at which place they had born to them three children, a boy, Jerald D., a daughter, Lois, and another son, David. All three since, married. See their family chart later.
Ray worked for the Railroad Company during the war. He was basketball and baseball coach for many years for the Church. He served as counselor in the ward M.I.a. and as counselor in the Elder's Quorum. Presently he is a high priest in the 4th ward of the East Pocatello stake. He retired from his work at the Gate City Steel Company in June of 1976.
