Page:One of a thousand.djvu/639

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WALKER. WALKER. 62 5 In 1877 he was license commissioner, and from 1879 to 'S2 he served as police commissioner of the city of Boston. He was commander of the Ancient and Hon- orable Artillery Company during the years [887-'88, including its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, June 4, 1888. As com- mander of the company, he visited England to take part in the celebration of the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Honourable Artillery Company of London TR/ HENRY WALKER. Colonel Walker has traveled extensively, and is a man of varied accomplishments. He was in official life prompt and capable in the performance of his duties, and in private life is highly esteemed and re- spected by a large circle of friends. WALKER, JOSEPH HENRY, son of Jo- seph and Hannah Thayer (Chapin) Walker, was born in Boston, December 21, 1829. In February, 1830, the family removed to Hopkinton, their former residence, and in 1843 removed to Worcester, where they now reside. Mr. Walker was educated in the district and high schools of Hopkinton and Wor- cester, leaving school when he was sixteen years old. In May, 1852, he was united in marriage with Sarah Ellen, daughter of Jubal and Lucretia (Keyes) Harrington, of Worcester. She died August 5, 1859, leaving a daugh- ter, now the wife of Milton Shirk, a banker of Peru, Ind. His second wife, Hannah M. (Kelly) Spear, of New Hampton, N 1 ! , he married April 3, 1862. Of this union were three children : Joseph, now in Har- vard law school ; George, now in Brown University, and Agnes, the wife of Adams Davenport Claflin, the son of Ex-Governor Claflin. At the age of twenty-three Mr. Walker was elected to the common council of Wor- cester, of which body he was president in 1869 ; was a member of the House of Rep- resentatives in 1879, '80, and '87, serving on the retrenchment committee in 1879 ; was chairman of the public service committee in 18S0, and in the latter year was a strong though unsuccessful candidate for speaker. He was chairman of the committee on labor in 1887, and served on the commit- tees on finance and expenditures. He was for several years president of the Worcester board of trade, and chair- man of the committee on foreign trade and exports of the National Hide and Leather Association for several years, and also vice- president of the New England Shoe and Leather Association. Mr. Walker has written and spoken con- siderably upon questions of trade, banking and coinage, publishing in [881, through Houghton, Mifflin & Co., ol Host on, a mono- graph, entitled " Money, Trade and Bank- ing," which attracted general attention. He was one of the leading boot and shoe manufacturers in the country from 185 1 to '87, at which time he retired from thai business. He is still the senior member of the large leather house of Walker, Oakley & Co., of Chicago, III., which he estab- lished in that city in 1868. Mr. Walker was elected representative to Congress from the 10th congressional district, November 6, 1888. He has great energy and an uncommon talent for organizing and administering business affairs, to which maybe attributed his pronounced success as a manufacturer. His public spirit and liberality have been conspicuously shown in his relations with Worcester Academy, whose present pros- perity is due in a great measure to his gen- erous gifts, and his valuable service as president of the board of trustees. WALKER, MYRON PHILO, the son of Asa Morse and Fanny (Pease) Walker, was born in Belchertown, Hampshire county, February 18, 1847. He obtained his education in the com- mon and high schools of his native town.