|
Distinguished service over many years earned W.P. Walker a special award recently from the Crosbyton Chamber of Commerce. The recipient is a man of varied and interesting career.
On a farm by the Trinity River north of Fort Worth, William Pinckney Walker was born in 1884. The property is now flooded by city reservoir and Walker says he "was born at the bottom of Eagle Mountain Lake."
The family had settled there after moving from Tennessee in 1872.
Walker attended the University of Texas, taking a bachelor of arts degree in 1909. Spending an extra year at graduate studies, he and friend Ben Dyer, Houston, passed state bar exam in 1910.
As a TU undergraduate, young W.P. played halfback and fullback on the Longhorn football team. He was badly injured playing against Tulane.
"Preeminent as a line backer." says the University annual of 1909, "Walker was a dangerous man at the apex of the tandem and tore huge holes in the opposing line."
The new barrister immediately took a position with the Fort Worth district attorney´s office. There his task was primarily to write indictments for grand juries.
After two years, Walker was appointed special civil court judge in Tarrant County. He held the post for five years.
Walker came to Crosbyton 35 years ago to handle business for C.B. Livestock Company. He has continued to be active in civic and business affairs here since.
He married Maude Hughes, March 30, 1928. His son, W.P. Jr., holds a chemical engineering degree from Texas A"M and now works for the state board of health in Austin.
Walker also served as assistant United State attorney from 1938 through 1945. Returning to Crosbyton on Weekends, he amused himself at Fort Worth by taking night courses in TCU during his spare time.
The judge is a great hunter and has tried his luck in Mexico, New Mexico, Texas´ Davis Mountains, Colorado and Utah. His longest hunt was with Ben Reeves in the Sierra Madre Mountains of the Old Mexico.
"I´ve enjoyed my career," says Walker, "and these 35 years in West Texas, I´ve enjoyed them."
Crosbyton Review, March 26, 1959
Maude Wilson Hughes Walker, who taught thousands of students during 32 years as a social studies teacher in the Crosbyton school system before retiring in 1972, was claimed by death at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in Crosbyton Clinic Hospital following an illness.
Mrs. Walker, who was cited as an honor teacher at a Crosbyton High School Homecoming and who was saluted at the 1982 West Texas Pioneers and Old Settlers Reunion, was 81.
The Rev. Al Jennings, pastor, conducted memorial services at 2 p.m. Monday in First United Methodist Church.
Interment was made in Crosbyton Cemetery. Adams Funeral Home directed arrangements.
Born Jan. 15, 1903, in Holland, Tex., the former Maude Hughes received her early education in Bell County, where she was graduated from high school. She attended Southwest Texas State University and the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1925, she moved to Crosbyton to teach the eight grade.
She met and married Judge W.P. Walker in 1928 in Crosby County.
Judge Walker had come to Crosbyton in 1924 as a representative of the C.B. Livestock Company near the end of that company´s business ventures in Crosby County. He continued practicing law here, where the couple resided their entire married life.
Judge Walker preceded his wife in death on Nov. 27, 1962.
Mrs. Walker, who resided at 221 North Crosby, was a member of First United Methodist Church in Crosbyton, where she taught Sunday School for several years.
She is survived by one son, William P. Walker Jr. of Austin; two nieces, Jolyn Hodge Weiss of Brenham and Dorothy Baker Saunders of Temple; two grandchildren; Charles E. Walker of Austin and J. David Walker of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and two great grandchildren, Dorothy Louise Walker of Austin and Daniel E. Walker of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
In paying tribute to Mrs. Walker and her late husband, the West Texas Pioneers and Old Settlers Association stated in its 1982 memorial brochure: "The lives of this dedicated professional couple have touched and molded many young lives of Crosby County. What greater tribute can be made to a person than to bring beauty and intelligence into the lives of others!"
Crosbyton Review, July 28, 1983
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
 |
Crosby County TXGenWeb Project
|
This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without my consent.
The information on these pages is meant for personal genealogical research only and is not for commercial use of ANY type.
