CHARLES HENRY WALKER
C. H. WALKER
JULY 29, 1845
MARCH 21, 1917
HE LIVED TO BLESS
CONDITION
4/2/2002: Marker measures 76 inches high and 48 inches wide. Base corners are chipped and sides scratched from grass cutting machinery.
BIOGRAPHY
THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENTS APPEARED IN THE DAILY PROGRESS ON MARCH 22, 1917
ATTENTION VETERANS!
It becomes our sad duty to inform you of the
death of our late Comrade, Charles H. Walker,
former Commander of our Camp. The funeral
exercises will take place from the Christian
Church tomorrow (Friday) at 11 A.M. You will
assemble at the City Hall at 10:30 A.M. in
uniform, that we may attend in a body.
C. M. BOLTON, Commander
C. H. LINNEY, Adjutant
ATTENTION, Y. M. C. A. DIRECTORS!
The board of directors of the Y.M.C.A. will
meet at the Association building at 10:30
tomorrow morning to attend the furneral of
Mr. C. H. Walker
E. I. CARRUTHERS, Pres.
The Daily Progress, March 22, 1917
C. H. WALKER ANSWERS CALL
Death Claims a Beloved Citizen
WAS A MOSBY RANGER
After a Long and Brave Fight Against Lingering Disease,
Former Treasurer Expires at His Home on Altamont Circle--
Was For Over Thirty Years Prominent in Business, Municipal
and Social Affairs--Achieved Notable Career After Humble
Start Following Civil War--Funeral Tomorrow Morning.
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At 6:20 o'clock last evening Mr. Charles H. Walker, an
esteemed citizen and former treasurer of the city for so
many years, departed this life, after a remarkable fight
with death extending over the period of the past eighteen
months. During this time Mr. Walker exhibited the same
blended qualities of manhood and patient Christian fortitude which had distinguished him during his long and successful business career in our midst for the thirty years
or more he made his residence here. Although his malady
was known to be mortal, he bore it with patience and
bravery which was worthy of his distinguished career as a
Confederate soldier and as an exemplary character among
his fellow men.
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Enlisted Sympathy.
The high esteem in which Mr. Walker was held by one and
all in this community was beautifully shown by the universal sympathy with which his declining days were watched
by his friends and neighbors and the scores of citizens
who had learned to love him for his many high qualities of
head and heart. If ever the expression, "A hero in the
strife" had an illustration, it was shown in the last year
and a half of this estimable man's life. It was significant of his spirit and steadfastness that all along he had
assured his many friends and anxious inquirers that "he
would yet get well," and while all knew that htis was not
humanly possible there were none who did not share the
wish of which this expression was the outward thought.
It was well known that Mr. Walker's demise might be expected at any time and after the announcement was made
early this week that there had been a turn for the worse,
the a ctual end became only a matter of hours. He died
peacefully last evening at his residence, on Altamont
Circle, the old Colonial home of ex Gov. Thomas Walker
Gilmer, surrounded by his bereaved family and a few sorrowing, intimate friends.
His Many Activities.
Mr. Walker was one of the city's most successful business men, and he had a large place in the community life.
Always having the city's interest at heart, he welcomed
and encouraged whatever was for its good.
He was a good citizen whose influence was always for
the moral progress of the community. In every thing bearing upon the material or moral progress of the community,
he took an active part.
Mr. Walker was a genuine Christian. He was the moving
spirit in the erection of the Christian Church, and the
most influential man in the church. He gave much time
and money to that object ans was a regular attendant upon
all services.
Though forced forward in leadership, he never tried to
have pre-eminence. His humility and consideration of
others were striking features of his character and profoundly impressed those who labored with him.
Sketch of His Career.
Charles Henry Walker was born at Louisa Court House on
July 29, 1845, a son of John W. and Martha (Hughson)
Walker. His father was a railroad contractor of the firm
of Mason and Walker. To those old Virginians familiar
with the building of the Virginia Central Railroad, now
the Chesapeake & Ohio, the names of these contractors are
familiar.
As a boy Mr. Walker attended John B. Thompson's School,
at Louisa; from there he went to the famous Dinwiddie
School, at Greenwood, Va., and was a student at the Cren-
shaw School, in Amelia County, when,in 1863, at the age of
eighteen, he entered the Confederate Army. His army berth
was one of the hardest, for he became a member of that
famous corps commanded by Col. John S. Mosby, the great
partican officer of the war, which command won an immortal reputation, under the name of Mosby's battalion.
On Aug. 13, 1864, while taking part in the capture of a
wagon train at Berryville, Va., Mr. Walker was severely
wounded, while in the forefront of a charge on a body of
infantry that had taken refuge behind a stone wall near
the town of Berryville. He was within a few feet of this
wall when a minnie ball shattered his left arm near the
elbow, and passing through his coat, barely grazing his
body. On reaching his home surgeons were called in, but
eight months later Mr. Walker had not sufficiently recovered and was unable to return to his command. While he
did not suffer the misfortune of losing the arm, the injury robbed it of its normal strength and usefulness.
The war over, Mr. Walker came to Charlottesville and accepted a position at $50 a year and board. He did not
stay long on the $50 salary, as he obtained a much better
position with T. J. Wertenbaker, at that time the leading
clothier and merchant tailor of the town, with whom he remained for some seven or eight years. In January, 1875,
he decided to venture into business on his own account,
and he established himself at Rectortown, Va., in a mercantile business which he conducted with a large measure
of success for twenty-two years. The pleasant years of
his young manhood had been spent in Charlottesville, so
here he returned upon retirement from business in Rectortown in 1897. He quickly became interested in numerous
enterprises here and soon established the Charlottesville
Hardware Co., which, under his management, developed into
a very large and successful business He was at one time a
director in the Albemarle Bank, the Albemarle Telephone
company and various other enterprises. He was appointed
city treasurer and held that position until overtaken by
illness about two years ago. In the business world of
this community, no man stood higher than he. He was affliated wiht a number of fraternal societies, and for the
past 18 years had been an elder in the christian Church.
He was at one time superintendent of the Sunday School.
Soon after his return to Charlottesville in 1897, Mr.
Walker became a member of John Bowie Strange Camp, the
local camp of Confederate veterans. His comrades soon
recognized his ability for Commander of the Camp. They
honored him with this office, which position he held for
two years. He declined to serve longer, though unanimously elected for the third term.
It is interesting to note that the Walker Building on
East Main Street, erected by Mr. Walker to meet his needs
of the increasing trade of the Charlottesville Hardware
Company, stands upon the spot on which stood the house in
which Mr. Walker commenced his career as a businessman.
In Danville in May, 1873, Mr. Walker married Miss Roberta Carroll, a native of Albemarle County. Her death
occurred in July, 1911. In December of the following
year Mr. Walker married Mrs. Mattie Wills, daughter of N.
A. Terrell, and widow of Cary Wills. Mrs. Walker survives.
There are no children. Mr. Walker also leaves one brother, Mr. John W. Walker, of this city, and three sisters-
Mrs. M. P. Payne, of Roanoke; Mrs. Webb Maddux, of
Marshall, Fauquier County, and Mrs. J. A. Payne of this
city.
The funeral will take place at 11 o'clock tomorrow
morning from the Christian Church, the service to be conducted by the pastor, Dr. J. M. Philputt. The interment
will be in Maplewood Cemetery.
VISIT PVT. CHARLES HENRY WALKER of Mosby's Rangers.
The first wife of Charles Walker, Roberta Carroll Walker d. 1911, is buried at Maplewood at Division D Block 9 Section 2. The burial location of his second wife, Mattie Terrell Wills is not known at this time.
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