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From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 596-597
DAVID B. WALKER, a worthy representative of an old and prominent pioneer family of Grant county, was born there April 2, 1847.
Our subject is a son of John and Jane (BRADBURY) WALKER, both of whom were born in Yorkshire, England, in 1814, and came to Wisconsin in 1840. Both at that time were unmarried. Mr. WALKER came immediately to this State, feeling confident that plenty of work awaited him. Mrs. WALKER, then Jane BRADBURY, went to visit with friends in Meadville, Penn., remaining there several years. After she came to Grant county the old friends met, and were married in Potosi, where they lived until 1846, Mr. WALKER in that year buying eighty acres of land in Smelser township, Grant county. This farm was purchased from Henry SNOWDEN, who bought the eighty acres adjoining, paying $25 per acre. On this place Mr. WALKER erected a house, and the young people settled down to pioneer life in the great Northwest, as it was then regarded. Until 1873 the family resided there, and Mr. WALKER then purchased a small farm near Big Patch, on which place they remained until their deaths, which occurred in 1892 and 1895, respectively. Always to be found at the post of duty, it is no wonder that these good people were sincerely mourned, not only in the P. M. Church, where they had long been members, but in the community at large. In politics Mr. WALKER was a Whig, then a Republican, and for many years his services were in demand on the school board of the township. The family born to the parents of our subject numbered six: David B.; Margaret A., who died in childhood; Mary E.; Harriet A.; Sarah E., born in Grant county in 1849, who married James D. BELL, of Seymour, Wis., and has six children, Margaret, John W., Nellie, Jennie, Edward and Woodward; and Hannah A., born in 1852, who married James KAY, and now lives in Platteville, Wis. (she has one son, Albert).
Our subject was reared in the present home and was educated in the district schools of Smelser township. Being his father's only son, he remained on the farm, where his services were needed, and became the efficient manager of the farm some years before his father's demise. On Jan. 16, 1873, he was married to Miss Mary J. DOUGLASS, of Hazel Green, the estimable daughter of John and Jane (BRADLEY) DOUGLASS, both of whom were born in Scotland, and on coming to America located in Michigan, later moving to Hazel Green, Wis., where Mr. DOUGLASS engaged in mining. Mr. DOUGLASS became interested in the mines of California, and crossed the plains to that State, but accident must have terminated his life, as he has never returned; Mrs. DOUGLASS is still a resident of Big Patch, Wis. Five children were born to them: John resides in California; James resides in California; Wealthy married John JONES, of Smelser; Abner resides in California; Mary J. is the wife of Mr. WALKER.
After his marriage our subject made a great many improvements about the farm, making it one of the finest homes in the township. He owns 500 acres of fertile land, and has been for some time one of the largest cattle dealers in the county. To him and his wife have come four children: John D., born in November, 1873, was graduated from the Platteville Normal school in the class of 1895, engaged in teaching in the public schools for one year, and followed that with a year in the great University of Chicago, where he took up the study of vocal music, now occupying that chair in one of the institutes at Fort Worth, Texas; Nellie J., born in 1877, was educated in the Platteville Normal school; James E., was born in October, 1883; and George W., in August, 1887.
Mr. WALKER has been identified with the Republican party, has served as chairman on the town board, and has been school director. Both he and his wife are valued members of the M. E. church, to which he liberally contributes. He has taken a great pride in the adornment of his farm, and has made his property a beautiful and ideal spot. The family has the respect of the neighborhood, where all are personally popular.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck