WALKER, Gilbert A., b 1866; 1905 Bio, Chaffee County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/chaffee/bios/walkerga.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 4, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Gilbert A. Walker Starting out in life at the age of sixteen with nothing but his native capacity and determined spirit, and since then steadily working his way forward by persistent energy and close attention to whatever duty lay before him, Gilbert A. Walker, one of the leading attorneys and counselors of Chaffee county, this state, has neither found nor inherited, but has literally hewed out his opportunities, and has made the most of them. He was born on April 1, 1866, near Burlington, Iowa, and while he was yet a child his parents moved to Seward county, in eastern Nebraska, and settled on a farm. Here the son grew to the age of sixteen assisting in the farm work and having almost no chance to attend school. When he reached the age mentioned he took his destiny in his own hands and by working for a period accumulated enough money to give him the longed-for opportunity for schooling, and after a few years in the public schools in the winter months was able to go through the State Normal at Emporia, Kansas, where he was graduated in 1892. During his vacations while attending this institution he kept himself provided by teaching school, and after finishing his course there he became a resident of Chaffee county, this state. Here he taught school at Granite until 1895, during one year of the period being also time and bookkeeper for the Twin Lake Placer Mining Company, and in two of the summers was connected with the United States geodetic survey in the state. In the fall of 1895 he matriculated in the law department of the State University at Boulder, and he was graduated therefrom in the early part of 1897. He then returned to Buena Vista and began practicing his profession. To this he has since sedulously devoted himself, and by close attention to business and ability in the discharge of it he has risen to the first rank in the profession in his part of the state. In the fall of 1901 he was elected county superintendent of the public schools as the candidate of the Republican party, of which he has always been an active supporter. He is also interested in the mining industry and has valuable claims in very promising properties. On September 13, 1892, he was married at Buena Vista to Miss Debby Mosher, a native of Illinois. They have four children, Vida, Verne, Helen and Daisy. In politics Mr. Walker has always been a firm and stanch Republican and is now editing the Colorado Republican, a weekly paper of considerable note. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.