Tama-Poweshiek County IA Archives Biographies.....Walters, William C. 1843 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 12, 2007, 11:14 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896) WILLIAM C. WALTERS.-The gentleman whose name heads this review is one of the successful business men of Toledo, Iowa. Though not possessing a collegiate education-which he deplores-yet he has by careful reading and long business experience accumulated a stock of valuable information not to be found in any school curriculum. Beginning life at the foot of the financial ladder, he has steadily advanced without aid to a position of prominence and affluence. Mr. Walters was born in Stark county, Ohio, July 13, 1843, of German and Irish ancestry, though both his father's and mother's family lines had been represented in the New World for several generations. His father was William Walters, who was born in Virginia, in 1814. His early life was spent in the humble pursuit of a mechanic; but after his marriage he became a merchant in Stark county, Ohio, continuing his labors there until the family removed to Poweshiek county, Iowa, in 1865. Here he lived a retired life until his death, which sad event occurred at the family home in Poweshiek county, August 8, 1895. Father Walters was a man universally esteemed for his excellent traits of character and devotion to the cause of humanity. The companion of his long and useful life was Miss Elizabeth McKee, who was born in Ohio, of Irish ancestry, in 1815. Together they traveled the pathway of life, sharing each other's joys and sorrows for more than half a century. When we consider the wonderful progress made in art, science, literature and the development of the far West, we cannot but recognize a volume of interesting history embodied in the lives of these venerable pioneers. Properly to portray a history of the useful inventions brought into existence during their lives would require a volume of the capacity of this work. When they first saw the light of day there was not a mile of railroad in the world. The old slow-moving stage coach has given way to steam and electric cars, and messages are transmitted by electricity to every part of the civilized world instead of by the slow process of horseback couriers. The invention of the telephone has brought the voices of absent dear ones to our very ear, while the more modern appliances bring to our ears the sayings of the departed. The old hand-sickle, the use of which rendered the husbandman's labors tedious and irksome, has given place to self-binding machinery which renders harvesting a play-spell. All of this and much more has transpired within the short span of a single human life, which was witnessed and recognized with passing events by the parents of our subject. The aged widow, whose life seems as a benediction to her children, still lives in her lonely home where her life partner so recently passed from her presence. Nine children were born to this venerable pair, two of whom have preceded their parents to the spirit world. The others are honored and respected men and women located as shown below: Mary A. is the wife of W. H. McQueen and resides at Modale, Iowa, her husband being a retired merchant; Jacob R. is a prosperous farmer living near Findlay, Ohio; Maggie became the wife of Basil Shinier, a machinist at Brooklyn, Iowa; James served four years as a soldier in the late Civil war incurring disabilities which caused his death in 1891. At the time of his death he was a merchant in Kansas. The subject of this sketch was the next in order of birth; Hiram is a merchant at McAllister, New Mexico; Josie is the wife of Rev. George Dalby, a Methodist Episcopal minister now stationed at Hutchinson, Kansas; Leroy S. is unmarried, employed as a traveling salesman; and Nancy Jane died at about ten years of age. Our subject left the parental home in 1863, after having received a good common-school education in his native county, and was soon installed as a clerk in a mercantile house in Poweshiek county, Iowa. This was the beginning of a successful business career, which, after November 1, 1866, was continued in his own name at Toledo, Iowa. For a few months he was associated with a partner, after which he became sole proprietor of a very successful grocery business, continuing in that line until 1885, when he retired from business for about two years, taking a much needed rest. His next venture was in the grain and produce business, where we now find him. In 1872 Mr. Walters became interested as a stockholder and official in the Toledo Savings Bank, one of the solid, financial institutions of the city, and is the vice-president of that popular institution. He is a business man in the true sense of the word, and in all of his various enterprises his efforts have been crowned with success. Starting in life poor, and without influential friends, he has accumulated valuable properties in Toledo and adjoining country. Among his possessions-the result of his own industry and energy-may be mentioned a fine farm of about 700 acres of choice Tama county lands, a valuable business block in the heart of the city of Toledo, a grain elevator with large capacity, and an elegant home in the city. He is a gentleman of genial manners, public-spirited and enterprising, and to his energy and liberality is due much of the prosperity of the beautiful little city which he calls his home. Mr. Walters chose for his life companion Miss Mary H. Reynolds, whom he wedded in Poweshiek county, Iowa, the place of her birth, on the 22d day of November, 1866. She is a daughter of Rev. Commodore Perry Reynolds, a pioneer minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Iowa. He was a native of Ohio, and espoused the calling of a minister at twenty-one years of age. He spent his life in the service of the church and died, as he had lived, a consistent Christian, July 10, 1891, aged sixty-nine years, His wife was Miss Martha Orr, who survives him and now resides in Toledo. She is a native of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Walters have but two children, the eldest of whom, Charles Earnest, is a practicing attorney in this city. He is a young man of excellent attainments and gives fair promise of making a mark in the world. He is a graduate of the Toledo high school, Cornell College, and the law department of the University of Michigan, where he took a two-years course, graduating in June, 1893. He is now the junior member of the law firm of Caldwell & Walters, the senior member having served several years as District Judge. The other son is John Perry, who was born October 3, 1879, and is now a student in the city high school, just entering the senior year, which attainment is a remarkable achievement for one of his years. Mr. Walters has always been connected with the Republican party and has been active and influential in political affairs, though not an office-seeker in any sense. He has served in various official stations of trust and responsibility. The family are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Toledo. Additional Comments: Extracted from: A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA ILLUSTRATED "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."'—MACAULAY. "Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant, of all things."—CARLYLE "History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1896 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/tama/bios/walters149gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb