BIOS: Levi WALKER, Somerset and Stony Creek, Somerset County, PA

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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Vol. XXXII, Containing Life Sketches of Leading 
Citizens of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania. Boston, 
Biographical Review Publishing Company: 1899, pp. 292-294

  Levi Walker, a leading farmer and dairyman of Somerset, Pa., was born 
in the neighboring town of Stony Creek, October 28, 1835, a son of 
Jacob J. and Catherine (Fritz) Walker.
  He is of German ancestry and the grandson of Jacob Walker, who 
emigrated from Germany in the latter part of the eighteenth century.  
Jacob Walker settled in Brother's Valley, Somerset County, Pa., where 
he carried on general farming for several years; but he subsequently 
removed to Ohio, and there spent his remaining days, dying at the age 
of fourscore years.  His wife, who survived him, died at the age of 
eighty-six years.  They were both members of the Lutheran church.  Of 
their eight children none are now living.
  Jacob J. Walker, their eldest son, was born in Brother's Valley, 
January 18, 1799.  Selecting farming as his life occupation, he 
followed it first in the town of his birth, where he also learned the 
cooper's trade.  He afterward bought land in Stony Creek, and, moving 
there with his family, employed himself as a farmer and cooper until 
his decease, in the eighty-second year of his age.  He was very 
successful in business, acquiring a good property.  He was a member of 
the Lutheran church, to which his wife also belonged, and he served 
faithfully as Deacon and Elder for many years.  He married Catherine 
Fritz, who was born in Brother's Valley, a daughter of Valentine Fritz.  
She preceded him to the better land, dying at the age of sixty-seven 
years.  They had fourteen children, of whom seven are living, briefly 
mentioned as follows: Moses married Elizabeth Musser (deceased), and 
Winfield; Matilda, the wife of Benjamin Musser, has no children; of 
Josiah J. a sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume; Mary the 
widow of the late John Glessner, has nine children - William, Jacob, 
Joseph, Harry, Catherine, Mary, Ida, Sarah, and one other: Levi is the 
subject of this sketch; Alexander married Rose Shaver, and they have 
eleven children - Irving, Frank, Homer, Leslie, Sidney, Minnie, Maggie, 
Lizzie, Emma, Ida, and Sadie; and Catherine, wife of Andrew Woy, has 
eight children - Edward, Charles, Harvey, Jacob, Margret, Mollie, 
Lizzie, and Rose.
  Levi Walker remained an inmate of the parental household until he was 
twenty-two years old, when, in 1857, he purchased from his father the 
farm which he now owns and occupies in the town of Somerset.  He has 
since devoted his entire time and attention to the care of his estate 
of two hundred and seventeen acres of valuable land, and has carried on 
general farming with most satisfactory results.  He makes a specialty 
of dairying, in which he has been particularly successful, his dairy 
being one of the finest and most productive in this locality.  In 
politics he affiliates with the Republican party.
  On the 10th of December, 1856, Mr. Walker married Mary, daughter of 
Jacob and Elizabeth (Raymond) Zeigler, each of whom rounded out a life 
of fourscore years.  Mr. Zeigler was a prosperous farmer of Stony Creek 
township in his earlier years, but subsequently retired to Somerset, 
where he spent his declining days.  He was a strong Republican in 
politics, and both he and Mrs. Zeigler were members of the Lutheran 
church.  They had eight children, four of whom are living; namely, 
Samuel, Mrs. Walker, John and Caroline.
  Mr. and Mrs. Walker have had seven children.  One of the, Sadie, when 
eighteen years old, died; and a son, Samuel P., who married Maggie 
Kelher, died in 1894, leaving four children - Sadie, Harry, Etta, and 
Mamie.  The five living are: Charles B., Alice, Jennie, Wilson, and 
Kate.  Charles B. married Ada Spangler.  Alice, whose first husband, 
Ezra Baer, died in 1894, leaving two children - Walter and Rose - is 
now the wife of Josiah Mostoller, by who she has two children - Myrl 
and Cloyd McK.  Jennie, wife of Charles S. Kifer, has two children - 
Willard and Stewart.  Wilson K. married Mollie Shaffer, and they have 
one child, Evelyn.  Mr Walker and his family are members of the 
Lutheran church.