DARIUS N. WALKER, ex-Judge of Cass county, Illinois, and a resident of Virginia, is a native of the Old Dominion, born in Fauquier county, February 16, 1834. Of his life and ancestry we record the following facts:

Solomon Walker, junior and senior, father and grandfather of the Judge, were also Virginians by birth, and the former was a native of Fauquier county. The latter suffered privations and hardships in the various campaigns of the Revolutionary war, being in the service seven years, and never fully recovered his health afterward. He spent his last years in Culpeper county, Virginia. The maiden name of Grandmother Walker was Frances Taylor. Her father was a native of England, and when but a small boy was kidnapped by sailors, brought to America and bound out until twenty-one years of age. He spent his last years in the State of Virginia. Solomon Walker, Jr., learned the trade of tanner, and followed his trade in connection with farming in Fauquier county, remaining a resident of that place until 1855. Then he sold his interests there and came to Illinois, locating in Virginia precinct, Cass county, on a farm he purchased a mile and a half east of the present courthouse site. He engaged in agriculture and remained a resident there till after the death of his wife. He spent his last years at the home of his son, Judge Walker, where he died, in 1889, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. His wife, Emma Wilkins, was born in Prince William county, Virginia, daughter of Thomas Wilkins. She died on the home farm in 1879. Nine of her children reached adult years.

Judge Walker was reared and educated in his native State, and when a mere boy he commenced to assist his father in the tanyard and on the farm. He is a natural mechanic, and while a resident of Virginia worked a portion of the time at the millwright trade. He came to Cass county with his parents in 1855, and lived at home until he was twenty-three years old; was then employed at farming and carpenter work. April 15, l862, he started with others for Oregon. They went by rail to St. Joseph, at that time the terminus of the railroad, and thence by boat to Sonora, Missouri. There they equipped themselves with ox teams and provisions, and on the 12th of May started on their journey across the plains, arriving at the present site of Baker City, Oregon, August 23. He remained at Auburn, near Baker City, till February, when he went to Placerville, Idaho Territory, and engaged in mining, remaining there until the fall of 1864. Then he went to San Francisco, and from there went to New York, via Panama; thence to Cass county, Illinois. Soon afterward he bought a farm in Virginia precinct, which he sold the following fall, came to Virginia and engaged in work at the carpenter's trade. In the fall of 1868 he purchased a tin and stove store, and carried on that business until 1873, when he was elected Police Magistrate of Virginia, and devoted his attention to the duties of that office. In 1880 he visited the Rocky mountains. He went as far as Western on the railroad and thence by stage to Leadville, Colorado. Five months later he returned to Virginia and has since resided there.

Judge Walker was married in the fall of 1861, to Elizabeth Adams, who was born in Morgan county, Illinois, daughter of William and Mildred (Bryant) Adams. She died in 1873. In January, 1876, he married Martha E. Clark, a native of Schuyler county, Illinois, her parents being Thomas and Annie Clark. He has two children living by his first marriage: Emma E. and John L.

Politically, the Judge has always affiliated with the Democratic party. He served as Police Magistrate from 1873 to 1882; has also served as Alderman and Mayor. In 1882 he was elected County Judge, was reelected in 1886, and served two full terms. He is a member of Saxon Lodge, No. 68, I. O. O. F., and Washington Lodge of Mutual Aid. Mrs. Walker is a member of the Presbyterian Church, while the Judge is a Baptist.

Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago, 1892, pages 265-266.

Copyright 2000-2006 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.

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DARIUS N. WALKER, ex-Judge of Cass county, Illinois, and a resident of Virginia, is a native of the Old Dominion, born in Fauquier county, February 16, 1834. Of his life and ancestry we record the following facts:

Solomon Walker, junior and senior, father and grandfather of the Judge, were also Virginians by birth, and the former was a native of Fauquier county. The latter suffered privations and hardships in the various campaigns of the Revolutionary war, being in the service seven years, and never fully recovered his health afterward. He spent his last years in Culpeper county, Virginia. The maiden name of Grandmother Walker was Frances Taylor. Her father was a native of England, and when but a small boy was kidnapped by sailors, brought to America and bound out until twenty-one years of age. He spent his last years in the State of Virginia. Solomon Walker, Jr., learned the trade of tanner, and followed his trade in connection with farming in Fauquier county, remaining a resident of that place until 1855. Then he sold his interests there and came to Illinois, locating in Virginia precinct, Cass county, on a farm he purchased a mile and a half east of the present courthouse site. He engaged in agriculture and remained a resident there till after the death of his wife. He spent his last years at the home of his son, Judge Walker, where he died, in 1889, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. His wife, Emma Wilkins, was born in Prince William county, Virginia, daughter of Thomas Wilkins. She died on the home farm in 1879. Nine of her children reached adult years.

Judge Walker was reared and educated in his native State, and when a mere boy he commenced to assist his father in the tanyard and on the farm. He is a natural mechanic, and while a resident of Virginia worked a portion of the time at the millwright trade. He came to Cass county with his parents in 1855, and lived at home until he was twenty-three years old; was then employed at farming and carpenter work. April 15, l862, he started with others for Oregon. They went by rail to St. Joseph, at that time the terminus of the railroad, and thence by boat to Sonora, Missouri. There they equipped themselves with ox teams and provisions, and on the 12th of May started on their journey across the plains, arriving at the present site of Baker City, Oregon, August 23. He remained at Auburn, near Baker City, till February, when he went to Placerville, Idaho Territory, and engaged in mining, remaining there until the fall of 1864. Then he went to San Francisco, and from there went to New York, via Panama; thence to Cass county, Illinois. Soon afterward he bought a farm in Virginia precinct, which he sold the following fall, came to Virginia and engaged in work at the carpenter's trade. In the fall of 1868 he purchased a tin and stove store, and carried on that business until 1873, when he was elected Police Magistrate of Virginia, and devoted his attention to the duties of that office. In 1880 he visited the Rocky mountains. He went as far as Western on the railroad and thence by stage to Leadville, Colorado. Five months later he returned to Virginia and has since resided there.

Judge Walker was married in the fall of 1861, to Elizabeth Adams, who was born in Morgan county, Illinois, daughter of William and Mildred (Bryant) Adams. She died in 1873. In January, 1876, he married Martha E. Clark, a native of Schuyler county, Illinois, her parents being Thomas and Annie Clark. He has two children living by his first marriage: Emma E. and John L.

Politically, the Judge has always affiliated with the Democratic party. He served as Police Magistrate from 1873 to 1882; has also served as Alderman and Mayor. In 1882 he was elected County Judge, was reelected in 1886, and served two full terms. He is a member of Saxon Lodge, No. 68, I. O. O. F., and Washington Lodge of Mutual Aid. Mrs. Walker is a member of the Presbyterian Church, while the Judge is a Baptist.

Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago, 1892, pages 265-266.

Copyright 2000-2006 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.

Return to Biographical Review index