MAWORCES-L Archives

From: (Marcia Payne)
Subject: [MAWORCES] Cephas N. Walker biography
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 20:39:39 -0500 (CDT)

"History of Worcester and Its People" by Charles Nutt; Volume 3

pages 303, 304


Merchant, was a man of great activity during his entire life, in
which his interest was never dulled by the proverbial inertia of old
age. He found keen enjoyment in the life of a true soldier who goes
through battle with high hopes and comes out with them, ever fresh,
strong and new, knowing that true principles are ever worth the human
effort it takes to help them prevail.
Nathan S. Walker, father of Cephas N. Walker, was the son of
Ebenezer Walker and wife, whose maiden name was Hastings. Nathan S.
Walker was born in Petersham, Mass., going later with his parents to
Athol, where he was educated in the public schools. He began work on a
farm while young, and later owned one of his own. He held a position of
prominence in his community, having been Overseer of the Poor,
Representative to the General Court, and a trustee of the Baptist
church, of which he was a member and in which he at one time was a
member of the parish committee. He was twice married. His first wife,
Lydia, was the daughter of Cephas Bumpus, a prominent citizen of
Plymouth, Mass., representative to the General Court, a well-to-do
farmer, and an active churchman. They had 5 children, these are the
known ones:
1) Lyman S., farmer and dairyman near Boylston.
2) Ada
3) Cephas N.
Cephas N. Walker was born in Barre, Mass., June 3, 1844. During his
early years his father Nathan S. Walker, removed to Worcester. Here the
former worked on the farm of Colonel John W. Wetherbee. He later went to
Westboro, where he was at the outbreak ofthe Civil War. At the age of 19
years, he enlisted in Company C, 24th Mass. Regiment, which was mustered
into service July 31, 1862. When the regiment left Mass., Aug. 15, 1862,
Private Walker had been made a sergeant, having been in the service but
15 days. Immediately after the war his regiment was ordered to garrison
and outpost duty in the vicinity of Washington D.C. He was with General
Sherman in his "march to the sea". He was finally mustered out of
service, July 6, 1865. During the war, in the Battle of Winchester, Mr.
Walker was wounded, so that after his return to Worcester he found it
necessary to remain at the Dale Hospital for treatment. Upon his
complete recovery he went into the meat business. From 1867 to 1870, he
owned a butcher shop on Orchard and Sumner Streets. During the latter
year he went into business with Edson R. Morse, who was a prominent
provision and meat dealer there. The firm known as Morse & Walker was
located on Main Street. When the partnership was dissolved the latter
member of the firm went into business for himself on Mass. Street, and
finally began the practice of selling meat from a wagon, his trade being
confined to the westside and northend of Worcester. This project proved
a very successful one. Mr. Walker built the house at No. 46 Merrick
Street, where he lived to his death. Mr. Walker was always a member of
the George H. Ward Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and a very active
man in all Grand Army affairs. He was Commander of Post No. 10 in 1886,
succeeding William L. Robinson, Commander during 1883-84-85, and under
whose administration Mr. Walker was junior and senior vice commander. He
represented Ward No. 8 in the Common Council in 1886 thru 1889. He was a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the First Universalist
Church, of which he was a member of the Board of Trustees and treasurer;
was chairman of the committee on special instruction; was appointed by
the Mayor to represent the Grand Army of the Republic as a member of the
license commission; and was a trustee of the Mechanics Hall Assoc. He
died March 8, 1910.
Mr. Walker married at Brooklyn, NewYork, in 1868, to Elizabeth L.
Spooner, born in Florence, NY. They had 1 child, Jessie Agnes, now Mrs.
E.W. Davenport, of Rye, NY, and the mother of 3 children: Russell
Stearns, Dorothea and Roger.
Mrs. Walker is a charter member of the Women's Relief Corps, and a
member of the Half Century Club.

THE END

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• [MAWORCES] Cephas N. Walker biography by (Marcia Payne)