OH-FOOTSTEPS-L Archives

From: MRS GINA M REASONER< >
Subject: JOHN LEIDIGH WALTER
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 21:15:27, -0500

HISTORY OF OHIO, The American Historical Society Inc., 1925
Volume IV, page 7

JOHN LEIDIGH WALTER, highway engineer for Portage County and also
county surveyor, was born in Northern Ohio, and since leaving school his
experience and work have been in the engineering profession, and he has
gained a well deserved reputation in that field.
He was born in Marlborough Township of Stark County, Ohio, March
10, 1883, son of Byron and Etha (Housley) Walter, also natives of Stark
County, his father born near North Canton and his mother in Lake Township.
His paternal grandparents, Samuel and Sophia (Holl) Walter, were born in
Plain Township of Stark County. The maternal grandparents were also natives
of the same county. Byron Walter married in Plain Township of Stark County.
He had been a teacher, but after his marriage he farmed a place inherited
by his wife. They now live at North Springfield in Akron.
John L. Walter began his education in the schools of Marlboro,
attending there for two terms, and was then in the grade schools of Canton.
In June, 1899, he graduated from the high school at Greentown, Ohio. For
three years he worked at Canton in the office of County Surveyor J. H.
Holl, and with this practical training he entered the Ohio Northern
University, taking the course of civil engineering. In the spring of 1904
Mr. Walter joined the engineering department of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad on construction work, and was in that service four years. In the
spring of 1908 he went to Wichita Falls, Texas, and became assistant city
engineer in that rapidly growing city of North Texas. He left his work
there and returned home on a vacation in July, 1909, and soon afterward
accepted the offer to become assistant to the county surveyor of Portage
County at Ravenna. His engineering work has since been confined to Portage
County. In April, 1912, he was appointed resident engineer for Portage
County under the Ohio State Highway Department, and has been the technical
man on all work under the direction of this state department carried out in
Portage County. On January 1, 1914, he was appointed county surveyor, and
has held that office continuously since then by reelection.
On September 16, 1909, Mr. Walter married Miss Gertrude Akers, who
was born at East Akron, daughter of Henry and Ada (Jones) Akers. Her father
was born in England and her mother in old Middlesburg, now a portion of the
City of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Walter had two children, William Harwood, born
October 8, 1913, and George Akers, born April 17, 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Walter
are members of the Congregational Church. He is a republican. He is a
member Unity Lodge No. 12, Free and Accepted Masons, at Ravenna, is a Royal
Arch and Knights Templar Mason, and a member of Al Koran Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Cleveland, also a member Yusef
Khan Grotto of Akron. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and a member
of the Ohio Engineering Society.

This thread:

• JOHN LEIDIGH WALTER by MRS GINA M REASONER< >