My Genealogy Hound

OLIVER WALKER, general insurance agent at Northampton, a man of marked financial ability, is a native of Hampshire County. He was born September 13, 1841, in Belchertown, where his father, Horace Walker, was a lifelong resident. The emigrant ancestor of his family is said to have been John Walker, who came from England at an early date, and settled in Eastern Massachusetts.

Mr. Walker’s paternal grandfather, Silas Walker, one of the large landholders of Belchertown, born there in 1764, is mentioned in the History of the Connecticut Valley as a son of Captain James Walker, who settled in Belchertown in 1755, and grandson of Nathaniel Walker, of Weston, Mass. Silas Walker was a man of great strength and endurance, and attained a vigorous old age, retaining his faculties in a remarkable manner, being able in his last years to read the Bible through without the aid of glasses. He spent his life in Belchertown, dying in 1857, in his ninety-fourth year. His wife, whose maiden name was Demmis Sexton, bore him twelve children, all of whom became useful members of society, the sons being mostly engaged in farming.

Horace Walker was born in 1793, and died in 1870. He owned a farm adjoining the parental homestead, was a prosperous farmer and a respected citizen of his town. He enlisted as a soldier in the War of 1812, and was sent to Boston to aid in the defence of that city. While encamped there, he used to catch flounders in the harbor as food for his mess. Like his parents, Horace Walker was an Orthodox Congregationalist in religion and a consistent Christian. He married Abigail Filer, whose father owned a farm nearby, and of their five children the following four grew to adult life: Henry J., born in 1821, is a well-known druggist of Northampton; Sarah W., born in 1828, is the widow of Samuel D. Cowles, of Amherst; Emery P., born in 1832, is a commercial traveller, residing at Hartford, Conn.; and Oliver. The mother was much respected for her many virtues. She lived to the age of seventy-eight years.

Oliver Walker remained on the farm, assisting his father in its manual labor until eighteen years old, meanwhile acquiring a good practical education in the district school and at the Monson Academy, where he spent one winter. In 1861, shortly after the fall of Fort Sumter he was one of the brave boys in blue who responded to the country’s call for troops, enlisting as a private in Company H, Forty-sixth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Returning home after the expiration of his term of service, Mr. Walker re-enlisted August 23, 1862, as a nine months’ man, and served until July 29, 1863, when he was honorably discharged. Mr. Walker then spent three years in the stove, tin, and plumbing business, and in 1866, having studied book-keeping one term at Eastman’s Business College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., became a partner with Fames & Sprague of this city in the same business, three years later selling his interest to his partners. At this time Mr. Walker had a serious illness, which for a while incapacitated him from active labor. Since 1870 he has conducted a fire and accident insurance agency. He is also an extensive dealer in real estate and an authorized agent for the sale of tickets to foreign points.

On February 20, 1868, Mr. Walker married Fanny J. Griswold, of Springfield, a daughter of Joseph and Electa (Warner) Griswold. Their pleasant home has been brightened by the birth of two children, a daughter and a son: Carrie L. is a brilliant student in the musical department of Smith College, which she entered after being graduated from the Northampton High School; Charles W. was graduated from Williston Seminary in the summer of the present year, 1895, and is now pursuing his college course at Amherst.

In politics Mr. Walker is a stanch member of the Republican party; and he is connected socially, financially, and religiously with the best interests of the city, where he has acceptably filled many places of trust and responsibility. In 1878 he was elected Secretary and Treasurer of the Hampshire County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, in place of Harvey Kirkland, resigned, and ten years later was elected Trustee of the Northampton Institution for Savings, in place of George W. Hubbard, deceased. He has also been chairman of the Civil Service Commission. Mr. Walker served as Deacon of the First Congregational Church one year, has been one of the assessors of that parish for ten years, one of the Directors of the Young Men’s Christian Association for several years, and in every position has performed his duties with great fidelity. He is a Master Mason, having joined the Jerusalem Lodge in 1866. Mr. Walker has a pleasant home at 29 Pleasant Street, the commodious house in which he lives, and which was formerly owned by Harvey Kirkland, having been built a century go, as shown by the date on the foundation one.