Walker Children

Walker children - Topeka circa 1890.

Walker Family - Thanksgiving

To continue on the theme of last week, here are the two photographs I have of the Walker children as children. The earliest one appears to have been taken around 1890 by George Downing. Downing had served in the Ohio 1st Light Battery and opened his own photography business in Topeka in 1874. Downing bio On the back of the photograph is handwritten, To Mother. The date of the photo suggests that it was taken not long after the death of Edna's twin. From left to right are Percy (1879), Edna (1888), Lilly (1873) and Fred (1874). The two girls in front are left to right Eula (1884) and Grace (1886).
    
     The second photograph was taken in 1896, 1897 or 1898, depending on which copy you happen to be looking at. The one consistent fact is that it was Thanksgiving. That was clearly remembered because Edward had closed the drugstore that day for the holiday. I tend to go with the later date because Ada was born in May of 1893 and she looks closer to five than three in this photograph. But to identify everyone, we start with Lilly, Percy, Edward, Eula, Betsy, Fred and Grace. Then in front are Ada on the left and Edna on the right. This photograph is one of the latest ones I have found of Edward. There's a formal photograph, but I haven't figured out how to scan it yet.

Walker Christmas 1920

     The third photograph is one of the latest ones I have of most of the Walkers. It's taken at Christmas 1920 at Percy and Jenny's home in Topeka. Back row: Eula Walker Faust, Frank Faust, Grace Walker Bale, George Bale, Edna Walker Burkhardt, Ada Walker Smith, Lilly Walker Leib and Jenny Thayer Walker. Middle row: Dorothy Leib (1909) Bud Walker (1911) Fred Leib (1906) Dorothy Leib (1912). Front row: Bernice Bale (1920), Betsy Sharpe Walker, Marguerite Faust (1914), Mildred Faust (1916), Ethel Burkhardt (1917) Helen Burkhardt (1920) EA Burkhardt, Bill Smith, Walker Smith (1920), Allan Burkhardt, (1914) and Marcie Walker (1913). Six  more grandchildren were born and Betsy met all of them but Sharp Smith who was born in 1929 to Ada and Bill . Mary Grace was born to Edna and EA in 1923. George and Grace's second child, George, was born in 1924. Don was born to Ada and Bill in 1925. Also born in 1925 was Betty Jean and her twin to Frank and Eula.