Township · Huntingdon County

Walker

3 stories on file, each with its sources. 18.5 square miles of land in the ridge and valley country of central Pennsylvania.

1,969

Population

18.51 sq mi

Land area

Township

Type

The founding record

Walker township was erected from Porter in April, 1827, and the bounds of the reduced township have since been modified, the principal change being the addition of some territory from West township, extending Porter in that direction, across the Little Juniata, so as to include the Barree Forge property. J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 2,715,436 of the scanned text

Walker, the village having three stores in 1881, besides the drug-store of Calvin Porter, which was established in 1868. The first 427 drug-store in the village was opened by Dr. Daniel Houtz, more than a quarter of a century ago, and was continued by him a number of years, Among the keepers of public-houses was William Moore, in the low building opposite the present postoffice, about the beginning of the century. In the same house subsequent landlords were Daniel Hewitt, Thomas Lloyd, and Christiane Stemen. Farther up the street, in a building almost the counterpart of the former, was the John Walker mentioned as one of the proprietors of the stage line, and was succeeded by his son John, for many years the keeper of an inn. At later periods John H. Stackpole was the landlord, and Robert Carmon was also for a number of years the keeper of a well-known inn, occupying that building. The latter removed to Missouri, where he was elected sheriff, and was assassinated while in the discharge of his duties. In 1826, John G. Stewart opened an inn, where he now resides, which he continued about a dozen years. In the old Thomas H. Stewart house Robert Lytle had a publichouse about the time of the building of the canal, and subsequently Michael Sissler, John Odell, and Perry Robinson were kJ. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 2,737,317

Quoted from a work published before 1929 and therefore in the public domain in the United States. Spelling and punctuation are as printed, including nineteenth century spellings of place names. Scanned text carries optical character recognition errors; the character offset is given so the passage can be found and checked in the original.

3 stories

Stories from Walker

From the county histories, on Walker township. The passage below is printed exactly as it appears in 1897, including the spelling of the day and the errors the scanner made. It has not been rewritten, summarised or added to.

He was favorably known and highly esteemed for his many good qualities. He died in Walker township in 1888, at the age of eighty-seven; Mrs. Hamer died aged sixtythree. Their children are: Thomas, deceased, was a farmer in Walker township, married Elizabeth Grove, who is also deceased; ilartha (Mrs. James Watson), of Walker township; Mary (Isirs. Joseph IsenbevL! ). of ^McConnellstown, Pa.; Michael; Pluses, a farmer in ]\rcConnellsto\v-r! ; John, a farmer in Walker township: Susan, deceased: I\Iargaret CMr?. John Peightel). died in Walker township; Elizalieth Qlrs. James Woods"), of Walker tnwushiii; and Samuel, who died in youth. ]Michael Hamer M-as educated in the ]iublic schools of his native place. During vacations, he worked on the farm, and when he was twenty years old he went to learn the business of milling with his uncle. Solomon Hamer, at ^fe.Mevys Fort, Huntingdon county. He served three years, receiving on an avevaii'e .$ month, which sum did not enable him to save much. At the end of his apprenticeship, he rented of Colonel Worden a mill in Walker township, which he operated for five years; he then went to Tipton, Blair county, where he rented a mill of William Dysert for one year; then to Bald Eagle Furnace, Blair county, for four years. During the four years' milling at the last named place, he cleared over $8,000. He then removed to Huntingdon Furnace for three years; then to Huntingdon, where he lived a retired life for three years.Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley (Chambersburg: J. M. Runk, 1897) · character 505,103 of the scanned text

Sources

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley (Chambersburg: J. M. Runk, 1897)

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From the county histories, on Walker township. The passage below is printed exactly as it appears in 1883, including the spelling of the day and the errors the scanner made. It has not been rewritten, summarised or added to.

He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, well booked in ecclesiastical history, well informed in everything concerning Presbyterianism, took great interest in religious matters, and expressed his sentiments very freely and intelligently. He resided in Walker township, two miles from Huntingdon. His homestead was located upon a slight eminence, commanding a view of the surrounding country and of a portion of the town. He was noted for his hospitality. Nothing delighted him more than a visit from a member of the bar, unless it was a visit from a Presbyterian minister, but all were welcome to his home and his board. He was truly "given to hospitality." , . s He evidently considered an eldership and a judgeship honor enough for one man, and he never aspired after any other. He bore his honors with becoming gravity and dignity, and discharged his duties with the utmost fidelity. His father, William Ker, was register and recorder and clerk of the Orphans' Court of Huntingdon County, appointed in 1824. Judge Ker was born on the 1st day of April, 1796, and died on the 30th of July, 1855, aged fifty-nine years and four months. JAMES GWIN was appointed and commissioned an PENNSYLVANIA. associate judge on the 20th of March, 1840. The early part of his judicial history is considerably mingled with that of Judge Ker, his immediate predecessor.J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 595,367 of the scanned text

Sources

J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883)

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Flowing into it and the main river are a number of small mountain streams whose volume becomes very small as the forests are being cleared away. In the northwestern part of the township is the mouth of- Vineyard Creek, whose flow is almost wholly in Walker township. The minor streams afford limited waterpower, which has been utilized to operate small lumber-mills, the forest products of Juniata constituting its principal source of revenue. Large quantities of bark are annually shipped from Huntingdon, which is the market of the township, both for sale and supplies, there being no hamlet or business point within its bounds. Pioneer Settlers., Although possessing so little land to invite settlements, some of the first improvements in the county were made in what is now Juniata. At the mouth of Vineyard Creek lived a Mr. Brady, the father of the Capt. Brady so greatly distinguished as a scout and Indian-fighter. His claims were probably based on possession, since these lands were warranted to other parties, and as the property of William Smith, D.D., were unimportant in the pioneer history of the county, being occupied by tenants for short periods only.J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 1,956,459 of the scanned text

Sources

J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883)

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Where it sits

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