"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chicago:
Chapman Publishing Company, 1903. p. 1514.
 
JOHN F. WALKER

     The founders of towns must ever occupy a special place in the history of
the world, more especially when their names are associated therewith for all
time, a mutually beneficial distinction being thus conferred. The town of
Walker, a thrifty and promising aggregation of interests, owes its start to that
honored pioneer, John F. Walker, upon whose farm there sprang into existence the
inevitable store, the blacksmith shop and postoffice which, with slight
modifications, have usually served as the nucleus for thriving towns. Behind him
Mr. Walker has the backing of characteristics drawn from a fine old southern
ancestry, traits fostered on the paternal farm in Bedford county, Va., where he
was born January 11, 1827. His father, Robert M. Walker, was also born in the
Old Dominion February 6, 1804, and it is presumed that his father, the paternal
great-grandfather, was either born there or established his family there at a
very early day.
     John F. Walker was never at a loss for companionship and sympathy in his
childish enthusiasms, for he had thirteen brothers and sisters, many of whom
started out to earn their own living at an early age. He was twenty when he
learned the tanner's trade, which he followed for a few years. In 1847 he went
to Missouri and farmed for three years. While thus employed he contracted the
western fever, and in the spring of 1850 started for California with mule teams,
being on the road about three months. In the latter state he tried his hand at
mining, but not experiencing great success turned his attention to carpentering,
of which there was great need at that time. In 1852 he came to Oregon and spent
the first winter in the mines of Jackson county, the following spring taking up
a claim of one hundred and sixty acres four miles southeast of Cottage Grove.
This acquisition suggested the establishment of a home, and February 1, 1855,
Mr. Walker married Mary J. Chrisman, who was born in Jackson county, Mo.,
February 16, 1839, and whose father, C. E. Chrisman, is mentioned elsewhere in
this work. Mrs. Walker crossed the plains with her people in 1851, and settled
in Lane county in 1853.
     Under the most promising conditions Mr. and Mrs. Walker went to
housekeeping on the newly acquired claim, and this continued to be their home
until certain distasteful features connected with it led Mr. Walker to sell, and
purchase a farm one mile east of Creswell. A year later he came into possession
of the farm of five hundred and seventy acres upon which he now lives, and upon
a part of which the village of Walker has since been built. This farm is four
miles north of Cottage Grove, and few farms are so well improved, or
unstintingly supplied with modern implements, outhouses and general aids to a
large general farming and stock-raising industry. In the meantime, he has added
to his land and now has about seventeen hundred acres, a fair showing for a man
who started out in life with physical rather than financial assets, and who has
overcome many obstacles placed in the way of his success. At present Mr. Walker
is living a retired life, although he still maintains an interest in
everything connected with the farm. The family live in an old-fashioned frame
dwelling, large and comfortable and roomy, and to which the numerous friends are
wont to repair with great frequency. Of the seven children born into the family.
Mrs. Mary A. Walden lives in Washington; R. E., has a farm in this vicinity; J.
W. resides in Alsea, Ore.; Mrs. Martha Wiseman makes her home in Eugene; and
George O. is a merchant of Walker. A Republican since the establishment of the
party, Mr. Walker has been called upon to fill many offices of trust in this
county, including that of county commissioner, school director, and road
supervisor. He is a deacon in the Baptist church, and has always contributed, as
his means permitted, to its support. He is a kind-hearted, broad-minded, and
exceedingly liberal man, in touch with current events, and interestingly
reminiscent of the early days of Oregon. With his wife he is justly esteemed for
interesting and fine traits of character, and in consequence is surrounded in
his declining years by pleasant and harmonious associates.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2010 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.