1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

J. E. Walsh, who has served for two terms as under sheriff of Crawford county and at this writing is the people's choice for the office of sheriff, was born in Edgar county, Illinois, on the 11th of October, 1867, and is the second in a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters, who were born to Thomas and Nancy (McDonald) Walsh. The paternal grandfather was a veteran of the Mexican war. The father was a native of Louisiana, but in early life became a resident of the north and at the time of the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Union and served for three years as a member of Company D, Sixty-second Illinois Infantry. He married Miss McDonald, a native of Illinois, and they continued to reside in that state until 1872, when he came to Kansas. Thomas Walsh turned his attention to merchandising at Reading, this state, and after one year he removed to St. Martins, Brown county, Ohio, where he carried on merchandising for three years. On the expiration of that period he established his home in Paris, Illinois, where he continued in the same line of business until 1880. He then came to Crawford county, Kansas, and invested in land here, spending his last days upon his farm in Grant township, where his death occurred in July, 1899. His widow still survives him and is yet living on the homestead farm in Grant township.

J. E. Walsh largely acquired his early education in the public schools of Crawford county, Kansas, and he afterward spent one year as a student in the Kansas Normal College at Fort Scott. He then returned to owns eighty acres of land. On the 8th of January, 1900, however, he was appointed to the position of under sheriff, and in January, 1903, [sic] his home and engaged in stockraising in Grant township, where he was reappointed to that office, the duties of which position he has discharged in a very acceptable, prompt and faithful manner. A recognition of his worth was accorded him in his nomination for the position of sheriff as a candidate of the Republican party and since then he has been elected as sheriff of Crawford county by one of the largest majorities in the history of the county. He has always been an advocate of the principles of the Republican party and has done effective service in its behalf.

On the 12th of November, 1899, Mr. Walsh was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Seigel, a daughter of George Seigel, and they now have two interesting children: Helen, who is three years of age, and Margaret, who is but a year old. Mr. Walsh and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church at Greenbush, Kansas, and he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, and both are connected with the Knights and Ladies of Security. He has always been found reliable in business and faithful in public office, and in his present position will undoubtedly prove a valuable official.