Barber County Kansas
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Barber County Kansas |
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I don't remember Tull coming into Sun but very vividly remember Rafe Walker when he arrived, Rafe was about 6'3" tall and slender and was dressed completely in black with his trousers legs tucked in black shiny boots, had on a black split-tailed jacket and a black flat-topped, wide-brimmed Stetson, I remember him striding the full length of main street, all 3 blocks up one side and down the other and don't think he spoke to anyone, I know he walked to Uncle Ray's and then came over to our place north of the river and visited with Dad before walking on west to the Walker home place. I never saw him or heard of him again.
It's a shame that some of us didn't record more of the earlier history, isn't it?
-- Excerpt from an e-mail regarding Tull Balding from Nate Massey to Jerry Ferrin, 6 Jan 2008.
"I found that he ("Rafe" Walker) was Ralph Beavin Walker born March 16, 1871 and brother to Nannie Walker Clawson. Both children of Ben F. Walker. Ralph Beavin Walker Born 1824 is the Ralph married to Judith or (Ralph and Juda) who came to Sun City in 1872 - '73, parents of Henry and George who came up the Chisholm Trail in 1872 and wintered in the dug out on Turkey Creek.
I have asked Cindy if her grandfather remembers much of Rafe's history. That you and Jerry are interested, as I. Let's hope it brings another fun story." -- Lee
-- E-mail from Lee (Massey) Ives to Kim Fowles, 30 Jan 2008.
Probate Judge Lacy united Ralph B. Walker, of Sun City, and Mary P. Cockron, of Mineral Springs, Oklahoma, in marriage on Saturday, November 2, 1901. The ceremony took place in the parlors of the Central Hotel. The groom is a nephew of Commissioner H.C. Walker and the bride is an accomplished young lady who has many friends in the western part of the county and at different places in Oklahoma. We wish the young couple unbounded happiness and success. -- The Barber County Index, October 30, 1901.
In the Probate Court of Barber County are two small boxes of papers containing the records and itemized expenditures of the Administratrix: Linda Rowley, of the Estate of Newell Rowley.
Having made no Last Will and Testament, said deceased had, at time of his death personal property probable value of $20,000.00 . . . deceased left the following heirs:
Linda Rowley, wife, age 53 years.
John Rowley, son, age 30 years.
Olive Walker, daughter, age 26 years.
Nettie Drury, daughter, age 24 years.
Orrin Rowley, son, age 20 years.
Alice Rowley, daughter, age 17 years.Bond for Linda Rowley as Administratix of N.G. Rowley Estate set at $40,000 on 20 April 1899. Persons who pledged security for her bond: John Young, Thomas Taylor, Geo R. Walker, Ralph B. Walker, John T. Clawson, John S. Knowle, Levi T. Walker, Daniel L. Pierce,
Joe P. Massey , George W. Lukes, Louis Bissantz,O. Mills , Riley Lake, G.G. Shigley, Frank L. Garaber, L.C. Drury, H.C. Walker.-- Newell Greely and Linda (Ferry) Rowley
George Ralph Walker Sr. Three Walker brothers, Henry, Tom, and Charley, from Cloverport, Kentucky, trailed cattle up the Chisholm Trail from Texas in 1871 and wintered them on Turkey Creek. They were attracted to the valley along the Medicine River and built a dugout in a bank about seven miles northwest of Sun City. Younger, sixteen-year-old brother, George arrived in December, 1873, and about this time a cedar log cabin was built near the dugout. Henry went back to Kentucky to bring the parents, Ralph and Judith, to the new land along the river, where each of the boys and their father staked out claims.
When Henry returned to Kentucky, a wagon was loaded with all the family possessions, and he drove it back in three months to Sun City. The parents came by train to Hutchinson, then by stage to Sun City, where they lived until the cabin was finished and extra rooms added. Grandmother was able to hire a woman to scrub her floor (on hands and knees) for 10 cents. Grand-mother cooked with buffalo tallow for grease; and it smelled so strongly, it made her sick - so she would put meat on to cook and then go outside until it needed turning. Ralph and Judith were in their sixties when they came to Barber County.
George Ralph Walker, Sr. by Olive W. Salazar, The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, page 469. (excerpt)
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