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William Walker
Furniture and Undertaking |
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The following article by Lucille Roberts is reprinted from Historic Matagorda County, Vol 2, pp 550-551:
In
1900 William Walker organized Walker Furniture and Undertaking
Company in Bay City. After completing a building in the 1800 block
of Seventh Street, he moved his family to Bay City in 1902 where
they lived above the store until their home was completed at 2300
Avenue L.
William M. Walker served as one of the first four alderman elected
to serve from 1902-1904 when Bay City was incorporated. In 1906 he
served as the first fire chief when the fire department was
organized. William and Alcesta were both active in the First
Methodist Church. William served on the building committee when the
church was constructed in 1909 and served as church trustee several
times. The children of William M. and Alcesta Walker were:
5. William (1887-1966) married Blanche Crossman, and they had two children, Lucille and Robert. He owned an elevator business in California and came back to Bay City after his mother's death to help Thomas and Mildred manage the furniture store.
8. Mildred Minnie (1898-1973) married Thorton F. Carr and their children were Iris Lucille, Mary Frank, and Thomas T.
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Mr. William Walker, age 83, passed away at his home this morning, Friday, at 8 o’clock, following an illness of several months. Although he had been in bad health for several months his end was a surprise as he was reported to be holding his own.
Mr. Walker had been in the furniture business, Walker Furniture Co., for several years. He was well known and highly respected in this entire section of the state.
The funeral service, the hour not yet definitely set, will be held at the Methodist Church here Sunday morning. The remains will be taken to Weimar for burial Sunday afternoon where Masonic services will be held.
A complete detail of this good man’s life will appear in a later issue of the paper. The exact time of the service will appear in tomorrow’s paper.
The Daily Tribune, February 12, 1932
DEATH CLAIMS PIONEER CITIZEN
One of City’s Oldest and Most Highly Respected Business Men To Be Buried In Weimer.
Early Friday morning death entered the home of one of Bay City’s pioneer families and took from our midst William Walker, a most highly respected citizen and the head of one of the city’s oldest business firms.
Mr. Walker had been in failing health for the past several years, but at that, reached the ripe old age of 84 years. He will be buried in his old home town, Weimar, Sunday afternoon under the direction of the Masonic order.
Mr. and Mrs. Walker moved to Bay City in 1901 and reared their children here. From the first he became associated with the development of the city and its every activity. He was a devoted and loyal member of the Methodist Church and always to the front in every civic enterprise. Quiet and unassuming, he was content to serve in the ranks, but ever eager to back up those who worked for their city and county.
Mr. Walker’s entire residence in Bay City has been devoted to his furniture business, however, for the past few years he has let those duties fall upon the shoulders of his son, Mr. Payne Walker, and his young business associate, Mr. Louis M. Matchett, under the firm name of the Wm. Walker Furniture Company.
Surviving are his wife, three sons and four daughters, Mrs. S. O. Eidman of Harlingen, Mrs. Carol Ryman of Matagorda, Mrs. Fred Gillett, Mrs. Tony Carr of Bay City; Jack Walker of Markham, Payne Walker of Bay City and William Walker of California.
Funeral services will be held at the Methodist Church Sunday morning at 9 o’clock. From there the body will be taken to Weimar for burial Sunday afternoon. The Masonic lodge will be in charge of the burial services.
The sympathy of a large circle of friends is extended to the bereaved family.
The Daily Tribune, February 13, 1932 |
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Mrs. William Walker, relict of William Walker, pioneer furniture dealer of Bay City, died suddenly Sunday afternoon at the home of her son, William Walker, Jr. in Oakland, California.
The remains will be brought here for services and from here conveyed to Weimer for burial. No definite time, however, has been set for the final arrangements. Announcement to this effect will be made later or as soon as decided upon.
Mrs. Walker had been visiting with her son for sometime and had finished packing for her return home. She decided to rest and soon after lying down passed quietly away.
The Walker family moved to Bay City from Weimer when the town was young, the elder Walker, now deceased, started Bay City’s first furniture store, which is still in business at its original place under the firm name of Walker-Matchett.
Mrs. Walker is survived by two sons, Jack of Markham, and William of Oakland, California, and four daughters, Mrs. Carroll Reiman [Ryman] of Matagorda; Mrs. Fred Gillett, Mrs. Tony Carr and Mrs. S. O. Eidman, of this city.
A more complete account will be published in a later issue.
The Daily Tribune, September 3, 1936
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Paine Walker, a Bay City citizen and son of Mrs. Wm. Walker, who died at the hospital on Wednesday following a very brief attack of pneumonia, was conveyed to Weimer, his birthplace, today, accompanied by his overseas comrades, members of Bay City Post No. 11, and there laid to rest with military honors.
The death of this affable and well liked man follows that of his father closely and his remains will repose nearby thus uniting in death father and son just as they were closely associated in life.
Surviving Paine are his brothers, Mr. Jack Walker of Markham and Mr. William Walker of California and his sisters, Mrs. Seamon Eidman of Harlingen; Mrs. Carol Ryman of Matagorda; Mrs. Fred Gillette of Bay City and Mrs. Tony Carr of Bay City and his devoted mother.
Paine Walker was reared in Bay City and was known and liked by everyone. When his country called he took to arms cheerfully and after mustering in was sent immediately to the front in France where he served valiantly until the end of the war.
Many are his close friends who mourn with his loved ones over his untimely death.
The Matagorda County Tribune, Thursday, March 31, 1932
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Rites for Thomas Junius (Jack) Walker of 1212 Sixth were held Tuesday morning from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. He expired Sunday morning in Matagorda General Hospital at the age of 84, had lived in the county for 62 years and the city for 15. He was in the hardware business in Markham for many years prior to moving to Bay City.
Surviving are three sisters, Mrs. Fred Gillett and Mrs. Mildred Carr of Bay City and Mrs. Carroll Ryman of Matagorda; one brother, William Walker of Bay City.
Pallbearers were Bert Steves, A.H. Wadsworth, J.J. Spurgeon, Francis Savage, Layton Moore and Dick Bachman.
The Daily Tribune, August 5, 1964
Note: Mr. Walker was born May 21, 1880 in Oakland, Texas and died August 2, 1964 in Bay City. He was buried in Rockport, Texas.
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Mamie Walker Gillett Mamie Walker Gillett, 84, of Bay City died Sept. 20, at the Bay Villa Nursing Home. Survivors include: daughter, Mary Wadell Lee of Denver, Colo.; sister, Mrs. Carroll Ryman of Matagorda; a grandson, Ernie J. Lee Jr. Funeral services were held Sept. 22, at the Taylor Bros. Chapel with Rev. Bluford Weikel of the Matagorda Methodist Church officiating. Interment was at the Cedarvale Cemetery in Bay City. Pallbearers included: H. D. Havard, Toney Carr, Ry and Will Ryman, Ronnie Coker and Bob Burnell. Arrangements were with Taylor Bros. Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, September 23, 1974 Funeral Services Held This Afternoon For Fred Gillette [Gillett] Funeral services were held this afternoon for Fred B. Gillette, 66, of Bay City who died Sunday afternoon in a local hospital. The services were conducted at the Matchett-Newman Funeral Home with the Rev. W. W. Hawthorne officiating. Burial followed at Cedarvale Cemetery. Mr. Gillette was a life-long resident of Matagorda County and was a retired merchant. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Mamie Gillette; a daughter, Miss Mary Waddell Gillette, Bay City; his mother, Mrs. J. S. Gillette, Bay City; three sisters, Mrs. W. T. Cox of Bay City, Mrs. Hugh Gill of Houston, and Mrs. J. T. Rosser of Shawnee, Okla.; and a brother, Walter Gillette, Palacios. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Matchett-Newman.
Daily Tribune,
January 9, 1950 |
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Funeral services for Louise Walker Ryman, 92, of Matagorda will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday at United Methodist Church of Matagorda with the Rev. Bob Dickens officiating. Burial will be in Matagorda Cemetery.
Visitation will be held in the home at 516 Fisher in Matagorda.
Mrs. Ryman was born Aug. 31, 1892, in Weimer, Texas, to William and Katy Paine Walker and died Feb. 12, 1986, at her residence.
A resident of Matagorda since 1913, she was a member of the Methodist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Geraldyne Havard of Matagorda; a son, William Paine Ryman of Houston; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers include Ernie J. Lee, Thomas T. Carr, Chris Carr, T. Drew Burnell, Robert D. Burnell and Thomas F. Burnell.
Arrangements are with Taylor Bros. Funeral Home,
The Daily Tribune, Thursday, February 12,
1986
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William M. Walker (May 8, 1850-February 12, 1932), the sixth of
eight children of Thomas and Elizabeth Walker, came to the United
States from Hampden, England, in 1868 to seek his fortune. He
married Alcesta Kary Paine (September 20, 1863-September 30, 1936)
in Oakland City, Texas, on December 30, 1878, and brought his bride
to Weimar, Texas, where he organized Walker Furniture Company in
1879.
