Daily Republican., 1878-06-25
FIFTH EDITION.
OBITUARY.
Death or Thomas WaIhsr--A III etch
Of his Life.


Death OF Thonaas waIisr--A II escI
Of his Life.
Thomas Walter died at his residence
| No. 215 West street, in this city, thi
morning, June 25th, 1878,
He was born in Christiana Hundred
New Castle County, Delaware, Febru
ary 1st, 1902. He was descended from
Goodwin Walter who emigrated from
Wiltshire, England, in 1885, and pur.
chased land in Concord Township, Del.
aware County, Pennsylvania. Enos
Walter, the father of Thomas, came
from Delaware County about 1883, and
settled in Christiana Hundred, (near
what is now Greenville, )where he mar
ried Elizabeth, daughter of William
Meals, and until his death in 1915, oc-
cupied farm which had descended
to his wife from her Grandfather, Rob
ert Pearce.
At the beginning of this century, the
facilities for education were very limited
in the country districts, but Thomas
Walter had all the schooling he could
get in his neighborhood, and being Of
a studious mind, improved himself by
reading. He engaged in teaching in
his eighteenth year. Subsequently,
during long life, by diligsnt reading,
accompanied by the habitual use Of
works of reference, he amassed an un.
usual fund Of information; and q re-
tentive memory enabled him, even in
his latest years, to repeat many pas
sages from the old English poets and es-
sayists of whose writings he had always
been especially fond.
In 1920 he was apprenticed to the trade
of carpenter, and in 1928 removed to
New York where he remained at work
until 1925, when he returned TO Chris
tiana Hundred. From that time until
1910 he engaged in the occupation of
building.
In 1910 he settled in Wilmington,
where, in partnership with Joshua
he built and operated pla-
ming mill. In 1S42 VIM. Poole united
m the firm, and steam saw-mill was
added, but he did not long continue,
md year or two later Thomas Walter |
bought out the interest of his remain
ng partner, and thenceforth conducted |
he business until 1873, when he retir-
ID. In 1S48, February 23d, he married
Naomi, daughter of Joseph Rhoads, of
Philadelphia, who was descended from
Adam Rhoads, of Derbyshire. England,
"a Quaker who came to Pennsylvania
n 1854.
In earlier life Thomas Walter took
IN active part in public matters, being
N ardent partizan of the National Re-
'ublican and Wing parties, and was a
lelegate to the Convention which NOM
mated General Fremont for the Presi-
ency. Though in his later years he
7ithdrew almost entirely to business
nd domestic life, he always adhered
rmly to the Republican party.
Many of our citizens will remember
i'm in early and middle life as re-
erect and vigorous man, and
o carried, even to the last, a fine
hvEiluo hhu uhdhly pcSoACo'
They will also renember with respect
is long and honorable business career
4 Wilmington, and will testify to his
terling qualities of mind and heart. By
ature he was high spirited and i'm
etuous, but gentle and kindly; and he
ad quaint chivalry of manners which,
1ough sometimes wanting in artificial
,finement, never failed in the true po-
teness which comes from the heart.
e had peculiarly sensitive pride
hich made him shrink from publicity
nd self.assertion, and which pride
nited with his marked benevolence,
llisted his sympathies always with
le poor and weak rather than with
lose Of high estate.
In early life he had attended the
over Brandywine (then the "Old
og'') church, but he had never con-
ected himself with any religious de-
omination until few years since, he
ecame member of the Hanover street
Church.
He died, as he had long tried to live,
christian.