Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-07-26
ANNAPOLIS. MD, FRIDAY. JULY 90. 1901
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE LATE COL. JOHN WALTON.
At One Time Proprietor Of The Old City
Hotel-An Interesting Character
OF half Century Ago

OF Half Century Ago,
| One OF the interesting characters in
| Annapolis half century ago. was Col.
| John Walton, proprietor of the City Hotel.
known in colonial times as Mann Hotel.
and the hostelry where Washington was
domiciled at the time he came to Annap
oils TO resign his military commission.
Col. John Walton was born in Eng
land, settled in Leonardtown. and. in
1858. came to Annapolis. and assumed
the proprietorship OF the City Hotel. 1t
was then the only hotel in Annapolis.
and in the days when the wealthy plant
ers OF Maryland came as delegates to the
Legislature and the sessions OF the Cen
eral Assembly had much OF the social
element in its environments, Col Walton
soon amassed handsome fortune, and
in not more than halt score Of active
business had amassed an estate of about
SI5o,o
When Col. Walton came TO Annap-
oils. he brought with him the fashions OF
old St. Mary's 10 60 a-road on horse
back. So when the Walton family OF
six members started 10 visit the farm one
mile from the hotel, all the members
went on horseback. This was a novel
sight in Annapolis, and when the caval-
cade appeared on the streets, the Annap
oils small boys greeted the spectacle with
"Here comes Walton's cavalry Col.
Walton was a man OF marked character
istics, OF stalwart personality. and was
iavorably known all over Maryland. lie
was the leader OF local democracy, and
prominent figure in the great and sensa-
tional campaigns against Know-nothing-
ism from 1854 TO 1857.
AT the breaking out OF the Civil War,
the Colonel parted political company with
his democratic friends, they being gener-
ally Southern sympathizers, and the Col
onel. strong Union man. Under this
designation he was elected, during the
war, delegate to the Legislature from
Anne Arundel county. In the Walton
family that came to Annapolis from St.
Mary's was DIR. II. Roland Walton, a
young physician who had been educated
in Paris. He began the practice OF
medicine in Annapolis, and was the first
physician here to use chloroform in OBJ
stetrical cases, the first here to use the
hypedermic syringe, and the first physi-
clan in this city TO oppose bleeding the
SICK III pnCulllOllid di.d hiiOtON diSGdSNos
DIR. Walton also opposed. as he does
TO this day, for he Is yet practising
physician with large clientage, compul-
sorry vaccination. Yet as good physi-
clan and health officer of Anne Arundel
county. he complies with the legal re-
qurements of the Act requiring vaccina-
tlon. The Walton family has had a
marked influence on the life OF Annap-
oils since the time Col. John Walton set
tied here. Col. John Walton was the
fiIst to introduce Illuminating gas in An
napolis. Mrs. II. Roland Walton, who
was the daughter OF United States Sena-
tor Kent, was lady OF rare culture and
exquisite taste, and was the first in this
city TO introduce house-gardening as an
adjoining feature OF parlor and other
apartments OF the household.
The business activities and refinement
and culture of the preceding generations
OF Waltons shows their hereditary force
in that the sons are men OF excellent
business habits and the daughters ladies
of culture and marked talent in their
chosen professions OF cereamics and
painting.