Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-27
SYMPATHY OF FRIENDS
RECoLLEcTIoNS OF EARLY LIFE
OF MR.. AND MRS. WALSH.


Special Correspondence Of The Star
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, August 25 1906
News of the recent violent death in an
automobile accident at Newport of young
Vinson Walsh son of Thomas F.. Walsh,
the mining millionaire, now a resident OF
Washington, was received by old-time resi-
dents of Birmingham with much sorrow.
These old-time residents knew young
Walsh's mother formerly Miss Carrie Belle
Reed. twenty-five years ago as bright
faced girl who clerked In I'd avenue
bakery which her mother conducted here.
Mrs. Walsh's uncle, c. II. Reed, florist
Is still one of Birminghams oldest and
best known citizens.
1t was during the days OF the great Biz
mingham real estate boom a quarter of a
century ago that Stephen Reed came to
Birmingham with his wife. two daughters
and a son. One of the daughters was Car
RE Belle, now Mrs. Walsh, mistress of one
of the finest mansions In Washington. The
family was very poor. In order to help
keep buckle and tongue together" the
wife and mother opened modest bakery
on I'd avenue.
Toiled to Help Family.
There Carrie Belle, the bright-faced girl
with brown eyes and hair. sold pies and
cakes to the customers and helped her
mother cook at odd moments.
The girl was then fourteen years OF age
and her beauty and attractive manners
won for her many admirers among. the
male population.
She was so popular that she was envied
by many of her own sex and although she
was only a clerk in bakery she was held
in the highest esteem by every inhabitant
of the booming village. The family lived
in modest cottage on south aoth street.
owned by the girls uncle. the florist, who
still lives across the street from the spot
which is now occupied by modern brick
structures.
interested in Church Music.
AS Miss Reed became older her musical
talent began to develop and she was made
organist of the First Presbyterian Church
when she was eighteen years of age. Tho
church was a frame structure on the site
of the present elegant brick First Presby-
terrain Church. About this time Thomas F.
Walsh, young contractor and house build
er, came to Birmingham attracted here IKE
many others by the real estate boom. HE
had no money, but an abundance or pluck
When she was nineteen Miss Reed and Mr.
Walsh were married in the church where
she was the organist, the ceremony being
performed by Rev. L. s. Handley, then the
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
and now the pastor OF the Central fres-
byterian Church of this city.
Washes Left for the West.
Meanwhile the boom collapsed and the
Washes left Birmingham for the west.
When heard of again. years afterward,
Thomas F. Walsh had struck 1t rich In
gold mining in Colorado and became q
millionaire. But Mrs. Walsh has never
forgotten her Birmingham friends OF her
youth. On the recent visit of a we'll
known Birmingham lady to Washington
Sba MrS Walsh at the latter s DaldtlHt
home, and Mrs. Walsh showed keen In
terest in the friends of her gfrlhood days
here and made many inquiries as to the
growth and development of this city, which
She had not visited since as a young wife
she resigned her position as organist OF
the First Presbyterian church to go west
with her husband to seek fortune in new
and untried country.
Much sympathy is expressed by the old
time residents of Birmingham for the FOR
mer bright faced girl of the bakery, now
the wife of a millionaire, in the death OF
her son. T. K D.