The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-11
Distinguished Citizen Cele
brated Goth Welding
Day Sunday.
funeral At NIDNIGHI
1t Will Be Conducted BY
Officers of the Scot
fish Rite Lodge.

Captain Kephart D. Walker aged
So, venerable resident Of this ety
and veteran railroad man, and q
man high in Masonic circles in West
Virginia, died this morning at e:6p
o'clock at his home S1S Field street
after an illness of a complication Of
diseases extending over a period Of
several years.
Captain walker came to this city
in the year 1857. He was a native. ef
Somerset county, Pa, and with the
exception Of about seven years spent
in Belington, w. Va, had been q resa
ident of this city ever since. When 9
lad of fourteen years OF age he en-
tered the employ Of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad company and was sta5
toned as telegraph operator at Was:l,
ington, Pa. He continued In the ems
ploy of this railroad company until
some years ago when i'll health com
PEELED him to leave the road. he mad
served in practically every capacity
as railroad man, having been tele5
graph operator, station master, fire
man, brakeman, engineer and cQnduc
tot, For long term OF years he was
conductor Of the passenger train Der
tween Fairmont and Morgantown and
when that line was extended to Pitts
burg he was transferred elsewhere.
While a resident OF Belington his
run was between Grafton and Being
ton.
He was we'll known to practically ey
cry man, woman and child along the
route his run traversed during the
years he was actively engaged IL 5rail
reading and when he retired from the
service great regret was occasioned.
On last Sunday Captain and Mrs.
Walker celebrated the sixtleth ami
versary of their marriage at their
home. AT that time the health ot
Captain Walker was of such characs
ter that the day was very quietly
spent. During the afternoon he was
taken much worse and continued in q
critical condition until this morning
when he passed away.
Captain and Mrs. Walker were unit
ed in marriage in small brick cot
tage on the East side which Is now
used as tobacco factory. MRS wal
ker was before her marriage MISS
Josephine L. Wiggington. During the
years Of their residence in this city
they reared large family Of children
nine children having been born 20 the
union seven OF whom survive. Dur
ing the greater part Of their residence
in this city they resided in a property
which stood at the foot Of Madison
street which was torn away a number
Of years ago and later when they IL
turned here from Belington they re-
sided on Merchant street, East side.
In recent years they moved to Field
street where his death occurred 70
day.
Two sons Charles Walker and M
film Walker are deceased. The Tor
rner grew to manhood and died nun
Der of years ago while the latter died
in infancy. Seven daughters survive,
Mrs, E. J. Thomas of this city, Mrs..
Fred Bartlett Of Warrington, Mrs
Claude Jeffreys Of Wheeling Mrs.
Freeman jenkins, of Ripley; MRS y.
w. Dorsey of Fairmont; Mrs. W. 3.
Rector of Belington and Mrs; S. n
Thompson of Clarksburg. Eleven
grandchildren also survive.
Captain Walker was a great home
man and was greatly beloved IN the
hcme circle where during his Illness
he has been the recipient Of the ten
derest care and devotion upon the part
Of his faithful wife and daughters He
was never so happy as when surround
ed by his family and took every oc-
casion to assemble them together lie
was great lover Of nature and was
famous all during his life for his beau
tiful rose garden in which he cultiYa
ed with the greatest care qnautitlea
Of choice roses. People came from
far and near to see his wonderful rose
garden.
A grandson Kephart Walker the
son of Charles Walker, deceased, and
great favorite Of Capt. Walker Is ia
New York state and has been apprised
Of his grandfather's death and Is ex-
pected to arrive here for the funeral
He recently returned from over seas
service.
While known and greatly beloved
throughout the state as man rail-
road man, and in various other capac-
tiles, perhaps as a Mason Eae the
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