The Rock Island Argus and daily union., 1922-08-21

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sg8 ssy
tsSseas, Mesns eefvis3
f6nfus walker, b., pioneer builds
II md c0a1 danlag of Rock Island
6u1ty, died euddenly yesterday
eItsrnoon n t1s hegpe u - osv'
eth ave0oA MO1tne.
1fr. Watkey obseryed hte eeth
yeddine anaisefsasy Friday and
III that day % weh as on Eatur-
aav ~ vag Il hid once at l1S Six.
feenth street. oonyersed With
ffiep1s - uspai and seemed TO be
eniGJine the saus mental eed ply
sicai strength which had been one
u tia preddninatinR features oi
hfs life AZ n vears. Early yester-
AZ morninr NJ Watker was aud.
denIy stricEan With indigestion
n died st a:3o in the afternoon,
Rnfna WaIkee vas active in the
hLstness iise ~ Rnck leland couuty
sIv mora M e yearn h found.
ii ma viIia9e Of REYNOLDS and
hslned conatrunf the Rock Island
= Mercer cnnntv raiIroad.
M Walker r. the father of Frank
III walker. coal merchant and DO
lfre and fire commissioner. and OF
Nufus walker. n.
THE waller ooal husiness was
eltablished In Moline in 1883. one
yrara' afar NJ waller moved II
IoIius The hnstness In 18x8 n,
n le2a. was located at 4l5 sig
teenth street Mr.. walkers hom.
during 80 years of his life in Mo
linz had been At 2s0O Seventh ave
nue., where he died yesterday aft
ernoon.
Rufus Waloes, although past tn,
four-score marx In life, took q keer
interest in the Affairs Of the natiol
and OF MOli1e until the day of hi
death. He wss a permanent dea
con OF the First Congregations
church and was one of the mel
most prominently identified will
the building erected BY that churcl
afew years aga
Rufus Walker. although q lie
long Republican, and = student o
politics, never sought public Office
He was always interested In publi'
aqa1rs, but never to the polnt o
seeking political preferment-
Harden ~ = Hobby.
His hobbies were his garden-hi
flowers at his homestead are amOni
the iinest in Motine-his business
his grandchildren and great-grand
chiluren, the church. political AM
economical discussion.
The first hair OF Mr.. Walkers lif
In Rock Island county was spent Ii
the lower end, at Edgington, =
Reynolds and IN Rock Island. Il
e9ch of these communities he wa
attive in business and In civic al
,tairs.
INF. Walker was born In Viii
lAmstown, VT, ON Dec. 10, 1888,
lie was the youngest OF seven son
aad four daughters Of Mr.. and Mr,
ftdfus Walker, Sr. His father die
when he was II days old, his moth
ef when he was IL years old.
MI. Walker received his educs
tpn and his early business traiI
/. Ing IN Vermont aud resided In th
Green Mountain state until he wa
y years Of age. He then moved /
Hock Island county.
Settling IN the village Of Edgini
ccn ne soon became actively ldei
qfied with the affairs OF the con
nunlty,~ For number of veal
ne was q clerk in the mercanti
establishment Of G. X. Ainswort
ther OF G. II. Ainsworth, and Ca
q AlnswQrth OF Moline.
Later De succeeded Mr.. Ain
North as proprietor Of the stor
conducting the establishment fl
4ght years. He was married
E0gington on Aug. 10, 1852, to Jal
Edgington. daughter Of MIR. al
Mrs. John Edgington.
After disposing of his store
Edgington Mr.. Walker moved
Rock island, where for three yea
he was engaged in the clothil
business with G. E. Dodge.
Founds = Village.
1t was about 1875 that MIR. Wal
q, in company with n. Wait, e
Rged In construction of a part
~ the Rock Island & Mercer Coun
"a railroad, 1t was about this til
ajso that he and Mr.. Wait purchs
Cd 160 acres of land in Edgingt
pwnship and so acres adjoini
y Mercer county and founded t
>Hilase bf Reynolds.
Mr.. Walker opened the first sto