Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-15
Samuel Walters, Pioneer
Passed Away in Florida
LIVED IN EAGLE RIVER FOR IL
YEARS IN THE EARLY LUM-
5ERlNG DAYS

Samuel Walters, a pioneer resident
of Eagle River, died at his home, Flora
home, Florida, on Thursday, October
8th, following q general breakdown
due to a complication of ailments.
Heart trouble was the direct cause of
death. Further information had not
been received by relatives at the time
this was written.
Mr.. Walters will be remembered by
most of the older residents of Eagle
River, for the family lived here for
period of about twelve years, during
which time the deceased had charge
of the Gerry Lumber company's saw
and planning mill as engineer and gen.
eral millwright He was quite promi-
nent in public affairs during much of
this time and had an active part in the
organization of Villas county.
Samuel Walters was born in Ash
land county, Ohio, September 18th,
1851. In 1853 his parents came to Wis
consin, making the journey by emf
grant train. Somewhere on this jour-
ney his father contracted Asiatic chol-
era, dying shortly after leaving Mil
waulee. Ten or twelve months after
the group of settlers had reached their
destination in western Outagamie coun
ty, the mother Of the deceased was
married to James Webley who complet
ed the home already started by the
father of the deceased.
Mr.. Walters was of markedly in.
genious nature, and though deprived
of the benefits of even the average
country school facilities, amplified the
rudimental training he received in the
few months of school attended each
year by extensive reading. When a
young man, still in his teens, he saw
his first steamboat at Appleton. The
sight left a lasting impression With
him and he began an intensive study
of the mechanics of steam engineer
ing, seeking his information from such
meagre sources as were at his COM
mand.
For about two years he worked as
fireman and engineer on steamboats,
plying the Wolf and Fox rivers This
was during the period that the Wis
consin Central railroad was building
north from Oshhs III Gus of the snip
menss consigned III the her rietta", a
boat that Will be recalled with inter-
est by those familiar with the early
history of the Wolf river, was guam
tity of steel for the railroad bridge at
ellis Landing. While this was being
unlOaded at the Landing Mr.. Walt
ers climbed into the woodworking To-
connective standing on the tracks
above and had his first ride in the
cab of locomotive. The days of the
steamboat, he decided, were numbered
The call of the rails intrigued him and
for several years he was employed as
an engineer with this road, the most
of this time on a branch running out
of Marshfield into the numbering
woods.
While employed in this capacity he
saw the opportunities open in the lum
bering industry, and associated him
self with the o. d. Van Dusen com
pany att Dorchester During the period
from 1881 to 1888 he built several
mills along the Central, one at West
boro another at Prentice and one at
Rib Falls.
In 1876 he was united in marriage
to Miss Rose Stevens, at Dale, Wis
consin. In 1884 Mr.. Walters moved his
family to Clintonyille, and two years
later came to Eagle River his family
following him during the succeeding
winter.
In the spring of 1898 Mr.. Walters
went to Rhinelander where he had
charge of the Robbins Lumber COM
pany's mill for a time. He then pur-
chased farm two miles east of thai
city which he operated until the fall
of 1913, when the family moved. to
Florida.
Mr.. Walters is survived by his wife
four sons, Bert E., of Wausau; Phillip
r., of Pekin, ILL.,; George and Shirley,
of Florahome, Fla; Mrs. r. b. Wood,
house, Ashland, Wis. Also one sister,
Mrs. r. III. Wilson of Neenah, and a
OF on hrothnr NocnnY NInhIau ne Autior.