Representative William Mansfield Walker View All Years

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Compiled Historical Information

Date of Death: 3/19/1930

Birth Place: Van Buren County, Iowa

Party Affiliation: Republican

Assemblies Served:
House: 21 (1886)

Home County: Van Buren

Family Members Who Served in the Iowa Legislature: Father: Peter Walker; GA 9

William Mansfield Walker

Van Buren County

HON. WILLIAM MANSFIELD WALKER

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions commemorating the life and public service of the Honorable William Mansfield Walker, state representative, reports as follows:

Mr. Walker was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, August 22, 1852, and died in Keosauqua March 19, 1930. His parents, Dr. Peter Walker and Christiann (Schuyler) Walker, having died when Mr. Walker was a small boy, he made his home with relatives, and attended country school, later teaching. He took up the study of law, was admitted to the bar in 1881 and in 1884 located in Keosauqua as a member of the firm of Lea, Wherry & Walker. In 1885 he was elected representative and served in the Twenty-first General Assembly. After the death of Mr. Lea in 1885 the firm remained Wherry & Walker until the removal of Mr. Wherry to Los Angeles, California, when the firm became Walker & McBeth, and so remained until Mr. Walker was elected a judge of the Second Judicial District in 1922. He was re-elected four years later and was serving in that position at the time of his death.

Mr. Walker was greatly interested in his profession in which he gained distinction for his thorough knowledge of the law, his professional rectitude, his fairness of judgment and his courage. Nothing can demonstrate more clearly the quality of his mind and spirit than the fact that a man who had none of the advantages of law school or college could be elected as a member of the General Assembly and twice elected judge of the district court.

He was a man of broad human sympathy, charitable in his judgments, kindly and unselfish in his dealings with his fellowmen.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, That in the death of Honorable William Mansfield Walker, the state has lost a worthy and influential citizen; and

Be It Further Resolved, That this resolution of respect and appreciation be printed in the Journal of the House.

STANLEY WATTS,

LEONARD SIMMER,

H. C. PATTISON,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 13, 1931.

House District 5