From Lane Co Oregon

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[edit] History

Albert Walker, blacksmith, was the first mayor of Springfield in 1885 upon its incorporation. The advancement and prosperity of the thriving little city of Springfield, Lane County, Oregon, is largely due to the progressive and energetic captains of industry, who early perceived its advantages as a business center and have been influential in developing its resources. Prominent among these is Albert S. Walker, now one of its foremost citizens and a prosperous real estate dealer and insurance agent. A native of Missouri, he was born January 11, 1846, in Greene County, a son of the late William Walker, an Oregon pioneer. When he was six years of age, his family started for Oregon by the overland trail. Returning immigrants, with tales of cholera on the way, deterred the party, they returned to their home for the winter. A little later, coming across the plains in an ox-team train in April, 1853,[1] his family located first in Lane County, taking up three hundred and sixty acres of land near Creswell in October, where he lived four years with his father. Removing to Eugene in 1857, he watched his father in mercantile pursuits, dealing in drugs and general merchandise until 1861. His father invested in land near Eugene.[2]

Having been but seven years of age when he came with his parents to Lane county, Albert S. Walker obtained the rudiments of his education in the common schools, afterwards attending the old Columbia College, at Eugene, for two years, finally graduating therefrom. Assuming charge of the farm which his father owned in the vicinity of Eugene, he conducted it from 1862 until 1881, being successful as a farmer.[2]He married Sarah "Lizzie" Higgins on June 18, 1868 in Polk County, Oregon who was born in Massachusetts and at this time the William Walker household contained William, Polly, son Albert and wife Lizzie and their infant son Alva, and youngest daughter Tryphena. Locating then in Springfield, Mr. Walker established himself as a blacksmith, winning a large and lucrative patronage in this vicinity. He became mayor in 1885 and again as a pro-tem mayor from February 23 to December, 1888. He was elected Mayor a third time on December 2nd, 1889]] and it may be assumed he stayed there during his entire year term. Since retiring from his trade in the spring of 1903, Mr. Walker has been actively engaged in the real estate and insurance business, in which he is meeting with encouraging success, handling both farm and town property. He has acquired a good share of this worlds' goods, and owns a well improved ranch of forty acres, lying about three miles southeast of Springfield.[2]Mr. Walker and wife had eight children, all living at home, namely: Herbert E. William F., Mary B., Ralph Gladstone. Jessie May, Grace, Ida, and Joy.

A man of broad and liberal views, alive to the important needs of the day, Mr. Walker has been influential in educational and political circles, and besides serving ten years as school director has the distinction of having served in 1885 as the first mayor of Springfield. He has likewise served as councilman, and is one of the leading Republicans of the city. Fot twenty-two years he has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a charter member and past noble grand of the subordinate lodge, and a member of the encampment. He also belongs to the fraternal order of Woodmen of the World. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he isa trustee, and also the superintendent of its Sunday School. He died on September 15, 1915. His obituary can be seen here: Daily Eugene Guard (1915), September 15. He was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery. [2]

[edit] March 12, 1888 Letter

Documented letter to A.S. Walker

Springfield Oregon

March 12- 1888

To A.S. Walker

You are hereby notifide (sic)

that on Feb 23- 1888 you were appointed by the Town Council as Mayor of

the Town of Springfield for the Remainder

of the Enduring year

Given under my hand and Seal this

12 day of March, 1888

P.J. Bowerman <seal></seal>

Recorder

[edit] Official Oath

Documented letter to P.J. Bowerman

I do Solmnly (sic) swear

that I will perform the duties of Mayor

to the best of my ability and faithfully

demean myself in Office so help me God

Subscribed and sworn to before me

this 9 day of April- 1888 Albert S. Walker

[edit] December 4, 1889 Letter

Springfield Ogn Dec. 4th 1889

To A.S. Walker

You are hereby notified

that on Dec 2d 1889 at the regular

Town Election held in Springfield on Said

Date you were duly Elected Mayor of

Said Town of Springfield for the ensuing

year

Given under my hand and Seal this 4th

of Dec 1889

WB Pengra

Recorder

[1] Eugene Daily Guard, September 15, 1915

[2] Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley (Chicago, Chapman Publishing Co., 1903), 1121-1122.

Mayors of Springfield

Albert S. Walker (1885-1886) • S.I. Lee (1887) • Albert S. Walker (1888) • Simon Tuttle (1888-1889) • T.O. Maxwell (1889) • Albert S. Walker (1889-1890) • Albert Wheeler (1890-1892) • L. Gilstrap (1892-1893) • Albert Wheeler (1893) • J H Van Schoich (1893-1894) • Albert Wheeler (1894-1895) • Eugene C Martin (1896-1899) • John B. Innis (1900-1902) • H.A. Skeels (1902-1903) • R.A. Jayne (1903-1907) • Mark M. Peery (1907-1909) • W.M. Sutton (1909-1911) • Welby Stevens (1911-1913) • Charles L. Scott (1913-1915) • Elmer E. Morrison (1915-20) • Charles F. Eggiman (1921-1924) • George G. Bushman (1925-1929) • Charles O. Wilson (1929) • Wilfrid P. Tyson (1930-1934) • Ernest H. Turner (1934-1935) • W.A. Taylor (few minutes, November 27, 1935) • Ed Waltman (1935-1936) • William H. Pollard (1936-1940) • Charles Chandler (1940-1945) • Claude T. Gerlach (1945-1949) • B.P. Larson (1949-1953) • Edward C. Harms, Jr. (1953-1961) • B.J. Rogers (1961-1965) • David L. Scofield (1965-1967) • John E. McCulley (1967-1970) • William Morrissette • Maureen Maine • Sid Leiken