The next time I find Billy in a record is in the 1880 Federal census . . . actually I think he is in there twice. There is a William Walker (B), age 22, working as a farm laborer for the Hugh Trosper family in Rock Township. Remember. . . the Walker family also lived in Rock Township. According to the census, he was born in Missouri and his parents in North Carolina. This census was taken on 08 Jun 1880 and he was identified as single.
But wait, a William Walker (B), age 22, is also listed as working herding cattle for the Lee Hambilton farm in Guittard Township. This William Walker is listed as being born in Arkansas and no information about parents. This census was taken on 02-03 Jun 1880 so could this be the same person working two jobs?? It was also two different census enumerators. How many black men named William Walker age 22 and single do you think lived in this sparcely populated area of Kansas in 1880? While we will never know for sure, I believe that they are the same person -- our Billy, who grew up to be William and with the surname of the family who took him in.
Several years ago, I made a genealogy research trip to Marshall County, Kansas. I have always intended to go back but life got in the way. One of the places I stopped was at the Marshall County Historical Society research library and museum located in the Historic Courthouse on Broadway. They were very nice and patient with me as I asked asked millions dozens of questions and found many records for my many ancestors who lived in Marshall County.
It turns out that 1880 was a busy year for William. The most surprising record that I found was the marriage record for William and his wife Cordelia Golden. I gave the record a "golden" border just for her. There is just one little problem. Do you see the name of the groom? Yeah, it says William Watkins. Oh, dear! They insisted that it could not have been a mistake, but anyone who has worked with genealogy records know that mistakes happen. All of the subsequent census records indicate that this is William Walker, and I couldn't find a William Watkins anywhere in the area. The 1885 Kansas State census lists Cordelia married to William Walker with two children, Garfield, age 3 and Sadie, age 1 living next to her parents. It is interesting that in a 4-5 year span of time William is 4 years older but Cordelia is only 2 years older. Hmmm. . . there are several explanations for this.
But by the 1895 Kansas State Census, they had moved into the city of Frankfort and their family had grown considerably. In addition to William and Cordelia, there was Sarah/Sadie, Freddie, Henry, Willie and David. Garfield was no longer there. That pesky problem with Cordelia's age is still around but I will let you do the math! Hint: Garfield was older than Sadie.
But 1895 wasn't done with the William Walker family yet. The state census was taken the first day of March 1895. Then look what happened the end of July!!
Between the 1885 and 1895 census records William occasionally showed up in the local newspapers. He worked with his brother-in- law, Will Piner and must have been a regular church goer because he was baptized in 1893 in the river by the railroad bridge. Lucky is the family historian whose ancestors lived in a small town because everyone and everything makes it into the newspapers!
The year 1900 would bring big changes to the William Walker family but that will have to wait for part 4. It is amazing how long it takes me to write these posts.
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