My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM H. WALKER, postmaster of Westfield, and a past commander of Wm. Sackett Post, No. 324, Grand Army of the Republic, was born at Warsaw, Wyoming county, New York, July 18, 1838, and is a son of William and Abigail E. (Ensign) Walker. His parents were natives of St. Albans, Vermont, where his father, William Walker, learned the trade of harness-maker. He served as a soldier from Vermont, in the War of 1812, and afterwards came to Warsaw, where he followed farming and harness-making and where he died in 1885, at the advanced age of ninety years.

William H. Walker was reared at Warsaw, where he received an academic education. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. K, 17th New York as a private and was afterwards promoted to sergeant major of his regiment. He was at Hanover Court-house, Second Bull Run and Antietam, and was honorably discharged in June, 1863, having served the full term of his enlistment. He returned to Warsaw where he was in business until 1866, when he came to Westfield and became a partner of L. Parsons in the drug business. Mr. Parsons died eighteen months later and Mr. Walker purchased the interest of Mr. Parsons’ heirs in the business and since then has successfully conducted his drug store. He has a large stock of pure and carefully selected drugs, and enjoys a liberal patronage. Having received the appointment by President Harrison, as postmaster of Westfield, he assumed the duties of the office on March 3, 1890, which office he has held with credit to himself ever since.

On September 3, 1863, he married Jeannette A. Taber, of Warsaw, New York. They have two children: Charles T., a graduate of Williams college, now a teacher in the “Berkely school,” New York City; and Edward T., book-keeper of the National Bank of Westfield.

William H. Walker is a republican in politics, but was never an office seeker, and as postmaster of Westfield has endeavored to discharge faithfully every duty of his office. The Westfield postoffice is the successor of Chautauqua post office, the first postoffice in the county, and was established on May 6, 1806, on the west side of the creek, with Col. James McMahan as postmaster. It continued until June 15, 1818, when it was discontinued, and Westfield postoffice was established as its successor, with Fenn Demming as postmaster. The postmasters since then have been; Orvis Nichols, William Sexton, Rev. H. W. Beers, Dr. M. Kenyon, David Mann, Byron Hall, F. C. Borger, W. E. Wheeler, C. U. Drake, F. A. Hall, J. La Due, and the present incumbent, W. H. Walker. Mr. Walker is an active member of Wm. Sackett Post, No. 324, Grand Army of the Republic, and the present secretary and past regent of Westfield Council, No. 81, Royal Arcanum.