About five miles southwest from Ontario is the farm and home of the subject of this article. It is a place of eighty acres well improved, skillfully tilled, has line buildings, good orchards and a vine-yard, and in connection with the care of this estate, Mr. Walter is operating a dairy and manufacturing a good quality of butter, which is readily sold in the markets. In person Mr. Walter is a man of sound principles, stands well among his fellows, possesses good ability, and has made a success of his labor, starting with his bare hands and now has a good property accumulated. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, on February 14, 1834, being the son of Henry and Lovier (Lee) Walter. He grew up on a farm, received a good education from the common schools, and remained with his parents until 1880, having removed with them to Henry County, Indiana in 1875. When he stepped out for himself, he came by rail to Reno, Nevada, and in the fall of 1881 came across the country with teams from there to Malheur County, locating in Malheur Valley, and doing his first work as a wage earner in this new country. The settlers were few then and the country open and he selected a farm near where Yale stands, but later closed out the farm business and for three years he acted as salesman throughout the country for the Payette nursery. In 1894 he purchased the improvements of a man and filed a homestead on the eighty above described.
On January 16, 1896 occurred the marriage of Mr. Walter and Miss Lillie M. Steele. She is a native of Arkansas, whence she came across the plains with her parents twenty-five years ago, settling in this county. The parents are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Walter there have been born three children, Maud, Ora M. and Orville. Mr. Walter’s mother died in the east, and the father came to this country in 1887, and here he died in 1894. Our subject is a member of the K. of P., Armour Lodge, No. 69. He is a man of integrity and sterling worth of character and has manifested substantial qualities constantly, which have given him a fine prestige among his fellows.