R. M. Walker resides upon a farm on section 19, Mount Pleasant Township, where he has made his home continually since 1878. All the buildings have been erected by him, all the trees planted by him and the work of improvement has been carried steadily forward, indicative of his progressive spirit. He is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family that has been identified with the growth of Racine County for eighty-one years. Mr. Walker was born in Byron, New York, June 7, 1836, a son of Nelson A. and Lucinda Walker, the former removing to the west in 1835, while the latter arrived in 1836. Making his way to Wisconsin, Nelson A. Walker secured a claim at Ives Grove, where he lived for a year. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Mount Pleasant Township and occupied that farm altogether for about forty years, transforming it into a rich and productive tract. He also bought forty acres more and at one time he was the owner of two hundred acres now situated in the very center of Racine, but after a time Ire disposed of that property, which today would make any man very wealthy if it were in his possession. The death of Nelson A. Walker occurred in Chicago, November 11. 1886, and his remains were brought back for interment in Mound cemetery. He had for a decade survived his wife, who died on the 14th of October, 1876. They were both consistent members of the Baptist church at Mygatts Corners and Mr. Walker gave his political allegiance to the Republican Party.
It was during his infancy that R. M. Walker was brought by his mother to Wisconsin to join the husband and father in the home which he had prepared. He was reared to farm life, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and in the common schools of Mount Pleasant Township he pursued his early education. He afterward went to Racine College and in due time was graduated from that institution. Following the outbreak of the Civil war he responded to the country’s call for troops, enlisting as a member of Company K, Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which he remained until honorably discharged at the close of the war in 1865. He then returned and resumed farming, remaining upon the old home place until 1878, when he purchased eighty acres of land from his father and upon that tract has lived continuously since. His labors have wrought a marked transformation in its appearance, for he has erected all of the buildings there, has planted fine shade trees, has developed an excellent orchard and has a splendid grove. There are none of the accessories and equipment or a model farm that are lacking and for many years Mr. “Walker was busily and actively engaged in the further development and improvement of the place.
On the 17th of December, 1866, Mr. “Walker was married to Miss Minerva A. Secore, a daughter of Gordon Secore, and to them was been born three children: Nelson A., Mortimer E. and Mabel E. The daughter is the wife of Stanley Tallman and resides in Janesville. Wisconsin.
In his political views Mr. Walker is a republican and he has served as path-master, but has never been a politician in the usually accepted sense of office seeking. He has. however been officially connected with the schools and has labored to raise the standard of public education in this district. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church.