John C and Mary Thurston Walker Family Reunion

Shantel Elise Walker - Scott Colvin Walker - Ellis Ramon Walker - Ellis Colvin Walker - John Colvin & Mary Thurston Walker

My great-great grandparents were born in Huntsville & Eden, UT. After they met and had married, they traveled to Bridger Valley with just two cows and a calf to start their life together. With much (much) hard work and prayer they built a robust cattle ranch, a beautiful home, and a successful family (of 10 kids). The life sketch of my Grandma Mary talks about how she took care of five small children while her husband left to serve a mission in the southern states. It talks of how she took care of their home as if it was a castle and kept it clean and found ways to decorate even when it was very small and they were very poor. It speaks of how she loved her family, she loved to laugh, and she loved to travel. 

The life sketch of my Grandpa John C talks about how he was loved by all who knew him. He loved a good decorated team of horses, loved biscuits, and loved his community. He prayed to the Lord before serving a mission and received a profound and unarguable answer to his sincere prayer. He taught his children to work hard and instilled them with the character traits he thought were important. He served in the church, was integral in building the community in which he lived, and lived a full life.  

Earlier this summer my Aunt Susan asked if I would be willing to help with some group games at the family reunion she was helping to host. My Grandpa Walker owns the original homestead of John C and Mary Thurston Walker - the ancestors of ours that originally settled in the Bridger Valley. He had talked about wanting to host a reunion for all of their descendants and my Aunt Susie decided to just go for it. They spent a lot of time getting the Ranch House cleaned out and in good condition and putting everything together and I was glad for the opportunity to help even a small bit.

Link to Mary Thurston Walker's Life Sketch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWCH-YRS

Link to John C Walker's Life Sketch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWCH-YRM

The house was inherited by my Great-grandpa, Ellis Colvin Walker. They moved out and into a new home circa. 1950 and they left EVERYTHING just the way it was. Pictures on the wall, dishes and appliances in the kitchen, even the calendar showing the date still hangs exactly where it was when they left. Walking through the home is like walking through a museum or a time capsule. 

John's life-sketch written by his daughter Opal says this: 

"There was nothing more fascinating to John even as a boy, than to drive a team with a harness decorated with fancy rings, tassels and silver spots. When he had to haul hay to Ogden his mother would give him money to buy his lunch. Many times he would go without his lunch and by a celluloid ring or a few more spots for the harness. This hobby went with John throughout his life. After he had a farm of his own his harnesses were all decorated fancy and he took real pride in seeing that they were well kept and hung up when not in use."

Mary's life sketch says this: 

"As a young girl, Mary met John Walker from Eden, Utah at a dance. She was very much impressed with this fine looking young man and especially liked his fancy team which when looked to the bob-sleigh, wagon or buggy provided much fun and entertainment besides made of travel for the gang."

It was so neat to see the very saddle/harnass that he owned with the spots and rings that he cared so much about and to think about the role that it played in their courtship and their life together. 

I love this picture of my Grandpa. It's not really related to the family reunion other than when I was there earlier he was telling me about his tractors. This is the first tractor that he ever owned (on the right) and the last tractor he'll ever own (on the left). The white tractor came with the place when he bought it from Frank Twitchell. (He thinks the Twitchells bought it in 1952.)

Also, as part of the family reunion, I asked my sister Melissa to illustrate this picture of John C and Mary Thurston on their 50th wedding anniversary. It turned out so lovely! I used it to make gifts/prizes for the games.