NOTE THAT JOHN DIED IN CALIFORNIA AND IS BURIED THERE BESIDE HIS SECOND WIFE, JULIA. HERE IS A LINK TO HIS CALIFORNIA MEMORIAL IN PASADENA.




THE "WALTHALL'S" 1924 A.D.

The following is a brief history of the Walthall family eminating from the family of Walthall late of Prince Edward County Virginia. This history was written by S. W. Walthall now residing at Osawatomie, Kansas, who is the eldest living son of James M. Walthall, late of Miami County, Kansas, and centers on the biography of John T. Walthall, late of Pasadena , California, also an excerpt taken from a former history of the Walthall family originating from older members dating back to the 17th Century.

"The Name Walthall Means FOREST DALE"

The Walthall's long before the year 1400 were Welsh. This people living between hills or mountains in a forest valley, Wales took its name from "Wal" from being walled in by mountains or hills. The Germans would say 'Valtal' meaning valley, 'Thall' come from the work (sic) 'Thalida', 'Blume' and 'Thalite' - Green Twig -, Thus we have a blooming and green forrest dale. Since England incorporated by conquest an law 1700 Wales has been as England. As far back as 1485, the time of Henry VII there were old families of Walthall's living at Westmoreland, England. In the latter part of the 17th century, three brothers emigrated to Virginia, now a part of the United States. As the name is handed down from father to son, we find one Samuel White Walthall was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, May 30th, 1819. The wife of S. W. Walthall became heir to two slaves and as the husband was opposed to slavery these two slaves were disposed of. In the year 1831 this family of Walthalls emigrated north, locating in Hendricks County, Indiana. To this union was born four sons and six daughters, Deman, James M., Samuel H., Daniel B., Mary C., Susan, Nancy J., Fanny, Rebecca A., and Martha W. Of this family Rebecca A. Malone (sic), the only survivor of this family in the year 1924 resides among her immediate family in Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa being her home state since early in the fifties.
Sons and daughters of the remaining late Walthall circle except those of the late James M. Walthall and Samuel H. Walthall now reside in the Western states. James and Samuel H. Walthall emigrated to Kansas in 1857 locating near Osawatomie, Miami County.

Samuel H. was narried to Martha Ann Day in 1858, and to this union was born four sons and one daughter. One son died in infancy, two living in Portland Oregon and on[e] in Kansas City, Mo. The only daughter lives in Fontana, Kansas. James M. Walthall was born July 13th, 1828 and came to Indiana in 1831 with his parents. In 1846 he was married to Miss Elisabeth Surber. To this union was born four daughters and ten sons. David P. born in 1846. As a young man he served three years in Co. C 12th Kansas Vol. Infantry. In 1865 he was married and died four years later in 1869. To this union one son was born who died in 1870. William J. born in 1856, was married in 1876 and died in 1893. To this union was born three sons all of whom are living. Five sons died at birth. Samuel W. born in 1860, was married in 1881 and now resides in Osawatomie, Kas. To this union was born two daughters and one son of Whom one daughter died in 1923. Charles E. born in 1867 was married in 1888 and resides in Wichita, Kas. To this union was born two daughters of whom both are living. Susan Jane died at date of birth. Nancy J. born in 1851 was married in 1870 and in 1879 leaving no heirs. Harriet A. born in 1853 was married in 1871 and died in 1875. To this union was born one son now residing in Bloomington, Ill. Minnie M. born in 1869 was married in 18xx and now resides near Beagle, Kansas. To
this union was born three sons and one daughter, of whom one son died in 1909. John T. was born in November 1849, was married in 1870 and died November 7, 1923. To this union was born four sons and two daughters.

John is with us no more. He has gone over the river with countless others to dwell with our loved ones gone on before. From November 28, 1849 to November 7th 1923 the world was made better by his living. Almost seventy four years he spent with us, and his good work will show us he was a God loving man; for his work was not all for himself but to help others. His prayers were in secret, for to his household he always looked well. Many noble sons and daughters now rise up to call him blessed. He was born in Indiana and later moved to Iowa with his parents where they resided until May 1857, thence emigrating to Kansas. At that time Kansas was a Territory and very thinly populated. Many were the hardships and soon the Civil war was declared and all the men and grown boys were called to the service leaving their families and homes to be managed by the loved ones left behind. John, then a twelve year old boy, was left in this Walthall family with his mother and several smaller children to look after and to carry on the [responsibilities] of the home. This was the beginning of his sacrifice of his boyhood days. It meant the giving up of school at that time notwithstanding school advantages were poor. The leaveing of him at home meant he had the work of a man to do, but John was always found willing and at no time was he met with a frown of discontent on his face nor an ill word on his lips that would bring discomfort to himself or those which the responsibility was placed on him to perform. A heavy job was to get wood to keep the family comfortable, as well as other work difficult for a man to do, much less a boy as was John's duty. After the [war] was [over] he worked for Levi Pennington whose business it was to buy cattle in Texas and drive them to states in the North and East. This required countless trials and hardships as the cattle had to be driven overland and was simply herded and grazed across the plains of now Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa toward the market for which they were sold or until they could reach railroad service which was very limited especially west of the Mississippi river. In the year 1870 he was married to Miss Rebecca Evans. From 1872 to 1874 he worked for Cole Bros.-Johnson lightening rod company of Kansas City, Mo. He worked in Eastern Kansas and Western Mo. In 1875 he took up farming in Miami County Kansas, and in the fall of 1875 he was elected to Trustee of Mound Township in Miami County. He filled this position two terms. Our mother [Elizabeth J. Surber] passed away March 1st, 1872 which was a partial breaking up of our home, so John's home was opened to some of the older children of the family who could not be content with a stepmother. The writer of this article [S.W.] was taken into their home at the age of fifteen years. Brother John was a devoted brother and loyal advisor. For five years we were always together until another home was established which so still remains. In 1879 we were in Western Kansas and after wasting one season returned to Miami County where John bought and settled on a farm near Osawatomie, Kansas and vert successfully carried on farming and dairying having improved and paid for the farm. In 1894 he closed out and for one year was in the mercantile business in Beagle, Kansas. He sold out, entering the grocery business in Osawatomie, Kansas, which was carried on with great success. During this time and in 1904 it was that his first wife passed away. He was constantly by her side, but for all faithful hands could do and medical aid could administer the time had come and a good wife and mother had gone. Twice while he lived in Osawatomie he was mayor of that city. He also served four years as postmaster. This brief history is only part of the work of this good man. To take a review back over times past the writer wishes to quote some of the events and often occurances transpiring while living at this brother's home. In some of his councils and advice giving was, as Jesus would say to his desciples: "Ye shall know the truth for the truth will make you free". And to show he loved good and hated evil, he gloried in his good work and should he do something, as we are all liable to do such, he would look upon as sin. He was always ready to repent and set all things right. His pockets could be turned inside out at any time with safety as to his character. And after all, when toils were at rest, we would sing together some of the hymns we learned from our mother's good hymn book.
Then going back to his boyhood days from 12 to 14 years, when he was his mother's main support and living on a prairie (sic) farm and deprived of the comforts of the home of to-day, about all that could be said was that it could be called a home with a living mother to soothe and give a loving word with only a few luxuries and to watch and to worry of possible war enemies which was often looked for. But time passed on and conditions improved slowly and finally our dear father and older brother was returned to the little homestead with a victory to their enlistment. Then John's life as a cowboy was a rough and tumble in his duties of helping to drive cattle across the plains on foot which at that time was the only available way out, not only a hard job but dangerous one. Also farming was a hard task in those days account there being no improved machinery. Small grain had to be handled by hand. This made a hard job as well as unprofitable. So it is easy to see that much credit is due to such a man as John for helping to make the country what it is today and well do they deserve a peaceful day. He was married a second time to Mrs. Julia Hall, who survives him. After this marriage he resigned as Postmaster and retired from mercantile life to take up ranch life in Western Kansas, which was very successfully carried on until 1918 when he closed out to locate in Pomona, California, later moving to Pasadena where he was living at the time of his death. On the morning of November 7th, 1923 John arose in his usual state of health and after eating a hearty breakfast he set out to perform his few morning duties about the home and then returned to the house and while listening to his wife read to him the news from the morning paper he laid down on the couch and made the remark to his wife he believed he was going to die and it was true for he never spoke again. His second oldest son Karl was making his home with his father but was at work away from the house at the time his father died. John's infirmity was of such a nature that would cause violent sinking spells and was considered by his physicians to be of a curious nature. Having had one bad spell in 1923 from which he recovered for a time and was able to be around and had written his folks in a way that would show he was in his usual state of mind and also showing the old time spirit. So we find John's early and boyhood days were spent in a new country for which he gave his very best to help build and improve. Earning his living by the sweat of his brow, always giving of his time and money to help build and improve, yet saving a small percent for a rainy day, which was his desire that in his declining years he could have a comfortable home and living and look well after his own household. Not that his desire was to accumulate riches for himself but to share his efforts and success to all that came in contact with his dealings while on earth that after all, others might profit by his saving both in good will and council. We find by his own efforts he was successful. Born in Indiana then moving to Iowa and later moving to the Territory, now a portion of Eastern Kansas. Still a small boy with his parents and other members of the family. Their home was a crude shanty on the bleak prairie, but after all his trials and hardships, in later years he was successful in his undertakings and was awarded by finally becoming comfortably located in Pasadena, California, where he lived a retired life. When the role was sounded he met his Redeemer with a smile and passed on through the Golden Gate the Crown exemplifying "Well Done Faithful Servant, Peace on Earth Good will to All." While his body lay in state in his California home, being paid respect by members of the family close by as well as friends and neighbors. At the same hour of the day his body was laid to rest in Pasadena, many miles distant found on the old homestead near Beagle in Eastern Kansas, where his only living sister now resides Sister, Brother, Sons, Daughters, Sister and Brothers-in-Law, Grand Children, Nieces, Nephews, Friends, and Neighbors also gathered to pay last tribute of respect in his remembrance and listen to the aforesaid brief history recited by his brother S. W. Walthall. Also, a very appropriate biography and devotional prayer was offered by an old friend of the family, Mrs. E.J. Sheldon of Paola, Kas., after which a very appropriate hymn was sung led by another close friend Mrs. A.J. Walker of Osawatomie, Kansas. From here this little assembly went to the community burial ground not far distant, also located on the old homestead. It is here where lies the body of the mother of John's children, also other dear ones gone on before. At this location flowers were strewn for all. To the memory of the J.T. Walthall stands a monument erected by his own hands many years ago at this same location. Not only this little group but other friends, also brothers of the Masonic Order of Osawatomie Kansas, where John possessed a life membership, were bowing their heads in sorrow of their departed friend and brother.

Let us not forget that a lasting remembrance through friendship with fellow workers of this man while engaged in business affairs of the City of Osawatomie, Kansas, in the capacity of mayor in years gone by that the American Flag that soars over the City Hall, which building was also erected during his administration, was placed at half mast on the day his body was laid to rest. Now may this brief history enter the files that may be passed down from father to son and, as the anchor of the ship go down, down until it reaches the very end of time, and out yonder in that beautiful home as the good man so peacefully passed away his soul will go up - Up on the wings of an angel to the one who gave it and to dwell with loved ones gone on before.