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Below is a family biography included in The History of Polk County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Charles A. Walters, one of the proprietors and managers of the Brighton Flouring Mills, was born in Berks County, Penn., in June, 1838, and is the son of John U. and Margaret (Tyler) Walters, the father born in Germany, and the mother in Switzer land. John U. Walters was a machinist by trade, and when a young man went to Switzerland, where he met and married Miss Tyler. Soon afterward they came to America, and after living for some time in Philadelphia, moved to Berks County, where he ran a farm in connection with his shop. In 1870 they came to this county and here spent their last days. In their family were seven children, five sons and two daughters, the second child being Charles A. Walters. He assisted his father with the duties on the farm, received a common school education, and when seven teen years of age learned the miller’s trade, but, as trade was dull, he helped repair several mills, and thus took up the mill wright business. In 1858 he came to Illinois, and milled there until 1870, when he moved to Springfield, and worked at carpentering for about two years, after which he came to this county. He then worked on the farm and at the carpenter trade until 1875, when he and two brothers built a saw-mill, and, about two years later, put up a flour-mill, with a capacity of thirty barrels per day. His brothers having withdrawn from the business, the firm took the present title. In addition to the mill, Mr. Walters is the owner of 147 acres of land. In 1876 he married Miss Ellen Emlet, who bore him two children: George and Blanche. Mrs. Walters is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although Mr. Walters has met with reverses in business, he is now in a prosperous condition and has a good property. When President Lincoln made the first call for troops, Mr. Walters enlisted, but as there were too many, his company was not taken for some time, and so he returned to his work. Politically he has been a Democrat until 1888, when he voted for Gen. Harrison. He is a Mason.

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This family biography is one of 132 biographies included in The History of Polk County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Polk County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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