My Genealogy Hound

Casper J. Walter, one of the pioneers of Michigan, who has the distinction of being the oldest citizen of Independence township, has not only passed through many hardships and adventures, but has lived to a good old age and is now in the enjoyment of a fine property accumulated by his own industry. Mr. Walter was born in Morris County, New Jersey, July 4, 1811, and is a son of Jacob Walter and a grandson of Henry Walter.

Henry Walter, who was born in Germany, served in the Revolutionary War and was a pensioner until his death at the age of 107 years. His third son, Jacob Walter, was married twice and died in New Jersey at the age of 56 years. Our subject is the son of the second marriage, with Elizabeth Ike Young, his one sister being Mrs. Abby Price Shriber, who lives in New Jersey, aged 94 years.

When our subject was quite small, his father removed to Warren County, New Jersey, and until the death of his father, when he was 14 years old, he assisted him on the farm. Thrown at this time entirely upon his own resources, Casper worked on farms for some years by the month, marrying at the age of 20 years. About this time he concluded to seek his fortune in the west and as he had little means, he started for Michigan on foot, stopping at points on the way and working at anything that presented itself and sometimes in his journey of three months covering 40 miles a day. Thus he reached Detroit, and with a companion proceeded to Oakland County, reaching his destination in April, 1835. He had no difficulty in finding work on farms at which he continued for 20 years. He was soon able to purchase 40 acres of government land and has continued to add to this and now owns 180 acres and he has the unusual distinction of being the only man in the county who owns land which has never changed hands. The first 40 acres is located in section 14, Independence township, and the remainder in section 13. For a number of years Mr. Walter lived in a log house of one room, without a nail in its construction, which was built by himself and a neighbor. Those were times of kind, neighborly feeling, when the settlers seemed to belong to one big family and each one was ready and anxious to do a good turn for the others. There were plenty of Indians in the neighborhood, but he never had serious trouble with them. Game was plentiful and so tame that he once killed a deer with a pitchfork. Being 10 miles from Pontiac, the nearest market, he was obliged to carry his purchases home on his back, but soon roads were built and every year saw conditions improve. Mr. Walker has raised large crops on his land, in one year 700 bushels of wheat, which in those days he sold for 40 or 50 cents a bushel.

Mr. Walker was married to Amy Warden, a native of New Jersey, who died here in 1881, aged 67 years, the mother of four children, viz: Mrs. Elizabeth Beardsley, who at death left three children, — Mills, John and Lavina; Mrs. Mary Perry, of Orion, who has one son, Bert; George, who operates the home farm and has two children, Kate (Green) and Cass; and Archibald, of Pontiac, who has one daughter, Margaret. Mr. Walker has always been a Democrat. A lack of early education has made him backward about accepting public office, but in all practical affairs of life he has proved himself the equal of any one. He has seen many changes and has done his full share in the development of the agricultural resources of Independence township.