Continuing the story of Emmett’s youngest brother, Walker (no middle name) Wilson:
Walker started a career with the Seaboard Air Lines Railroad around 1908, and moved to Tampa.
Two years later, in 1910, Walker married Jesse Evans, of Gainesville. The family genealogy reports that Walker met Jesse in Gainesville while on a job assignment.
Note how Emmett gets top billing over the names of both the bride and the groom in their own wedding announcement. From The Pensacola Journal, June 22, 1910.
Emmett may not have been present at the wedding in Gainesville, else he would have been listed here, too. Source: The Pensacola Journal, June 22, 1910
After the wedding, Walker and Jesse moved to Tampa where he worked for the SAL in different capacities — as a clerk, then later, as a train dispatcher.
The U.S. Census was taken on April 28, 1910, a few months before their wedding. Walker does not show up in the 1910 U.S. Census; however, Jesse appears as Jesse N. Evans, still residing with her family. According to the census, she was an office stenographer before her marriage.
In 1912, Dr. F.C. Wilson visited his son in Tampa. And, once again, The Pensacola Journal takes this time to remind everyone that Walker and Dr. Wilson are related to Emmett:
From The Pensacola Journal, May 17, 1912.
A curious find was that Walker, a clerk with the SAL in 1913, was boarding at the Hotel Oliver instead of living with his family. That same year, Jesse gave birth to their first child, John Evans Wilson.
From the 1913 R.L. Polk City Directory for Tampa, Florida. Walker appears to be living apart from Jesse.
In 1914, Walker and Jesse are listed together in the Tampa city directory; their address given as Central Avenue, in Seminole Heights. Walker is listed as a train dispatcher with the SAL.
Their second child, Margaret, was born in Tampa in 1917.
There isn’t a lot about Walker in the media or in genealogy files — the next item found was his WWI registration card, dated September 12, 1918. What’s new here is that we have a specific address — 5606 Central Ave. Also, a physical description: Medium height and build, with brown eyes and dark brown hair, which was characteristic of most Wilson siblings.
September 12, 1918. Source: Ancestry.com
Walker and his family remained in Tampa until about 1930.
The 1929 Tampa city directory.
The 1930 Jacksonville city directory.
Walker spent most of his professional life with the SAL, and had a satisfactory career.
From the October 31, 1924 issue of the Tampa Tribune. Source: genealogybank.com
In the 1940 U.S. Census, the Wilsons have moved to 1st Street in Jacksonville. Walker is still with the SAL; both John and Margaret are out of the family home.
U.S. Census for 1940. Source: Ancestry.com
Walker died June 22, 1943. He was buried in Tampa.
Categories: Family
jsmith532
Professor,
Communication, Arts, and the Humanities
The University of Maryland Global Campus
Tell my story. 
Leave a Reply