John Edward Walton, M. D., a prominent practicing
physician at Medora, Macoupin County, was born December 22, 1867, at
Brighton, Macoupin County, Illinois, and is a son of Edward W. and Hester C.
(Eberman) Walton.
Edward W. Walton was born in Monroe County,
Illinois, and is now a prominent retired farmer residing at Miles Station,
Illinois. On August 7, 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil War, Edward W.
Walton enlisted in Company A, 130th Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., and during his
long term of service, which terminated August 7, 1865, he was never either
captured or wounded, although he participated in 15 engagements and on many
other occasions was in great danger. He took part in the siege of Vicksburg,
Spanish Fort, Sabine Cross Roads and Cane River and was with the Red River
expedition. During two years and six months he served as special hospital
steward and during this time was associated with Dr. C. B. Johnson, of
Champaign, Illinois, who was recently elected president of the State Board
of Health. The mother of Dr. Walton was also born in Monroe County and she
became the mother of seven children, our subject being the second son.
Dr. Walton obtained his education in the common and high schools at
Brighton and then entered what was formerly the Marion Sims Medical College
of St. Louis, Missouri, but is now the medical department of the University
of St. Louis, where he was graduated April 10, 1897, after an attendance of
three years. He immediately located at Medora, his capital at that time
being composed of a horse and buggy, $50 in cash, an educated mind and
trained hand and faculties. The success that has attended him is the best
testimonial to his worth.
In 1892 Dr. Walton was married to Mollie
B. Simpson, of an old pioneer family, who is a daughter of F. B. and
Marietta B. (Parker) Simpson, and one son, Franklin Edward, was born to this
marriage, on August 15, 1902.
F. B. Simpson, father of Mrs. Walton,
was born January 5, 1827, in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and was a son of
Hendley and Elizabeth (Farrow) Simpson, the former of whom was also a native
of Virginia, although of Scotch ancestry. In 1834 Hendley Simpson came to
Illinois, F. B. being then nine years of age. The family settled on a tract
of 217 acres of improved land in Chesterfield township, Macoupin County,
which farm came into the possession of F. B. Simpson, who rented it in 1899,
and resided with Dr. Walton at Medora until his death, January 25, 1904. F.
B. Simpson was educated in the public schools of Virginia and of
Chesterfield township and devoted his life to farming. On January 5, 1837,
he married Marietta B. Parker, a daughter of Joel and Miriam (Haycraft)
Parker, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter in Kentucky,
to which State the Parkers removed at a later date. In 1834 Joel Parker and
wife came to Illinois and took up government land in Shipman township,
Macoupin County. This farm Benjamin E. Parker recently sold and retired to
Medora. The eight surviving children of F. B. Simpson are: Ann C, wife of
Andrew Steed; Harriet C, wife of William J. Bell; Cornelia, wife of John
Robbins; S. F., who married Nancy Eggelston; S. Elmer, who married Martha V.
Andrews; Julia; E. L., who married Emma Keele; and Mollie B., wife of Dr.
Walton. Both Mrs. Walton and her mother belong to the Baptist Church, but
Dr. Walton was reared a Methodist. He is a Mason. The whole family is more
or less identified with temperance work, and Dr. Walton casts his vote with
the Prohibition party.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 516-517.
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