William Henry WALKER ( dob abt 1845)

Cypress Hills, NY

Wm. H. WALKER Dies, Aged 71 Former Kings County Penitentiary Keeper Enlisted at 15 Years of Age

William Henry WALKER, 71, formerly night warden of the Tombs, and under the late Patrick HAYES, a keeper for years in the old King's County Penitentiary, died Thursday of heart disease and complications at his home, 151 Autumn Avenue, (formerly Railroad Avenue), Cypress Hills, in which section he had lived for several years. Funeral services will be held tomorrow evening at 7 o'clock, and the Rev. Dr. William HAMILTON will officiate. Interment, under the auspices of Dakin-Slocum Post, G.A.R., will be made in the National Cemetery at Cypress Hills with full military honors, under the direction of Fred Ro(not legible) 706 Gr???? Street.

Mr. WALKER was a veteran of the Civil War, in which he served with distinction in Company K, First Regiment of Iowa Cavalry, in which he enlisted at the outbreak of the war at the early age of 15. He was born in NYC and as a lad went West in search of adventure. He was a farm boy when the call for volunteers arousd the North. Young WALKER offered his services at McGregor, Iowa and in June 1861 was enrolled in the cavalry.

He had his horse shot out from under him 3 times and was in many engagements, including those of Prairie Grove, where he was wounded, Silver Creek, Cross Hollow, Chalk Bluff, Iron Mountain and St. Francis River. At the end of his enlistment when he was a corporal, he re-enlisted and continued in the service until the end of the conflict.

As captain of the Francis F. WILLIAMS Republican Battery of the 18^th Ward, Mr. WALKER became widely known in the old Republican stronghold, and was for some years the leader of the election district in which he lived on Bushwick Avenue, near the club house. He was employed in the old Peter COOPER Glue Works after coming to Brooklyn 52 years ago, and he later held several positions under the prison system of Brooklyn, and of the greater city. He was acting warden of Hart's Island after Warden HAYES left there, and he also held a post on Blackwell's Island.

Mr. WALKER was an efficient prison officer and everyone respected his methods, and he retired 2 years ago with good wishes of all his associates. For 10 years after leaving the Eastern District, Mr. WALKER lived in Woodhaven, and he was there an election district Republican captain and a member of the Board of Trade. He was a member of Dakin-Slocum Post and of The Prison Keepers Association of NY. He was the last member of the regiment that made one of the finest records in the Civil War.

Mr. WALKER is survived by his wife, Louis C. POZZESI; a son, Willliam Henry, 2 daughters, Mrs. Frances E. MARTIN and Mrs. Estelle O. AUSTIN of Portland, Maine, and 7 grandchildren.

Submitted by Judith Austin DOTSON jimjud@webtv.ne FEB 1999.