Walton Bros. of Fairbury, Illinois

By: Dale C. Maley

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

William Walton and Elizabeth Gehman had a large family of 12 children in Ohio. They both died at relatively young ages, leaving several of their younger children as orphans.Four of these 12 children moved to the Fairbury area. Mary Ann Walton married prominent Belle Prairie Township farmer David Steele Crum. They provided a home for young orphan Isaac Walton after the parents died.Benjamin Walton was a pioneer settler of the Fairbury area. He established a large elevator and grain mill at the southwest corner of First and Locust.Orphan Isaac Walton served in the Civil War, then returned to Fairbury to start a small grocery store at the northeast corner of First and Locust. He sent for his orphaned brother John Wesley Walton to come to Fairbury and go into business with him.Isaac and John Wesley Walton were the leading businessmen of Fairbury from 1868 until 1923. They survived three fires that completely devastated their department store business. They were also in the coal mining and banking businesses.Isaac Walton was a very generous philanthropist to Fairbury. He donated the City Hall clock tower and donated money to build an industrial education department in the local schools. After his death, one of the grade schools was renamed Isaac Walton School in his honor.It is hoped this book will help people understand the critical role the Walton family played in Fairbury history.