Wesley C. Walsh & wife Viola Walsh of Hatton - 1904 Homesteaders
Replies: 2
Wesley C. Walsh & wife Viola Walsh of Hatton - 1904 Homesteaders
| Charles Marshall (View posts) | Posted: 20 Nov 2006 6:11AM GMT |
Classification: Query
Surnames: Walsh, Marshall
I am hoping to locate some clues as to what happened to homesteader Wesley C. Walsh and his wife Viola Walsh who apparently left Adams County sometime around 1904-05. Wesley was born in Michigan in about 1873, the son of Michael & Lydia Walsh (1880 - they lived in St. Louis, Gratiot County, MI). I don't know anything about Viola's origins.
Wesley & Viola were homesteading land in Hatton, Adams County, WA from about 1899 to 1904. After initiating a cash buy-out of his 160 acre homestead with the Land Office in Walla Walla, he was granted his land patent on 13 MAY 1904. This during the same time his business partnership with my Great-grandfather, Charles Marshall also a homesteader in Hatton, was coming unraveled. Their wheat farming-for-hire business of "Marshall & Walsh" collapsed when the law suits started flying, primarily initiated by creditors due to their excessive debt and Wesley wanting out of the business. Once things were finally settled (out of court), it was around this same time in 1904 so Wesley may have gotten his patent only to turn around and sell his land so he could pull up stakes and leave the area.
Wesley & Viola don't show up in the 1900 or the 1910 census in Adams County (or anywhere else that I can see). It's possible that he could have died and Viola then remarried but so far, there are no clues so this is just speculation. I thought I'd found Viola Walsh, living with her parents as a widowed school teacher in the Prescott area of Walla Walla County, but new, recently discovered info makes it now look like her husband's name was either George or John Walsh, also born in Michigan in 1873 (rather an odd coincidence). I'm still investigating this but it doesn't look to hopeful now.
I would like to hear from anyone that is related to this Walsh family. I would especially like to find out if there are any old journals, diaries, letters or pictures in existence from their homesteading days (I'd love to find a picture of Wesley with my Charles Marshall since I have never seen a picture of Charles). I have many other questions. I've researched a fair amount of detail on this Walsh family and will gladly share what I have with anyone that is interested. Many thanks.
Wesley & Viola were homesteading land in Hatton, Adams County, WA from about 1899 to 1904. After initiating a cash buy-out of his 160 acre homestead with the Land Office in Walla Walla, he was granted his land patent on 13 MAY 1904. This during the same time his business partnership with my Great-grandfather, Charles Marshall also a homesteader in Hatton, was coming unraveled. Their wheat farming-for-hire business of "Marshall & Walsh" collapsed when the law suits started flying, primarily initiated by creditors due to their excessive debt and Wesley wanting out of the business. Once things were finally settled (out of court), it was around this same time in 1904 so Wesley may have gotten his patent only to turn around and sell his land so he could pull up stakes and leave the area.
Wesley & Viola don't show up in the 1900 or the 1910 census in Adams County (or anywhere else that I can see). It's possible that he could have died and Viola then remarried but so far, there are no clues so this is just speculation. I thought I'd found Viola Walsh, living with her parents as a widowed school teacher in the Prescott area of Walla Walla County, but new, recently discovered info makes it now look like her husband's name was either George or John Walsh, also born in Michigan in 1873 (rather an odd coincidence). I'm still investigating this but it doesn't look to hopeful now.
I would like to hear from anyone that is related to this Walsh family. I would especially like to find out if there are any old journals, diaries, letters or pictures in existence from their homesteading days (I'd love to find a picture of Wesley with my Charles Marshall since I have never seen a picture of Charles). I have many other questions. I've researched a fair amount of detail on this Walsh family and will gladly share what I have with anyone that is interested. Many thanks.