Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/438

 JOHN GRIMES WALKER ALKER, JOHN GRIMES, LL.D., rear-admiral United States navy, has served his country with fidelity and success, in peace and in war, at home and abroad, for more than fifty years. He has become eminent as an engineer, as well as distinguished as a naval officer, and when, on account of age, he had been for years retired from active service in the navy, he became the head of the government commission for the construction of an isthmian canal which is one of the most important and most difficult of all the great works of its kind ever projected.

He was born at Hillsboro, New Hampshire, March 20, 1835. His parents were Alden and Susan (Grimes) Walker. Alden Walker was engaged in manufacturing and farming. He was noted for his firmness, integrity, and high sense of justice. While most of his time was spent in attending to his private business, for a while he held the office of sheriff, the duties of which he performed with wisdom and fidelity. His wife was a woman of fine mind and noble character who died while her son was quite young. Rear-Admiral Walker traces his ancestry in this country back to 1643, at which time, according to the records of that place a " Widow Walker," of Rehoboth (now Seekonk), Massachusetts, signed a petition for the division of public lands. Among his ancestors was Samuel Walker, who died in 1712, a captain in King Philip's war, a representative in the general court of Massachusetts in 1705, and a man of large possessions for that time. Other prominent members of the family were Aaron Walker, a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, who died in 1775, and Samuel Walker, who died in 1831, and had served for a number of years in the Continental army.

Most of the early life of Rear-Admiral Walker was spent in a country village but for about two years before he entered the naval academy he lived in a town. In childhood and youth his health was delicate, and there was a marked weakness of the lungs; but the boy was always cheerful and during play hours he was a leader of his companions in their country games and sports. During his boyhood