Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/319

 WALTERS

WALTON

South Carolina. He was a member of the city cormcil of Augusta, Ga., 1870-71; a representa- tive from Richmond county in the state legisla- ture, 1873-76; a delegate to the Democratic state and national conventions of 1880; delegate-at- large to the Democratic national convention of 1884; a member-at-large of the World's Colum- bian commission, 1893, and in 1894 vras appointed by Gov. William J. Northen, U.S. senator to complete the unexpired term of Alfred H. Col- quitt, deceased, serving, April 9, 1894-March 3, 1895, having been elected by the legislature, November, 1894. He was mayor of Augusta, 1897-99. Senator Walsh was made a member of the Society of Alumni of Georgetown university. He died in Augusta, Ga., March 19, 1899.

WALTERS, WiHiam Thompson, art collector, was born near Juniata river. Pa., May 23, 1820; son of Henry Walters. He studied civil engi- neering and successfully superintended iron fur- naces at Farrandsville and Pottsville, Pa., until his removal to Baltimore, Md., where he estab- lished liimself in the commission business and as a wine merchant, amassing considerable capital. He was married, in 1845, to Ellen, daughter of Charles A. and Anna D. Harper, of Philadelphia, Pa., who died in London, England, in 1862. Mr. Walters acquired control of several short lines of railway, which lie merged into the Atlantic Coast line, of which his son, Henry, became general manager; and was the organizer of various steamship lines. He visited Europe, 1861-65, col- lecting during these years valuable paintings and art treasures, the latter including historical spec- imens of the Oriental porcelain Industrie from very early times. His private gallery contained a few canvases of the old masters, but was richer in its representations of both the contem- porary European and American painters, and also comprised several bronzes and ivory sculp- tures, four of the former" being presented by Mr. Walters to the city of Baltimore. His gallery was frequently opened to the public, the admis- sion fees being given to the Poor Association of the city. He was a trustee of the Corcoran Art gallery, Washington, D.C., serving as chairman of the purchasing committee; trustee of the Peabody Institute, and chairman of its art com- mittee; trustee of the estate left for the bene- fit of art by W. H. Rinehart (q.v.), a protege of Mr. Walters; an honorary fellow of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; U.S. art commis- sioner to the Paris expositions of 1867 and 1878, and to the Vienna exposition of 1873. He trans- lated and privately published Du Hay's " The Percheron Horse," which special breed he intro- duced into the United States, and also translated " Antoine Louis Barye," from the French of Vari- ous Critics (1885), and Albert Wolflf's "Notes

upon Certain Masters of the Nineteenth Century " (1886). His collections were bequeathed to his son, Henry Walters, and to his daughter. Mrs. Warren Delano of Newburg, N.Y. "Walters Collections of Oriental Pottery," written by Dr. S. W. Bushell, who was selected for the work by Mr. Walters, and illustrated by color plates by Louis Prang, was published in 1899. Mr. Walters died in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 22, 1894.

WALTHALL, Edward Cary, senator, was born in Richmond, Va., April 4, 1831. He at- tended the academy at Holly Springs, Miss.; was admitted to the bar in 1852, and established him- self in practice in Coflfeeville, Miss. He was dis- trict attorney of the 10th judicial district of Mississippi, 1856-61, and in 1861 joined the Confed- erate States army as lieutenant, 15th Mississippi infantry. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and commanded his regiment at Mill Springs, Ky., Jan. 19, 1862. He was promoted colonel, 29th Mississippi; brigadier-general, Dec. 13, 1862, and major-general, June 6, 1864. He commanded a brigade in Cheatham's division, Hardee's corps, at the battle of Missionary Ridge, Tenn.. Nov, 25, 1863, and by a skilful placing of his troops, succeeding in checking the advance of the Federal forces until the Confederates had ex- ecuted an orderly retreat. He commanded a division in Lee's corps, Army of the Tennessee, and in conjunction with General Forrest's cav- alry, his division formed the rear-guard of Gen. John B. Hood's army in the retreat from Nasli- ville. He resumed his law practice at Grenada, Miss., in January, 1871; was a delegate-at-large to the Democratic national conventions of 1868, 1876, 1880 and 1884, serving as one of the vice- presidents of the convention of 1868, and as chairman of the Mississippi delegation in 1876, 1880 and 1884. He was appointed to the U.S. senate as a Democrat to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lucius Q. C. Lamar, ap- pointed secretary of the interior, and took his seat March 12, 1885; was elected in 1886 for the unexpired term, and served by successive re-elec- tions until January, 1894, when he resigned. He returned, however, in March, 1895. serving until his death, at Wasliington, D.C., April 21, 1898.

WALTON, George, signer, was born in Prince Edward county, Va., in 1749. He was appren- ticed to a carpenter about 1763, and acquired his education against great odds and entirely through his own efforts. He removed to Savannah, Ga.. about 1769, where he studied law and was ad- mitted to the bar, 1774. He was secretary of the provincial congress in Savannah, Ga., July 4, 1774, and also a member of the " Committee of Intelli- gence," and with three other Revolutionists issued a call for a public meeting at the " Liberty Pole " in the latter city, July 27, 1774, to concert meas-