by Carol Baize
| JACOB WALK- |
| Jacob is one of the most earnest and driving farmers in the vicinity of Osnaburg, who was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Aug. 26, 1824, son of Samuel and Christina (Miller) Walk. His mother remained a widow for eight years, when she married a second time to Mr. John Singer. Jacob remained with his mother until his twenty-first year. |
| In 1838 he removed to Stark Co. by wagon, spending a fortnight upon the route. In the spring of the following year he traveled with his parents to the present village of Mapleton. Since that date the village has been organized and built up, Mr. Walk still remembering the first sale of the lots, which ranged in price from $15 to $30. |
| Mr. Singer being a weaver by profession, his step-son learned the business of coverlet weaving in 1842, at which he remained until 1860, investing his surplus funds in real estate, and doing some farming. |
| He purchased his first home of 20 acres, one-half mile southwest of Mapleton. He subsequently made a purchase of the “Baker” farm, a rich body of land lying three-quarters of a mile west of Mapleton, a farm of 96 acres. This land not being extensive enough to satisfy his ambition, he moved to Wayne Co., where he engaged more extensively in general agriculture. While absent he sold the Baker farm and purchased the present farm and coal bank of 145 acres, a short distance southwest of Osnaburg, bordering one side of Conotton Valley Railroad. With his near access to the railroad for his coal, a rich farm and an eligible building locality, Mr. Walk has reason to be as content as he is. |
| He was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Staub of Osnaburg Twp. Dec. 31, 1846. She was born in Prussia, coming to America at the early age of three years. Mrs. Catharine Walk died in 1874, leaving three sons and two daughters – Mary E., the eldest daughter, was an instructor in music in Osnaburg and several of the neighboring villages. Ellen C. stayed at home. Both of the daughters are members of the M. E. Church and Sunday School. |
| Mr. Walk was re-married to Mrs. Lucinda Clark of this county; they have one child, a boy of fourteen months, christened Jacob Howard. |
| Mr. Walk is an uncompromising advocate of temperance, his zeal having made him hated by the “beer element” of the neighborhood, having been active in prosecuting several saloonists. |
| Mr. Walk was chosen chairman of the Christian Temperance Union. In his religious life few have lived more active and consistent. He was confirmed in the Lutheran Church at 16 years of age, and had his entire family baptized in the same. For many years there being no Sabbath-school at Mapleton, he with a few others succeeded in organizing one, he being chosen first superintendent. He held the superintendency also during his residence in Wayne Co., and has been repeatedly chosen to that position and as teacher since his residence in Osnaburg. |
| Mr. Walk has never been an office-holder or seeker, but his fellow-townsmen sent him as one of a committee of three to secure the incorporation of the village of Osnaburg, and he was also member of the first town council. |
| Jacob M. Walk died very suddenly this morning at 6:30 o’clock, of paralysis of the heart, at the age of sixty-seven years. Funeral Tuesday at 1 o’clock from the Kountze Memorial Lutheran church, Osnaburg. [Canton Repository, Saturday, October 17, 1891, pg. 1, col. 1] |
| (This was written in the 1800’s, so the words might seem out of place) |
| History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio – Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 |
