Misc. Notes
In the Walker family bible: Died at Mount Elba King & Queen Co. Va. on Nov 25 1922 Atwood C. Walker in the 85th year of his age. He died in the same house in which he was born & where he had always resided as did his father, Temple Walker, before him the same house his father Temple Walker had died in Dec. 1868.
There were many methods of stuffing the ballot box. It was usually placed from ten to twenty feet from the door, where the voter stood. A judge of the election would take the Republican ticket in his left hand, from the voter, but put in the box a Democratic ticket, which he had concealed in his right hand. Another common trick was to put a handful of Democratic ticket in the ballot box, when the Republican judge was taking a drink of water or liquor, or had turned his back. Sometimes, when the judge would go to dinner or to the toilet, a duplicate ballot box, filled with Democratic tickets, would be substituted for the original box. Then sometimes the Democrats would have two tickets printed, a large one that most people voted, and which was shown around, and a very small one, which the Republicans never saw until the ballot box was opened at night. The old reliables would fold three or four of these small tickets into such a small package that the size was no larger than a regular ticket. When the ballot box was opened, all seemed very much surprised that it contained many more tickets than voters. Of course this trick was pulled off in the Republican precincts. The officials either had to throw out the whole vote in that precinct or blind-fold a judge and get him to draw out the excessive number of tickets. My Uncle Attwood Walker was always one of the judges of the elections at Stevensville, and was the one that they always blind-folded. It is said that he had such a keen sense of touch that he nearly always drew out a Republican ticket. I sometimes wonder if he didn’t peep a little (Uncle Att was chairman of the County Democratic Committee for a generation.) At time the Republican judge would willingly aid in the election; sometimes for money, at others to help elect the best man.
29During the Civi War was in Army of the Confederacy, Company I - 26th Infantry 1861-1865.
Obituary
Prominent Confederate Veteran to Be Burie Here This Afternoon
Major Atwod C. Walker, prominent Confederate veteran died yesterday morning in his home near Walkerton King and Queen County after an illness of several months. He was in the 85th year of his age. His funeral will take place this afternoon at 3 o’clock at the grave in Hollywood. The pallbearers will e his nephews and will include: Dr. Foushee Ol Mooklar, Charles Gary and Dr. Alvin F Bagby, all of this city.
Major Walker, who served with conspicuous gallantry in the War Between the States , was taken prisoner and detained at Fort Delaware twelve months, but on his return to Virginia was promoted to the rank of major just before the close of hostilities.
He was prominent in political affairs, having been chairman of the Democratic committee of King and Queen County, and been appointed by Governors to the official boards of several State institutions. He was also prominent in religious affairs, having been an elder in Smyrna Christian Chruch thirty years. His death occurred in his home, “Mt. Elba”, a part of the original grant to the Walker family.
Besides a widow, Mrs. Betty Frances Walker, Major Walker is survived by three daughters, Miss Ellen Wlaker, of Mt. Elba; Mrs. Paul Lipscomb of Richmond, and Mrs. Emmett Williams of Norfolk; one sone, Joseph Singleton Walker, of this city, and one grandchild, Elosie Frances Williams.