WALKER, DR. DAVID A.

by LeRoy Earl Walker

Entry F437 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Dr. David A. Walker Family 1922 L. to R. - Earl,
David, Ona Mae, Dr. David and Ulala Zoe.

Dr. David A. Walker was born near the old
Morman town of Nawvoo, Ill., Oct. 10, 1874.
He is a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln.
He received his early education in country
schools in Illinois. He received his education
in medicine from the College of Physicians &
Surgeons in Iowa and his eye, ear, nose,
throat & Pharmacy in Chicago. He came west
looking for a place to practice medicine. He
went to Okla. City but the water was terrible,
hardly fit to drink. Mostly Indian people at
that time. He came on west to Burlington,
Colo. He was investigating ads he had seen
requesting the services of a doctor. He was
the only passenger to step from the train into
the frontier town of Mullen, Nebr., the
slender man in a dark blue suit, a gold
handled parasol and a medical case was Dr.
David A. Walker. The wind was blowing the
sand full blast and a quick look at the
collection of wooden shacks was dishearten-
ing and he meant to leave in a couple of days
but fate intervened. He was staying at the
Evergreen Hotel. The proprietor, Greenberry
Cleavenger, found out that he was a doctor
and called him out to care for a townsman
sick with a fever. The town needed his
services so he stayed to serve the community
for the rest of his life. He started practice
May 5, 1905, that was the beginning of over
50 years of dedicated service to the commu-
nity and surrounding country.

He came in the days of the Kinkaiders and
the only way of communication was horse and
buggy and a few dim trails. he always carried
a brass cased compass to point the way in the
hill country. Dr. Walker went every where he
was called, whether the people had any
money or not, summer or winter snow. He
went in some very difficult situations.

After 50 years the community with the aid
of the University of Nebraska gave Dr.
Walker a large celebration. It was called "Dr.
Walker Day". People came from far and near
for this special occasion.

One Mae Stephenson was born March 21,
1889 in Mullen, Nebr., the daughter of
Edward and Margaret Ann Stephenson.
Edward Stephenson was born in 1861 in
Missouri. Margaret Ann Stephenson, born
Margaret Ann Brannon, in 1867 in Virginia.
They moved to Mullen in 1887.

Dr. David A. Walker was married to Ona
Mae Stephenson May 14, 1906. Three chil-
dren were born, David Edward Aug. 17, 1908,
LeRoy Earl Aug. 30, 1910, Ulala Zoe Jan. 30,
1912. Ona Mae Walker, their mother, was a
member of the 1st Methodist Church in
Mullen. She was a charter member of the
Women's Society of Christian Service and
served as president for many years.

David & Earl graduated from Mullen High
School, Ulala Zoe (called SIS by all her
friends) graduated from Lincoln High
School, Lincoln, Nebr. David attended Uni-
versity of Nebr., graduated from Warsham
School of Embalming and was a mortician.
LeRoy Earl went to University of Nebr.,
graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery.
Ulala Zoe took nurses training in Omaha,
Nebr. and was a nurse.

Dr. David A. Walker passed away in Jan,
1962. Ona Mae Stephenson Walker passed
away Jan. 12, 1972. David Edward Walker
passed away July 21, 1975., and is buried in
Winter-Haven, Florida. Ulala Zoe Walker
Hanna passed away in 1972. All except Dave
are buried in the Cedar View Cemetery,
Mullen, Nebr.

David Edward was married to Josephine
Shanty, they had 2 children, Ilene & David.
Ulala Zoe was married to Francis R. Hanna,
they had two children, Nikki & Judy. LeRoy
Earl married Helen L. Van Wagenen, they
have three children LaVerna, David & Lana
Kay. Earl and Helen are still living in Mullen,
Nebr.