[p. 539] a prominent citizen of Mahoning Township, who for twenty consecutive years has served as overseer of the township poor, resides on his well improved farm of eighty-four acres, where general farming has been carried on for a long period. He was born at Mill Creek Falls, Ohio, March 17, 1833, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Simpson) Walter.
The father of Mr. Walter was born, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and the mother in Kentucky. The paternal ancestors were of German extraction. In 1833, when Joseph T. Walter was a babe of a few weeks, his parents moved to what it now Mahoning Township, and the family settled on a farm on the banks of the Mahoning River, where William Walter engaged in milling, having bought what was known as the Angel grist mill. This he operated for a number of years, and resided there until 1865, when he removed to Boardman, Ohio, where he died in 1877, having spent his later years as a farmer. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. In his political convictions he was a Democrat, of the old Jeffersonian kind. Of his five children, three survive, namely: John W., residing at New Castle; Joseph T., and Caroline, wife of Irvin Kerr, residing in Mahoning County, Ohio. William F. is deceased. Louisa J., who died May 16, 1908, resided in Mahoning County, Ohio.
Although Joseph T. Walter was born in Ohio, by rearing he is a Pennsylvanian, each State being anxious to claim her own first class citizens. He attended the schools of Mahoning Township and Poland Seminary, at Poland, Ohio. Later he taught school both in Lawrence County, and in Howard County, Missouri, but the larger part of his life has been given to farming He has ever taken an active interest in the progress and development of his own section and has been particularly interested in the public schools. For three years he has given his time to performing the duties of school director and in a public-spirited way has done a great deal for his community. In politics he is a Democrat and on all occasions ably supports the candidates of his party.
On September 24, 1857, Mr. Walter was married to Agnes J. Welsh, who was born in Mahoning Township and is a daughter of John B. Welsh formerly a leading citizen of this section. To this marriage ten children have been born, the eight survivors being: Ernest J., residing in Cleveland, Ohio; George, living in Linn County, Missouri; John S., residing near Spokane, Wash.; Guy T., an attorney-at-law, living at Colee City, Wash.; Samuel F., residing in the neighborhood of Youngstown, Ohio; Rolla D., living at home; Eliza J., wife of John McGuire, residing at Mahoningtown; and Ivonette, living with her parents. Mr. Walter is prominent in the order of Knights of Pythias and has served as chancellor commander of Edenburg Lodge, No. 468.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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