elbert walker
1899-1967
Life Story
Biography
(July 4, 1899 – June 13, 1967)
Early Life and Parentage
Elbert Walker was born on July 4, 1899, in Newton County, Mississippi, to John Wesley Walker (1870–?) and Fannie Moore (1874– ?). He was raised within the extended Walker family network that maintained strong ties to church, farming, and labor across Newton and neighboring Jasper County.
Education
Elbert completed the first grade of elementary school, reflecting the limited educational access available to many African American children in rural Mississippi during the early 20th century.
Employment and Working Life
Elbert’s working life followed the agricultural and timber economies of central Mississippi:
- Early life: Farm laborer on the home farm.
- 1920: Listed as a boarder in the household of Leroy Cook in northwest Jasper County, where he worked at a mill as a driver.
- 1930: Married and residing in Newton County, working as a farmer.
- 1950: Employed by the Griffin Labor Company, cutting logs, reflecting continued work in the timber industry.
By the mid-1950s, Elbert Walker was also engaged in wage labor outside Mississippi. A 1957 newspaper notice documents that he was employed at Pine Crest Cemetery in Mobile, Alabama, during a period when family members traveled between Newton County and the Gulf Coast for work. This temporary employment reflects the broader pattern of mid-century labor migration among African American families seeking stable income while maintaining strong ties to home communities.
Marriage and Family
In 1920, Elbert married Rebecca Wheaton (1900–1970). Following their marriage, the couple established their home in Newton County, where they raised four children:
- Joe Wesley Walker (1921–2000)
- Lucille Walker Rigsby (1923–1997)
- Y. Z. Walker (1925–2006)
- L. A. Walker (1928–2008)
At the time of his death, Elbert was survived by his wife, children, 21 grandchildren, and a wide circle of relatives.
Church Membership
Elbert joined St. John Missionary Baptist Church early in life and remained a faithful member as long as his health permitted. His lifelong church affiliation anchored both his family life and community standing.
Death and Funeral Services
Elbert Walker passed away on June 13, 1967, in a Jackson, Mississippi hospital.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, June 18, 1967, at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, with Rev. Otis Ellis, pastor, officiating, assisted by other ministers.
Burial
He was laid to rest in the St. John Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, with Holifield Funeral Home of Forest, Mississippi, directing the arrangements.
Source Context: Newspaper Obituary (1967)
The obituary confirms Elbert Walker’s parentage, church membership, marriage, children, funeral service, and burial location, and documents the continuity of Walker family presence at St. John Missionary Baptist Church.
Historical Significance
Elbert Walker’s life reflects the experience of African American men whose labor sustained Mississippi’s agricultural and timber economies while anchoring family and faith in local church institutions. His movement between Jasper and Newton Counties, combined with long-term church membership, situates him squarely within the Walker family’s multigenerational history at St. John Missionary Baptist Church.
Resting Place
Saint John Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
1899-1967
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- The Newton Record, Elbert Walker Obituary, Wed, Jun 28, 1967 ·Page 7
- The Newton Record, Foreclosure Notice, Thu, Apr 23, 1936 ·Page 7
- The Newton Record, Rebecca W. Walker Obituary, Wed, Jun 10, 1970 ·Page 12
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
- U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918
- The Newton Record, Thu, Sep 12, 1957 ·Page 11
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