lola evans walker
1900-1968
Life Story
Early Life and Family Roots
Lola Evans Walker was born a twin on February 22, 1900, to Gus Evans (1869–?) and Martha A. Evans (1874–?) in the Altare community of Newton County, Mississippi. The Evans family was deeply connected to the land and the local church—hallmarks of the Altare tradition. Lola’s early years were spent in a household that valued family unity, moral strength, and the discipline of rural life.
She attended school through the 2nd grade, a common educational attainment for children in early 20th-century rural Mississippi, where school attendance was often balanced with farm responsibilities. These formative years taught her resilience, adaptability, and a sense of duty that would guide her throughout her life.
Marriage and Family Life
In her early adulthood, Lola married William Ware (1901–?), and together they built a modest life centered on hard work and family. From this union were born two children:
- Ruby Ware (1931–2024)
- Bennie Ware (dates unknown)
By the 1930s, Lola’s life had taken a new turn. Following her separation or divorce from William, she worked as a cook in a private home, a role that reflected her strong work ethic and independence during a time when opportunities for African American women were limited.
In 1935, Lola remarried Calvin “Cal” Walker (1892–1975), a respected farmer and member of the Altare Missionary Baptist Church. Their marriage joined two of Altare’s most well-known families—the Walkers and the Evanses—and further strengthened the interwoven bonds that defined the community.
From their union were born three daughters:
- Dilla Walker (1936–1936)
- Annie Mae Walker (1939–?)
- Dorothy Walker (1944–?)
By 1950, Lola’s occupation was listed as keeping house, reflecting her continued devotion to home and family. Her life’s rhythm followed the familiar cadence of the rural South—work, worship, and community.
Faith, Work, and Community
Lola’s life was marked by quiet faith and steadfast perseverance. As a mother, she nurtured her children with patience and care. As a wife, she supported her husband’s work and maintained a home rooted in love and faith.
Her work as a homemaker and community member was part of the greater story of Altare’s women—matriarchs who held families together through economic hardship, social change, and the passing of generations. Like many women of her era, she found dignity in service, faith in work, and strength in family unity.
Passing and Legacy
On October 29, 1968, Lola passed away at the age of 68, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, endurance, and grace. She was laid to rest in the Altare Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, among family and loved ones whose lives were intertwined with her own.
Her life bridged eras—from the post-Reconstruction South into the modern civil rights generation—representing the strength of women who preserved family and faith through times of change. Her descendants, both in Mississippi and beyond, continue to honor her memory as one of the guiding figures of the Evans and Walker family lineages.
Sidebar: The Evans and Walker Connection — A Legacy of Faith and Resilience
The marriage of Lola Evans and Calvin “Cal” Walker united two of the cornerstone families of the Altare community. Both families descended from freedpeople who, through labor and faith, built the foundations of Altare’s identity.
The Evans family, with its deep roots in farming and service, contributed to the growth of Newton County’s rural Black institutions, while the Walkers became pillars of the Altare Missionary Baptist Church and its surrounding settlement. Together, these families helped sustain Altare’s spiritual and cultural life through the 20th century.
Lola’s life, and that of her descendants, reflects the enduring strength of these intertwined lineages—families that weathered hardship with faith, worked the land with dignity, and passed on a legacy of community pride that remains strong in Altare’s living memory.
Resting Place
Altare Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
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