Lorin Edwin Walker was born 25 July 1822 in Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States to John Walker (1794-1869) and Lydia Holmes (1800-1842) and died 26 September 1907 Rockland, Power County, Idaho, United States of unspecified causes. He married Lovina Smith (1827-1876) 23 June 1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois.
Lorin Walker, second son of John Walker and Lydia Holmes, moved with his parents from his birthplace, Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont, to Ogdensburg, New York, and spent some years there. Like his brother and sisters he was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—day Saints. The family decided to go west to join the Saints and in 1838 they reached Missouri and went through the persecution which caused his father to be separated from the family for two weeks and where the father nearly lost his life. They arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois.
He was one of the first four of ten brothers and sisters who the Prophet Joseph Smith took as members of his household. Lorin and his brother, William, were employed by the prophet in getting supplies and doing errands. In 1842—3 under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Lorin and William took an active part in supplying the poor with wood, clothing and provisions. This was the introduction and origin of the Young Gentlemen and Ladies’ Relief Society organization with William Holmes Walker as President and Lorin as the treasurer. Lorin was nicknamed “Edwin” by the Prophet.
Lovina Smith was doing a weekly wash when her father, Hyrum Smith, came home from one of his trips with his brother, the Prophet Joseph Smith. Hyrum asked his daughter when she had planned to be married. Lovina said that they had been waiting for him to perform the ceremony. The Patriarch said if she wanted him to marry them, it would have to be that day. So Lovina removed her apron and went to find her lover, Lorin Walker. They were married with the humble family as witness to the ceremony on June 23, 1844, at Nauvoo, Illinois. Four days later the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Patriarch Hyrum Smith were martyred at Carthage jail.
They lived with the Prophet’s family at Nauvoo, Illinois till the wife of Joseph Smith, Emma, was married again to Mr. Major Bidamon. They moved to Macedonia where they lived with the Prophet’s sisters, Catherine and Sophronia, both widows. It was there Lorin’s brother, William, found them, while on the way to his mission in South Africa. William assisted Lorin in his preparation to immigrate to Utah. Lorin’s family reached Utah in 1860 and moved to Farmington, Utah. Lovina, wife of Lorin, died from childbirth on October 8, 1876.
While at Farmington it was Lorin who did the work of graining and painting the woodwork in the Farmington church house. Lorin, with some of his children and grandchildren, moved and pioneered with some of the first settlers in Rockland, Idaho. Lorin in his late years worked with his brother and sisters, in the temple and they together did over five thousand endowments.
Years ago I was acquainted with a man in Idaho Falls. He was the relative of William Holmes Walker. The story goes that Lorin and William spent the winter in St. Louis building wagons that carried the possessions of the hand-cart companies to Salt Lake City. That was the reason for their later immigration to Salt Lake City.
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Hyrum Smith Walker (1845-1923) | |||
Isabella Rosalie Walker (1847-1847) | |||
Jerusha Celesta Walker (1849-1933) | |||
Edwina Mariah Walker (1854-1894) | |||
William Arthur Walker (1857-1931) | |||
Sarah Ellen Walker (1859-1932) | |||
Lucy Lovina Walker (1862-1867) | |||
John Lorin Walker (1864-1937) | |||
Joseph Fredrick Walker (1867-1939) | |||
Don Carlos Walker (1870-1933) | |||
Charles Henry Walker (1872-1900) | |||
Ida Mae Walker (1875-1952) | |||
David Franklin Walker (1876-1877) |
Siblings
Residences
See Also
- Lorin Walker
- Walker in Caledonia County, Vermont
- Walker in Power County, Idaho
- Walker in Hancock County, Illinois