1925 Biography - Richard F. Walker

Hon. Richard Flournoy Walker. For many years before the public in various public offices of importance, Hon. Richard Flournoy Walker, speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, is likewise one of the leaders of the bar of Baton Rouge, and has established an enviable private and public record throughout the state.

Mr. Walker was born February 16, 1868, in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, a son of Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth (Pound) Walker, and a member of a family which was founded in this country by his great-great-grandfather, who came from England. His grandfather, James F. (Rock) Walker, was born in Alabama, and when a young man migrated to Chickasaw County, Mississippi. There he accumulated large land holdings and many slaves, and operated extensively as a planter and stock raiser until his death in 1880, when he was over seventy years of age. He was likewise prominent in public life, and for many years was a member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing what was then known as Chickasaw territory. "Rock" Walker married a Miss Cooper, who was born in Alabama and died in Chickasaw County.

Andrew Jackson Walker was born in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, where he was reared, educated and married, and as a young man entered the ministry of the Baptist Church. He occupied pulpits in various parts of Northeast Mississippi, and was one of the well known and greatly beloved men of his cloth. About 1902 he retired from his ministerial labors and moved to Texas, where his death occurred in 1908. In politics he was a democrat. During the war between the states he saw active service throughout the struggle under the flag of the Confederacy. Reverend Walker married Elizabeth Pound, who was born in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, and died in Oktibbeha County, that state, in 1890. They becaine the parents of the following children: W. Pierce, a farmer, who died in Webster County, Mississippi; Bayless V., who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Arizona; James L., a farmer of Webster County, Mississippi; Richard Flournoy; Andrew J., an employe of the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana, now residing at Baton Rouge; Dodie, the widow of the late Jesse Jones, a farmer of Dallas, Texas, where she makes her home; Dita, the wife of James Spencer, a farmer of Texas; and Dalma, who died at the age of nineteen years.

Richard Flournoy Walker was educated in the public and private schools of Mississippi, and in 1891 was graduated from the Mississippi State Normal College with the degree of Bachelor of Science. In the following year he moved to Greensburg, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, where he was elected president of Norvilla College, and retained this post for three years. In 1896 he took up his residence at Clinton, where he began reading law under the preceptorship of the late Judge W. F. Kernan, subsequently entering Tulane University, from the law department of which institution he was graduated in the class of 1897, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the bar in May of the same year and since that time has enjoyed a constantly increasing reputation and clientele in the field of general civil and criminal law. His offices in Clinton were situated on Courthouse Square.

On the 1st of November, 1924, Mr. Walker removed to Baton Rouge, where he has residence at 629 North Street, and office in the Triad Building.

A democrat in politics, Mr. Walker was a member of the Town Council of Clinton, Louisiana, for two terms, from 1898 until 1902, and in 1904 was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he remained for one term. He then again took up his law practice, to which he gave his undivided attention until 1913, in which year he was elected to the constitutional convention. As representative of East Feliciana Parish, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1920, and was chosen as speaker, which position he holds at this time. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1921, which gave the state its present Constitution, and for the past four years has been a member of the Sixth Congressional Committee of the democratic party. His religious connection is with the Baptist Church, and as a fraternalist he holds membership in Olive Lodge No. 52, F. and A. M., Clinton; Baton Rouge Lodge No. 490, B. P. O. E.; and Clinton Camp, W. 0. W. During the World war Mr. Walker endeavored to enlist, but was not called into active service.

On June 15, 1898, at Clinton, Louisiana, Mr. Walker was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Knox, a graduate of Silliman College, Clinton, and a daughter of James P. and Gertrude (Allspaugh) Knox, both deceased, Mr. Knox having been a merchant at Clinton. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker: Elise and James Knox. The former is the wife of Benjamin F. Appleby, a farmer and stockman of Slaughter, this state. James Knox Walker is a student in the law department of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and an employe of the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana. During the World war he enlisted in the United States Navy, and was in the service two years, subsequently being held in reserve until 1923.

Note: The referenced source contains an autographed portrait of the subject.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, pages 239-240.