MOGMGWalker
GEORGE E. WALKER 1850-1919
Grand Master, 1890-1891
BIOGRAPHY
From Biographies of Past Grand Masters, 1821-1901, by the Grand Lodge of Missouri:
Note: This biography was written when Brother Walker was still alive. He died in 1919 and is buried in Presbyterian Cemetery in Potosi, Missouri.
Most Worshipful Brother George K. Walker entered the Grand Lodge at the Annual Communication of 1882, representing Samaritan Lodge No. 424 as Senior Warden. He returned every year until after he passed through all the chairs. In 1884 he was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Sixteenth District. In 1886 he was appointed Senior Grand Deacon. October, 1887, he was elected Junior Grand Warden, followed by election in 1888 Senior Grand Warden, in 1889 Deputy Grand Master, and at the Annual Session of 1890 he was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master.
Brother Walker was born in November, 1850 at Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia. In the late sixties he removed to Missouri and located at Potosi, Missouri. He soon found employment in a mercantile house of which he became a member in 1874. In 1876 he became a resident of Bonne Terre, Missouri, and was connected with a large mining and manufacturing corporation as manager, where he remained until 1886, when he became interested in a wholesale hat house in St. Louis and moved to the city.
In Masonry Brother Walker started in January, 1882, in Samaritan Lodge No. 424, at Bonne Terre, Missouri. On the 8th of April following he was made a Master Mason. Six weeks afterwards he was elected Senior Warden. The year following he was chosen Worshipful Master, and twice re-elected, serving three years as such.
Brother Walker received the Capitular degrees in Copestone Royal Arch Chapter No. 33, at De Soto, October 24, 1882. He was Knighted in St. Louis Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, August 8, 1883. He passed the Circle in Hiram Council No. 1, Royal and Select Masters, in St. Louis, May 12, 1886. We have no information as to what, if any, official position he ever held in any of the above mentioned bodies.
From Missouri Lodge of Research:
George Walker was a native of Virginia, born November 30, 1850 at Tappahannock, Essex County. In 1869 he came to Missouri locating at Potosi where he found employment in a mercantile concern.In 1876 he removed to Bonne Terre, Mo., where he connected with a large mining and manufacturing corporation as manager. In 1886 he became interested in a wholesale hat house in St Louis and moved to that city.
He entered Freemasonry in January 1882 in Samaritan Lodge No 424, Bonne Terre, Mo. He was made a Master Mason April 8, 1882 and in 1883 was elected Master of the Lodge.
He first appeared at Grand Lodge in 1882 as the representative of Samaritan Lodge. He attended Grand Lodge every year afterwards until he was elected Grand Master in 1890. He regarded as his most valuable service to the Grand Lodge, the adoption of the system of financing in the Masonic Home through per capita tax, rather than voluntary contributions.
After a brief illness with heart trouble he died July 10, 1919 and was buried in a family plot in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Potosi, Mo.
