Memories of Rev. Will Walker of his childhood in Rutland Township Submitted by Nancy Paine, Typed by Eileen Tims and Annotated & Published by Joyce M. Tice Turn of the Century Roseville / Rutland Postcards submitted by Creig Crippen
Postmarked 1912, looking north from corner in Roseville

William David Walker was born in Rutland Township 18 JUNE 1887, son of Emma Crumb and Hugh Walker, a Civil War veteran. He was gifted with a very early memory which allowed him to share some very significant experiences with us. Will graduated from Mansfield Normal School and Cazenovia Theological Seminary. Shortly before his death, he wrote down memories of his childhood and the people he knew then. This is very valuable to genealogical historians for the glimpses of personalities we will never have another link to and for the flavor of the time and place. Will's little anecdotes lift the people for whom we only know dates and places out of the past and gives them life again.

The Perrytown that Will mentions does not show on any of the maps that I have, but Mary PARIS Copp,who lives there now, tells me it is in the area of Rte 549 south of Roseville in the area now called Jenkins Road. Given that he describes it as only seven buildings it apparently was just a crosssroads where a lot of the Perrys lived. He mentions the Perry family in his account. Mary's description fits with the Sweeleys living closeby and I kmow that location for certain.

This is must reading for anyone with Sullivan or Rutland township connections or for anyone with an interest in the lifestyle of the rural turn of the century Pennsylvania.

At the end of his life in 1935, Rev. Walker returned to the village of his birth and joined his parents at Watson Cemetery. He was only 47 years old when he died, but he left us a gift in his memories.