John F. Walker's Story
  Submitted by and Courtesy of

 Terre Ahlgren
      John Farber Walker was born March 17, 1906 in Highland Park, Michigan to Bradley and Martha Walker (nee Sheridan). 

     He married Octava Louise Roy, June 17, 1930 in the Town of Colonie, New York. They had six children. All born in Albany. 

     He loved to drink and beat up his wife and spent some time in jail in Poughkeepsie and Albany in the late 1930's and 1940's. 

     He worked for D & H Trust Company on State Street. 

     He was disowned by his parents. (whom I can't find anything on!).

     He was found dead in a brook near the "jungle" adjoining the NY Central Railroad property just north of Poughkeepsie city line on November 7, 1950 - found with a bottle of liquor in his pocket. Way to go Gramps!

[John F. Walker is buried at Brier Hill - Grave No. 730 - No. 730 Marker not found to date - E-Mail Terre if you can help her with her research regarding John F. Walker's parents. E-Mail  Ginny if you have a story to tell.]

Commentary by Ginny
Listen up Fellow Researcher's

We all need to be grateful  for the life of 
JOHN FARBER WALKER,

had his life not mattered; had his granddaughter not sought to learn more about him and sought out my assistance, what we now know about Brier Hill  and the once forgotten souls buried there would not be known today.

It was Terre's e-mail to me in September 2000 seeking assistance in finding her grandfather's burial number and the location of his burial at the County Cemetery, Millbrook that started me on my quest to insure that Dutchess County determine the extent of the cemetery; clean out, preserve and maintain the cemetery; and, locate the missing records.  Her e-mail query, my interest in preserving and documenting & insuring the care of cemeteries is what led me to contact Prof. McAdoo of Vassar College in regard to conducting a project at the Dutchess County Poorhouse Cemetery Site (a/k/a "Brier Hill") similar to the project Prof. McAdoo's class performed at the Ulster County Poorhouse Cemetery.

Thanks to the support of many too numerous to name, together we have come along way in documenting the identity of many of those buried at "Brier Hill" and insuring it's on-going preservation and maintainence.

Perhaps somewhere down the road, another descendant of someone buried at "Brier Hill" would have initiated similar efforts.
However,

for this one Dutchess County Researcher,

I can personally say that if it were not for

JOHN FARBER WALKER,

we would not know what we know today about 

"Brier Hill"
and the once
long forgotten soul's buried there!

May John Farber Walker 
&
All buried at Brier Hill
Rest in Peace

John F. Walker
March 17, 1906 - November 7, 1950