Walton, H.S.
8/27/1958
November 7, 1872 - August 27, 1958 |
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| Rev. H. S. Walton was born in Coryden, Kentucky, November 7, 1872. He attended Kentucky Wesleyan at Winchester, Kentucky, and taught at Guthrie, Kentucky. In 1901 he married the former Claudia Harris. And together they came to Louisiana in 1905, so that Bro. Walton could accept the position as teacher at Centenary College. When the College was moved to Shreveport, he became principal of the Clinton High School. In 1908 he became pastor of the Hammond Church and entered the Louisiana Conference. For the next 30 years, Bro. Walton served with great devotion in some 10 churches in our Conference. In addition to his pastorate in Hammond, he was pastor of Kentwood, Bunkie, Winnfield, Texas Avenue (later Park Avenue) In Shreveport, Rayne, Kenner Memorial In Baton Rouge, Logansport, Sulphur, Amite, Jackson, and back to Kentwood where he retired in 1938. He returned to Hammond and built his home But he could not retire. He was extremely active in a small Sunday School known as Zenobia, begun by his good friend, Doctor Lucius McGehee. He served faithfully in that work until a few months before his death. He was active in the Tangipahoa Ministerial Association and was always a source of inspiration and help to his minister. Bro. Walton is survived by two sons, Robert, who teaches at Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina; Lewis, his youngest son, who is a research engineer for General Electric of Schenectady, New York. His wife, Claudia, who has been his constant companion through the years, still lives at the home in Hammond. One son, Joseph, died at the age of 14 when Bra. Walton was pastor of .the Keener Memorial Church in Baton Rouge. Death came to Bro. Walton on August 27 at the age of 85. Rev. A. D. George, who had entered the ministry with him some 50 years ago, spoke at the funeral. He spoke of him as one of the great “soldiers of the Cross,” and he spoke of the warm friendship over the years. To know him was to ‘know something of a life completely dedicated to God. Here was a man whose chief purpose was to do God’s will. Like Abraham, no task was too difficult, no sacrifice too great. His was a dedicated life. The editor of our local paper, George Campbell, writes: “It is difficult to write an eulogy to one who had meant so much to the writer. It was through his influence that ‘1 joined the Men’s Bible Class at a time when less than a dozen were present. This memory will be forever cherished by me and will cause me to follow as closely as possible the impact of an influence that carried more than possible persuasion.” Like another great soldier of the yesterday he fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept aglow the faith. And like that other soldier he has gone to claim that crown of righteousness which the Lord shall give unto those who have loved his appearing. |
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| Source: Journal of the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Church, Pages 216-217, 1959 by Edward R. Thomas. | |
