William's History of Frederick County

Charles G. Walter

Charles G. Walter, farmer, of Emmitsburg District, No. 5, son of John and Mary (Hobbs) Walter, was born on the farm now owned by Franklin Smith, four miles south of Emmitsburg, Frederick County March 7^th, 1846

The great-grandfather of Charles G. Walter, a Dutch baron, emigrated to America with Lord Baltimore, and it is said built the first house on the site of the city of Baitimore. It is probable that he owned large tracts of land in that neighborhood, and, according to the custom of the time, leased a part of them for ninety-nine years. It is said that there is a fortune to be gained from these lands. Mr. Walter's grandfather was robbed and murdered on the Hookstown road, near Baltimore.

John Walter, father of Charles G. Walter, was born in Baltimore, in 1799. He learned shoemaking and worked at his trade- for fifty years. He remained in Baltimore until 1820 when he moved to Emmitsburg, Md.

He was married twice and was the father of twenty-three children. His first wife was Agnes Barnes. Their children are:

• John S., deceased, accumulated property in district No. 5, married Martha Hobbs, had four children;
• William B., a graduate of Mt. St. Mary's College, a successful lawyer of Wayne, Ind., where he married and became wealthy;
• Joseph, deceased, huckster of Frederick County, married;
• Anselm, deceased, a coppersmith, married Miss Mary Neikirk;
• Ambrose, deceased, coppersmith, married and settled in Philadelphia, Pa.;
• Jerome, deceased, carriage maker, settled in Gettysburg, Pa., married Hannah Mills;
• Stanislaus, deceased, farmer, huckster and proprietor of the old "Swan Hotel," in Baltimore, married Ruth Wicard;
• Agnes, deceased, Sister of Charity;
• Simon, a veteran of the Civil War, resides in Hagerstown, Md., married Mary Null and had three children who died in infancy.

John Walter's second wife, Mary, daughter of John and (Devilbliss) Hobbs, was born in 1830, in Emmitsburg District. She died near Washington, D. C., and is buried at Mount St. Mary's. Their children are:

• Charles G.;
• Aloysius, carpenter, married Miss Dorsey, resides near Washington, D. C., has children;
• George M., farming in Montgomery, County, Md., married Lottie Reed;
• Mary, (Mrs. James Knott), resides in Prince George's County, Md., has six children,
• Vincent, carpenter, married Miss Tillie Nichols, died in Prince George's County, Md.:
• Ella (Mrs. James Renner), resides in Washington, D. C.;
• Robert, carpenter, married Sarah Austin, resides in Kensington, Md.;
• Jennie, (Mrs. Spencer), died in Washington, D. C.;
• Bernard, truck gardener in Prince George's County, Md., married Mary Howard; and two children who died in infancy.

Charles G. Walter attended the public schools of the district. As his father had a large family and had now exhausted his fortune, his son Charles was put to work when he was quite young. He remained at home, working with his father on the farm until he was eighteen when he was apprenticed to John Hobbs, carpenter.

In 1864, Mr. Walter began working for himself in Baltimore, Md., and the next year, removed to Washington, D. C., where he remained for eight years. During this time, he became a contractor, was very wed-known in business, and built more than one hundred houses in the city and suburbs. He erected, near Washington, a residence costing $15,000 for S. T. Suit, a large home for Clark Bowie, at Laurel, Md., and filled a large contract for 'Andrew Brown.

In 1877 Mr. Walter returned to Emmitsburg District and carried on his business there. He built the beautiful home of George Houck at Harmony Grove, Md., and the large school building at Liberty, Md. In 1879 he purchased his homestead, a farm of 180 acres situated in Emmitsburg District, Frederick County. Md.

Although he is principally occupied in improving and cultivating his land, he occasionally accepts contracts for fine buildings. In 1897 he built St. Anthony's Catholic Church at Mt. St. Mary's. Mr. Walter is interested in public affairs and is an independent voter.

Charles G. Walter was married, in Washington, D. C., April 24, 1869, to Mary E., daughter of John and Anna B. (Eyler) Dorsey, of Emmitsburg District. The children of Charles G. and Mary E. (Dorsey) Walter are:

• Fanny, (Mrs. Samuel Cease), of Emmitsburg district, has two children. Cloyd and Charles Allen;
• William F., at home; 3, Charles D., at home.

Mr. Walter and his family are members of Mount St. Mary's Catholic Church.