Guy Morrison Walker papers

Collection

Identifier: MSD-1890-003

Staff Only

Collection Statement

The collection consists of 16 separate series: biographical materials, canceled checks, antiques/collectibles records, articles/papers written by or about Walker, clubs and organizations, correspondence both to and from Walker, DePauw University materials, diary/writings, genealogy, lectures/speeches by Walker, legal papers, Phi Kappa Psi materials, photographs, loose scrapbook items, subject files of information collected by Walker on various topics and oversize items. Included in these series are manuscripts in Walkers hand, typewritten transcripts, and printed pamphlets. Also included are five reels of microfilm, some of which contain copies of eight scrapbooks. These scrapbooks held clippings, magazine articles written by Walker, letters and programs. Many of the papers relate to China and subjects include the Boxer Rebellion, Shantung situation, trade and transportation in China. Other subjects include economic development of Japan, banking, currency, taxation, cotton, gold, silver, short selling and other related items.

Dates

1870 - 1945

Creator

Walker, Guy Morrison (class of 1890) (Person)

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Usage Restrictions

Biographical Sketch

Guy Morrison Walker was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 24, 1870. He was the eldest child of Reverend Wilbur Fisk Walker and Mary Florence Morrison Walker, who were early Methodist missionaries to China. Mr. Walker spent about ten years of his early childhood in Peking.

Walker received his A.B. degree from DePauw University in 1890 and an LL.B. degree in 1891. Early in his career he became interested in finance and wrote articles on the subject extensively. His writings appeared in many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Barron's Weekly, The Boston News Bureau, Finance, and the Trust Company. In addition, he was an authority on China, and edited all the matter relating to China in Leslie's Weekly during the Chinese-Japanese war. He was a member of the bar in Indiana, New York, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, and California.

Walker specialized in the reorganization of public utilities and financed and owned properties in Oregon, Kansas, Iowa, and Mississippi. He also reorganized properties in California, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and Mississippi. In 1894, Walker organized the Terre Haute Trust Company and the Security Trust Company of Toledo, Ohio. In 1908, he reorganized the Hattiesburg (Miss.) Light and Railway and in 1910 reorganized the Laurel (Miss.) property and built the trolley lines. In addition to holding offices in several railway and traction companies, he also reorganized the Detroit and Toledo Shore Railway, the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway, the Pittsburgh Railway and Light Company, and the United States Light and Heat Company.

In 1891, Guy M. Walker married Minnie L. Royse, an 1890 DePauw graduate. They had two sons -- Merle R. and Ray M., both also graduates of DePauw. Walker died on August 4, 1945 in Laurel, Mississippi.