Joseph Soper WALTON, Canadian Printer

Joseph Soper WALTON, brother of my ancestor, Alfred WALTON, was born 2 Apr 1801 in Hanover, New Hampshire. He apparantly was named after a neighbor, Joseph SOPER, who was livin near the family in Canterbury, NH, in 1790.

About 1805, his family moved from New Hampshire to Peacham, Vermont, where, in 1816 (at the age of 15), Joseph became an apprentice to his eldest brother, Ezekial Parker WALTON, who had established a printing business in Montpelier, VT. Much has been written about General E. P. WALTON, but little was known about Joseph. He seemed to disappear after marry a woman named "Esther SOUTHARD."

J. S. WALTON was the 8th child, and 4th son, of George WALTON and Mary PARKER. He followed in the footsteps of his three older brother, E. P., George S., and Calvin in the printing business in Montpelier.

On 28 Jul 1833, probably in Vermont, Joseph married Esther Wetmore SOUTHMAYD. She was the daughter of Ebenezer SOUTHMAYD and Elizabeth STARR. (Ebenezer was a pewtersmith from Middletown, Connecticut, who settled in Castleton, Vermont, in the late 1790s.) The baptism record of Andrew and Mary WALTON listed their parents as Joseph S. WALTON and Esther W. SOUTHMAYD. When Mary was married in 1875, her parents were listed as Joseph Soper WALTON and Esther Whetmore SOUTHMAYD. Mary's death certificate lists her parents as Joseph WALTON and Esther SOUTHMAID.

 

Baptism Record of Andrew Robertson WALTON & Mary Elizabeth WALTON

Marriage Record of James Robertson GIBB & Mary Elizabeth WALTON

Death Certificate of Mary Elizabeth WALTON GIBB

It seems Joseph was not content with the family business and sometime around 1833, began a printing business in Lower Canada (in what is now Sherbrooke County, Quebec). In 1833, Joseph Soper WALTON began publishing the Farmer's and Mechanic's Journal, in the village of Stanstead (about one mile north of the Canada/U.S. bornder). He associated with Asa GAYLORD, a bookbinder in Stanstead and in Jun 1834 Walton and Gaylord published the first issue of the weekly Farmers' Advocate and Townships Gazette, written by Joseph S. WALTON. (It appears they edited a weekly newspaper under various titles: St. Francis Courier (1831-1836) Farmer's Advocate (1836-1837), Sherbrooke Gazette (1837-1839), Farmers' and Mechanics' Journal (1839), and again Sherbrooke Gazette (1840).)

Joseph was in the militia (listed as Ensign in the Sherbrooke Loyal B. A. Rifle Company in 1840) and in 1841 served as Clerk of the Municipal Council of the Municipal District of Sherbrooke.

Joseph and Esther had at least five children:
1. Charles Henry WALTON, b. 12 Jun 1834, Sherbrooke
2. Edward W. WALTON, b. c1835, Sherbrooke
3. Andrew Robertson WALTON, b. 3 Jul 1841, Sherbrooke
4. Mary Elizabeth WALTON, b. 22 May 1845, Sherbrooke
5. Ellen Marie WALTON, b. Stanstead (shed died 6 Aug 1855, New York)

Esther died 16 Dec 1855 and was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Sherbrooke. Joseph married again, 1 Jan 1857, in Sherbrooke, to Mary SUTTON (widow).

Joseph and Mary had at least two children:
1. Joseph Goulding WALTON, b. 1857, Sherbrooke
2. Catherine WALTON, b. 1860, Sherbrooke (died 14 Feb 1860)