Henson Walker, eldest son of Henson Walker, Jr., and Elizabeth Foutz, was born June 13, 1848 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was one of the first babies born after the arrival of the Pioneer in Utah. His parents were both Americans--the Walkers came from Michigan, the Foutz family from Pennsylvania. Both joined the Latter-Day-Saints's Church in their youth.

Henson was about three years old when he came with his parents to Pleasant Grove, Utah, which became their permanent home. He attened school in winter, and worked on the farm and in the canyon as soon as the weather conditions permitted in the spring. In the canyons he would help got put logs for wood and lumber for homes. He also worked at the saw mills in American Fork Canyon.

When he eighteen years of age he joined the State Militia, and went to Sanpete and Sevier Counties to help defend the settlements during the Black Hawk Indian War.

He was married to Caroline Elizabeth Farnsworth Oct 24, 1868. To this union nine children were born, two sons and seven daughters. Pleasant Grove was their home unitl he was called on a seven year mission to Arizona and left home in the fall of 1877. His wife was left alone to care for the three small daughters, Carrie, Ada and Essie, until spring when they joined him.

During the early years of married life, while his family was living in one room of his father's house in Pleasant Grove, he was employed at Humbolt, near Odgen, Utah, as teamster, during the construction of the first railroad in Utah which was the connecting link that united east and west by rail-where later the golden spike was driven. Later he moved his family to American Fork Canyon where he & others were getting out logs to build homes for themselves in Plesasnt Grove. A saw mill was erected on the flat where Mutual Dell now stands. Lumber was paid for labor at the saw mill. After a period of time Henson had earned enough lumber to start building his house in town. This house still stands today (1949) near the Pleasant Grove Third Ward Church. It was from this home that Henson left for his mission. He sold it to Evan Gamett and later it was known as the "Old Westfall" home which still later was purchased by Ethel Brindley. His work in the canyon continued for several years. He hauled the logs to the mill to be sawed into lumber-was his paticular job.

It was during these years that the United Order was organized and Henson became a member of that organization; however, he withdrew from the Order before leaving for his Mission in 1877. He with others were called on that mission to Arizona to teach the Indians the Gospel and to live and to work like the white people. He went with the company under John W. Young to Moancoppy Indians. They founded a little town called Tuba in honor of an Inidian Chief. They taught the Indians to shear sheep which hereto fore had been done with a butcher knife. Seven families comprised the little colony, namely: the Gardens, Duffins, Christensens, Walkers, Lees, Youngs and Farnsworths; the latter, Alonzo Farnsworth acting as Bishop. Henson had previously returned to Pleasant Grove, sold his home to Evan Gamett abd taken his family with him to join the little missionary colony in Arizona.

This move was made in December 1879. They built their homes of dirt-dirt floor, dirt roof, and the walls plastered with mud. they hauled provisions and supplies, including flour and wheat from Salt Lake City. They shared with the Indians and sometimes recieved wool and corn in exchange which helped to buy others provisions at Provo and Salt Lake City.

About this time President Young decided the wool should be taken care of locally, as the Indians depended much on th e wool from their sheep. Rasiing sheep and orn was theri liveihood. So he told the men to start the construction of a wool carding mill. This work the Indians had heretofore done by hand. Henson was one of those appointed by President Young to do this work. It was to be built in a big wash near Tuba City, the banks of the wash provided part of the structure. The machinery had to be hauled from Salt Lake; again Henson became teamster even as a missionary. It took eight weeks for each trip to Salt Lake and all summer for the contruction. The mill was actually never completed due to President Young's death.

Henson had many and varied experience while on this mission. On one of these trips, because of a broken ferry, he drove his team and wagon across the Colorado River on drift wood. He drove his team onto the logs and spurred them on by whip and voice as they jumped from one log to the next until all were safley on the other side of the river. He loved horses and always saw that they were fed and well cared for. He drove a four horse team efficiently and loved to do so. He also like to break wild horses and lasso wild cattle and considered it great sport.

After he was released from his mission in 1885 he oved his family into New Mexico and lived there for three years, with prospects of making a permanent home. It was here that he served Presiding Elder. He later decided to start a trek homeward and moved his family over the Utah line into a little place called Buno Vista, San Juan County. It was there he served as a counselor to Bishop Stewart for three years.

Later another move was made about 1891. This time to Vernal, Uintah County, Utah where a daughter Carrie, and her husband resided. All these moves were made by team and wagon, driving before them their cattle and livestock, and trailing behind them a coop of chickens attached to the back of the wagon. They could camp where there was good psturing for the cows and where the chickens could be let out to scratch and feed. the chickens runway being a pole or plank leaned from their coop to the ground. Always the cows were milked and the eggs gathered.

To years later another move was made, this time back to their old home Pleasant Grove. This was sometime in 1893. They moved into what was known then as the Shipley home, a small house immediatley across the street from the old Walker home. Other than a year spent in Corinne, Nothern Utah where he farmed dry land wheat on shares, the remainder of his life was spent in Pleasant Grove. Here he was Justice of the Peace for several years, and was a ward teacher most of the time.

His occupation conitnued throughout his life to be farming and working with his team. In later life he was employed as teamster for the A. K. Thornton Lumber Co. of Pleasant Grove. They deliver service in those days was done by team and wagon. He was engaged in this work at the time of his death, Oct. 6, 1914.

He was a man of a few words. His nature was kind and gentle. He was a devoted husband & father. A friend to all, he always kind and helpful. He was loved and respected by all who knew him. He had a choice spirit. He was indeed a good man. He was a large man during the prime of life, with broad shoulders and a large frame. His height was six feet two inches, weight normally one hundred eighty-five pounds, and his hair and eyes brown.