Moses Walton (lawyer)

Moses Walton (January 14, 1826 – June 15, 1883) was a nineteenth-century Virginia lawyer who during the American Civil War served in the Virginia House of Delegates from September 7, 1863 until the war's end, and later in the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868.

Moses Walton
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the Shenandoah district
In office
September 7, 1863 – March 15, 1865
Serving with Philip Pittman
Preceded byJohn Gatewood
Personal details
Born(1826-01-14)January 14, 1826
Shenandoah County, Virginia, US
DiedJune 15, 1883(1883-06-15) (aged 57)
Woodstock, Virginia, US
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Emily Marie Lauck
Professionlawyer, politician
Military service
Allegiance Virginia
 Confederate States

Early and family life

The son of Reuben Moore Walton and his wife, the former Mary Ann Harrison (1807-1879), Moses was named for his paternal grandfather, Moses Walton (1775-1847), who had been sheriff of Shenandoah County, as well as served in the both houses of the Virginia General Assembly. He read law and became a lawyer, as did his younger brother David Harrison Walton (1830-1876).

Moses Walton married Emily Marie Lauck on February 5, 1851. Their children included Annie E. Walton Campbell (1852-1878), Morgan Lauck Walton (1854-1935), Mary O. Walton Newman (1855-1942), Emma M. Walton (1858-), Samuel Walton (1859-), Alice Heiskell Walton Haslett (1862-1950) and David Harrison Walton (1865-1927).[1]

Career

Walton practiced law in Woodstock, the Shenandoah County, Virginia county seat both before and after the American Civil War. He owned at least one enslaved person before the war began, as had some relatives.[2]

After Virginia seceded from the Union, his younger brother (and lawyer) David Harrison Walton organized the 33rd Virginia Infantry in which two other relatives also served and survived the war. However, Moses Walton's initial involvement was signing a "memorial" to the Confederate President and Virginia's governor on August 12, 1861 complaining about the hardship caused by excessive conscription from Shenandoah County, since 12,829 persons would be required to furnish 1269 men, and actually furnished 900 men, to the great disadvantage of their families who needed to plant the fall crop, since the county only had 443 slaves older than 12 years and 150 free negroes.[3]

In 1863, Shenandoah County voters elected Moses Walton and Philip Pittman to represent them in the Virginia House of Delegates.[4] After Virginia ceded defeat, Walton took the required loyalty oath and practiced law in Woodstock with his brother David Harrison Walton. Shenandoah and Page County voters elected Moses Walton and Dr. George W. Rust their delegates to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868.[5] A Conservative as was Dr. George Rust, Walton opposed various penalties that the majority proposed to impose upon former Confederates.

After the deaths of his parents and brother/law partner in the 1870s, Mose Walton moved his family to Stonewall in Shenandoah county, and before his death practiced law with his son Morgan Lauck Walton (who favored his middle name) as Walton & Walton.

Death

Moses Walton died on June 15, 1883 and was buried at Massanutten Cemetery in Woodstock.[6] His widow survived for nearly a quarter century and saw their son M.L. Walton elected to represent Shenandoah and Page Counties as a Democrat in the Virginia Senate in 1891.

References
  1. findagrave n. 42926402 and 1870 U.S. Federal census for Shenandoah County, available online at ancestry.com
  2. His grandfather owned four enslaved persons in the 1840 U.S. federal census, the last before his death and which did not name persons in the household. Although associated with no slave schedules in the 1850 nor 1860 census, Moses Walton does show on the 1860 state slave schedule, not available online
  3. Richard B. Kleese, Shenandoah County in the Civil War: the Turbulent Years (Lynchburg, H.E. Howard Inc. Virginia Civil War Battles and leaders series 1992) pp. 16-18
  4. Cynthia Miller Leonard, Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978) p. 486
  5. Leonard p. 506
  6. findagrave
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