1720 S. Prairie

Location: 1720 S. Prairie (Old 870)
Occupants: James M. Walker
Life Span: 1875-
Architect:

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1876
Walker James M. pres. Chicago, Wilmington & Vermilion coat co. house 870 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Walker James M. solicitor for C. B. & Q. R.R. and pres. Union stk. yards. and Transit co. Union stk. yds house 1720 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1884
Walker James R. 2 Market, house 1720 Prairie av.
Walker Wirt D. lawyer 28 Portland blk. house 1720 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1885
Walker James R. 2 Market, house 1720 Prairie av.
Walker Wirt D. lawyer 28 Portland blk. house 1720 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1887
Walker James R. 35, 99 Washington, h. 1720 Prairie av.
Walker Wirt D. lawyer 35, 99 Washington, h. 1720 Prairie av.

Inter Ocean, January 23, 1881

OBITUARY.
James M. Walker.
Between 4 and 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon James M. Walker, the well-known railroad solicitor, died suddenly of heart disease at his residence, No. 1720 Prairie avenue. For a number of years past he had suffered from attacks of this insidious malady, and of late the attacks bad increased in frequency. He returned to the city Thursday morning from the East, where he had been on railroad business, which took him to New York and Boston. In the afternoon he went down to the office as usual, but in the evening when he returned home he complained of a difficulty with his lungs, and expressed fear that he had taken a severe cold. The following day he did not go out at all, but yesterday he took breakfast in his room as usual, and, while not feeling well, made but little complaint. Shortly after 4 o’clock he had one of his usual attacks. Dr. J. Adams Allen, his brother-in-law. attended him, but nothing was able to avert the death which followed speedily in the midst of the sorrowing family.

James M. Walker, the deceased, was born in Claremont, N. H., in 1821, and was within a few months of being 60 years of age. He removed to Washtenaw County, Michigan, when a young man. Entering the University of Michigan, he graduated with splendid prospects in 1846, being admitted to the Michigan Bar in Ann Arbor. Within a very short time he was made State’s Attorney of Washtenaw County, and had secured the fall of 1853, desiring to exercise his talents in a more extensive field, be established himself in Chicago in connection with James F. Joy, and has ever since maintained intimate relations with the friend of his early years. In the following year, while acting as the attorney of the the Michigan Central Railroad, he became the junior partner in the firm of Sedgwick & Walker. Subsequently he entered into a close partnership connection with Wirt Dexter, which continued until the time of his death, the different firms being Walker, Van Arnan & Dexter. Walker & Dexter, and Walker, Dexter & Smith. While in this firm he was the solicitor of the Michigan Central and Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroads. Subsequently he devoted himself to the interests of the latter corporation, of which he was finally made President about seven years ago, retaining for some years past the position of Director as well as general constitutional and legal adviser. For the past twelve years he has given up the general practice of law, and has especially devoted himself to railroad and corporation interests. He has appeared in court but little of late, having devoted himself to aiding in the general business management of the corporations with which he was connected. His connection with corporations brought him into contact with the greatest lawyers in this special department, and he was universally recognized as the peer of them all. For some time past much of his time had been divided up between New York, Boston, and Chicago. In these visits he acquired to almost unlimited extent the confidence of the Eastern capitalists, and from attending to their legal needs he soon became largely interested with them in a business way. Thus it was that at the time of his death be was President of the Union Stock-Yards Company and of the Wilmington Coal Company, besides being largely interested in other substantial corporations.

He leaves a widow and two sons who are just entering upon manhood. The elder, Wirt Dexter Walker, who returned from college last June, is studying law under Mr. Dexter, as the latter years ago studied in the office of Mr. Walker. The other son, James, is living at home, being still but a boy. Miss Minnie Walker, the daughter, died eleven months ago, after a long and painful illness. Mr. Walker’s success in his profession assured to him a fortune which was always generously applied.

The funeral will occur to-morrow at an hour to be announced here after. Prof. Swing will officiate, the family having been constant attendants at the Central Church.

Chicago Tribune, January 9, 1898

The dark colored frame house, with the entrance in the center, is the residence of Mrs. J. M. Walker, who is spending the winter in Italy. Wirt D. Walker is often seen at the races, driving a pair of jet black horses to a dog cart. His brother, James Walker, before his departure for Europe, purchased the double-swell brick houses immediately south of the family residence. The coming summer it is his intention to replace these houses with a dwelling house rivaling in beauty any on the avenue, and in keeping with its surroundings. The purchase price was the highest paid for inside lots of residence property in this city.

Leave a Reply