JOHN & ROSA'S THIRD & FINAL CHILD TOGETHER
I am still learning about Lester
and his life with the help of some of his family members, specifically his sister Ruth, his daughter-in-law Barbara, and his
grand daughter Deane, and write this believing I have it correct but please consider I may not yet have it straight and will
correct any errors when possible. I am grateful to them for their help and I am also grateful that the site was helpful to
them in answering some questions they had about his early years and biological parents.
When
Rosa McCollor died, her two youngest children were still very young; Mona was aged eight, and Lester Earle only six. One can
only imagine how much care they needed and how John alone could not adequately provide that care and work, too. And
so, they were both adopted out to families who, as far as we have learned, were good to them and provided a better life than
they might have had with John. Little Lester was fostered by the Eber and Mary Walker family of Cornville, Maine, although
we is some discussion over the timeline and process of his adoption. The family believes he was adopted soon after he
came to them, but he is still listed as a foster son at the age of ten (1910 census) and we don't know for sure if the adoption
was formal or casual. The family has also thought that he was adopted at the age of 16 which seems to fit in with the
other sources better. Regardless, his family tells me the Walkers were the only parents he knew and recognized.
He legally changed his name to Lester Earle Walker just before entering the military. Eber J. Walker lived from 1859 to 1940, and Mary J. Walker was born in 1871. I have not yet obtained a death date
for her.
Born
in Moscow, he lived much of his adult life in Skowhegan, married to Florence Abby Sanders, born in Boston. Together,
they raised three daughters and two sons: Mona (named for his sister or incidental coincidence?), Ruth, Eleanor, Robert, and
Lester. I am hopeful I learn more about the Lester Walker family, and welcome any information his family will share.
From the
census records we can learn a little about his life and adopted family. The 1900 census for his biological family, including
one year old Earl can be found under John McCollor on the Phineas McCollor page. The 1910 census copy that I have is difficult
to read, I read it to say: In 1910, ten year old Lester lived with the Ebers and Mrs. Walker's mother, Rebecca Later, in the
town of Cornville. According to the census, the Walkers had no other children and were approaching middle age. They
lived just a few doors away from the Fred McCollor family, as well as the Thomas McCollor family. Eber was recorded
as a general farmer and interestingly the census taker described Lester as a farm laborer, we assume this was an error.
Ten years later, in the 1920 census, Lester, now a young man of about 21 is listed
as their son, whereas in 1910 he was described as their foster son. I assume his military service was in the time of
WWI and don't know where he was stationed and in what capacity. Another change is Eber's state of birth, which was now
listed as Massachusetts, Mary born in Maine. Mr. Walker continues working in farming, and it appears Mrs. Walker was a what
we call now a "stay at home mom". Her mother is no longer living with them, presumably deceased by that point?
Between 1920 and the 1930 census life had changed entirely for Lester. He owned his own home in Athens, Maine, and
lived with his Massachusetts born wife, Florence, and their first two children Mona and Ruth, aged 3 and 4. He had become
a mail carrier and Florence managed the house and the girls.
He died in 1969 in Skowhegan, Maine, his wife would not follow him until
2005. She never remarried.
Below are some documents I have unearthed in my research. I will
no doubt find some more and hopefully will come up with another photo or two if not of Lester, then of his family?
You can enlarge any of these by clicking on them.
