David Davis Walker
| David Davis Walker | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | January 19, 1840 Bloomington, Illinois, United States |
| Died | October 4, 1918 (aged 78) Kennebunkport, Maine, United States |
| Resting place |
Calvary Cemetery St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Education | Beloit College |
| Spouse(s) | Martha Adela Beaky |
| Children | George Herbert Walker |
| Parent(s) | George E. Walker Harriet Mercer |
| Relatives |
Thomas Walker (paternal grandfather) David Davis (first cousin) George H. W. Bush (great-grandson) George W. Bush (great-great-grandson) |
David Davis "D. D." Walker (January 19, 1840 – October 4, 1918) was an American businessman. He started his career as a dry goods wholesaler in St. Louis, Missouri. He was the co-founder of Ely & Walker, which remains a clothing brand to this day.
David Davis Walker was born on January 19, 1840 on a farm near Bloomington, Illinois to George E. Walker (1797–1864) and Harriet Mercer (1802–1869). His paternal grandfather, Thomas Walker, was an English slavetrader. Walker was a first cousin of Senator and Supreme Court Justice David Davis.
At age fourteen, he was sent to the Beloit Preparatory Academy, part of Beloit College in Wisconsin.
In 1857, Walker went to St. Louis for business training with the merchandiser Crow, McCreery & Co., then the largest wholesale dry goods house in the city. He worked his way up from office boy, and became a partner after just eight years with the firm. He became ill as a result of his workaholic habits, quitting in 1878, and spent the next two years recovering.
In 1880, he went back to work, forming Ely, Walker & Co. with Frank Ely and others. The business was a huge success, and in 1883 it was incorporated as the Ely & Walker Dry Goods Company. He remained President of the company until 1892, and thereafter retained the largest interest in the firm. His sons David Davis, Jr., Joseph Sidney and George Herbert all had involvement with the Ely & Walker firm, which continued as a major clothing manufacturer until it was acquired by Burlington Industries after World War II, but George went into banking.
Walker married Martha Adela Beaky. They had a son, George Herbert Walker.
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