1878–1960

Introduction

Born: February 4, 1878, Spring Frog Ca­bin, Au­du­bon Acres, Eli­se Cha­pin Wild­life Sanc­tu­ary, Chat­ta­noo­ga, Ten­nes­see.

Died: Sep­tem­ber 26, 1960, Eli­se Cha­pin Wild­life Sanc­tu­ary, Chat­ta­noo­ga, Ten­nes­see.

Buried: Next to Spring Frog Ca­bin.

Biography

Robert was the hus­band of El­ber­ta Clark (mar­ried 1904).

He was edu­cat­ed at Ma­ry­ville Col­lege, and at Grant Uni­ver­si­ty, Chat­ta­noo­ga, Ten­nes­see (law de­gree, 1905).

He is re­mem­bered as a na­tur­al­ist, au­thor, po­et, lo­cal his­to­ri­an, hor­ti­cul­tur­al­ist, and ed­it­or.

Works

Poem

The Way I Go

I know the way I go—
That leads me on o’er rugged height,
’Neath threat’ning clouds that bear no light,
Down through the depths of darkest night,
This common way I go.

I know the path I tread—
Its piercing stones make bleeding feet,
Its windings lead through scorching heat,
The Tempter rude oft here I meet,
On this lone path I tread.

I know the road that’s mine—
The pilgrim’s footprints that I see,
All leading on to victory,
Are signboards left for guiding me,
On this rough road of mine.

I know my Father’s road—
He leaves me not alone to go,
For o’er this road His comforts flow,
And on the way His blessings blow,
On this my Father’s road.

Robert Sparks Walker
The Improvement Era, Volume 23
Number 7, May 1920, p. 1007

Sources

Lyrics

Help Needed

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Walk­er (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),