Gilbert Carlton Walker

Gilbert Carlton Walker ( born August 1, 1833 in South Gibson, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, † May 11, 1885 in New York City ) was an American politician and from 1869 to 1874 Governor of Virginia. Between 1875 and 1879 he represented his state in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

Gilbert Walker attended until 1854, Hamilton College in Clinton. After a subsequent law degree, he was admitted in 1855 as a lawyer. Between 1855 and 1859 he practiced in this profession in Owego, New York and then to 1864 in Chicago. There he headed a law firm.

In 1864, Walker moved to Norfolk in Virginia, where he continued to work as a lawyer. In addition, he there founded the Exchange National Bank. At that time he was a member of the Republican Party. On September 21, 1869, he was appointed as successor to the retiring provisional governor Henry H. Wells.

Governor of Virginia

First, Walker had to end as a provisional governor 's term of office Wells. During this time, Walker resigned from his party and joined the Democrats. As their candidate was elected in the fall of 1869 for the first regular governor of Virginia after the Civil War. This office he held until January 1, 1874. During this time the education system was reformed and Virginia improves the conditions in the prisons and mental hospitals. The governor also worked on the reduction of public debt and proposed the sale of state shares of railway companies before. Otherwise, Virginia was still suffering from the effects of civil war and reconstruction policy. On January 26, 1870 the State was again allowed to send representatives to the U.S. Congress. Thus Virginia was readmitted to the Union.

Walker as congressman

In the congressional elections of 1874 Gilbert Walker was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. After a re-election two years later he was able to exercise this mandate between 4 March 1875, and March 3, 1879. During the first two years in Congress, he was chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor. In 1878 he applied not for another term.

Further CV

In 1879, he first moved to Binghamton and two years later to New York City. In both cities, he worked as a lawyer. He died on May 11 in 1885 and was buried in Binghamton. Gilbert Walker was married to Olive Evan.