Dr. John A. Walter, easily the
most prominent dentist in Clayton county, and now
practicing in McGregor, was born January 9th, 1861, in
McGregor, and is the son of Peter and Mary (Rice) Walter.
Peter was born in Huckenheim near Heidelburg, Germany,
and came to America with his parents at the age of seven
years, settling at Sandusky, Ohio. In the public schools
of that town he completed the prescribed course, after
which he took a position as painter and decorator, which
he held for some time. Learning of the opportunities to
be found in the state of Iowa, he came to Dubuque in
1856, where he resided for one year, after which he
removed to McGregor, arriving at this point in 1857. He
entered the painting and decorating business in
connection with his brother, and later entered the
furniture business, which they conducted up to the time
of his death. November 20th, 1906, Peter Walter was the
organizer and teacher of the famous Walter Family Band,
which attained worldwide reputation. The especial feature
was that Mr. Walter taught each of his children and had
no outside assistance in bringing the band to its highest
efficiency. They toured the country, especially the
Mississippi valley, and were everywhere accorded a
splendid reception. It is worthy of note that this was
the first family band to appear before the American
public and their repertoire was large and varied. In 1855
occurred the marriage of Peter Walter and Mary Rice also
a descendant of a pioneer German family residing in
Sandusky, Ohio, and they were blessed with seven
children, Odilda, Matilda, John A., Emma, Anna, William
and Hannah. John A. had his preliminary education in the
public school of McGregor and entered high school and
after graduation there he commenced the study of
dentistry under Dr. A. O. Kent in McGregor, with whom he
remained three years. On completion of his course he
opened a dental office in McGregor, where he has been
practicing his profession for the past 36 years. It is
worthy of note in these days of western colleges that
when Mr. Walter studied his profession that there were no
dental colleges west of Ohio and the young dentists of
the Middle West studied under the practicing dentists of
the days. On November 18th, 1885, occurred the marriage
of Dr. Walter and Odilda Bergman, one of the well-known
Bergman family of McGregor, special mention of whom is
made in another part of this volume. Six children have
been born to them: Marguerite, Marie, Frederick, Odilda,
Helen and William. John A. Walter has been prominently
identified with the civic progress of McGregor and served
the City as mayor from 1897 to 1911, inclusive, and was
president of the League of Iowa Municipalities in 1903.
He is a member of the Democratic party and was alternate
to the Democratic convention at St. Louis in 1904, which
nominated Judge Alton B. Parker for president. Dr. Walter
is a member of Bezer Lodge, No. 135, source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to
the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; pg.
422-423 |