Help Find George Walton, Jr.'s Grave - Shaping Florida by Brenda Rees
Posted 04-19-2009 at 07:41 PM by Brenda Rees
Updated 06-12-2009 at 09:36 PM by Brenda Rees (Dorothy Walton Museum pic., Octavia and Scarlett, George and Rhett, Belle of South, Nation)
Updated 06-12-2009 at 09:36 PM by Brenda Rees (Dorothy Walton Museum pic., Octavia and Scarlett, George and Rhett, Belle of South, Nation)
Please help me find the gravesite for George Walton, Jr., namesake of Walton County, Florida. Through my Shaping Florida research I've located the graves of his mother, father and daughter. The exact location of George Walton, Jr.'s grave has been lost. George Walton, Jr., secretary of West Florida, Territory of Florida and Territorial Acting Governor of Florida, died January 3, 1863 during the Civil War and is likely buried in the Blanford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia. Writer Frances Gibson Satterfield wrote that the Blanford Cemetery had a record of George Walton, Jr., being interred in the N.E. corner of Mrs. M.B. Willison square. Records for the cemetery were destroyed and the exact location of this square is unknown. If you can get by this cemetery and find updated records, please advise. If you know George (Walton) Lucas, please contact him to make a movie about George Walton, Jr. Then, we might indeed find the lost grave of George Walton, Jr.
The following pictures are of the graves and homes of some of his family members. All pictures (c) Brenda Rees, All Rights Reserved.
George Walton, signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia, is buried in Augusta, Georgia. Gravesite for his son, George Walton, Jr., namesake of Walton County, Florida, is unknown at this time. George Walton, the signer, died in 1804 and did not live in Florida with his son and family.
George Walton, Jr.'s mother, Dorothy Walton, is buried in the historic St. Michael's Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida. Dorothy Walton moved to Pensacola to be with her son, the newly named Secretary for the Territory of West Florida. She lived in Pensacola from 1821 until her death in 1832. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed a plaque at her grave. My great uncle Tom Wentworth had a copy of an invitation to her funeral prepared by her son, George Walton, Jr.
George Walton, Jr.'s daughter, Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert, is buried in the Walker Family Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. She died in 1877. She had asked for several obituaries for her father to be published, and only one in Augusta seems to be available. Frances Gibson Satterfield wrote that Octavia sent a letter to her brother-in-law that mentions her father dying of "Congestion of the brain." Octavia Jr., is buried next to her mother with only a Yucca plant over her grave. It is said that she never overshadowed her mother in life and did not want to take away from her in death.
Meadow Garden, home of George Walton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, in Augusta, Georgia. His son, George Walton, Jr., also lived here. George Walton, Jr. moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1821 to be secretary for the new territory of Florida. President George Washington stopped by Augusta, Georgia, during his first tour of the new United States of America. George Walton, Jr., would have been a very young boy at the time, but might have had a glimpse of this new president. George Washington and George Walton were good friends and fought together for America's freedom.
The Walton House in Pensacola, Florida was once owned by my great uncle Tom Wentworth, Jr. He sold it to the city of Pensacola for $1. The Walton House is located in the historic district. At one time, Uncle Tom operated the Walton House as the Dorothy Walton Museum. Uncle Tom's museum is nearby, the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum. Leora Sutton wrote a book on The Walton House. Limited access for this rare book is available at the University of West Florida library and archives. Lee and Tom were good friends.
Dorothy Walton Museum display now at the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum.
The original family portraits of George Walton, Jr. and Octavia Walton Le Vert are safe at rest in the Oakleigh House in Mobile, Alabama under the care of Historic Mobile Preservation Society. Caldwell Delaney and the Mobile Historic Society, according to my interview with Leora Sutton, were instrumental in finding and procurring these early 19th century paintings of early Florida, Alabama and Georgia individuals of historic significance. George Walton, Jr.'s son, Robert Walton, is buried nearby in Mobile's Magnolia Cemetery. Two of Octavia's children and her mother are also buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. George Walton, Jr.,'s portrait was painted by William E. West in 1820. The Walton's had moved to Mobile, Alabama from Pensacola, Florida in 1835 for a number of reasons. George Walton, Jr., was elected as Mayor of Mobile shortly after their arrival. (I found this portrait and reintroduced the citizens of Walton County to George Walton, Jr.'s image in 2006. Before that, local history club members said they had no record or knowledge of this image.)
Miss Walton of Florida by Sully; Octavia Celeste Valentine Walton Le Vert. Octavia had several portraits painted during her lifetime. Once photography was invented, as a major celebrity of her day, she was often photographed. Her obituary was printed in Augusta newspapers as well as the New York papers. I've often wondered if "Gone With The Wind" author Margaret Mitchell fashioned Scarlett after Octavia. Octavia, of course, was much nicer and smarter than Scarlett. George Walton, Jr., would have been a good role model for Rhett Butler. Octavia lost many family members during the Civil War, as did Scarlett. Octavia was the real Belle of the South and Nation, and world renown. (I have developed a portrayal and presentation of Octavia. See Florida Chautauqua and South Walton Library archives.)
The following pictures are of the graves and homes of some of his family members. All pictures (c) Brenda Rees, All Rights Reserved.
George Walton, signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia, is buried in Augusta, Georgia. Gravesite for his son, George Walton, Jr., namesake of Walton County, Florida, is unknown at this time. George Walton, the signer, died in 1804 and did not live in Florida with his son and family.
George Walton, Jr.'s mother, Dorothy Walton, is buried in the historic St. Michael's Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida. Dorothy Walton moved to Pensacola to be with her son, the newly named Secretary for the Territory of West Florida. She lived in Pensacola from 1821 until her death in 1832. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed a plaque at her grave. My great uncle Tom Wentworth had a copy of an invitation to her funeral prepared by her son, George Walton, Jr.
George Walton, Jr.'s daughter, Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert, is buried in the Walker Family Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. She died in 1877. She had asked for several obituaries for her father to be published, and only one in Augusta seems to be available. Frances Gibson Satterfield wrote that Octavia sent a letter to her brother-in-law that mentions her father dying of "Congestion of the brain." Octavia Jr., is buried next to her mother with only a Yucca plant over her grave. It is said that she never overshadowed her mother in life and did not want to take away from her in death.
Meadow Garden, home of George Walton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, in Augusta, Georgia. His son, George Walton, Jr., also lived here. George Walton, Jr. moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1821 to be secretary for the new territory of Florida. President George Washington stopped by Augusta, Georgia, during his first tour of the new United States of America. George Walton, Jr., would have been a very young boy at the time, but might have had a glimpse of this new president. George Washington and George Walton were good friends and fought together for America's freedom.
The Walton House in Pensacola, Florida was once owned by my great uncle Tom Wentworth, Jr. He sold it to the city of Pensacola for $1. The Walton House is located in the historic district. At one time, Uncle Tom operated the Walton House as the Dorothy Walton Museum. Uncle Tom's museum is nearby, the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum. Leora Sutton wrote a book on The Walton House. Limited access for this rare book is available at the University of West Florida library and archives. Lee and Tom were good friends.
Dorothy Walton Museum display now at the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum.
The original family portraits of George Walton, Jr. and Octavia Walton Le Vert are safe at rest in the Oakleigh House in Mobile, Alabama under the care of Historic Mobile Preservation Society. Caldwell Delaney and the Mobile Historic Society, according to my interview with Leora Sutton, were instrumental in finding and procurring these early 19th century paintings of early Florida, Alabama and Georgia individuals of historic significance. George Walton, Jr.'s son, Robert Walton, is buried nearby in Mobile's Magnolia Cemetery. Two of Octavia's children and her mother are also buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. George Walton, Jr.,'s portrait was painted by William E. West in 1820. The Walton's had moved to Mobile, Alabama from Pensacola, Florida in 1835 for a number of reasons. George Walton, Jr., was elected as Mayor of Mobile shortly after their arrival. (I found this portrait and reintroduced the citizens of Walton County to George Walton, Jr.'s image in 2006. Before that, local history club members said they had no record or knowledge of this image.)
Miss Walton of Florida by Sully; Octavia Celeste Valentine Walton Le Vert. Octavia had several portraits painted during her lifetime. Once photography was invented, as a major celebrity of her day, she was often photographed. Her obituary was printed in Augusta newspapers as well as the New York papers. I've often wondered if "Gone With The Wind" author Margaret Mitchell fashioned Scarlett after Octavia. Octavia, of course, was much nicer and smarter than Scarlett. George Walton, Jr., would have been a good role model for Rhett Butler. Octavia lost many family members during the Civil War, as did Scarlett. Octavia was the real Belle of the South and Nation, and world renown. (I have developed a portrayal and presentation of Octavia. See Florida Chautauqua and South Walton Library archives.)
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