Charles Walker

Interview with Germantown Historic Commission
Louise Bagby, Roma Sailors, and Jim McGehee
July 1, 2008

Charles Aderhold Walker came to Germantown in 1956.  Charles was born in Anniston, AL on November 189, 1925.  His father was Carlos Amzi Walker, born in Milton, FL in 1886.  His mother, Irene Aderhold, was born in Anniston, AL in 1889.   Charles’ grandfather, Charles Patrick Walker, was born in Prattville, AL in 1842, joined the Confederate Army in 1861, and was discharged in 1865.

Charles recounts his move to Germantown in 1956 as a way for his wife, Jo, to have horses that she liked.  She found 10 acres north of Poplar on Riverdale Road with a house and a barn.  That property was later developed, and they were able to buy 5 ¼ acres on Poplar Pike.  Charles and his daughter Susan, reside there.  Jo passed away in 1998.

Charles went to college at Auburn University in Alabama.  He served a stint in the army in the middle of his education during WWII.  He was a radar technician and ended up in Okinawa.  He was discharged in 1945.  He returned to Auburn and met Jo Garrett who was to become his beloved wife.  Their children are Charles David Walker (wife Bette) and Susan Diane Walker.  David received a Navy ROTC scholarship and flew for the Navy for five (5) years.  He and Bette have three children.  Susan is the Master of the Hounds for Longreen Hunt Club and a carriage driver.

His earliest memory of Germantown was learning to ride horses with Sonny Foster, the “real horseman” of Germantown.  Sonny Forster was the first president of the Germantown Charity Horse Show.  Sonny and Oliver Anderson used to go to Oklahoma, buy horses and send them back to Germantown.  Charles was later president of the Germantown Horse Show in 1982 and 1983.

Asked what he (Charles) would like to be remembered for, he said:  his faithfulness to Christ, being an elder at Germantown Presbyterian Church, his mission trip to Brazil, serving on two commissions in Germantown, and being president of the Carriage Association which entailed re-doing the park at Morgan Woods.  Charles said he sang tenor in the Germantown Presbyterian choir along with Doc Posey and Pop Dutcher who both sand bass.  Pop Dutcher also kept a spittoon in the back of the choir loft.

Charles’ words of wisdom – “Leave a Good Example”.