Biography - WALTER COLYER
A typical American citizen who has made the most of his opportunities is
Walter Colyer, of Albion, secretary of that large and important industrial
concern, the Albion Shale Brick company, as well as a former journalist and
a man of influence. In addition to his other distinctions he comes of
pioneer stock in Southern Illinois, and is one of Edwards county's leading
Republicans.
Mr. Colyer is a native son of this county, his eyes having first opened to
the light of day on July 19, 1856, four and a half miles north of Albion on
the farm of his father, William Colyer. The father was born in 1822 and his
elder sister, Eliza, wife of George Bunting, was the second white child and
the first girl born in the Edwards county settlement. William Colyer was the
son of Edward Colyer, a native of County Surrey, England, and he was one of
the original settlers of this section, being a member of the British colony
headed by Flower and Birkbeck, who located on English Prairie in the year
1817, founding Albion the following year. This stanch pioneer was a farmer
by occupation and his brother, John, built the first brick house in New
Albany, Indiana. There were a number of brothers and sisters, one, William,
going south and taking up his residence in Indiana. Edward's sister, Sarah
Colyer, became the mother of F. W. Farrar, the famous English author and
clergyman.
William Colyer married Sarah Hardy, the daughter of Jonas Hardy of English
birth, who came from Leeds, England, and on arriving in this country,
located first in Pennsylvania and came to Albion in 1836. William reared two
children, Morris and Walter of this review. William journeyed to the
Undiscovered Country on February 16, 1909, and his good wife preceded him on
October 31, 1907, her years exceeding the psalmist's alotment by eleven
years and five months. The Colyers have ever been known for a high type of
citizenship and it was such as they who laid the paths straight and clean
for the progress of civilization in Edwards county.
Walter Colyer received the education provided by the public schools. At an
early period in his youth he exhibited an aptitude as a writer, and in 1880,
in association with Fred Applegath, he purchased the American Sentinel, this
being his first adventure in the realm of the Fourth Estate with which he
was to be identified for some quarter century. Other papers with which he
was identified were the Albion News, the Edwards County News and the Albion
Journal with which he retired from the field. The last named he first
published in association with M. B. Harris, beginning March 14, 1884, two
years later buying out Mr. Harris and for sixteen years publishing the paper
himself. In 1900 he sold the paper to A. H. Bowman and on February 25, 1903,
he organized and became president of the Albion Journal Company and
continued in such capacity for several years. He exerted a very definite
influence in this important field of newspaper work and through his ably
conducted columns assisted in bringing about much of benefit to the
community. Mr. Colyer has ever been a stanch adherent of the men and
measures of the Grand Old Party and has a record behind him of fourteen
years as postmaster, under the administration of Harrison, Cleveland,
McKinley and Roosevelt, these terms, however, not being continuous, and five
and one-half months being under President Cleveland. During his editorial
career he was a member of the Republican Editorial Association and he served
as a delegate to the convention in 1896 which nominated President McKinley.
He has at times been identified with agriculture and for several years was
engaged in fruit-growing. He is a man of versatility and success has usually
crowned any undertaking in which he has been a leader.
In 1902, Mr. Colyer assisted in organizing the Albion Brick Company and for
five years served as secretary and salesman of this thriving concern. He has
also been engaged in the land business in Mexico and has ten times toured
Mexico and in that interesting country sold over five thousand acres of land
and at present is interested in large holdings there. He is president of the
Tamesi Plantation Company. However, one of his leading interests is a local
one, namely: the Shale Brick Company, which was organized February 21, 1910,
with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, and a capacity of one
hundred thousand ten pound blocks per each ten hour day. This bids fair to
become the most complete and modern brick plant in the United States and
well known capitalists from several states are interested financially in its
fortunes. L. L. Emerson, of Mt. Vernon, is president of the company.
Mr. Colyer holds membership in the Knights of Pythias, of Albion, and the B.
P. O. E. of Mt. Carmel. He is director of the State Historical Society and
for several years has been a member of the publication committee of the
same. He has contributed historical articles of great value to various
magazines and to the state publications. He has, in fact, a reputation as an
author and historian and he is well-informed as to archeological research in
Mexico and has written on that subject with authority. He is a man of
financial standing and one of Albion's most representative and influential
citizens.
Extracted 11 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 History of Southern Illinois, by George W. Smith, volume 3, pages 1586-1588.
