The following information submitted by R Kowal, July 2022

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Sunday Morning, June 9, 1918, page 18

Three Boys Who Made Evening Gatherings
Happy Now In Army

“In the long, deary evenings around the farms of Gibbs
Junction, Obion County Tenn., next winter, these three
brave sons of Capt. and Mrs. Lace Walker, who have
heretofore made evening gatherings happy, will be
missed. Privates Lexie, Jessie and Virgil Walker helped to
bring cheer to the jolly winter evenings at the crossroads
hotel. Jesse was a member of the famous in original
Stanley Jug Band of fiddlers and jug, blowers, and the
three popular boys were never too tired after their long
day’s work on their father’s farm to add courtesy and
comfort to the evening parties. But the music that their
dancing feet know now is the music of the drum and fife,
for they marched away as volunteers and left many a
sad heart behind. Capt. Walkers feels the absence of his
three noble sons, but considers proudly for what they
have gone and in what spirit. They are the grandsons of
two fine old Confederates and are of some of the best
blood in the south. Eighteen-year-old Virgil was the first
to volunteer, and he now rights from France. “Don’t
worry about me, dad, I’m all right.” Privates Lexie and
Jesse Walker are at Camp Alfred Vail, N. J., and Fort
Leavenworth, Kan.”

Analyzing the newspaper article

(Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Sunday Morning, June 9, 1918, page 18
Three Boys Who Made Evening Gatherings, Happy Now In Army)

Captain Lace Walker– Lace Eugene Walker was born 4 July 1867 in Obion County, Tennessee.
His parents were Wyatt Walker and Malvina Stanley. He died 22 November 1947 in Fulton,
Kentucky.

Mrs. Lace Walker– Lou Effie Stanley was born10 June 1870 to Benjamin Franklin Stanley and
Elizabeth (Stanley) Stanley. Effie Stanley married Lace Walker on 2 June 1889 in Obion County,
Tennessee.

Lexie Walker– Lexie Parks Walker was born 25 September 1893 in Union City, Obion County,
Tennessee. He served in the US Army Co. C 10th. Field Sig Corp. 7th Division. He married Lottie
Merryman. Lexie Walker died 1 March 1966 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Jesse Walker– Jesse Dewitt Walker was born 31 March 1890 in Obion County, Tennessee to
Lace Walker and Lou Effie Stanley. Besides serving in the army, he was employed by the Illinois
Central Railroad Company as an air brake repair man in the mechanical division. He married
Mossie Cox on 23 September 1919 in Fulton County, Kentucky. He died 4 February 1958 in
Fulton, Kentucky.

Virgil Walker– On 17 April 1921 Virgil Walker married Lora Harwood in Obion, Tennessee.
According to U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939,
Virgil E. Walker departed Brest, France on 5 January 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey
on 18 January 1919. He was aboard the ship named South Dakota. He was a private, BRTY "A"
56TH ARTILLERY (C. A. C.), and service number 596665. He died in January 1972 in Illinois.

Crossroads Hotel– See Gibbs Station

Stanley Jug Band of Fiddlers and Jug Blowers- Music was taught at an early age for the Stanley family.

On Friday, 7 April 1905 at Prof. J H Stover’s School at Sunnyside, also known as Stanley Schoolhouse, in Number Seven, the Stanley children performed. “Music on the violin, mandolin, and guitar by Jessie, Myrtle, and Lexie Walker, three of Prof. Stover’s little pupils, was fine indeed for children of their age.” Source: The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.), 14 April 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

In 1911, “the Number Seven Strong Band, Messrs. Odie and Roy Stanley, Jesse and Lexie Walker, Henry Thomas and B.F. Stanley, went to Reelfoot Wednesday to play for the barbecue and lot sale.” Source: The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.), 24 Nov. 1911. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress

“Miss Prather and Mr. Arthur Hamilton entertained Thanksgiving evening with “Music by the Stanley Jug Band.” The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.), 06 Dec. 1912. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

Father’s Farm– The 1910 Obion County, TN Census listed Lace Walker as renting a farm on
Harris Fork Road.

“Grandsons of two fine Old Confederates”– Wyatt Walker and B F Stanley were in the Civil
War.

Wyatt Walker– On 24 December 1854 Wyatt Walker married Malvina Stanley. Wyatt was born
1834 and died sometime between 1880 and 1892 when Malvina remarried to William Wagster.
His parents were Reuben Walker and Mary “Polly” unknown maiden name. Malvina Stanley
(1836-1924) was born 23 Feb 1836 in Obion County, TN to William Mack Stanley and Sarah
“Sallie” Young.

Benjamin Franklin Stanley– On 23 January 1842 Benjamin Franklin Stanley was born to Richard
Stanley and Salina Young. He first married Elizabeth Stanley on 24 August 1867 in Obion
County, TN. He second married Margaret Mathis on 14 February 1889. B F Stanley died 8 June
1933 in Fulton, Kentucky.

Camp Alfred Vail, New Jersey–
The US Army recognized at the beginning of World War I that the Signal Corps strength of less
than 2,000 officers and enlisted men was not able to provide the necessary communications
support should the United States enter the war.
In October 1916, the Office of the Chief Signal Officer asked executives of private sector
communications companies to recruit from among their trained employees for a Signal Enlisted
Reserve Corps. The response was greater than expected with 1,400 male employees of the Bell
Company of Pennsylvania applying for enlistment.
The Signal Corps needed places to prepare these citizen soldiers for service in battle. Four
camps were established: one in Little Silver, NJ.  A training camp was established on a portion of
the site of the former Monmouth Park Race Track. The first 32 Signal Soldiers arrived at the site
in June 1917, first known as Camp Little Silver.  By the end of the month, 451 enlisted men and
25 officers were stationed there.
The camp sent its first units to the Hoboken, NJ Port of Embarkation in August 1917.  In
September, the camp was renamed Camp Alfred Vail, for an individual prominent in the history
of telegraphy who worked with Samuel FB Morse in developing the commercial telegraph.
After the end of the war, Camp Vail became one of the original components of the Army’s chief
communications post, Fort Monmouth. Source:
https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/component/gmapfp/646:camp-alfred-vail-
little-silver.html?view=gmapfp
The Army originally called the installation “Camp Little Silver,” based merely on its location.
General Orders dated June 17, 1917 named Lt. Col. Carl F. Hartmann as the first commander.
The Army renamed Camp Little Silver “Camp Alfred Vail” in September 1917 to honor the New
Jersey inventor who helped Samuel Morse develop commercial telegraphy. By the end of 1918,
some reportedly called it the “best equipped Signal Corps camp ever established anywhere.”
Source: https://www.army.mil/article/36338/fort-monmouth-from-signal-to-cecom-lcmc/

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas– Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army installation located in
Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest
active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest permanent settlement
in Kansas.

Gibbs Junction– See article written by Lynn Laster
https://tngenweb.org/obion/gibbs/