SOURCE: A History of Central and Western Texas, Vol. I, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1911 Ppg 356-357

Edmund D. Walker has been associated with the life of Ballinger since the period of its formation to the present time, and his name is enrolled on the pages of its history as the builder of its first business house. He was born and reared in Polk county, Texas, born January 21, 1861, and he received the most of his education at Add-Ran College at Thorp Springs. Moving to Brown county in 1880, he taught school there, later teaching in Polk county for a year, and then locating in Coleman county he taught at old Camp Colorado. In 1885 he came to Runnels county and engaged in business at old Runnels, the little town that was originally the county seat of Runnels county, located about four miles north of the present city of Ballinger.
In 1886, the year following Mr. Walker's arrival here, the railroad was completed into Runnels county, and on the 29th of June of that year the sale of town lots, the beginning of the town of Ballinger and which had been decided upon as the new county seat, was held. Mr. Walker had arranged to go into the drug business in the new town in partnership with Mr. H.N. Beakley, and previous to the date mentioned they had shipped in lumber from Coleman and erected a small frame building, but they were not allowed to locate it, however, until the day of the opening, the 29th of June. On that memorable day they located it at what is now the southwest corner of Hutchings avenue and Seventh street, and that was the first building in the new town. After a long and interesting career it is yet standing though in a different location, in the eastern part of the city. A short time after establishing the store at its original location this firm moved to the northeast corner of Hutchings avenue and Eight street, the corner now occupied by the First National Bank building. Still later their location was changed to the north side of Hutchings avenue, between Eighth and Ninth streets, the site now occupied by the store of Van Pelt, Kirk and Mack, while subsequently it was again moved to the south side of Hutchings avenue between Seventh and Eighth streets, and finally back to its old original location on the southwest corner of Hutchings avenue and Seventh street.
Mr. Beakley retired from the business, which had been conducted under the firm name of Walker and Beakley, and J.J. Erwin then came into the firm, which was subsequently known as Walker and Erwin, and after Mr. Erwin's retirement from the business it was known as the E.D. Walker Drug Store. This well known drug business continued in active operation until 1905, and in that year Mr. Walker sold the business and organized the Ballinger State Bank and Trust Company, while in the following year of 1906 the beautiful new bank building for this company, one of the finest bank buildings in western Texas, was erected on the old corner, Hutchings avenue and Seventh street, the corner where Mr. Walker had originally started in business in Ballinger. This bank is having an exceptionally prosperous career. It has a capital stock of sixty thousand dollars and a strong clientage of patrons representing the best elements of citizenship in Runnels county. Mr. Walker is the cashier and manager of the bank and Charles S. Miller is the president. Through long years of business dealings, based on the strictest honor and integrity, Mr. Walker has built up a name and reputation that are a very strong asset, and he is thoroughly identified with all the public-spirited, movements of the city. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a Shriner, and a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He is a member of the Ballinger Christian church, and has served as the superintendent of its Sunday school since about 1895.
He married, in Coleman, Miss Willie Gertrude Payton, her parents, who are now living in Fort Worth, having been old-time settlers of Coleman. The six children in this family are: Alf, Edmund, Harold, Velma, Bill and Philip. The eldest son, Alf Walker, is in the United States navy, a member of the Pacific Squadron.