Walter was unnamed at the time his birth was recorded. [1518]

Family tradition has it that Walter "disappeared" and was declared legally dead (legal proceedings not found) before Minnie married Isaac Allen in 1899. Originally it was thought that he may have simply died while seeking work away from home, but now we know he did not die until 1912. They were last known to be together in Otoe Co., Nebraska, as of 26 Dec 1888. [3] So it is thought he left Minnie while in Nebraska and Minnie & Grace eventually moved back to Webster, South Dakota. [169] Note, however, that Walter’s death certificate [3138] lists him as divorced, suggesting that the “disappearance” may have been a cover story, or simply a lost detail as the family story was handed down.

The 1910 census entry lists Walter as married for 18 years (though living as a boarder without a wife), which is the one detail in that record which seems most incongruous. [3139] The 1900 census has another very similar Walter HULL in Scott, Sharp Co., Arkansas, but born Jul 1870 and reportedly single, but also a zinc miner, so still a slight possibility he is the same person moving around a lot.

From Walter's death certificate, it appears that the informant, "W. L. Wilson" of 621 Wyandotte Street, was also the attending physician, "Dr. Walter L. Wilson" of 2212 Benton Blvd. It is remarkable that Dr. Wilson knew such detail about Walter's parents. It is those details that make proper identification of this Walter Hull possible. But obviously there is a curious discrepancy between the address given for the informant and the physician. The 1912 city directory [3143] for Kansas City lists a Walter L. Wilson with a residence at 2212 Benton Blvd. (p.1854), but states that he was a secretary at Baker & Lockwood Mnfg. Co. at 617 Wyandotte. But there is no listing for him in the Physicians section of the directory.

Walter Hull was reported to have died at 1920 Poplar Av. The 1912 directory has no listing for Walter Hull, but does list a Charles W. Eldridge, an upholsterer, living at 1920 Poplar Av. (p.541). The same person is listed at that address in the 1911 & 1913 editions of the directory.

Dr. Wilson's employer, Baker & Lockwood Mnfg. Co. (a maker of tents and awnings), has a listing in that directory (p.153), which placed the company offices at 617-621 Wyandotte Street, thus revealing that as the informant, W. L. Wilson gave his company's address, but when signing as the physician he gave his home address. The president of the company was C. J. Baker, and Walter L. Wilson is listed as the company secretary.

Looking for other persons who may have resided at 2212 Benton Blvd., p.1821 shows a "domestic" named Grace Whitehouse, and Caleb J. Baker, president of Baker & Lockwood Mnfg. Co. (p.149). According to the 1910 census of Kansas City, Missouri [3144], Caleb J. Baker was Walter Wilson's father-in-law (and head of the household), thus explaining the dual business and domestic relationships. However, in that year, they lived at 623 Euclid. And Walter Wilson's occupation was reported as a salesman of tents and awnings. But no mention of him being a physician. And finally, the undertaker listed on the certificate, Mrs. C. L. Forster, is shown on p.610 of the city directory to be Mary E. Forster, wife of C. Louis Forster, undertaker at 918 Brooklyn Av., with a similar listing in the business section under the Undertakers category (p.2210).

Ultimately, the mystery here is how Walter Wilson, the tent salesman, became Walter Hull's attending physician and confidant? And why did Walter Hull die at the home of Charles W. Eldridge?

Walter HULL *not* found in 1911 (p.800) or 1912 (p.849) city directory of Kansas City, Missouri (available on Fold3.com).

16-MAR-2016: Searched Ancestry.com. Missouri, Wills and Probate Records, 1766-1988. but did not find any probate records for Walter S HULL, in Jackson County, though there was one for Buchanan Co., but the date is not included in the index entries.