Welday Walker - Later Years

Later Years

By 1910, Fleetwood had moved to Cadiz, Ohio, where he operated an 800-seat vaudeville theater. In April 1910, at the time of the 1910 United States Census, Weldy was still living at 105 Market Street in Steubenville, and the property was being operated as a boarding house. The proprietor and head of the household was identified as Thomas F. Walker, Weldy's nephew and Fleetwood's son. Weldy was listed as a "waiter."

In January 1920, at the time of the 1920 United States Census, Walker was living at 100 Market Street in Steubenville with nephew Thomas and Thomas's wife, Jeanette. Thomas was listed as the "keeper" of the hotel, and Weldy (identified as "Welda") was listed as having no employment. Weldy remained politically active in his later years and was a friend of Harry C. Smith, the owner and editor of The Cleveland Gazette, the longest-publishing African-American weekly in the United States. After Smith helped the Republican Party elect President Warren Harding in 1920, Weldy sent Smith a congratulatory letter noting that the Negro vote played a role in Harding's victory. Still focused on the practice of lynching in the Southern states, Weldy added: "The North would not have known there had been an election in Florida unless that old game of killing six or more Negroes for wanting to vote had been pulled off. When will 'Uncle Sam' allow the poor southern Negro 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'"

When Fleetwood died in Cleveland in May 1924, Weldy and Thomas traveled to Cleveland and returned Fleetwood's remains to Steubenville in a casket costing $525. According to Fleetwood biographer, David Zang, Weldy became a bootlegger during Prohibition, and nephew Thomas was a numbers bookie.

In April 1930, at the time of the 1930 United States Census, Walker was a "roomer" in an all-black boarding house at 117 South 6th Street in Steubenville operated by Eugene Williams. His occupation was listed as a clerk.

Walker never married. In November 1937, he died from pneumonia at his home at 100 Market Street in Steubenville. His occupation was listed as a retired hotel manager at the time of his death.