Walter
S. Strauch
( ? - ? )
Walter S. Strauch was born
on May 29, 1883 near Dawson, Fayette County, PA, the
son of John and Mary Hester (McKnight)
Strauch.
Walter was just 11 years old when his father died. He and his brother William were educated in the Soldiers Orphans School in Uniontown, Fayette County. Records of the school circa 1895 indicate that J.A. Stickel of Dawson was the individual who applied to get them in.
Walter served in the US Army circa 1906. That year, in
January, he was stationed at Fort DuPont, DE, and wrote a letter to his beloved
grandfather, Henry McKnight.
The letter read, in part:
I have not forgot you yet. I have been thinking about writing to you for the pass year but kept puting it off. So I will try and make a start at it. I do not know how I will end.... Say dady, I will send this picture to you and you can see how I look since I was at home. I have got fatten up a little more now then when I was at home the last.
The busy railroad yards at Dickerson Run near Dawson
Little else is known of his life.
After the war, Walter is said to have worked on the railroad in or near Dawson, Fayette County.
It's thought Walter was married to Claire (?) but that they had no children.
Later in life, at a McKnight family reunion circa 1950, Walter is seen here seated at far right. Others in this snapshot photo are his cousins, William C. and Adeline (McKnight) Radcliffe, and the couple's grandchildren, Barbara and William.
Copyright © 2001-2002, 2005 Mark A. Miner