Major William Martin "Buck" Walton
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(January 17, 1832 - July 1, 1915) Mississippi native William M. "Buck" Walton attended the University of Virginia and studied law in Carrollton, Mississippi. In 1853 he moved to Austin, where his first law partner was A. J. Hamilton, later governor of Texas. In 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate Army, serving in Co. B, 21st Texas Cavalry. He was elected Texas attorney general in 1866. In the practice of law he had few peers in land litigation, and was considered one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Texas. Esteemed for his generosity, Major Walton was a well known public speaker, author and civic leader. He retired in 1907 but remained active until his death at age 83. He is buried here with his wife of 60 years, Lettie Watkins Walton, their four children and other family members. (1999)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
William "Buck" Walton left Mississippi for Austin in 1853, studied law, and partnered with A. J. Hamilton, later a governor of Texas. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1862, serving with the 21st Texas Cavalry, and was elected state attorney general in 1866 during the turbulent early Reconstruction years. Renowned as a land-litigation and criminal-defense attorney, he remained a prominent public figure until his death in 1915.
Why it matters
Walton's rise to attorney general in 1866 illustrates how ex-Confederates quickly reclaimed political and legal power across the postwar South.
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Related people
- · William Martin Walton
- · Andrew Jackson Hamilton
Themes & tags
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