Joseph Arthur Walsh, known as Arthur, was born in Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland, on September 25, 1883. He was the eleventh child of Michael and Mary Houck Walsh. Arthur was raised on a farm in Carroll County near Westminster. After finishing his grade-school education, he completed a two-year business course at Strayer's Business School in Baltimore, Maryland.

As a young man, Arthur and his brothers established a road construction company. Generally, they constructed roads for the State of Maryland. The roads that were built by the Walsh brothers were some of the finest in Maryland. The roads were of such high quality, they exceeded specifications. When the Walsh brothers asked for financial assistance, the State refused. They couldn't take the State to court, because in those days individuals or companies could not sue the government. As a result, the Walsh Brothers filed for bankruptcy. Shortly after the road construction company dissolved, Arthur worked on the construction of bridges in Ohio and the Great Lakes area.

On June 19, 1907, Arthur married Dehlia Smith in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. His wife gave birth to a baby girl in 1908. Dehlia died during childbirth and her daughter died shortly after birth.

On June 7, 1910, in a double wedding, Arthur married Adelaide May Yingling and Edward Case married Emma Yingling (Adelaide's sister) at a Nuptial Mass in St. John's Roman Catholic Church, Westminster, Maryland. Adelaide is the daughter of William and Clotilda Yingling.

Arthur and his wife Adelaide spent the early years of their marriage in the Westminster area. Their four oldest children, Mary Clotilda, Joseph Arthur, Jr., Leo Alphonsus and Adelaide Frances were born here.

In 1916, Arthur and hie family moved to Richmond, Virginia, where he was employed by the Federal Government as a plumber at Fort Eustis, Va. Two of their children, Gloyd Michael and Matthew William, were born here. Leo Alphonsus, the third child of Arthur and Adelaide, died in Richmond in 1918 of the flu at the age of four.

In 1921, Arthur and his family moved to 1138 N. Monroe Street in Baltimore, Maryland, where he practiced carpentry. The two youngest children, Charles Eugene and Mark, were born there. While living here, Arthur was a very active member of St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Parish. He became a good friend of Father Peter L. Ireton. In 1926, Father Ireton was made Pastor of St. Ann's Parish, located at 22nd Street and Greenmount Avenue. It was discovered that the timber in the steeple of St. Ann's Church was infested with termites. Father Ireton contacted numerous construction contractors in an effort to find one who would repair the steeple. All of the major contractors advised that it would be necessary to tear down the steeple and build a new one. Father Ireton did not want the steeple destroyed and contacted Arthur, who agreed to replace the termite-infested timbers with pressure-treated creosoted lumber, leaving the original steeple in place. Arthur contacted his brother Jim and they rebuilt the steeple timber by timber. Many times Jim shared lunch with Arthur and his family. Jim was always very kind and friendly to his nieces and nephews. Reconstruction of the steeple was completed in 1935. After completion of the steeple, Arthur continued to work as a small contractor with four to five employees.

In 1940, Arthur retired from full-time construction work and became the sexton of St. Ann's Church. Because of bad health (diabetes, hardening of the arteries, heart condition, etc.), Arthur went into full retirement in 1947. It was at this time Arthur and his wife moved to St. Ambrose Avenue and became members of St. Ambrose Parish. On June 23, 1953, Arthur had a massive heart attack and expired in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. A requiem mass was offered at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on June 26, 1953 (the birthday of his oldest son, Joseph Arthur, Jr.).

Arthur was an excellent carpenter. He had the talent and patience to perform precision work, and he also had the talent and strength to perform the heavy work. He was skilled in the use of the carpenter's square. Arthur was a good cook and his specialties were vegetable and potato soups. Every Sunday during the summer months, he made six quarts of ice cream. His handwriting was beautiful and he used the Palmer method. Arthur made excellent wine and relatives and friends frequently stopped by for a glass of wine. Arthur made the wine from grapes obtained from his brother Charles' farm. He could speak and read French. Arthur was a religious person. He saw to it that he and his family attended mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation. He made sure his children received a Catholic education and was very active in his parish. He worked hard at the annual parish carnival; he constructed special platforms for the plays put on by the parish dramatic club and also platforms in the church sanctuary for the missionary priest to preach from during the parish missions. He was an active usher and an officer in both the Holy Name Society and the St. Vincent de Pau1 Society that served the poor of the parish. He had great respect for the priests and nuns of the parish. His wife and children loved him very much, and he returned that love. He had great devotion for his wife, children and grandchildren.

Arthur's wife, Adelaide May Yingling, was born in Pleasant Valley, Carroll County, Maryland, on May 11, 1879, one of eleven children of William And Clotilda Yingling. Adelaide spent her early life on a farm. When her father went into the real estate business, her family moved to Main Street in Westminster, Maryland. Adelaide often told her children and grandchildren the story of how she and her sister would be sitting near the window in their home, and Arthur would be walking by; she would make the comment "I'm setting my cap for him." Adelaide took care of her father in his old age. She was a nurse at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Adelaide was an excellent cook and baker. The pantry was always filled with sweets and good things to eat: home made pies, cakes, cookies, preserves, jellies, etc. About twice a week, Adelaide baked bread and rolls. Her baking was of such high quality that many of the neighbors bought the bread and rolls on a regular basis. Adelaide handled the finances for the home and she was well organized when it came to buying and paying for the things necessary to manage a home. She was an outstanding seamstress, and she made all the children's clothing, including blouses, shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, coats, etc. Her children can remember when she would be darning socks and at the same time she would be hearing their school lessons. There were many happy times in the home--the family sitting around the kitchen table playing cards, eating steamed crabs, etc., listening to Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, etc. on radio. Two or three times during the summer months Arthur and Adelaide would take the family on an excursion boat down the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay to Tolchester, Maryland. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Easter were special times at Arthur and Adelaide's home. All the family relatives and friends enjoyed the turkey and/or ham dinners with all the trimmings prepared by Adelaide.

Adelaide, like her husband Arthur, was a religious person. She encouraged her children to attend mass frequently. She would make sure that the children would study their religion. She, herself, in addition to attending mass on Sundays and Holy Days, would go to Daily Mass as frequently as possible. She said her Rosary often. She was active in the Sodality of Our Blessed Virgin Mary. Adelaide's brother Prank and nephew Charles were Roman Catholic priests. Four of her nieces and four of her granddaughters were nuns in the Roman Catholic Church. Adelaide loved her husband and children very much and they in turn returned that love. Adelaide had great devotion for her husband, children and grandchildren. On December 3, 1959, Adelaide had a severe heart attack. One week later. on December 10, 1959, Adelaide passed on into the next world. On December 13, 1959, a Requiem Mass was offered at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. She is laid to rest at the New Cathedral Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland, along side of her husband Arthur.

[Memories of Joseph Arthur and Adelaide Yingling Walsh, by their son, Matthew William Walsh, and compiled by P.W. Walsh (Pol Breatnach) in the 1989 Walsh Booklet]