Martin Van Buren Walk was the second of sixteen known children of Joseph Alexander Walk (1814-1900) and Mary Olive Crandall Walk (1821-1891), who married 07 Sep 1837 at Harrison County, Indiana. After Marydied, Joseph remarried to Eliza A. (dates unknown in probably Kansas).

Martin first married to Dorcas Davis (1844-1881) on 20 Dec 1866 at Montgomery City, Montgomery County, Missouri. Martin and Dorcas were the parents of six known children, namely:

1. Olive (Ollie) M. Walk Alexander (1868-1895)
2. Lulu (Lou) Verda Walk (1872-1919)
3. Cora J. Walk (1875-1893)
4. John Andrew Walk (1876-1952)
5. Cecelia Emmaline Walk Rogers (1879-1939)
6. M. W. Walk (1881-1881)

In 1880 the parents and all five children were living at Spearfish, Lawrence County, South Dakota. Olive was born in Missouri, Lulu in Colorado, Cora and John in Utah and Cecelia in South Dakota. Martin was a Private, Company C, 3rd Regiment, Indiana Calvary during the Civil War. He was wounded several times and received a pension. He was discharged on 31 Aug 1864. In 1910 Martin, Lilly, Lilly's widowed mother Hanna (age 78, born England), and single children Lulu and John were living at Spearfish, ED51, Sheet 11, Page 220, Lawrence County, South Dakota with Martin listed as a blacksmith.

After Dorcas died, Martin remarried to Lilly (or Tilly?) E. Knapp (1857-1915) in c1892. It is not believed that Martin had any children with Lilly.

Links to Martin's parents, both of his two known wives, all of his six known children and fourteen of his fifteen known siblings are included below.

Suggested edit: The Mellette County Pioneer, Wood, SD, 17 Sep 1915, page 5:
"Famous Scout is Dead.
Spearfish - Martin Van Buren Walk, aged 76, had an unusually eventful career. Three times he made the long and perilous journey across the plains. For some time he was a government scout and at another time was a professional buffalo hunter.

He was born near Burnville, Ind., and until he reached the age of 18 was a resident of Harrison county in that state. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union army, serving in Troop C, Third Indiana Cavalry. He participated in many battles, including Gettysburg. He was wounded three times, and on August 31, 1864, was honorably discharged from the army.

In the spring of 1867 he started on his first trip across the plains. His destination was Kit Carson, Colo. From there he went with a freighting outfit to Prescott, Ariz., and worked for the government until 1870. Returning to his home in Missouri for a brief visit, he outfitted with a four-mule team and in the spring of 1871 started on his second trip across the plains. This time, Pueblo, Colombe., was his destination.

During the winter of 1871-72, in company with his brother, John, and a brother-in-law, he hunted buffalo in the River Bend country. In the summer of 1872 he made a third trip across the plains, landing in southern Utah, where he remained two years. He reached the Black Hills in the spring of 1878 and having his fill of traveling over the west and aid in blazing the way for new settlers, he was satisfied to settle down and remain a resident of the Black Hills until his death."

Contributor: j.lynn (47147578)