1918 - Walter Louis Opper
World War I
circa 1918
Walter Opper was born on October 27, 1888, in Wesley, Illinois, the son of Frederick Opper and Magdalena (Spring) Opper.
In 1917, according to his draft registration, Walter was a 28-year-old resident of Washington, Illinois, working as a painter for the Holt Manufacturing Company in East Peoria. (Holt Manufacturing would later evolve into the Caterpillar Tractor Company.)
Walter spent much of his later life in Sunnyland, Illinois, where he operated as a self-employed produce dealer. He lived at 218 Albert Street during his final years. Walter never married and was known for his quiet, independent life.
He passed away on January 18, 1962, at the age of 73. His obituary, published in The Pekin Times on January 19, 1962, noted that he had lived in Sunnyland for the last sixteen years of his life.
Walter was survived by three sisters—Katherine Stoecker, Bertha Herm, and Mrs. Sophia Ropp, all of East Peoria—and two brothers, Carlos of Carlinville and Elmer of Kingsburg, California.
Walter's photograph is one of more than one hundred 8x10 glass negatives featuring identified soldiers from the Tazewell County area. Unfortunately, many more unidentified soldier portraits remain within our World War I photo collection.
These images were taken by Henry H. ("H.H.") Cole, a prominent Tazewell County photographer. Mr. Cole is recognized as an early pioneer in the photographic arts.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Cole photographed many of the Notable Men of Tazewell County. He also captured a portrait of Abraham Lincoln during his 1858 campaign for the United States Senate.
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