Horace Henry Walp

In 2016 I was walking with my sweet dog Lexi in an  local graveyard where I live in Quakertown, Pa. During our walk I came upon a little boys gravesite in the older section dated from the 1800's. I was quite taken by inscription on the stone and also saddened. The little boy had died after his eighth birthday. The remainder of that day and for days later he was on my mind. Little did I realize I was on his. 

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Not much more than a day later I began feeling a need to sketch and draw him in a character form. His drawings came quite quickly and so did his best friend, Uli the crow, who now appears in all of the drawings.

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Little Horace interested me so much I began digging around locally to see what I could find out about him and his family. I learned he was the oldest of six children and lived in what was called Richland Center during the guilded age. He lived locally near the train station where his father would have picked up coal deliveries as a coal and hay merchant. Horace would have joyfully witnessed marching bands and traveling shows passing through town. Along with seeing organ grinders with monkeys he would have surely learned how to play cricket as it was very popular at the time. His father played bass tuba in the towns band along with his uncle. I found photos of them in their band uniforms.

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I was able to find Horace's school records. Though he had perfect attendance all his school years, his teacher Elmira Oachs dismissed him early one morning in May 1894. Days later he died from diphtheria. This was eight days after his eighth birthday on May 5th.

 

Until now Horace has been a forgotten little boy. My hope is that my drawings and stories will change all of that.

 

I have no doubt that Horace was an extraordinary child, otherwise I would not feel his charm, sweetness, playfulness and courage.

 

I truly believe Horace discovered me rather than the other way around.