8BH.  Calvin Walter Winchester was born in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 21, 1893, and died in Central Lake, Michigan, in July, 1970. He was called Walter. Florence Barber was born in Diamond Springs, Allegan County, Michigan, on Monday, February 22, 1904, and died in Bellaire, Michigan, on February 26, 1989. They were both buried in Winchester Cemetery, Byron Center, Michigan. They were married in Allegan, Michigan, on Wednesday, March 17, 1926. She took the name Florence Winchester. He is the son of Ozro LaVerne Winchester and Hannah Gilbert Winchester. She is the daughter of John and Mary Elizabety (Pearl) Barber. They had four children:

i. LaVerne Elton Winchester [#8BHA]: He was born in Dorr, Allegan County, Michigan, on December 9, 1926.
ii. Donald Max Winchester [#8BHB]: He was born in Dorr on January 17, 1928, and died in Kaufman, Texas, on February 3, 2004.
iii. Robert Wayne Winchester [#8BHC]: He was born in Dorr on November 5, 1931.
iv. Calvin Walter Winchester [#8BHD]: He was born in Dorr on April 19, 1934, and died in Dorr on July 2, 1948.


Calvin Walter
Winchester
ca. 1912
As young men, Walter and his brother, Bert, worked for the Grand Rapids Railway Express Company. Then, Walter and his brother Orra purchased the Dorr farm from their parents in the early 1920s and went into business together: Winchester Bros. Per Don Winchester, "I do not know when the partnership was formed, but they bought and sold livestock, machinery and real estate—just about anything where they could turn a buck. Dad used to say:"I'll sell anything I got except my wife, but if the price is right, I'll even think about her". Mama would just laugh, of course. Uncle Orra could keep you entertained, talking about those horse/trading stories and the characters they did business with. Those were truly, "buyer beware" days. They did real well at it.

In 1926, after their son LaVerne (Tom) was born, Walter and Florence moved onto the farm and his parents went to live with Orra and Emma.

Walter and Orra convinced Bert to become a third partner because he was "good with numbers". When Bert died in 1945, the partnership was dissolved with Walter getting the farm and Orra the place in Corinth where they lived. After Walter and Florence sold the farm, they moved to Hopkins, then to Plainwell, and finally to Central Lake, Antrim County, Michigan.

Walter was very strong from constantly carrying sides of beef. Even in his advanced years, he could hoist and carry an entire side of beef.

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