ufact uring ▁Company ▁A ' L elia ▁Walker ▁became ▁president ▁of ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁company ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁and ▁remained ▁in ▁that ▁position ▁until ▁her ▁death ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁She ▁initi ated ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁market ing ▁campaign s ▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁company — including ▁a ▁competition ▁among ▁prominent ▁minister s ▁for ▁a ▁T rip ▁to ▁the ▁Holy ▁Land ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 — and ▁remained ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁Walker ▁Company ▁after ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁death , ▁but ▁the ▁day - to - day ▁operation ▁was ▁over seen ▁by ▁Att orney ▁F . ▁B . ▁R ans om ▁and ▁factory ▁manager ▁Alice ▁Kelly ▁at ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁headquarters . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁A ' L elia ▁Walker ▁imm ers ed ▁herself ▁in ▁Har lem ' s ▁dynamic ▁social ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁patron ▁of ▁the ▁arts ▁and ▁host ess ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁era ' s ▁most ▁notable ▁social ▁gather ings . ▁ ▁Walker ▁Company ▁sales ▁began ▁to ▁suffer ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁In cre ased ▁exp enses ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁million ▁doll ar ▁headquarters ▁and ▁manufact uring ▁facility ▁opened ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁in ▁Indian apolis , ▁Indiana , ▁placed ▁additional ▁financial ▁pressure ▁on ▁the ▁operation ▁and ▁A ' L elia ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁sell ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁her ▁valuable ▁art ▁and ▁anti ques . ▁Her