A Story of the Walker Family

A Story of the Walker Family: Overview

This material was prepared by Jim E. Opfell (Thompson, Ohio) on January 10, 2002. (User:Jim.lindstrom: It has been slightly reformatted, but the text has not been altered.)

Beginnings in Scotland

The earlier Walkers do not have good dates, so we use Robert Walker b.abt 1630 etc. He was the first we know about. "We believe that our ancestor Robert Walker lived in Scotland, Torbolton, Ayrshire before 1665, and fared well until the restoration when he was arrested and fined for selling and 'weaving lining cloth' in defiance of English laws pertaining to Scottish persons. It was prohibited by newly enforced regulations promulgated by the Restored Monarchy.

He was raised near Glasgow, Scotland. Migrated to Ireland, signed allegiance to King William at the siege of Londonderry, 1688-9.

In 1689 he and his son, James b abt 1660 are on the rolls of inhabitants of Londonderry, Ulster, at the time of the siege, by forces under James II and Lord Tyrconel.

In 1718, a group of Ulster Scots, two Roberts, a William and a James Walker were among those living in N Ireland who petitioned Gov. Schute of Massachusetts for permission to immigrate to the American colonies, which request was subsequently granted.

With six of James Walker's sons taking advantage beginning after 1730, three, James Henry and Andrew locating east of the Susquehanna River, and three others Samuel, Robert and William on the western side. Estates are in court records for those east, but there are none for the three western Walkers."

Family Tree

The oldest person on my chart is: Robert Walker b abt 1630

• James Walker I b abt 1660
  • James Walker II locating east of the Susquehanna River
  • Archibald Walker b abt 1719
  • Henry Walker locating east of the Susquehanna River
  • Andrew Walker locating east of the Susquehanna River
  • Samuel Walker locating on the western side of the Susquehanna
  • Robert Walker I locating on the western side of the Susquehanna (see below)
    • Robert Walker II (see below)
  • William Walker locating on the western side of the Susquehanna

Robert Walker II's line continues:

• (1) Robert Walker, Sr. II married Jean ?
  • (2)a Justice of the Peace: Robert Walker, Jr. III (1738-1812) married Elizabeth Brice
    • (3) John Walker (1764) marr Rachel Cochran
      • (4) Betsey
    • (3) Samuel Walker (1765) marr Anne Lawson
    • (3) James Walker (1767) marr Sarah Mary Burnett
    • (3) William Walker (1770) marr Rachel Stewart
      • (4)Thomas Walker (1799)
      • (4) Betsey Walker died young
    • (3) Sarah Walker (1780) married Reuben Parker
    • (3) George Walker (abt 1778) married Hannah Stewart
      • (4) Lucinda Walker married Edwin S Beardsley
    • (3) Margaret Walker (1781) married Joshua Stewart
  • (2)b Andrew Walker abt 1739
  • (2)c Sarah Walker abt 1742
  • (2)d Jean Jane Walker abt 1744
  • (2)e John Walker abt 1749
  • (2)f Elizabeth Walker abt 1750 marr Patrick Savage
  • (2)g Mary Walker abt 1751
  • (2)h James Walker abt 1753
  • (2)i Samuel Walker abt 1755 married Isabelle Brice
  • (2)j Margaret Walker abt 1757
  • (2)k Son Walker abt 1760

The Walkers in America

Robert Walker Jr. (1738-1812), yeoman, was a first generation American of Scotch-Irish extraction.

His father, Robert Walker Sr. came to America with his parents, after first petitioning Gov. Schute of Massachusetts in 1718, for permission to immigrate from Northern Ireland. It is most likely that their home, in Donegal, Ireland, was borderline for the occupations, and no better than the Scotland they had departed one generation earlier. At first, the family came to Donegal Township, then at the western edge of Lancaster Co., PA. The Lowther Manor had been reserved for Wm. Penn's sister, Margaret, but her family never came to take possession. Governor (Lt.) Logan had allowed the influx of Scotch-Irish to occupy this land, but found that the open spaces quickly became crowded; as large numbers of German speaking Anabaptists from the Palatinate were also arriving, but ill-equipped to survive at the Western edge, because of the occasionally hostile Indian, whom Logan knew had to be coerced into peaceful coexistence with the colonists.

An opportunity arose, in which a Maryland gentleman, Thomas Cresap, who had been doing a large amount of trade with the Scotch-Irish, through his connection with English merchants, became aroused and was incarcerated. Logan and the House of Deputies, felt that the poorly marked southern boundary of Pennsylvania needed better definition, and had asked Cresap to move on, from the latter's trading post on the western bank of the Susquehanna River, opposite Donegal Twp., which acts precipitated Cresap's War, circa. 1745. While the Walkers are mentioned in names of settlers of that place, in Lancaster Co., they were soon asked to take up lands much farther west, in the Cumberland Valley, which soon was recognized as a County itself in 1750, in which numbered a half dozen Walker families at that time. Similarly, Cresap moved west, first to Williamsport, MD, (nr. Hagerstown); and later Oldtown, further west up the Potomac, across from Green Spring Run, VA.

Most Cumberland Walkers were closely related, one deed in 1746 was for land sold by William Walker to Philadelphia interests. James Walker executed his will in 1750, witnessed by William Walker, but held on until 1778.

Robert Walker, Sr. obtained a warrant for about 500 acres on the Yellow Breeches in West Pennsborough Twp. in 1752, from Jaques Le Tort, Logan's French land agent in Carlisle. He was granted a patent about 9 years later from the Penn brothers, Richard & Thomas, sons of William, the original proprietor.

By then Robert Walker Sr. had a large family, consisting of 4 younger brothers of Robert Jr. and about 4 sisters.

A gentleman from Paxtang, a township north of Donegal, Samuel Brice, purchased land adjoining Walkers on the East, as well as a parcel across the Yellow Breeches to the south and brought along his five daughters.

Likewise, a first generation American, the oldest Walker son, Robert Jr. quickly engaged Elizabeth, the middle daughter. It appears that the Brice daughters had been taught how to read and write, possibly because he didn't have sons, as education of females was somewhat unusual for the frontier settlers. It would appear that while Walker Jr. lived at the Brices, to assist with the work, Brice had earlier purchased, with a deed poll, from James Scot, who had warranted some northerly land, in Milford Twp., now located in Juniata County.

When a second Walker, Samuel, married another one of Brice's daughters, Isabelle, Robert Jr. was asked to take his little family and develop a mill on this northern tract, even though he had warranted and patented "Walker's Lot" a 100 acre piece immediately north of his father's estate in West Pennsborough.

After what appears to have been a short time, 4 years in Milford on the Tuscarora Creek, which dumps into the Juniata River north of Milford, and after warranting and patenting another 100 acres in his own name at that place, he and Brice sold their interests, purchasing an operating mill further upstream in Lack Twp. near the present town of East Waterford, PA. These activities are substantiated by court house records, and described in the History of Juniata County. Robert is described as a yeoman in tax records, but obviously skilled at farming, husbandry as well as milling. A surveyor's chain, mentioned in his 1812 will, is in existence, and is on display at the Heritage House Museum, Silver Springs, in Stow, Ohio. Apparently, his skill as a surveyor was needed in making his land claims, using meets and bounds, and getting them recorded; and in assisting neighbors.

Back in West Pennsborough, the family of Robert Sr. was experiencing growing pains.

The next oldest son Andrew, had married Isabelle Thorn, and gone to work for her father, James, in Tyrone Twp. in what is now Adams County, south of Cumberland.

John, the third oldest, had warranted another 100+ acres, next to Brice's on the south side of the Yellow Breeches, but sold it to his father, who also patented it, and then bought land in Peters Township, southwest 60 miles or so from the Walker homestead. In 1773, Walker Sr. sold the entire plantation, now 700 acres, and with the money, purchased three tracts in Hampshire Co., Virginia, as well as 600 acres near John's place in Peters, from the Widow Barr. Both properties were well situated, with access to the Cresap operations down water "highways."

Robert Sr's son James, removed to Virginia to settle the land there, and the 600 acres in Peters on the Conococheague was recorded as jointly owned by Robert Sr. and the youngest son, Samuel, who had married the youngest Brice daughter, Isabelle.

A Story of the Walker Family: The Revolutionary War

In 1780, Robert Walker, Jr. is found enlisting in the Virginia Militia, with Col. George Rogers Clark, who had led a successful raid on the British encampment at Vincennes, on the Wabash River, in "Ohio Territory." Additionally, his sixteen year old son, John was also uniformed, and put to work guarding the women and children left behind in Ft. Garrison, at The Falls of the Ohio R., in Kentucky, then Virginia's western region. Clark was pursuing a British Army, by moving his troops up the Little Miami River, from the Scioto R., in Kentucky, to a place that Indians had settled as a southern town years before. They decided to engage, nearly surrounding the camp in a surprise attack and completely routed the inhabitants. The British force was never located, and is believed to have gotten lost in the Ohio hinterland, never attacking the colonial's forts along the Ohio, many of which had been evacuated because of the rumors.

John Walker was discharged with papers, and paid for his one month of service, the details are explained in the 1832 Pension Papers filed by John Walker. In 1782, the father, Robert Walker, Jr. was listed in the first Virginia Census, with a family of seven.

His brother, James had 5.

The elder Walker having purchased, in 1778, additionally, two tracts farther west, but still in Hampshire, from the sheriff, land which had been abandoned by Brian Bruin, a loyalist landowner.

They were joined by a sister, Elizabeth Savage, who had settled on one of these new tracts, and Robert, with his family, now 8, according to the 1784 census, had settled on the larger of the two.

In Lack Township, the mill property had gone into default during the war. The new owner, Andrew Farrier, failed to meet obligations Robert had signed in 1774, to pay off bonds, each year, In 1783, Robert McGaw purchased from the Cumberland Sheriff, the mill and an adjoining 500 acres, and a judgment of PA 2000 dollars, was entered against the Walkers. Much of the history of the Morris/Walker mill and its owners, can be found in ["Juniata and Susquehanna Valleys in Pennsylvania."] (Note: this mill has been rebuilt several times, but may be visited on the outskirts of East Waterford, PA)

Meanwhile, in Virginia, Robert Jr. executed a deed turning over all his personal property and livestock to of his sons, John and Samuel, though the latter was still under legal age. Two years later he would be charged, for false utterance, for his 1885 declaration of insolvency, as he had not mentioned specifically his bedstead. As well, he failed to disclose his wife, Elizabeth's, inheritance from the death of her father, that year, which was in the form of a note, and which was not paid until his own father's death in 1792, when the funds showed up in that year in a Franklin Co., PA, estate's inventory. Franklin Co., where Peters Twp. was located, had been erected from Cumberland in 1784.

Back in Peters Twp. things had not gone well, and we will stop to review those families.

In about 1783 James was killed from a fall off a horse on his Town Hill land in Virginia, his wife Mary, relocated to the Walker homestead in Peters. The land was sold, and Mary was chosen in 1789, to inherit the half of the Barr plantation not owned by Samuel. Elizabeth was given a deed at the same time to half of her farm in Hampshire, and Andrew in Adams County, found himself out of luck, when his father in law, James Thorn, died, leaving that estate to his own sons, one of whom was married to Andrew's sister.

To solve the overcrowding in PA, the Walkers engineered a switch.

Andrew and his family would relocate from Peters, where they appeared in the 1800 census, his three sons having been given in 1789 a deed for half of the larger 800 acre piece. Robert Jr. would sell the half of this tract (400 acres for $800) that were deeded to his six sons in 1792, for cash. Mary would inherit from Robert's 1792 will half of the Peter's 600 acres, with the eldest son, Abraham, her other three sons being given half of the smaller 302 acre Hampshire tract, where Elizabeth lived, but resold in 1802, to Robert Jr.'s son Samuel, for his portion of the cash received from the sale. The end result was that Robert Jr. his remaining five sons and two daughters, two of whom had married, took their 5/6ths of the cash to Portage County, Ohio, looking for land.

Over the Ohio

In our story, we have omitted mentioning the Stewart Family, who are inter-linked with the Walkers. The Stewarts may have been in Cumberland Co., PA, but we find them near the Walkers in Hampshire Co. Late in the 1700's one of Robert Walker, Jr.’s sons, William Walker married Rachel Stewart, and settled down in Beaver Co., PA. Two of his older brothers, John had been married in 1789, and Samuel, who was left behind several years later. The reason Samuel could not join the family was that his in-laws, the Lawsons, had left his wife, Anne Lawson, a slave, when the father died. Slaves were not permitted north or west of the Ohio, so he chose to stay behind, helping his uncle Andrew, who had 8 children, some married, get settled on the Walker tract. One person tells me there was also a mill, but this cannot be substantiated, though the next door neighbor, Donaldson carried on milling for many years on Green Spring Run.

John and his wife, Rachel Cochran, also gave the family a problem. Though there was no settled minister in Hampshire, a child, Betsey was born about a year before the visiting prelate had been able to visit & to marry couples and baptize children in the predominately Presbyterian community. So it was decided about 1800 for John and his wife, the sisters, and the mother Elizabeth to journey only part way, to Beaver Co., joining William and the Stewarts, and would later meet up with the other travelers in Ohio, when cabins, and other improvements were made.

A story is told that on the trip west, a pig became homesick, and bolted the party, turning up at the previous place of residence some time later. It was not reported whether the pig had gone back to Hampshire Co. where he would have had to swim the Ohio, or to Beaver.

These male Walkers arrived in Portage Co. soon after the surveyor, Joseph Darrow, had completed in 1801, marking off Hudson, the center of five townships in the north west corner of the then Portage County, taking up land in Lots 8, 9, and 18.

In 1802, William, his wife, Rachel, and one son, Thomas, arrived, and took up unsurveyed land in Stow, the southerly of the five townships, but adjacent the other lots. They were accompanied by the other women, as well as young Joshua Stewart and his ax, who had eyes on the older of the two Walker daughters, Margaret.

In the year Ohio obtained statehood, Hudson also organized itself around the proprietor, David Hudson, who was appointed Justice of the Peace. Soon elections were held, and Robert Walker was made Justice as well, attending court in Ravenna on a monthly or weekly schedule.

Additionally, his third son, James, then unmarried, was elected ensign, a position he had formerly held in Hampshire Co. The family legend has it that he carried the flag for George Washington, but his duties were carried out after the time of the earlier conflict, and probably occurred during one of the visits the General made up the Potomac to visit properties Gen. Crawford, who was killed in 1795, had selected for him. As Justice Robert married numerous of the young settlers, numbering Joshua Stewart and Margaret Walker in 1804, another daughter, Rachel and Reuben Parker later, and James to Sarah Burnet in 1807. These were all recorded in the first Quarter Sessions book of Portage. In 1808, as Justice, Robert Walker and his wife witnessed the deed presented to the citizens of Hudson, for the Hudson Green, three 2 & ½ acre parcels in the center, which comprised the common, to be reserved for its people in perpetuity. The Walkers are recorded on the tax rolls and in the election books in early days, and some deeds were recorded, after the death of Robert Jr. on June 11, 1812. His wife dying in 1818, and both were buried in a 4 x 5 rod plot on the family farm on Lot 9, where William's baby, Betsey was buried some years earlier.

It is a curious fact, that the deed for Lot 9, which was the new Walker Ohio homestead was not recorded, but passed in his will to his youngest son, George, who left an estate in 1845, the land partitioned in the will of George's widow Hannah Stewart, to her and his daughter, Lucinda Beardsly who died that same year. Lucinda left her portion, 2/3 rd. to her infant daughter, Alice. A deed was finally recorded in 1864, when the executor for Alice, Irad Beardsley, sold her property to a cousin, William Graham.

Epilogue

About 1874, Christian Cackler wrote a book ["Recollections of an Old Settler,"] which provided some of the information about the Walkers which would not have been otherwise preserved. He gave dates for deaths of some of the Walkers, which could have only been known by copying from graveyard stones. Using his information, and information on the William Graham deed, it was possible to resurrect the Walker graveyard which was located on Lot 9, and in fact one of the stones was discovered, despite attempts by the 20th century owners to completely desecrate this sacred ground. Several new stones were ordered, and a small part of the original has been reconstructed at the Maple Lawn Cemetery in Darrowville, Stow Township. Three slotted stone bases remain at the original site on Stow Road in Hudson, as reminders of this historic family.