Our Family

Walker Family History

The Walker side of our family is the one that I have done the most research on since I started this project in the early 1990s.  Our Walkers originated in Scotland or Ireland or both, moving to Ireland from Scotland before traveling to America in the 1600s.  I don't have those connections yet, but I am working on them.  The oldest Walker connection in our family is Jeremiah Walker, who may be my 4th great-grandfather.  There are still some questions on how Jeremiah connects to our line of Walkers.  I can only prove the line of Walkers back to Thomas Jefferson Walker, my 2nd great-grandfather.  Oral family history has always indicated that Thomas Jefferson's father was Jeremiah, but there is no proof.  In fact, I don't believe that Jeremiah could be his father based on the proof that I have for Jeremiah and Thomas Jefferson.  I believe that Thomas Jefferson's father was probably a John Walker who could have been a son of Jeremiah, but could have been a nephew.  Another piece of oral history that causes confusion is a claim that Jeremiah was a Baptist preacher.  I'm a firm believer in oral history providing clues to family facts, but they have to be proven just like any other facts.  There were several prominent Jeremiah Walkers that were preachers during our Jeremiah's time period, but none of them match my DNA.  So, it is a question to be answered by further research.  Oral history is usually based on fact, althougth it can be distorted over time, depending on who is telling the story.

There are two sets of data presented here for your use.  First is the narrative data on this page for Jeremiah, John and Thomas Jefferson WALKER.  Second is the genealogy of the WALKER family and our other family trees which are current through 7 Aug 2018 containing information from my database.  I have listed a link to each family tree in our menu.  If you have information or documents to share, you should use the Family History Form or send me an email and I'm sure others will appreciate it.

COMMENT: All information presented on individuals between JEREMIAH WALKER and THOMAS JEFFERSON WALKER inlcudes some facts and a lot of speculation.

Jeremiah Walker Notes

This is a compilation of notes on JEREMIAH WALKER, 1750 - 1834 b: about 1745 - 1750 in Virginia to an unknown Walker, d: about 1834 at the age of 84 in Bayou Chicot, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.  This is based on his Revolutionary War Pension Request (see Pension Request transcription) when he went before the judge in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, December 6, 1833 to testify on his behalf for the pension.  Since he was alive in December, 1833, he may have died the following year, 1834.  Also, his Succession (see JEREMIAH WALKER Succession transcription) was probated in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana in 1835 and I think Mrs. Jeremiah, age 84 (married to Jeremiah about 55 years), died in 1835 which caused the succession to be probated.  In that time period, successions were probated because there were no wills filed for the deceased.  Most successions are not probated immediately and may take a year or more for the property to be disposed of because of survivors living on the property.

Married Mrs. Jeremiah probably between 1770 and 1781 and could have had more children before John (b. abt 1781).  MRS. JEREMIAH WALKER b: about 1750 d: in 1835, sometime before September 1, 1835 when JEREMIAH’S succession was handled in St. Landry Parish Court, Louisiana.  MRS. JEREMIAH WALKER was noted on the 1830 St. Landry Parish Census as head of household which creates a conundrum concerning Jeremiah.  Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Walker had one male [possibly son John] (see JOHN WALKER notes), and two females [possibly a daughter-in-law and one granddaughter] living with them in the 1820 census.  Mrs. Jeremiah had one female age 15-20. b. between 1810-1815, in her household in the 1830 census.  This was probably the same female that could have been a granddaughter b. 1810-1820, from the 1820 census.  The young female may have continued to live with Mrs. Jeremiah to care for her in her old age while her parents moved to their own household.

see St. Landry Walker census data 1810-1870

JEREMIAH personally appeared in court on December 6, 1833 to testify on behalf of his Revolutionary War Pension (see Pension Request transcription).  Where was he in 1830 when MRS. JEREMIAH was head of household?  I found a Jeremiah Walker of the same age living by himself in Avoyelles Parish which adjoins St. Landry Parish in the Bayou Cocodrie area just north of Bayou Chicot in the 1830 census.  He must have been living on a farm because he had 17 slaves in this census.  In his succession inventory, Jeremiah was credited with having 51 slaves.  This implies that Jeremiah was fairly wealthy at the time of his death.  I have no proof that the Jeremiah in Avoyelles Parish is our Jeremiah, but it is possible that as a wealthy person, he had multiple properties and Mrs. Jeremiah was living in the original homestead (from 1820) in 1830.  You may note that in the succession auction, there was no land sold, only some slaves, livestock and assundry items.  John Walker, the possible son, was appointed as administrator of the succession.  I need to go to the Avoyelles Parish courthouse to do some digging.  I get very frustrated because the census data prior to the 1850 census only contains a name noted as the head of household and all other people are numbers.  Census data also varied for each census depending on how the political winds were blowing in Washington at the time of the census.  We have to remember that censuses were created for political purposes of defining numbers for political areas rather than trying to find out who lived in the United States.

Another clue to research is a Jeremiah Walker from Louisiana who patitioned the U. S. Congress for a veterans claim for land:

Database: U.S. House of Representative Private Claims, Vol. 3
Name Nature of Claim Congress Session Manner Brought Journal Page Referred to Committee Date Report Bill House Disposed Senate Disposed Congress Date Comments
Jeremiah Walker, (La.) Confirmation of title to land 19 2 Petition 65 Priv. Land Claims Discharged Leave to withdraw
Jeremiah Walker, (La.) Confirmation of title to land 20 1 Petition 40 Priv. Land Claims 211 Favorable 241 Referred to Committee Whole House
Jeremiah Walker, (La.) Confirmation of title to land 20 2 House bill 269 Whole House 09 Feb 1829 241 Passed Ref'd to Public Lands
Jeremiah Walker, (La.) Confirmation of title to land 21 1 Petition 173 Priv. Land Claims 161 Favorable 205 Passed Passed 29 May 1830 App'd

An issue that creates more mystery is the Naming Conventions (see Naming Conventions) of the 1700s and early 1800s.  Following the naming conventions can lead to some good guesses or WAGs, depending on the time period.  Using the naming conventions, I should be looking for a John Walker (if our John is the oldest son) for Jeremiah's father prior to 1750-1760. Of course, it is possible that John was not the oldest, although he fits the birth year which is about when Jeremiah was married.  An additional problem is the same names keep appearing in different families in North Carolina and Virginia in the 1700s and early 1800s, i.e., Jeremiah, John, William, Thomas, Charles, etc..  So far, I am unable to make a connection with my DNA results because all of the matches do not have information on their ancestors in the time of Jeremiah.

It is possible that Jeremiah Walker and his family (including his son John) moved to South Carolina (remember that he spent a year in South Carolina in the army before being discharged in 1882) and/or Georgia before 1790 and before moving to Louisiana around 1810-1820.  Another possibility is that he took a westerly route through the territory that is now Tennessee on his way to Louisiana.  I mention Tennessee because his RW Pension Application was also filed in Dickson County, Tennessee [See notes on Dickson County, Tennessee] and I received my first copy from a researcher in that area.  He is not listed as a head of household in the 1790 North Carolina Census, but could have been living with his unknown father.  I believe he and many other ancestors left North Carolina before 1790 looking for land in the southern or western areas.  Then they were prompted to move to Louisiana when the U. S. purchased the Louisiana Territory in 1803 and made it a state in 1810.  Land was free for the asking in Louisiana at that time.  It took Jeremiah more than 10 years to leave North Carolina and arrive in Louisiana for the 1820 census.  This is the direction of my research at present.  One thing to remember is that North Carolina (contained Tennessee Teritory), South Carolina and Georgia (contained the norther half of Alabama and Mississippi) extended all the way to the Mississippi River in 1790 (see map of time period).  So, they had to go through Tennessee Territory or South Carolina and Georgia to get to Louisiana.  The easiest route to Louisiana was south through South Carolina, Georgia and the Mississippi Territory, which was the most commorn route for ancestors settling in Louisiana.  I have found numerous Jeremiah Walkers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia prior to 1820, but cannot match any at this time.

Known Facts about Jeremiah Walker

Our Jeremiah Walker was living in Bute County, North Carolina, when he joined the local Militia at the Old Bute County Courthouse in 1778 for a service of nine months as a paid substitute for another person who did not want to serve.  You had to be at least 16 years of age to enlist in the Militia.  After his 9 months were up, he stayed in the militia based on his deposition where he returned to Old Bute County (Bute Co. was formed from Granville Co. in 1764 and abolished in 1779 when it was divided into Warren Co. and Franklin Co) after the defeat of the American Forces [under Major General Horatio Gates] at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780.

COMMENT:  Given the census and succession information below, Jeremiah would have been about 28 years of age when he joined the Militia.

After a short time at home in Bute County, he joined the North Carolina Line Army as documented in the pension request by the letter from the North Carolina Secretary of State on 3 Mar 1834.  The letter stated that Jeremiah Walker voluntarily joined the North Carolina Line regular army on April 7, 1781.

After the Battle of Eutaw Springs on September 8, 1781, General Greene made his encampment at Bacon's Ridge, South Carolina, where Jeremiah Walker was discharged on April 7, 1782 (North Carolina Secretary of State's Letter).  Based on the above previous estimate of his age, Jeremiah would have been about 32 years old.

see the Revolutionary War time line with comments on Jeremiah

COMMENT:  The 1820 St. Landry Parish Census for Jeremiah Walker and family is as follows:

1 Male 26-44 yrs. (possible John Walker) b. 1776-1794
1 Male over 45 yrs. (Jeremiah Walker) b. before 1775
1 Female under 10 yrs. (pos. daughter of John) b. 1810+
1 Female 16-25 yrs. (pos. wife of John) b. 1795-1805
1 Female over 45 yrs. (Mrs. Jeremiah) b. before 1775
1 Female Slave age 26-44 yrs

I believe that Jeremiah and a son named John and his family traveled to Louisiana together.   This was Jeremiah's first appearance in a Louisiana census that I have found.  A John Walker is also found later in the 1830 St. Landry Parish census with a son near the age of Thomas Jefferson.

Mrs. Jeremiah Walker appeared on the 1830 St. Landry Parish Census as head of household and members of the household noted as follows:

1 Female 15-20 yrs. (pos. granddaughter - daughter of John)
1 Female 80-90 yrs. (Mrs. Jeremiah)

COMMENT:  I suspect that Mrs. Jeremiah was closer to 80 years of age than 90 yrs.  That would place her birth year at about 1750.  With the age range of Jeremiah at about the same, they were probably married in North Carolina and could have been married before Jeremiah first joined the Revolutionary War or before Jeremiah's second enlistment in the North Carolina Line in 1781.

COMMENT: Jeremiah Walker is not listed or living with Mrs. Jeremiah Walker in the 1830 St. Landry Parish census.  Where is Jeremiah?  Based on my estimate of his age, Jeremiah would have been 80-90 years of age in 1830, which is the same range that Mrs. Jeremiah is in this census.  We know from my next note that he was living and appeared in court in 1833.  I believe the girl living with Mrs. Jeremiah in the 1830 census is her granddaughter and she is staying there to care for Mrs. Jeremiah.  She was listed in the 1820 census in the "less than 10 yrs" category with her parents in the Jeremiah Walker household and would have been 5-8 years old at the time (born 1812-15)

Jeremiah Walker first appeared in the Saint Landry District Court on December 6, 1833, to testify on his own behalf for his application for a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War.

Jeremiah Walker's succession was filed in the Saint Landry District Court on September 1, 1835.  John Walker (possible son) was assigned as the administrator for this succession.  The document for assigning the Administrator for the succession was signed by John Walker, Alexander Youngblood and Thomas Reynolds.  From this, we know that Jeremiah died between December, 1833 and September, 1835.

COMMENT:  I believe that Jeremiah died in 1834 and Mrs. Jeremiah died sometime before September 1, 1835 which is the date the succession was filed in court.  It is also interesting that his succession sale by Judge King, took place on October 7, 1835 at the home of Dr. Jean Baptiste Isabelle.  Why there instead of his home?

".... I George King, Parish Judge and ex-officio auctioneer in and for the aforesaid Parish have this day the seventh of October in the year one thousand and eight hundred and thirty five, proceeded to the residence of Doctor Jean Bte. ---- Isabelle situated in the Bayou Chicot settlement & distant about twenty eight miles from the Court House of said Parish, in order to sell at the public auction all the property belonging to the Estate in community between the widow and heirs of the late Jeremiah Walker..."

Jeremiah Walker's succession was probated and the sale of property commenced in Saint Landry Parish on October 7, 1835 under the direction of George King, Parish Judge and ex-officio auctioneer.  John Walker was present as the administrator for this sale which is why I believe John was a son of Jeremiah and is the oldest male other than Jeremiah listed in the 1820 St. Landry Parish census.  Jeremiah's property was appraised at $1,675.00 and sold for $1,707.00, most of which was the result of selling two slaves (a male and a female) for $1,400.00.  What happened to the other 49 slaves listed on the succession inventory?  There also were no land or dwelling properties listed or sold at the sale.

COMMENT:  I once believed that Jeremiah was probably residing with Dr. Isabelle, due to an illness, when the 1830 census was conducted.  He was not since the 1830 census for Dr. Isabelle did not have a male listed that fit the age range of Jeremiah.  I did find a Jeremiah Walker in the 1830 Avoyelles Parish census that almost fits our Jeremiah's age where he was listed as 69-79 years of age.  He is listed as living by himself with 17 slaves.  Could he have had another home/farm in Avoyelles Parish which adjoined St. Landry Parish on the north just north of Bayou Chicot?  If so, why wasn't that property added to the inventory and succession sale?  Incidentally, there was no land sold at the succession sale.  Another conundrum.

Currently, I have no more facts on Jeremiah Walker.  The next paragraphs contain notes of possible connections, but not proven connections. So, don't consider them facts attached to Jeremiah unless you can prove them to be facts.  If so, please let me know what proof is available and provide a copy if you can.  I'm still looking.  Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.

Jeremiah Walker Notes 2

This information narative concerns a Solomon Humter from Bute County, North Carolina and contains a note about a Jeremiah Walker, also from Bute County, who enlisted in the Revolutionary War about the same time as Solomon. The information was obtained from http://www.huntersofnansemond.info/?page_id=6

Solomon, son of Isaac Hunter of Bute/Warren County, served under Robert Temple in the North Carolina Continental Line. His military papers are on microfilm at the North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, N. C. The enlistment roster of Bute County soldiers, filed as “Military Troop Returns” / Box 4, folder 35 / Bute County / Drafts and Endorsements, 1778,” states the following:

COMMENT: I believe the above Robert Temple was the same man that Jeremiah served under in his first enlistment in the American Revolution considering the fact that Jeremiah first enlisted in Bute County, NC.

Halifax, Sept ye 3rd 1778 / State of North Carolina / Bute

“We the Subscribers Balloted Men and Volunteers from the county of Bute do hereby bind and Oblige ourselves to Serve as Continental Soldiers for the term of Nine Months after the first day of March Inst., and do Each of us bind and Oblige ourselves to Meet Our Officers at whatever place in the said State May be appointed for our Rendesvous on the aforesaid first day of March Next, and in Case we or Either of we do fail to appear at said place of rendesvous on the said first day of March next Sickness or Other Accidents as May be deemed Sufficient by a board of Officers Excepted, we each of us so failing do Oblige Ourselves to Serve as Continental Soldiers for the term of three years from the date hereof or during the present war and as Such to obey the lawfull Commands of the Officers that May be placed over us and in all things to demean ourselves ad good and faithfull Soldiers.”

COMMENT:: Jeremiah's first enlistment was in Bute County and did occur in March, 1778.

“Name: Solomon Hunter Sergeant / Place of Abode: Bute / Where Born: No. Caro. / Height 5ft 10 / Age 17 / Hair Light / Eyes Grey”

"Two surnames significant in Solomon’s history appear on this roster of Bute soldiers: Jeremiah Walker (Bute/ born in Virginia, 5 ft. 6 , aged 16 (b. abt 1762?), hair light, eyes light) and John Dickerson (Bute, born in North Carolina, 5 ft. 7, aged 18, hair light, eyes grey). Walker, who had a sister named Ann, appears to be the brother of the Ann Walker who married Solomon’s brother James Alston Hunter. Walker became a notable Baptist preacher in Bute and later in Georgia. Dickerson possibly is a brother of Stephen Dickerson (sometimes Dickinson), the first husband of Jane Mahan, whom Solomon Hunter married in Liberty County, Ga., in 1785."

COMMENT:: If this is our Jeremiah, he was short and 16 years old (this would make his birth year about 1762) and had a sister named Ann who married James Hunter. There is no proof that this is our Jeremiah and since he was born about 1762, he is younger than my estimated birth of our Jeremiah. The information about Ann could lead to additional information if I can find it. The big issue here is the note stating he was a preacher in Bute and in Georgia. There are adequate records on a Jeremiah Walker (b. 1747 and son of James, son of Thomas, etc.) that went to Georgia as a preacher and died in Georgia which creates more confusion. He was married to an Mary Jane Graves and his son, Jeremiah, Jr. (also a preacher) was married to Elizabeth Small. His documented records placed his birth year about 1747 which is close to my estimation of our Jeremiah's birth year. There is some evidence that two Jeremiah Walkers were living in Bute Co.,NC and both could have been preachers and went to Georgia.

“Treasurers and Comptrollers Papers”

Vol. III, pp. 66, 1 (Reel # 57)
#91 Solomon Hunter / S[gt.] / 73 / 11 / 16 / 51 / 156 / 50 [probably his pay]
Vol. XIX, p. 142 (Reel # 57)
Hunter, Solomon / 156, 49 3/4 [his pay]
Vol. XXVIII, p. 142 (Reel # 62)
No. 691 / Name & Rank Solomon Hunter / Amount 62.12.5 / By Whom Received Wm. Sanders
Vol. IX, pp. 99, 3 (Reel # 60)

“Hillsborough Treasury Office”

“Thomas Turner Sff Warren County”
No. 73 / Solomon Hunter / 13.10 [his pay]
No. 75 / James Alston / 9 / 178.18.8 [This may be Solomon’s brother who married Ann Walker]
Vol. X, pp. 33, 3 (Reel # 60)
535 / Solomon Hunter / 18.15 [his pay]
Vol. VII , pp. 105,1 (Reel #59)
Solomon Hunter / 62.12.5 / 15.13.1 / 46.19.4 [his pay]
(Reel #101, frame #798-799)
“North Carolina. / No. 454

“Agreeable to Act of Assembly, passed in May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, the state of North Carolina is indebted to Solomon Hunter Sgt. of the Continential line of this state Forty six pounds nineteen shillings & four pence specie, on account of his pay [illegible] August 1779 with six per cent interest from the first of August, 1783. Dated Halifax, the first of September, 1784. B MCullock / HMontfort – Commissioners / £46.19.4? [Endorsement]: “Presented on the 30th day of September 1791 on Loan to the United States and Since Rejected / WSkinner, Comiss / Interest to Jany 1788?

(Reel #101, frame 796-797)

“No. 9410 North Carolina, Halifax Dist. / This may certify that Solomon Hunter of Warren county, is allowed the sum of Thirteen pounds Ten shillings specie, as by report of the board of auditors. Dated this 9th December [year blotted] J Bradford / JB[illegible] – Dist. Aud. [Endorsement]: 73 / Ja Turner / £13.:10?

(Reel #101, frame #794-795)

“No 1714 North Carolina Halifax District / This is to certify that Solomon Hunter was allowed Eighteen pounds fifteen shillings Specie as by Report of the Board of Auditors Sept [day illegible] 1791 Wm Green / J Mason[?] / £10.15 [Endorsement] [illegible] of / James Moore – Hiram [?] £18.15 / Jas Moore Part £[illegible] / E. Moore 8.18.2 16:19:18 owe 1.15.4 / Lewis Merideth / to / J. Brown £18.15 / No. 535 / £18.15?

Jeremiah Walker Notes
John Walker Notes
Thomas J. Walker Notes
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