"A 'widow Walker' appeared at Rehoboth in 1643. Some years later, Philip Walker, thought to be her son, also appeared at Rehoboth. On 29 October 1679. 'James Walker and Samuell Walker' exhibited the inventory of Philip Walker [PCPR 4:1:34-35]. As the subject of the present sketch was the only known James Walker in Plymouth Colony at the time, this circumstance has led several authors to create a 'Widow Walker Family,' making the widow Walker sister of John Brown and listing her children as John, Sarah and Philip [Snow-Estes 1:402-5; Granberry Anc 339-41; Early Rehoboth 3:25-27]. Were this the case, we would expect John Brown to have remembered Philip Walker in his bequests just as he did John and Sarah. As he did not do so, we suggest that the widow Walker and Philip Walker, if related to John and Sarah, were not mother and brother to these two siblings, but more distantly related, or perhaps not related at all. Furthermore, the widow of Philip Walker was Jane Walker, and as she was appointed administratrix to his estate [PCR 6:27-28], we would expect her to exhibit the inventory at court, so the appearance of 'James Walker' in that role, although clear in the recorded inventory, is probably a simple clerical error for 'Jane Walker.'"
