Person:William Walker (180)

Notes from Mark B. Walker:

Notes for WILLIAM WALKER: The will of James Walker reveals two bits of information about his son, William: he was still living in July 1803 at the writing of the will and he had a son named James. Haw River Presbyterian Church cemetery has at least two gravestones bearing the name William Walker: one William was born in 1767, the other in 1766. Since the Walker pioneers William (died 1800) and James both had a son named William, it's not entirely clear which tombstone goes with which son. If the idea that families bury their dead close together is at all valid, however, then the one closer to the grave of the pioneer William (it bears only the initials W.W., the date of his death and his age at death) would likely be his son. As it turns out, the tombstone of the William born in 1767 is the closer, so we assume the other was the son of James, by default. It is not clear whether James Walker himself was buried in this cemetery, but there seems to be a general grouping of graves by family -- the William Walker grouping on one side of the trunk of a fallen tree, the James Walker descendants on the other side.

William, son of James, was likely married to Jean, the name on the grave marker immediately to the right of his.

The names of the children come from the 1844 will of Ann Walker, which lists her sisters Elizabeth, Mary and Jane Starrat and brothers Denny, James, John, Abraham and Alexander, deceased. A number of these names match gravestones at the Haw River cemetery, which are physically close to the graves of William and Jean. We can be sure that William had at least a son named James, based on the elder James' will.

Evidence from county court records strengthens the association between William and the siblings listed in Ann Walker's 1844 will. An entry in the Minute Docket for the August Session 1838 of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions notes that one John Walker was appointed to administer the estate of William Walker. Ann Walker listed a John Walker as one of her brothers. The text of the court record follows:

Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Rockingham County, NC, May 1835 to February 1840, August Term 1838, fourth page from the beginning of the term

Tuesday court met: Present John Lawson, Joel Fagg and T.B. Wheeler, Esqs. Administration on the estate of William Walker is granted to John Walker who entered into bond in the sum of eight hundred dollars with Joseph Pritchett, S.C. Edwards and G.W. Garrett. The admr was thereupon duly qualified.

Notes for JEAN: Name and vital statistics are from the tombstone^[3] immediately to the right of William Walker's (1766-1838)^[2]. Both markers have the same form - a flat, rectangular slab with a semicircular knob protruding from the top. Both bear the same style of script. The pairing of the 2 graves leads to the conclusion that they might have been married.

Children of WILLIAM WALKER and JEAN are: i. MARY3 WALKER25,26, b. 179427; d. May 02, 1851, Rockingham County, NC, USA27.Principal information on Mary Walker comes from the will of her sister Ann, dated 31 January 1844, probated November 1848; her own will, written on same date, probated May 1851 and the tombstone at Haw River Presbyterian Church. The 1850 U.S. Census shows that Mary was living with her sister, Jane Starrat, at the time. Mary Walker apparently never married. ii. ANN WALKER28, b. 179629; d. July 10, 1848, Rockingham County, NC, USA29. Principal data on Ann Walker comes from her will, dated 31 January 1844, probated November 1848 and the tombstone at Haw River Presbyterian Church. She apparently never married. Although her will identifies her brothers and sisters, the identification of William Walker (1766-1838) as her father results from analysis of 1810 & 1820 U.S. Census records. Furthermore, will of James Walker (d. 1803) shows that William had a son James. Ann had a brother named James. iii. JAMES WALKER30,31, b. Abt. 179832. iv. ELIZABETH WALKER33, b. 180034; d. August 22, 1845, Rockingham County, NC, USA34. Principal data on Elizabeth Walker comes from the will of her sister Ann, dated 31 JAN 1844, probated NOV 1848 and the tombstone at Haw River Presb. Church. Elizabeth apparently never married. v. JANE WALKER35,36, b. December 14, 180337; d. August 29, 1888, Rockingham County, NC, USA37; m. JAMES STARRAT38, November 10, 1834, Rockingham County, NC, USA38. Will of Ann Walker (31 JAN 1844) identifies Jane Starrat as her sister. Haw River Presb. Church cemetery has tombstone bearing the name Jane Starret. Jane's sister Mary lived with the Jane and James Starrat in the last years of her life. 8. vi. ALEXANDER WALKER, b. April 19, 1807; d. February 12, 1839, Rockingham County, NC, USA. 9. vii. JOHN WALKER, b. April 19, 1808; d. January 08, 1864, Rockingham County, NC, USA. viii. DANIEL WALKER39,40, b. Abt. 1809. ix. ABRAHAM WALKER41, b. Abt. 1810.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 [1], in Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} William Walker, in Find A Grave.
3. ↑ Jean Walker, in Find A Grave.

   assumed to be his wife (see narrative)