Rutherfordiana/MS. left by Rev. William McPheeters

This article is part of a series of articles dealing with the purported Rutherford and Alleine relations of the Wigton Walker family. The following is a verbatim extract of pages 22-28 of Source:McPheeters, 1842, and contains the portions related to the Walker Family. This extract is taken from a typewritten copy of this portion of the work provided by descendant Harold McPheeters.

Note that the spelling, punctuation, and paragraphing is as contained in the typewritten version of this document, and are presumed to reflect the original handwritten work.

(See commentary at bottom of page).

___________________________________________________________

This John Rutherford, the G. G. Grandfather of my mother, was either the Nephew or the full cousin of that distinguished Divine and Author,

My mother's Grandfather, John Walker, of Wigtown, Scotland, had seven children.

Their names, and dates of their Births, as furnished by the youngest member of the family, are as follows.

My Grandmother Jane Walker, as before remarked was born in Ireland. Her Father, John Walker, of Wigtown, left Scotland before marriage, and settled in Ireland. He there married, and then, I presume, his seven children, above name, were born.

The name of his wife is not known.

From Ireland, with his whole family, including my grandmother, he emigrated to the state of Pennsylvania, where my Grandfather and grandmother, as before mentioned were married.

Some years after their marriage, and after the birth of three or four of their children, they, with the whole Walker family, or the greater part of them, removed to Rockbridge, and settled on a Creek, in that part of the country formerly called

and afterwards, WALKERS CREEK, from the several families of tha name, which had settled thereon.

These families, being somewhat numerous, and all closely allied, were sometimes, pleasantly, called the

Betsey Walker, the first of the seven chidren above named, married a man whose name was - Campbell - the Uncle of Capt. Charles Campbell, before mentioned. She was the mother of seven or eight children.

Robert Campbell - Major John Campbell and Jane campbell, were three of them.

Major John Campbell, having no children, adopted and educated his brother Robert's Son, John P. Campbell: Who, after completing his studies, became a very distinguished Presbyterian Clergyman. He resided first in Virginia - afterwards, in Kentucky, and died, I think, in the State of Ohio. His first wife was a Miss Pags - His last wife was a Miss McDowell - full cousin to my first wife, E. McDowell.

Jane Campbell married Alexander McPheeters, a distant relation of mine, and the Father of Robert McPheeters - now a Ruling Elder in Bethel church Augusta Ct.

Joseph Walker, one of the Brothers of my Grandmother, and seventh child of John Walker of Wigton - Scotland -was my mother's Uncle - He was born July 15th 1722, as before noticed, and lived to a great age. The last years of his life were spent in Kentucky, where I saw him several times, and once or twice, visited him at his own house.

When I last visited that state, in the year 1805, this aged and venerable man was, I think, still living. He was a Rulling Elder in the Presbyterian church - a sensible and influential man - pios, and much gifted in prayer.

From him, chilefly, has been derived my Memorandums respecting my Grandfather, James Moore, and respecting the Scottish Ancestors of my Grandmother, Jane Walker.

He died many years ago: but of the particulars of his death, I have not been informed.

Nor do I know anyrthing respecting his children, except that he had a daughter named Sarah Walker, who married John Paxton, the Father of the Rev. John D. Paxton and now a resident of the State of Kentucky.

Since recording the foregoing particulars respecting Joseph Walker, my Grandmother's Youngest Brother, I have found an old letter, addressed to me, while living in Augusta, bu the rev. John P. Campbell of Kentucky- and dated August 1st 1806.

In this letter he notices the death of Joseph Walker, and furnished the following particulars.

Our venerable Uncle , Joseph Walker, died about two weeks ago. The compnay around him, had sung, at his request the 28th Humn 2nd Book - Dr. Watt's. As follows

Stoop down my thoughts, that used to rise

Converse awhile with death.

Think how agasping mortal lies

and pants away his breath.

And when they had sung the whole hymn, he asked them to sing the last verse over again. They did so - and he joined with them.

Jesus to thy dear faithful hand,

My naked Soul I trust

And my flesh waits for they commad,

To drop into my dust.

Then saying "It is enough" he turned upon his side, and in a short time, respired.

Thus died that good man. "Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord."

He was born about the middle of July 1722, and departed this life about the middle of the same month 1806. Aged eighty four years.

___________________________________________________________

Commentary:*NB:Generation 3 appears to be an error. Jane Walker who married James Moore is commonly believed to be the daughter of John Walker II and Katherine Rutherford, not their granddaughter.

There is a significant difference between McPheeter's account of the family history, and that provided by White, 1902. In generation 3 McPheeters identifies his mothers grandfather as John Walker married to "name unknown". White 1902 identifies his mothers grandparents as John Walker II and Katherine Rutherford. McPheeters identifies the later couple as his mothers great grandparents. Either McPheeters or White is in substantial error. We generally assume that White is right unless we can show that she is wrong, but that's an arbitrary assumption. In this particular instance, there seems to be no reason to doubt White; DOB's and DOD's surrounding her lineage seem consistent with her description and not with McPheeters. Perhaps the reason McPheeters is unable to identify the name of the wife in generation 3, and the name of the husband in generation 4, is because he has split the family into two separate generations. If McPheeters is in fact in error in this (and I think he is), then that is a significant mark against our ability to use his testimony about family relations 5 generations deep. If he was unable to correctly identify his great great grandparents, why would we give credence to his identification of his great great grandparents? This may indicate a simple confusion, but McPheeters testimony is our ony evidence that approaches primary stature, for a connection to John Rutherford, and beyond that to Rev. Samuel Rutherford and the Rev. Joseph Alleine.

Another possibility is that McPheeters attempted to explain away a disconnect in the family tree as he saw it. He identifies his source for information on his mothers line as his mother's uncle, Joseph Walker. White 1902 identifies him as his mother's son, not her uncle. McPheeters would have seen that as impossible, since that would make Joseph his brother, which he obviously would have known was not the case. This particular Joseph Walker is known, however to be in the Natural Bridge line, not the Walkers Creek line. On that basis we believe he could be neither the son of Katherine Rutherford, nor her brother. What may have happened here is that McPheeters conflated the two lines, and in doing so realized he needed an extra generation to make the fit that he thought was correct. Hence, we have his lineage with his grandmother's name left "unknown" in one generation, and his great grandfathers name unknown in the previous generation. This may have been the only way he could make his interpretation of descent from Katherine Rutherford (and hence to the Rev. Samuel Rutherford and Rev. Joseph Alleine, fit the available data.