William Walker

This article details 5 lines of evidence that prove the lineage of Col. George Walker III through William Walker to the Mullins family (presented in Sections 1-5 below).

Section 1: Evidence Through William’s Handwriting

William Walker wrote on 4 marriage bonds allowing handwriting comparisons (below):

1. William Walker m. Sarah Holcombe [1], Campbell County, VA, 1804, signed by William, witnessed by Samuel Venable (Sarah’s uncle, brother of her mother, Martha Venable [2]). On this bond, the father’s permission is signed by J. Holcombe, but the text of the permission is clearly in different handwriting, and appears to have been written by the groom, William Walker.
2. Jane Curl Walker m. Martin Luther Hawkins [3], Jessamine County, KY, 1823; father’s permission written and signed by Jane’s father, William Walker.
3. Martha Ann Walker m. Robert Howe Paris [4], Jessamine County, KY, 1822; father’s permission written and signed by Martha’s (and Jane’s) father, William Walker.
4. George Ann Walker m. John Anderson [5] , Barren County, KY, 1828; father’s permission written and signed by George Ann’s (and Jane’s) father, William Walker.

First, the “William Walker” signatures from the 4 marriage bonds were isolated and compared (first block below). The 3 signatures from the William Walker we know to be Jane’s father are very similar to the signature of William Walker, groom of Sarah Holcombe in 1804. Also compared is the word “Will” written by Jane’s father on her 1823 marriage bond, for comparison with “Will” as Walker signed his first name on the 1804 document, again very similar.

Second, in examining the paragraph of written text that constitutes J. Holcombe’s permission for Sarah Holcombe to marry William Walker in 1804, it is clear that the handwriting of this paragraph differs substantially from the handwriting of the signature of J. Holcombe. Further, the name “William Walker” as written in the permission paragraph is almost identical to the signature of “William Walker” signing the same bond as the groom.

It appears that William Walker, groom of Sarah Holcombe, hand wrote the permission paragraph for his father-in-law, J. Holcombe, to sign. There are 2 possible reasons we can imagine, and of course there may be others (such as simple expediency):

• William Walker was an attorney (documented below), and the family may have depended on him for the wording of the paragraph.
• John Holcombe was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and was wounded at the Battle of Germantown in 1777 (see verification of his Invalid status below [accent on the first syllable of “Invalid”]). Perhaps John Holcombe was somewhat infirm by 1804.

Comparing various words and phrases from the permission paragraph from 1804, with the same words and phrases from William Walker’s 3 permission paragraphs from the marriage bonds of 1822, 1823, and 1828 (second block below), it appears likely that the same individual hand wrote the permission paragraph on all four of these documents.

Further, when these similarities are taken together with the 4 “Walker” signatures and the “William Walker” from the permission paragraph of the 1804 bond, it appears clear that the permission paragraphs and “Walker” signatures on all 4 marriage bonds were written by the same person. Therefore the William Walker who married Sarah Holcombe in 1804, in Campbell Co., VA, is the same William Walker who was father to Martha Ann, Jane Curl, and George Ann Walker.

Section 2: Evidence Within 1880 U.S. Census

Three separate pages from the 1880 U.S. Census, respectively for Jane Curl Walker Hawkins and 2 of her siblings, indicate that Jane Curl Walker’s parents were born in Virginia:

• Jane Curl (Walker) Hawkins: The 1880 Prairie Township, AK, census [6] shows Jane C. Hawkins (mother-in-law), born Kentucky (col.. 24), father born VA (col. 25), mother born VA (col. 26).
• George Ann (Walker) Anderson: The 1880 New Orleans [7] shows George Ann Anderson (mother), born Kentucky (col. 24), father born Va (col. 25), mother born Va (col. 26).

  [There is one oddity on this census: George Ann (Walker) Anderson died in New Orleans on November 9, 1879, yet she is listed on this 1880 census, with a single line strike through her name. The daughter and granddaughter listed are hers, so this is the correct George Ann Walker. Her listed demographic information is all accurate, except for the rather major error of the implication that she was alive at the time of the census. Perhaps the census page was prepared from data collected the year before?]

• Algernon Sydney Walker: The 1880 Scottsville, KY, census [8] shows Algernon S. Walker (physician), born KY (col. 24), father born VA (col. 25), mother born VA (col. 26).

Section 3: Evidence Of Lineage

This section presents evidence that Jane Curl Walker’s father, William Walker, was the son of the George Walker whose will was written December 22, 1798, proved March 1800, in Jessamine County, KY. It is necessary to discuss the will of Col. George Walker at this point to confirm the dates and places of residence of his son, William Walker.

George Walker’s Will

The will of George Walker [9] lists wife Priscilla, 4 sons (William, David, Benjamin, and Jacob), and daughter (Nancy). According to the will, Jacob was not of full age as of 1798. The will names two executors: Son William Walker, and George Walker.

In the will, George Walker d. 1800 states that he leaves “the [farm] whereon I now live” to his eldest son William. We assert that this William Walker still lived in Jessamine County 10 years later, on the farm he inherited from his father and appears on the 1810 Jessamine census [10]. [The 1800 census was lost.]

1810 U.S. Census

The following is evidence that the William Walker who appears on the 1810 Jessamine Co. census is the same William Walker mentioned in George Walker’s 1798 will:

• A search on ancestry.com shows just 1 William Walker living in Jessamine County, KY, in 1810.
• The entry on the 1810 census shows William Walker age 25-44. George Walker’s son William was at least 23 in 1798 (because according to the will, only his youngest brother Jacob was under 21 at that time), so he was at least 35 in 1810.
• On the same census page, 2 entries above William is Priscilla Walker, age over 44, presumably William’s mother, as mentioned in George Walker’s will. On this 1810 census page, William Walker and Priscilla are owning a farm (or a divided farm) consistent with their owning the farm left to William in the will of George Walker. It is unclear why they are listed separately. They appear to be listed together on one farm on the 1820 census (see below).
• The 1810 census entry just above Priscilla Walker is the only George Walker on the 1810 Jessamine County census, and the family demographics are consistent with this being the second co-executor of George Walker’s 1798 will. Specifically, this “co-executor” George Walker m. Rachel Caffery is known historically to have had at least 9 sons and is shown as such on the census page (see further discussion about this historical George Walker below). These facts support the conclusion that the William Walker on the 1810 census is the same William Walker who was the son of George and Priscilla Walker, who was the inheritor of the Jessamine County farm, and who was the co-executor of the 1798 will.
• This 1810 census entry for William Walker also appears to be the father of Jane Curl Walker. William Walker is shown with 3 daughters under 10 (Martha Ann, Jane Curl, and George Ann) and no sons. [The marriage bonds in Section 1 confirm William had these 3 daughters.] The 1810 census entry thus fits the profile of the father of Jane Curl Walker and 2 other daughters, and is the only William Walker in Jessamine County. Therefore, this 1810 census entry is evidence that William Walker, the legatee of the 1798 will, is the father of Jane Curl Walker. The evidence is strengthened by continuing to follow William Walker in historical records.
• The 1820 Jessamine census [11] continues to show just one William Walker in Jessamine County (see ancestry.com search, page D41). On this 1820 census, William Walker is the owner of a farm owner. The census entry for William Walker’s family shows one female over 45, probably William’s mother, Priscilla, now listed living with her son, and shows their combined farm. This 1820 census entry shows 3 males under age 10, corresponding to Jane Curl Walker’s brothers (Algernon Sydney, Elbridge Gerry, and John). It also shows several young adults whose identities are unknown to us, but some may be (grown) children of the co-executor of George Walker’s will, George Walker, who died in 1819 (see below).
• The continuum of evidence of this William Walker, resident and farm owner in Jessamine County, continues with his signature on the 2 wedding bonds from Jessamine County (discussed in Section 1), from 1822 and 1823.
• In about 1828, William Walker moved his family to Allen County, KY, where he was admitted before the court as an attorney in July 1829 [12]. He is listed in the 1830 Scottsville census [13] shown with 3 sons ages 10 to 20; again corresponding to Algernon Sydney, Elbridge Gerry, and John. We can explain 2 of the 3 young daughters shown on this census entry (Sarah H. and Mary E.), but have no record of the third young female on this census. Note that 2 of William’s older children and their families have moved with him to Scottsville and are shown on the same 1830 Scottsville census page: Robert and Martha Ann Paris, and John and George Ann Anderson.
• William Walker was appointed an Allen County Attorney [14] in October 1831. He had died in Allen County by October 1832, when a notation in the Allen County Day Book references his “heirs and representatives” [15].

The above 9 bullet points represent a continuum in the record of William Walker, son of George Walker (d. 1800), and father of Jane Curl Walker.

Co-Executor Of George Walker’s 1798 Will

Co-executor George Walker (of the 1798 will) shown on the 1810 Jessamine census was a second cousin of William Walker’s; the two shared common great grandparents George Walker m. Anne Keith (of Elizabeth City, VA). There is a print source by J. Estelle Stuart King, “Abstracts of Early Kentucky Wills and Inventories,” Genealogical Printing Company, Baltimore, 1969, that states in error that the co-executor George Walker was a son of the 1798 will’s author [this book is quoted on various internet sites].

However, the will [16] states several times that George Sr.’s 4 sons were William, David, Benjamin, and Jacob, and did not include a George Jr. The sentence naming the executors was misread by Ms. King or her researcher: The will [17] appoints as executors “my son William Walker & George Walker,” not “sons.”

The co-executor George Walker was the son of George Walker (d. 1780) m. Mary Meade of Brunswick County, VA. He

• married Rachel Caffery and had at least 9 sons with her;
• moved from Virginia to Jessamine County in 1794 with at least two of his siblings, Jacob Wythe Walker and Courtney Walker, and is listed as brother and executor in Courtney Walker’s will proved in Jessamine County in March 1804
• was the second attorney to open an office in Nicholasville, Jessamine County, KY (in 1799);
• served as a Colonel and staff member of Kentucky Governor Shelby during the War of 1812;
• was an appointed U.S. Senator from Kentucky for 4 months in 1814; and
• died in 1819.

Growing Up In Prince Edward County, VA

William Walker’s father, Col. George Walker, was a long-time resident of Prince Edward County, VA, before moving his family to Jessamine Co., KY. George Walker served as Colonel in the Prince Edward Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War. John Holcombe was also a long-time resident of Prince Edward County, VA. Thus, William Walker and Sarah Holcombe grew up in Prince Edward County.

John Holcombe served as a Captain in the Virginia Colonial Army in Prince Edward Co. in 1773 [18]. George Walker also served as a Captain in the Prince Edward Co. Colonial Army, in 1767 [19]. During the Revolutionary War, Holcombe served as a Captain in the 41st Regiment, Continental Army, and later as a Colonel in the Virginia militia [20]. Walker also served as Colonel in the Virginia militia [21].

John Holcombe continued residence in Prince Edward Co. is confirmed by his listing in Prince Edward Co., VA, on the Virginia Census of 1787 [22]. The index [23] shows 2 individuals who could be the “J. Holcombe” of the marriage bond of William Walker and Sarah Holcombe: Both are John Holcombe.

The John Holcombe of Prince William County owns no listed assets and is unlikely to be the father of Sarah. The other John Holcombe is shown as a resident of Prince Edward, with extensive assets, and also owns land in Cumberland County [24].

This land in Cumberland County tied George Walker and John Holcombe in a 1791 indenture: Holcombe sold Walker land in Cumberland Co. [25].

Finally, John Holcombe later moved his family to Campbell Co., VA [26]. William Walker married Sarah Holcombe in Campbell County.

To summarize, the facts discussed above show that

• John Holcombe and George Walker were residents of Prince Edward County when William Walker and Sarah Holcombe were growing up.
• George Walker and John Holcombe both served in the Prince Edward, Virginia, Colonial Army and that they affected an indenture in 1791, proving that the families were acquainted.
• John Holcombe moved to Campbell County, VA, where William Walker returned to marry Sarah Holcombe.

Section 4: Evidence Of Jane’s Lineage

Three historical texts reference the connection between the Jessamine County Walker family and the Walkers of Virginia.

• Perrin, Battle & Kniffin, “Kentucky – A History of the State,” F.A. Battey & Company, 1887, page 759, gives a biography of one of Algernon Walker’s sons, Elbridge Walker. The biography states that Algernon’s father was William Walker, a successful lawyer, and that Algernon’s grandfather was George Walker of Virginia, who emigrated to Jessamine County, KY.
• Paul Thompson, “The History of the Orphan Brigade.” Lewis N. Thompson publishing, 1898, page 503, gives a brief biography of Captain David C. Walker, son of Algernon Sydney Walker. The chapter states that Algernon was descended from “the Walkers and Holcombs of …Virginia.” The chapter does contain a couple of errors, including stating that the Walkers and Holcombs lived in Albemarle County, Virginia, which we have no evidence was ever true.
• Mrs. Lewis D. McPherson, “The Holcombes Nation Builders,” Quintin Publications, 1947, p. 729, references John Holcombe and wife Martha Venable; their daughter Sarah Holcombe m. William Walker; and the Walker children, including Jane Walker. The book also details descendants of Jane’s sister, Martha Ann Walker Paris, for 5 more generations, into the early 1940s.

These references are provided as evidence that historical and family tradition recognized the lineage from John Holcombe and Martha Venable to Sarah Holcombe; from Col. George Walker to William Walker; and from these to Jane Curl Walker.

These 3 books are valuable historical references, and the McPherson book in particular is a monumental achievement of family genealogy research. However, in the custom of their day, the narrative in each book mixes documented with undocumented facts, and long-held assumptions (some of which turn out to be in error). Therefore, these texts can only serve as guidelines for more definitive research.

Section 5: Documentation Of Birth, Marriage, And Death Places/Dates

Jane Curl Walker‘s middle name is documented on a family letter [27], written to her by her grandson, Rev. William Brodie of Coleman, Texas, in 1881. The letter opens as follows:

“Mrs. Jane Curl Hawkins Dear Grandma,”

William Walker’s latest possible birth year can be deduced from his father’s will, which was signed on December 22, 1798. The will lists 4 sons, with William clearly the oldest (he is named first, inherited the father’s farm, and was executor of the will). The will explicitly states that one son, Jacob, was underage. This places the birth year of the other three sons at least 21 years before 1798 or 1777. Because William was the oldest, his birth year must have been before 1776.

As noted above, William’s appointment as a County Attorney for Allen County, KY, was recorded in October 1831, and his “heirs and representatives” are referenced in the Allen County Day Book in October 1832, placing his death between these two dates, or c 1832.

Sarah Holcombe’s birth year can be approximated by her stated age on the following census pages:

• 1810 Jessamine, KY: age 16-25
• 1820 Jessamine, KY: age 20-45
• 1830 Allen Co., KY: age 40-50 (shown living with her daughter George Ann and son-in-law, Jonathan Anderson)

The 1810 census establishes her earliest possible birth year of 1785. The 1830 census establishes her latest birth year of 1790. The 1820 census is compatible with this range.

Her date of death is known from a family letter [28] dated July 27, 1850, written to Jane C. (Walker) Hawkins by her brother, Elbridge Walker. The letter opens with the following:

“Vicksburg, Miss July 27 1850

My Dearest Sister

I received a letter this morning from Brother Sidney [Algernon Sidney Walker] informing me that our dearest old mother was fast failing and that he had entirely despaired of her recovery, that she has sank rapidly in the last few days before he wrote. His letter was dated the 16th instant. I hasten to lay this sad intelligence before you. We should be prepared at all times to hear of the death of the old and infirm. You know that our dearest old Mother was always feeble, and that she has weathered the storms of life much longer than any who knew her ever expected, so my Sister we should not mourn or repine when we shall hear of her deceased…”

Family records indicate that Sarah Holcombe had in fact died by the time this letter was written. Based on the state of Sarah’s health described on July 16, we feel comfortable placing her death in July 1850. Her place of death was Allen County, KY. She was living with her son, Algernon Sidney Walker (referenced in the letter above), and is shown living with his family on the 1850 Scottsville census [29].

The marriage date and place for William Walker and Sarah Holcombe is established by the marriage bond [30].

© 2013 W. Mullins