WALKER DNA:
My name is Fred Coffey, and I have been doing genealogical research on the Walker branch of my family. I recently located a distant male Walker cousin, Craig Walker, and persuaded him to get a y-DNA test at FTDNA.com. A match of this DNA has now been found, to three other members of the Walker DNA project.
One of my ancestors is Robert Walker Esquire, of Surry County, North Carolina. If you are curious, you can read about him at the following:
http://www.coffey.ws/familytree/familynotes/AboutRobertWalkerEsq.htm
I strongly suspect that all of the tested men are closely related to this Robert. I initially thought they might all be descended from Robert, but another researcher takes exception to that view – and heÕs probably right.
So, in the following I will display the alternative view in TAN ITALICS
like the sentence you are now reading. This opinion, probably well founded,
comes from one of the DNA tested persons, Mr. Ralph Edwin Walker, or from his
genealogist cousin Mr. Randy Walker.
A PLAUSIBLE FAMILY TREE?
Let me stick out my neck, and postulate that Òthe four tested men all descend from Robert Walker EsquireÓ. And then weÕll see what holes get poked in this theory:
I examined the posted family trees of the three DNA matches to Craig. The DNA test clearly says that the four tested men are related, and they all seem to have connections to the same region. Therefore I have tried to construct a plausible family tree that incorporates all four men.
Following, in black, is the family tree that Craig and I have in common. To this I have appended in RED the additions that might explain how the other three men's family trees could fit in. Note in the following that the tested men are Craig A. Walker, James E. Walker, James Leonidus Walker, and Ralph Edwin Walker. My name (Leo Frederick Coffey) is there, but since I donÕt have Walker DNA I am really just an ÒobserverÓ:
Robert
WALKER Esq. (Abt 1717/20 - bef. Aug 1786) &
Unknown
. . Robert WALKER Jr. (1 Sep 1748 - ) & Mary JONES (1 Nov 1758 - 9 Jun 1853)
. . . . Robert
WALKER III (7 Dec 1783 - 14 Jun 1850) & Dorcas
SIMMS (17 Mar 1788 - 10 Mar 1866)
. . . . . . John
WALKER (17 Nov 1813 - 11 Sep 1871)
. . . . . . . .
William WALKER (7 May 1838 - 10 Nov 1909)
. . . . . . . .
. . Raleigh C WALKER (16 Jun 1865 - 2 May 1946)
. . . . . . . .
. . . . Don R. WALKER
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . Craig A. WALKER
. . . . William
WALKER (27 Mar 1790 - Jun 1855) & Catharine KIMBREL
. . . . . . Bartlett
Yancy WALKER (10 Oct 1819 - 19 Mar 1912) &
Frances Nixon MAXEY
. . . . . . . .
Cyrus WALKER (7 Jan 1847 - 4 Sep 1925) & Laura Etta MYERS
. . . . . . . .
. . Everett Elmer WALKER (6 Feb 1882 - 1948) & Linnie
Ellen MACHLAN
. . . . . . . .
. . . . Elsie Maureen WALKER & Leo N. COFFEY
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . Leo Frederick COFFEY
. . William WALKER (1750 - Aug 1814)
. . John WALKER
. . . . John Walker. Jr. b: WFT Est. 1734-1769 d: 1814 + Margaret
.
. . . . . John Walker III b ca 1797 m Mary b1805 d 1852
.
. . . . . . . William H. Walker b 1827 SC
.
. . . . . . . . . John Ruben Walker b 1851 St. Clair Co., AL
.
. . . . . . . . . . . Father of Participant
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . James
E. Walker
.
. . . . . William Walker b 31 Dec 1785 RI
.
. . . . . . . Spencer Walker b 20 May 1823 SC
.
. . . . . . . . . James Edward Henry Walker b 30 Aug 1851 NC
.
. . . . . . . . . . . Nathan Madison Walker b 21 Feb 1880 NC
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . James
Leonidus Walker
. . James WALKER
. . David WALKER (bef 1767 - aft 1850) m Sarah
McPherson
.
. . . Alvis Walker. b
NC 14 Jun 1795 m Margaret Pratt
.
. . . . . Armstead Walker b NC 1817 m
Paulina Petree
.
. . . . . . . John William Walker b NC 9 Feb 1851 m Charity Southern
.
. . . . . . . . . Armstead Henderson Walker
.
. . . . . . . . . . . Father of DNA Participant
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Ralph
Edwin Walker
. . Mary WALKER
. . Hannah WALKER
Robert
WALKER Esq. (Abt 1717/20 - bef. Aug 1786) & Mary
(his second wife)
. . Elizabeth WALKER
. . Polly WALKER
Now, with that on the table, letÕs talk about the Walker DNA Project. You can visit their web page if you click on the following:
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Walker%20DNA%20Project%20mtDNA%20Results/
The Walker DNA Project is one of the largest, with 483 participants as of May 2008. The match of Craig is only to their "GROUP 42", which has only 4 members including Craig. CraigÕs genealogy is above, and the other three men already in "GROUP 42" provided the following information on their genealogy:
23049 Ralph Edwin Walker
descended from:
David Walker b (in PA ?) 14
Sep 1765 m Sarah McPherson
Alvis Walker b NC 14 Jun 1795 m Margaret (Peggy) Pratt
Armstead Walker b NC 1817 m Paulina Petree
John William Walker b NC 9 Feb 1851 m Charity Mary Chisolm Southern
Armstead Henderson Walker b NC 19 Sep 1883 m Emily Brown
Father of DNA Participant
DNA Participant
85166 James E. Walker
descended from:
John Walker b ca 1797 m Mary b 1805 d 1852
William H. Walker b 1827 SC d ca 1861 m 1850 Calhoun
Co., AL m Synthia Ann Putman b 1835 AL d 1913
John Ruben Walker b 1851 St. Clair Co., AL d 1912 St.
Clair Co., AL m 1882 St. Clair Co., AL, Delilah Malinda Chapman b 1858 St.
Clair Co., AL d 1947 St. Clair Co., AL
Father of Participant
DNA Participant
N51421 James L. "Jim" Walker, II
DNA test
participant descended from:
John Walker and Margaret ? (unconfirmed oral history)
William Walker (b 31 Dec 1785 RI, d Abt. 1865) mar. 27
Aug 1821 Martha Laphan (b 01 Mar 1795 RI, d Abt.
1872; dau James Joseph Laphan
and Jemima Ramsdell)
Spencer Walker (b 20 May 1823 SC, d Abt. 1891) mar. 05
Sep 1850 Nancy Tabitha Hyatt (b 14 Nov 1829 Haywood County, NC, d 12 Apr 1906; dau Nathaniel Hyatt and Ruth Ann Sherrill)
James Edward Henry Walker (b 30 Aug 1851, d 16 Dec
1938) mar. Dorothy Emiline Hawkins (b 20 Jun 1852
Haywood County, NC, d 11 Nov 1942; dau Benjamin
Franklin Hawkins and Mascinda Adele Battle)
Nathan Madison Walker (b 21 Feb 1880 Crabtree, NC, d
02 Jan 1968) mar. 30 Oct 1910 Martha Lorena Hyatt (b 27 Jan 1884 Haywood
County, NC, d 06 Jul 1964; dau Samuel Leonidas Hyatt and Eliza Catherine Winchester)
James Leonidus Walker (b 10
Feb 1921 Clyde, NC, d 09 Jan 1998)
A RELATED WALKER FAMILY:
Now, I also wish to introduce into evidence another family tree that I found on ancestry.com, at the following link:
http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v71t1400&id=I0249
1 John WALKER b: WFT Est. 1734-1769 d: 1814
+
Margaret (UNKNOWN) b: WFT Est. 1741-1769 d: WFT Est. 1801-1859
2 John WALKER b: 1797 d: WFT Est. 1837-1888
+ Mary WALKER b: 1805 d: 29 JUL 1852
3 William H. WALKER b:
1827 d: ABT. 1861
+ Synthia "Cynthia" Ann PUTMAN b: 1835 d: WFT Est.
1864-1929
4 John Ruben WALKER b: 8 SEP 1851 d: 5 MAY 1912
+ Rebecca Ann M. COCHRAN b: ABT. 1851 d: ABT. 1877
5 Lewis Early WALKER b: 24 FEB 1900 d: 22 JUL 1975
This tree contains elements of the latter two of the tested people, but also introduces one additional generation, the "John Walker who married Margaret". Also important, it offers additional detail and discussion on each of the generations. Of particular interest is that the data on the first "John Walker" includes children named John, David, William, Mary, and Elizabeth. And these are all names that also are found in the family of our Robert Walker, Esq., suggesting they may be named after favored aunts and uncles?
THE FAMILY OF ROBERT WALKER, ESQUIRE:
However the first evidence for a link to the DNA-tested men is based on Robert's will, which I quote here:
Will of Robert Walker of Richmond, Surry County, March
1786, Wife Mary gets
Negro Peter, choice of plantations, etc. Son James gets 400 acres on east side
of Tennessee River and 300 acres on Duck River and L50 when he comes of age. He
is to be educated in English, arithmetic & astronomy. Son David gets 300 Acres on Duck Crk,
500 A on West side Tenn. River, 500 Acres on East side Tenn. River and L25 when
he comes of age & L5 to buy a watch, buckles and hat and a negro.
Daughter Polly (by last wife) gets negro Lucy, horse
& saddle, etc. Dau. Betsy (by last wife) gets negro child Masen, horse and
saddle etc. Son Robert gets 300 acres on Duck River and 5 shillings & 300
acres and L50. Robert Walker, son of my son William, gets 300 acres on west
side of Tennessee River and L25 for his learning. Son of my son John Walker if he has a son called Robert Walker
- same as above. Robert Wright my grandson, son of Silly Wright to have 200
acres on East side Tennessee River. Mary Miller, dau
of Betsey Miller to have 200 acres on West side Tennessee River. Sons William
& John Walker get 5
shillings each. Daughters Elizabeth Miller & Mary Wright get
5 shillings each. Mary Walker & Hannah Walker each get 5
shillings. Executors were Mary,
son Robert, Col. Martin Armstong. No witnesses.
Handwriting proved by Joseph Williams, John Randleman, Malcum
Curry, William Hughlett, John Armstrong, John Thos. Longino &
James Gaines. Recorded August 1786.
Now, the strongest evidence for a family relationship is of course the DNA. Beyond that it is circumstantial and speculative. However I suggest that it is possible that two of the tested men descend from his son John Walker, and the third descends from his son David Walker. I note that ALL of these trees show connections to the Carolinas.
Now, first reference in this Will is to Son David, who has not yet "come of age" when this will was written in March 1786. That means he must have been born after March 1765. Also, this David is married and participating in a land transaction by 1788 (see below), so he must have been quite close to maturity when the Will was written. Now, one of the tested men thinks his "David" was born 14 Sep 1765, and that does fit!
The second relevant reference is to Son John. Curiously, son John himself only got the magnificent sum of 5 shillings, but then so did most of Robert's other children. This could mean one of two things: (1) Robert was upset with several of his children, and wanted to effectively cut them out of his will. Or (2) he felt that those particular children were already adequately provided for either through marriage or through other gifts.
Now, if these tested men are indeed connected to Robert Walker, then why do none of the postulated families of David and John have children or grandchildren named Robert? It is VERY apparent that Robert felt strongly about having his name handed down!
Here's where I'm slightly inclined to favor the "family discord" theory. Perhaps John, and maybe later David, were somehow very upset with their father, and resolved to NEVER name one of their children "Robert"? Note the really strange wording "Son of my son John Walker if he has a son called Robert Walker", clearly stating that Robert Esquire's grandson will only receive his inheritance IF he complies and comes up with a "son called Robert".
I am unclear about the phrase "Son of my son John". Does "John" refer to the "Son", or to the "Son of my son"? Or are both generations named "John"? I've tentatively assumed the latter. And, if so, then there must be a "John III", because the "John Walker b ca 1797" in James E. Walker's tree was not around when the Will was written in 1786. (If the date in James' tree were "b before 1786", then the extra generation would not be needed.)
(Another interpretation might be based on the fact that his son Robert Walker Jr. had a son named John, who was about 8 years old at the time. Robert Esquire might have meant to say "John Walker, son of my son Robert"? It's confusing.)
THE ALTERNATIVE OPINIONS:
Now, letÕs see what Ralph and Randy have to say:
From Ralph E. Walker:
Ò . . . my
cousin Randy Walker . . . has done most of our research. He has developed
information indicating our David (1765) was the son of RobertÕs brother also
named David who died early and left our David an orphan. Robert deeded land to
our David when he became of age in 1786.Ó
ÒRandy found a land
transaction where Robert Esq described the land being
sold as being next to land previously owned by his brother David, now deceased.
Randy also found court papers where Robert Esq was
made guardian of orphan David & I think two sisters. Rumor was that older
David died in an accident. Randy can tell you more.Ó
This
information also may link to this reference I found in the Surry Court Minutes - click on this link to see.
(More on these minutes in a later discussion.)
A
later note from Randy confirms:
ÒI have looked at many of the
land and tax records, wills, and estates, trying to determine at my best who
belonged to whom. The land transaction from David and his
wife Sarah to Nathan Pike belong directly
in my line. He WAS NOT the son of Robert Esq.
as several have believed. Robert also had a brother that settled here. Legend
has it that 5 brothers settled the US.Ó
I hope to eventually learn more about this David. (One thing that is unclear to me: I wonder if the ÒSon DavidÓ in RobertÕs will was not RobertÕs genetic son, but the son of RobertÕs brother whom Robert had decided to treat as his own son?)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LINKS:
The following may bury the reader in "too much information", but hopefully some of it will be of interest:
Much of what I know about Robert Walker Esquire comes from the County Court Minutes for Surry County, NC, where he served as a justice on the county court. Click here on WalkerConnections, and you will find a discussion everything I learned. Scroll down to Robert Walker to focus your examination.
Now, I have posted the ENTIRE set of court minutes, and you can also examine these. There is a DIRECTORY AND INDEX that you can click on. It's kind of clumsy, but it works.
Most specifically, I think there may be unexplored clues therein to the sons David and John, which might help prove my hypothesis. Roughly a year and a half after Robert's death, which may reflect the time it took to settle Robert's estate, we find references to John and David selling land. The entries read:
"12 May 1788: Deed from John Walker and wife to Edward BOMAN, oath Samuel CLAMPET." (See Link to Page135.)
"14 May 1788: Deed from David WALKER and wife to Nathan PIKE, oath Joseph McPHARSON." (See Link to Page137.)
I think that these deeds might give the names of the wives, which might help establish a link? I'll have a look for them next time I go to a genealogy library.
Note: There is another "John Walker" reference nearly 10 years earlier, see Page15
. However this is to a deceased John in another county, so I think there is no connection to OUR Walker family. Or is there?
