John W. “Squirrel Man” Walker

John W. Walker and his wife, Polly Devers, arrived in Perry County in 1823 from Clay County. Prior to that, John lived in Knox County, Kentucky. They were followed, in 1825, by his brother James Walker and wife, Hannah Barbour. They, in turn, were followed in 1830 by another brother, Christopher Walker and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart.

John was born around 1789/90 in that part of North Carolina that is now Tennessee. He was the son of John and Lucy Walker who arrived in Kentucky around 1799 together with his brother Walter Walker. This latter John Walker and his brother Walter were the sons of another John Walker who was born around 1734 and was a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia in 1757.

John and Polly obtained their first Troublesome Creek land on September 18, 1823 by virtue of a Kentucky Land Warrant for 100 acres. Members of the survey team for this first piece of property, and assumed to be neighbors, were George Smith and Eduard Sizemore. He purchased an additional 134 acres of land from Joseph Cockrell in 1830. John continued to accumulate land along Troublesome Creek, Mill Branch and Walker Branch until, in 1860, he had accumulated 7,000 acres and had real property valued at a healthy $10,000. The 1853 Tax List reflects that thirteen tracts of land owned by John Walker were taxed. Prior to his departure for Texas John sold land to Abel Boggs and George Martin, and transferred the balance to William Devers Walker via a “love and affection” deed. William sold all his land holdings in 1874 and left for Texas.

John and Polly raised four children in Perry County; Martha Walker born in 1826, William Devers Walker born in 1827, Alexander Sherman Walker born in 1830 and James Calhoun Walker born in1837. Martha married a James Martin in 1841 and moved shortly thereafter to Gibson County, Tennessee. William married Susannah Martin in 1852 and remained in Perry County until 1874 when he moved to Delta County, Texas. Alexander married Betsy Allen in 1847 and moved to Carter County, Kentucky in 1858. James married Catherine Martin of Floyd County in 1861 and remained in Floyd County until 1867 when he moved to Delta County, Texas. One other individual, John Walker Jr., born in 1814, is attributed by some to be the son of John Walker Sr. but proof of that relationship has not been located and he could well be the son of Christopher Walker and Elizabeth Stewart. John Walker Jr. remained in Perry County until his death in 1898 and many of his descendants reside there today.

John Walker and two of his sons, Alexander and James, served in the military. John served in the War of 1812 in the Company of Arthur Ambrose of Knox County, Kentucky. He participated in the Siege of Fort Meigs in Maumee, Ohio. Alexander served under Captain Jones, Company G of the 22nd Kentucky Volunteers, Federal Army, during the Civil War from October 25th, 1861 through August 21st, 1862. On the latter date he was captured by Confederate Forces under the command of General E. Kirby Smith while hospitalized in Barboursville, Kentucky. James enlisted in the Confederate Army, 13th Kentucky Cavalry, on October 10, 1862 while living in Floyd County, Kentucky and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on November 2, 1862. He was captured at the Battle of Cynthiana on June 12, 1864 and taken to Louisville Prison. He was transferred to Johnson's Island Prison on July 29, 1864 and promoted to Captain while in prison. He was taken to Cincinnati, OH for trial on March 9, 1865. He escaped from McLean Barracks on June 30, 1865 at 3:00 AM by obtaining a rope and lowering himself down through a window.

John and Polly moved to Delta County, Texas in the latter part of 1870 and joined their son, James Calhoun Walker, who preceded them in 1867. John had died by October 1873 and is buried in the Waller Graveyard in Ben Franklin, Delta County, Texas. We know not when Polly died but she, too, is buried in the Waller Graveyard. Their sons, Alexander Sherman Walker and William Devers Walker also moved to Delta County, Texas where William died in the Spring of 1875. Alexander returned to Carter County, Kentucky in 1899 and there died.

The history of this family can be found on the Internet at:  . Bob Walker, the great-great-grandson of John W. Walker and Polly Devers.

Sumitted by Bob Walker