To write and publish a book is no small task–especially a book of more than 1300 pages, and every page filled with specific detail. Yet this has been accomplished because our Executive Secretary is a man of the ability and dedication of Rodney W. Walker. He virtually did it all. The task was made easier when a word-processing computer and printer were purchased with Walker Family Organization funds.

Rodney Walker typed every character, word, line and page of this book. This includes 30,000 names, an average of 26 names and 4.5 families per page–each identified through the one to seven generations that link that person with John Walker. Work started in November, 1980, and ended five years later in December, 1985.

Averaging seven hours per day on the computer keyboard, he entered the data, corrected the files, and generated printouts to be mailed to families for verification. The computer’s display screen wore out and two disk drive motors gave up; but Rodney kept going for five years of dedicated, persistent, loving work. His Newsletter announcements and progress reports produced nearly 1,000 advance paid orders.

We acknowledge his exemplary service as Executive Secretary to our officers and members during many years of unselfish devotion, and express our love, gratitude, and admiration. Through the years, we have often been inspired by his cheerful and productive life, although he was without normal speech or hearing. And we have been impressed by the way he and his wife have provided for their family, and by their support of him. His retirement years have brought great accomplishment, including the publication of this book, which will stand for generations as a monument not only to John Walker and his descendants, but also to him.

JOHN WALKER FAMILY ORGANIZATION
Elwood W. Chambers, President

“May each individual, like a thread, be woven into a family”
–Rodney Wilson Walker

In the New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 01. 7 (1853), p 46, there appears the following deposition by Robert Walker of Boston:

“Robert Walker of Boston, Linnen webster, aged about 72 years, … ”

Webster’s dictionary defines the word “Webster” as a weaver.

“…Walkers, and they did not get their names for progressing on their feet. After the cloth was woven it had to be trampled on, or beaten in water for hours to soft en and cleanse it before it was f it for use. “Walker” is the old word for the man who performed this task in the simplest way. –English Surnames by C. M. Matthews (1967) p. 86

“The family name Walker is a good example of this evoluntionary development of names, for Walker is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word wealcere. A wealcere was the man who performed the task of beating or “walking” on new-made cloth in order to cleanse and soften it. –American Genealogical Research Institute (1972)

By Noel C Stevenson

John Walker is a descendant of one of the early comers to New England, namely Robert Walker of Boston. In the Essex County, Massachusetts Court Records is an original of a deposition made by one Robert Walker. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the Robert Walker who made this deposition is one and the same Robert Walker from whom our ancestor John descends. This deposition discloses that Robert Walker was born c. 1607, inasmuch as he was 72 in 1679 and he was probably born in Manchester, England. That being the case, our Robert Walker is probably son of Thomas Walker of Higher Ardwick in the Parish of Manchester, and Margaret (Bardsley) Walker. At least, several genealogists have assigned him those parents. Although the fact is, there is not sufficient evidence to definitely prove that Robert is the son of Thomas and Margaret and for that reason we will commence the ancestry of John Walker with Robert Walker, from whom we can prove he descended.

1. ROBERT Walker, born c 1607, emigrated from Manchester, Lancashire, England, and settled in Boston, Massachusetts by 1631. He joined the Church in Boston in 1632, became a freeman on 14 May 1634, and was a founder of the Old South Church at Boston in 1669. He owned a house and garden bounded on the north by Boston Common. He died 29 May 1687 in Boston. An account is given of his death and burial in the Diary of Judge Samuel Sewall:

“May 29 (1687) Sabbath…Dame Walker desired me to pray with her husband, which I do…Robert Walker dies, about a quarter after twelve. He was a very good man and conversant among God’s New England people from the beginning…Tuesday, (May 31st, 1687) Goodm(an) Walker is buried, Capt. Eliot, Frary, Hill, Deacon Allen, Mr. Blake, Pain. Bearers: Mr. Saunderson and Goodm(an) Serch lead the Widow. Gov. Bradstreet, Mr. Cook, Mr. Addington, with the chief guests, were at our house. Burial over about four o’clock.”

Letters of Administration were granted to his widow, Sarah Walker, on 17th August 1687. Samuel Sewall was one of the sureties on her bond as administratrix.

Robert Walker married about 1635, probably at Boston, Sarah (Leager?). She was born about 1611 and died at Boston, 21 December 1695.