My oldest known ancestor was Phillip Walker, Sr., who was born about 1736 and died in Orange County, NC in 1826, leaving a will naming his children, but not his wife, who had apparently preceded him in death. The evidence strongly suggests that Phillip Walker, Sr. was the brother of the John Walker, Sr. who married Nancy Ashford. A descendant of John's wrote, "John and his brother, Phillip, came to America from Ireland before the Revolutionary War. They settled in Maryland, then on to Pennsylvania and finally to Orange County, NC." Phillip, Sr. and John lived in the same general area, along Jordan Creek in Orange County, however, after the counties were divided, John lived in Caswell County and Phillip, Sr. lived in Alamance County, NC.
John Walker, Sr. and Nancy Ashford were the parents of 11 boys: William, Phillip, John, Aaron, Abner, Rev. Hugh, George, Ashford, James, Job, Joshua. As far as I know, all the sons died in North Carolina except Ashford who died in Haywood County, TN and Job, who died in Fayette County, TN. Some of Aaron's descendants moved to Haywood County, TN in the 1840's and their descendants still live there.
My direct ancestor, Phillip Walker, Sr., apparently lived in Pennsylvania in 1780 when his son, Phillip, Jr., was born because Phillip, Jr. reported in the 1850 Census (Henderson Co., TN) that he was born in PA. After researching several Phillip Walkers living in PA during the 1700's, my research has led me to conclude that the Phillip Walker identified as living in Lack Township, PA in 1775 is mostly likely to be my ancestor. The Lack Township area became a part of Mifflin County, PA in 1789 and later part of Juniata County in 1831. In 1778 Phillip Walker was listed as a head of family living in the present Township of Woodbury.
While in North Carolina, the Phillip Walker family lived in what was Orange County, NC, now Alamance County, on Jordan Creek. There were few white families in the 1740's in the area that was to become Orange County, NC, but by 1751, Gov. Gabriel Johnston reported that settlers were flocking in, mostly from PA. At the time it was formed (1752) the estimated population was 4,000.
Early travelers through Orange County encountered a wilderness that was practically impenetrable. In 1773, J. F. D. Smyth described trees that stood so close together, with their vine-laden branches so intertwined, he could hardly see. Surveyor William Byrd noted buffalo, wolves, panther and vast tract of cane "many stalks 13 to 16 feet high" and "as thick as a man's wrist."
The migration along the "Great Wagon Road" from PA through the Shenandoah Valley to Carolina was made up largely of Scotch-Irish and German immigrants.
The Walkers settled along Jordan creek in old Orange County, NC. Jordan Creek originates in today's Caswell County and flows into Alamance County, then along and parallel to the Caswell County border. The Jordan Creek connects to Stoney Creek and eventually flows into the Haw River. There were two other creeks of interest referenced in the deeds, Owens Creek, which flows in Jordan Creek, and County Line Creek.
Phillip Walker purchased three tracts of land in Orange County : 22 Feb 1788, 209 acres; 30 Apr 1795, 32 acres; 20 Feb 1800, 163 acres. None of these were proved until 1802. This land was later passed on to sons Alexander and James in Phillip Walker, Sr.'s will in 1826, with Alexander receiving the largest part, which later, at his death, passed on to Phillip, Sr.'s other children, indicating that Alexander was the oldest son and James was the youngest son. It is likely that the other children had received their part of their father's inheritance prior to his death, as they only received a token inheritance.
Phillip Walker, Sr.'s and unknown wife's known children are as follows:
Alexander (abt. 1765-1835)
Counley (Conley, Connally) (1768-1845)
William (1770-1819)
Mary (abt. 1775-after 1850) m. Samuel Crawford
John (abt. 1775-?, still living in 1845)
Phillip, Jr. (1780-1858)
James (1785-1853)
Jinney (abt. 1790-bef 1835)
Phillip, Jr. and Rebecca King Walker's children were born in Orange County, NC, but grew up to adulthood and lived in Henderson County, TN. They were:
Mary Ann Elizabeth (birth and death dates unknown)
Nancy, (1818-1874) m. Robert R. Dennison
(Ezeriah) Washington (1d820-1908) m. Catherine McCall
Levi (1823-1876) m. Nancy B. Douglas Rosser
William Bedford (1824-1843)
Minerva (1827-1909) m. John Bray
Phillip Walker, Jr. owned a farm on Jordan Creek, Orange County, NC, which he purchased in 1805, then married Rebecca King in 1816 and the records indicate that all of their children were born in North Carolina, before they eventually made their move to Tennessee. He was listed as head of household in the Orange County 1820 and 1830 Census.
When Phillip Walker, Jr's family moved to West Tennessee they settled on what is now known as the L. M. Walker land {my father] in the Chesterfield Community, near Lexington, TN. When we review the early history of Henderson County, we can understand when and why they chose to move to this newly opening territory. In the Treaty with the Chickasaw or The Great Chickasaw Cession, 19 October 1818, the Chickasaw ceded what was to become known as West Tennessee or all of the land west of the western waters of the Tennessee River. Only a few small Chickasaw tracts or reservations avoided cession at that time. White settlers poured into West Tennessee and, soon to follow, the last major holdings of the Chickasaw's Tennessee land were surveyed and distribution began.
In a booklet compiled and written by Louise Oakley during the summer of 1940, she wrote that in about 1820, Phillip Walker and Dave Engraham came down the Tennessee River from North Carolina, seeking new homes and they landed at what is now known as Perryville and came westward to the present site of Chesterfield. She, also, wrote that "Union, the only church of the community and the oldest in the County, was organized in July, 1842." [In the home of Phillip Walker and built on land donated by him, but neither he nor his wife became charter members, probably because the Walkers were Presbyterians.] Phillip Walker, also, donated the land for the church lot and for the Union Cemetery in which he and most of his
descendents are buried.
Phillip Walker probably moved his family to Henderson County, TN after he received approval of a petition for a land grant in 1833. He appeared on Henderson County's poll tax records in the year 1836 and 1837. In 1836, he was listed as having 512 acres of land and one slave.
Phillip Walker, Jr. was married to Rebecca King in 1816 in Orange County, NC, in Hillsboro, NC; the marriage bond was signed by Phillip Walker and J. Taylor. Phillip, Jr. died in 1858 and Rebecca died in 1870; they are buried in Union Baptist Church Cemetery, Henderson County, TN.
For more information on the Walker family, e-mail David Walker
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