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JAMES WALKER (1739–1821), son of Isaac Walker and Sarah Breed

RUTH ABBOTT (1738–1817) daughter of Nathaniel Abbott and Penelope Ballard

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James, the son of Isaac, Jr. and Sarah Walker, was born on 2 September 1739 in Rumford, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. [1] He died on 9 February 1821, age 81, in Concord, Merrimack County. [1] He married Ruth Abbott. [1][2][3]

Ruth Abbot, the daughter of Nathaniel Abbott and Penelope Ballard was born on 28 January 1738 in Rumford. [1][2] Ruth, the wife of James Walker, died on 27 February 1817, age 79 in Concord. [1][4]

James and Ruth are buried in the Old North Cemetery in Concord. Jame's inscription says, "In memory of Mr. James Walker who died Feb. 9, 1821 age 83 years." Ruth's says, "In memory of Mrs. Ruth Walker wife of Mr. James Walker who died Feb. 27, 1817 age 78 years." [5]

James was often referred to as "Tailor Walker" because of his trade. [2]

What is now Concord was settled between 1725 and 1727 by settlers from Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. Called Pennacock, on 9 February 1734 it was incorporated as Rumford. It was renamed Concord in 1765 after a boundary dispute with neighboring Bow. Those displaced by the dispute were given land called New Pennacock that was incorporated in 1800 as Rumford in Oxford County, Maine.

Reverend Timothy Walker, the Concord minister who was James's neighbor, wrote in his diary on 23 August 1764, "Attend Taylors Raising." He wrote on 3 November 1764, "Plowed down ye Taylor's hill." [4]

James was a hog reeve in Concord on 4 March 1766 and 2 March 1773. He was a supervisor of highways on 1 March 1768, 6 March 1770, 7 March 1775, 5 March 1776, 4 March 1777, 3 March 1778, 6 March 1787, and 4 March 1788. He was a fence viewer on 5 March 1771. He was a selectman on 7 March 1780, 6 March 1781, and 5 March 1782. [2]

James was on an 8 November 1774 list of those who had suffered from Concord's boundary dispute with Bow. [6] He was an original grantee of the township of Rumford, Maine. [2]

In 1774 James was sergeant major of the two militia companies in Concord. [4] James was a subscriber to the Association Test in Concord in 1776. He was on the Committee of Safety in 1778. [6]

James was on a committee to "vendue the pews, and finish the meeting house" in March 1784. [6] He was on a committee that oversaw the ordination of a new minister on 7 March 1798. [6]

On 21 June 1790 James engaged to pay 20 dollars for building a house for the general court. [4]

Children of James Walker and Ruth Abbott: Births recorded as the children of James Walker and Ruth Abbott. [Ref]

i. Bruce Walker was born on 17 May 1760 in Rumford. He died on 27 July 1840 and is buried in the Hebron Village Cemetery in Hebron, Grafton County, New Hampshire. [5] He married Mehitable Currier of Concord on 12 October 1780. She died on 8 May 1849 and is buried in the Center Haverhill Cemetery in Center Haverhill, Grafton County. [5]

On 12 October 1780, Reverend Timothy Walker wrote in his diary, "Married Bruce Walker and Mehitable Courier, both of Concord." [4]

Bruce's gravestone has a Revolutionary War marker. [5]

ii. John Walker was born on 8 May 1763 in Rumford. He died on 25 February 1830. He married Elizabeth Calef.

iii. Abiel Walker was born on 5 July 1766 in Concord. He died on 4 April 1855, age 88 years and nine months. [2] He married first Judith Davis. [2] He married second the widow Mary Thorndike. [2] She died on 18 January 1849, age 76. [2]

Abiel and his two wives are buried in the Old North Cemetery in Concord. [5]

Abiel succeeded his father on "the old homestead at the North end of Main Street." [2, p. 690] He was a shoemaker and had a small shop near his house. [2] "He would often work all day in the field, and make one shoe in his shop in the evening. He thus accumulated a handsome property." [2, p. 690]

Abiel Walker of Concord sold land in Bethel to James Walker on 10 August 1804. [7]

Abiel was a selectman in 1819 and 1825. [2] He joined the First Congregational Church in January 1832. [2]

According to the census, in 1850 Abiel was an 88-year-old farmer living with Lyman A. Walker and Lyman's apparent family in Concord. [8] Abiel left a bequest to Lyman A., the son of his brother Peter in his will.

Abiel made his will on 3 January 1855. He left his estate to his brother Peter, his nieces and nephews, his stepchildren, the American Home Missionary Society and the school fund of Concord. [9]

Abiel's estate was appraised at $45,949.61. [2]

iv. Hannah Walker was born on 26 February 1770 in Concord.

v. Ruth Walker was born on 12 March 1776 in Concord. She died on 17 May 1797 in Concord. [1]

vi. James Walker was born on 26 July 1778 in Concord. He died on 4 September 1826. [7] He married first Abigail Chapman of Bethel. [7] She died on 3 October 1807. [7] He married second Patty Ingalls of Shelburne, New Hampshire. [7]

"Mr. Walker was a preacher of the gospel. His education was limited, but he was a pious, devoted and useful missionary in the destitute places of New Hampshire and Maine. [2, p. 691]

James was a Congregational Minister. [7] He was an early trader at Bethel Hill. [7]

vii. Peter Walker was born on 6 July 1781 in Concord. He died before 28 September 1858. He married Abigail Swan on 3 January 1808 in Fryeburg. [7] Abigail was born on 15 December 1787. [2] She died between 28 September 1858 and 26 February 1861.

Abigail S. Walker, widow of Peter Walker, requested that [her son] Lyman A. Walker be given administration of her deceased husband's estate, and this was granted. [9] On 26 February 1861 Lyman A. Walker asked to be given administration of his mother Abigail S. Walker's estate, and this was granted. [9]

Endnotes:

1. "New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1654–1969," database with images, AmericanAncestors > Births W to 1901, p. 4378, entry for James Walker, Jr., with his mother's maiden name; p. 4380, entry for James Walker; Deaths W to 1901, p. 1067, entry for James Walker, p. 1321 (entry for Ruth Walker, Jr.), p. 1322 (en; Births A to 1901, p. 1122 (Ruth Abbott).

2. Nathaniel Bouton, The History of Concord, (Concord, NH: B.W. Sanborn, 1856).

3. Abiel Abbot and Rev. Ephraim Abbott, A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of George Abbot of Andover: George Abbot of Rowley, Thomas Abbot of Andover, Arthur Abbot of Ipswich, Robert Abbot of Branford, Ct. and George Abbot of Norwalk, Ct. (Boston: James Munroe, 1847).

4. Joseph B. Walker, Diaries of Rev. Timothy Walker (Concord: Ira C. Evans, 1889), 42, 48, 68.

5. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 25 September 2023), memorial pages for

6. James O. Lyford, The History of Concord (Concord, NH: Rumford Press, 1903), 220, 280, 281, 286, 302.

7. William B. Lapham, History of Bethel, Maine (Somerset, NH: New England History Press, 1891), 395, 636–7.

8. U.S. Federal Census Collection, searchable databases, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/usfedcen) > 1850 > New Hampshire > Merrimack > Concord, images 68–69.

9. "New Hampshire , U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1643–1932," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8996) > Merrimack > Probate Records vol. 25, image 286, entry for Abiel Walker; Merrimack > Probate Records vol. 35–36, image 346, entry for Peter Walker and image 431, entry for Abigail S. Walker.

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© A. Buiter 2014

25-Sep-2023 3:34 PM