William Clay Walker Sr. (1820 - 1864)

Born 4 Aug 1820 in Anderson, Coffee, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elmira Mary (Taylor) Walker — married 7 Feb 1841 in Cherokee, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Jan 1864 at age 43 in Cherokee, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Rick Gardiner [send private message] and Jaqui Miller [send private message]

Biography

William Clay Walker. Born 4 AUG 1820 Anderson Co., Tennessee, USA. Died 3 JAN 1864 Asheville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina, USA. He was the son of Robert K. Walker and Mary H. Cole.

He married Elmira Mary Taylor. Born 13 DEC 1818 McMinn Co., Tennessee, USA. Died 4 NOV 1898 Cherokee Co., North Carolina, USA.

Siblings of William Clay Walker

1. Henry Haywood Walker. Born 10 AUG 1823 Tennessee, USA. Died 14 JUN 1910 Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia, USA.

2. Nancy Ellen Walker. Born ABT 1836 . Died AFT 1885 .

3. Lafayette Walker. Born ABT 1839 .

4. Caroline Walker. Born ABT 1841 Cherokee Co., North Carolina, USA. Died 22 MAY 1932 Jackson Co., Georgia, USA.

5. Elizabeth Walker.

BIRTH, MARRIAGE, & DEATH RECORDS

Walker Plantation Cemetery, Cherokee Co., North Carolina:

(small upright stone) Sacred to the memory of / Mary Ann T. / Daughter of W. C. & E. Walker / Born Oct. 31, 1846 Died Aug. 15, 1852.

(upright stone) Col. Wm. C. Walker born / Aug. 4, 1820 / died January 3, 1864.

(imbedded flat stone at base of above stone) William C. Walker Sr. Lt. Col., Company [illegible], North Carolina Cavalry, Confederate States Army, Aug. 4 1820 Jan [illegible] 1864.

(old stone) Elmira Walker born / Dec 13 1818 / died Nov. 4 1898[1888?].

Census Records

1850 Census

Cherokee Co., North Carolina:

William C. Walker, 30-M-TN farmer, $1,350.

Elmira Walker, 29-F-TN.

Josephine Walker, 6-F-NC.

America M. Walker, 5-F-NC.

Columbus Walker, 4-M-NC.

Mary N. Walker, 3-F-NC.

William G. Walker, 1-M-NC.

+ 1 non-family.

1860 Census

Hot House, Cherokee Co., North Carollina:

William C. Walker, 39-M born Anderson Co., Tennessee.

Elmira Walker, 41-F born Blount Co., Tennessee.

Josaphine Walker, 18-F born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

Columbus Walker, 15-M born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

William Walker, 11-M born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

Augusta Walker, 9-M born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

Monroe Walker, 4-M born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

James Walker, 2-M born Cherokee Co., North Carolina.

1870 Census

Notla Twp., Cherokee Co., North Carolina:

Elmira Walker, 51-F-TN keeping house, $2,100/500.

Columbus Walker, 25-M-NC physician.

Augusta Walker, 19-F-NC attending school.

Monroe Walker, 14-M-NC attending school.

James Walker, 11-M-NC attending school.

Eller Walker, 9-F-NC attending school.

Mary Walker, 69-F-NC no occupation, $200/0.

+ 1 domestic servant.

HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY

When his father died, William C., though only 20, was appointed administrator of the estate. He became a successful land trader, farmer and business man. He owned an iron forge works and a stagecoach line from Murphy to Ducktown, Tennessee, a distance of about 20 miles. The trip took all day, and the passengers stopped for a meal at "Walker's Stagecoach Inn," the Walker home place. For a time, Wm. C. served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1858 he was elected to the state legislature. page 5: Sometime before 1840 William C. married Elmira Taylor, daughter of Isaac Taylor and Anna Phillips. By 1860, he was one of the most prosperouos men in the region. His farmlands produced wheat, corn, potatoes, butter, and molasses, and he owned considerable livestock. William C. Walker had been elected Captain of the local militia when he was only 20. When war came in 1861, he organized the first army company from Cherokee County. Later, he helped his friend, W. H. Thomas, the controversial congressman known as the "white chief of the Cherokees," organize the Thomas Legion, in which there were many Cherokees, forming a most unusual unit. Walker was soon promoted to Lt. Colonel and assumed command of "Walker's Battalion" of the Thomas Legion. They fought successfully on 8 Sep 1863 at the Battle of Limestone Ridge in East Tennessee. Col. Walker had recurring health problems and was forced to go home on sick leave in January, 1864. On the evening of 3 Jan 1864, in the presence of his wife and family, he was murdered at his home by Union soldiers and "bushwackers.". The attackers took as hostage, young William Walker, Jr., age 14, later known as "Wild Bill." But after a few hours of captivity he was able to escape. According to Hoyt Walker, a descendant of Col. Walker, Wild Bill took revenge on his father's murderers by killing several of them after the war. For this he had to flee out west where he became an outlaw. When he returned many years later, his mother did not recognize him. After returning, he remained in Cherokee County, always sleeping with a gun at his bedside. Elmira Walker, the colonel's widow, survived until 1893. She and her husband are buried in the Walker family cemetery at England's Point (Ranger), N. Carolina.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ A Genealogy of the Walker and Ray Families: Remembering Times Forgotten, Lynn Walker, 1999, page 4

• Find A Grave: Memorial #5344775
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4YB-ZY4 : 23 December 2020), William C Walker, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDP-7PF : 18 February 2021), William C Walker, 1860.
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSS-TRD5 : 10 March 2021), W C Walker in entry for George Monroe Walker and Manerva Elizabeth Ditmore, 10 Dec 1876; citing Notla Township, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSS-P8CB : 10 March 2021), W A Walker in entry for John Norman Dickey and Augusta Walker, 22 May 1879; citing Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Y-RSQH : 10 March 2021), W C Walker in entry for James Davis Walker and Luella Deweese, 19 Nov 1880; citing Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSS-BWY4 : 10 March 2021), W C Walker in entry for C F Walker and Josie N Holland, 17 Sep 1885; citing Notla Township, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSS-TRJG : 10 March 2021), William Walker in entry for Cyrus Warren Dickey and Ella V Walker, 4 Sep 1887; citing Notla Township, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Y-GJJM : 10 March 2021), Wm C Walker in entry for William C Walker and Amanda Jane Steles, 13 Sep 1902; citing Shoal Creek Township, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm .
• "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3D3-DNH : 20 February 2021), Wm. Walker in entry for Josephine Evans, 08 Mar 1927; citing Murphy, Murphy, Cherokee, North Carolina, reference fn 1101 cn, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,907,303.
• "North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HHSX-8DW2 : 21 January 2020), Wm. C. Walker in entry for W.c. Walker, 1931.
  • "North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPZ1-4CZ : 10 February 2018), Wm. C. Walker in entry for W.C. Walker, 30 Sep 1931; citing Nalla, Cherokee, North Carolina, fn 1509 cn 360, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,943,043.
• "North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP24-TN41 : 13 November 2019), William C Walker in entry for William C Walker, 30 Sep 0031; citing Death, North Carolina State Archives, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 102227444.
• "North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HHQL-ZGW2 : 21 January 2020), William C. Walker in entry for James D. Walker, 1933.
• "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZ6F-43K : 8 March 2021), James Montgomery in entry for James W Montgomery, 14 Aug 1942; citing Tallmadge Twp., Summit Co., Ohio, reference fn 50576; FHL microfilm 2,024,032.

Acknowledgements

• Walker-13275 was created by Jaqui Miller through the import of roymonroe.ged on Jun 18, 2014.