Newman Dink Walker (1829 - 1884)

Born 1829 in Giles, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 21 Nov 1884 at about age 55 in Egeria, Mercer County, West Virginia USA

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Biography

Military Service: Numa enlisted in the Confederate Army of the Civil War on July 18, 1861 at the Wyoming County Courthouse in Pineville, (then Virginia). He served as a private in Company G. 190th Regiment of Virginia Miitia. He also served with Companies B & G 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry.

Son of Chrispi Anos Walker (1784-1877) & Frances "Frankey Jane" Simms Peters-Walker (1794-1884).

Parents:

Chrispia Anos Walker (1782 - 1876)

Frances Peters Walker (1794 - 1884)

Spouse:

Martha Adeline Sizemore Walker (1835 - 1899)*

Children:

1. Frances Jane Ceberry Walker Bailey Thomas (1854 - 1940)*
2. John Wise Council Walker (1855 - 1930)*
3. Numa Captain Calvin Walker (1857 - 1919)*
4. Mahulda Elizabeth Caroline Walker Mills (1859 - 1935)*
5. Charles Gideon Christian Walker (1864 - 1892)*
6. Martha Ann Charity Walker Mills (1865 - 1936)*
7. Pyrrus Ulla Chananey Walker (1867 - 1902)*
8. Christopher George Columbus Walker (1870 - 1941)*
9. Narcissa Emily Caspen Walker Mills Farley (1872 - 1952)*
10. Lydia Merinda Cordelia Walker Walker (1874 - 1923)*
11. Nyanza Nicti Cerulean Walker (1879 - 1943)*

Family Members

Parents

Chrispia Anos Walker 1782–1876

Frances Peters Walker 1794–1884

Spouse

Martha Adeline Sizemore Walker 1835–1899 (m. 1853)

Siblings

Emily Miranda Walker Meador 1812–1896

Council Walker 1812–1905

Marinda Walker Lilly 1816–1888

Christian Walker 1822–1870

Narcissa Walker Cooper 1823–1895

Valoris Walker 1826 – unknown

Underwood Walker 1831–1862

Frances Walker Lilly 1834–1865

Valeria E Walker Lilly 1838–1895

Children

Frances Jane Ceberry Walker Thomas 1854–1940

John Wise Council Walker 1855–1930

Numa Captain Calvin Walker 1857–1919

Mahulda Elizabeth Caroline Walker Mills 1859–1935

Charles Gideon Christian Walker 1864–1892

Martha Ann Charity Walker Mills 1865–1936

Pyrrus Ulla Chananey Walker 1867–1902

Narcissa Emily Caspen Walker Mills Farley 1872–1952

Lydia Merinda Cordelia Walker Walker 1874–1923

Nyanza Nicti Cerulean Walker 1879–1943

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #29223134
• Burial: Numa Walker, Egeria, Mercer County, West Virginia, USA
• Photo: Has a photo of gravestone on gravesite
• Son of Chrispi Anos Walker (1784-1877) & Francis "Frankey Jane" Simms Peters-Walker (1794-1884).

Brother of Council C. Walker (1812-Deceased), Marinda Walker-Lilly (1816-1999), Muhulda Walker-Lambert-Lester (1818-Deceased), Narcissa Walker-Cooper (1823-1895), Francis Walker (1834-Deceased), & Valeria E. Walker (1838-Deceased).

Married to Martha Adeline Sizemore-Walker (1835-1899) around 1853. They made their homeplace on a 120 acre tract on Meadow Fork of Devils Fork, which is a tributary of Guyandotte River, and more recently known as the Ike Reed Place. Following Numa's death Martha and her heirs sold ten separate tracts of land on Devils Fork between 1885 and 1890. The total amount received averaged 50 cents per acre. Numa is buried on part of the land he once owned, however, story passed down through the generations is that when Martha died, the new owner of the property would not allow Martha to be buried next to Numa because she was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian. She is buried in the Keaton Mills Cemetery about 4 miles away beside her son, Numa Captain Calvin Walker.

Numa enlisted in the Confederate Army of the Civil War on July 18, 1861 at the Wyoming County Courthouse in Pineville, (then Virginia). He served as a private in Company G. 190th Regiment of Virginia Miitia. He also served with Companies B & G 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry. A sword he carried in service was given to his great-grandson Erie L. Walker of San Antonio, Texas.

At times during the Civil War, Numa heard some very alarming news and he was concerned for the safety of his wife, Martha, and their five young children at home. So Numa decided to make a visit home without the proper authorization. Arriving home, Numa slept in a nearby cave at night and spent the day with his family because he feared for their safety because of Martha's Indian descent.

One night when returning to the cave, Numa noticed two eyes shining within the darkness of the cave. Numa leveled his rifle, fired and something dropped instantly. He then went to a nearby neighbor's house to get him to accompany him back to the cave to see what he had shot. The neighbor was reluctant to enter the darkened cave, so Numa lighted a pine torch and very slowly made his way to where a form lay. He placed the torch to it's nose and it showed no sign of life. They dragged the dead animal from the cave and discovered he had killed a panther. Numa later skinned the panther and tacked it's skin to one of his outbuildings. One day he learned it had been stolen by the neighbor who was reluctant to enter the cave.

In 1872 Slab Fork District, Wyoming County WVA, was annexed to Raleigh County. Numa Walker, farmer, miller and surveyor living the area affected by the annexation, applied for a position of surveyor of roads for the year 1873. As of Aug. 25, 1873, Numa owned and operated a store on Meadow Fork of Devils Fork, established sometime previously. It was most likely the merchandise to stock the store had to be transported over the mountains from McDowell County since that was the nearest railway at the time. Wagons drawn by horses or oxen were used in the mountains to move heavy loads over inadequate roads.

At the November, 1876 Term of Circuit Court of Raleigh County, WVA, Numa was appointed Commissioner of school lands of Raleigh County. This pertained to a public auction of all delinquent lands. The sale price derived from the delinquent lands went into the public school funds. The Commissioner was responsible for writing and transferring deed of ownership to the highest bidder.

Numa composed and sang a song. His son, George, would pick a banjo and sing along with him. Portions of the song have be lost between generations but here are three of the verses:

1. I started out when I was young, To catch a coon and have some fun I tree'd a fox and cut him down But he ran off from my old hound.

2. The moon-eyed preacher, he's the fox He'll preach for money, wool or sox, But he won't preach for the Lord And so he will get no reward.

3. He will go to hell, and make no doubt And tell the devil what it's all about While there he will lament and weep And wish he had never stolen my sheep.

Numa and Martha were the parents of eleven children:

1. Frankie Jane Cebery Walker Bailey Thomas(1854-1940)
2. John Wise Council Walker (1855-1930)
3. Numa Captain Calvin Walker (1857-1919)
4. Mahulda "Hulda" Elizabeth Walker (1859-1935)
5. Charles Gideon Christian Walker (1864-1892)
6. Martha Ann Charity "MAC" Walker-Mills (1865-1936)
7. Pyrrus Ulla Chananey Walker (1867-1902)
8. Christopher George Columbus Walker (1869-1941)
9. Narcissa Emily Walker-Mills (1874-1952)
10. Lydia Merinda Cerdula Walker-Walker (1874-1923)
11. Nyanza Nicti Cerulean Walker-Walker (1879-1943)

Numa Walker died at age 55, in his home on Devil's Fork, WVA, from causes unknown (per WV Register of Deaths, Raleigh County, 1884, page 36, line 68).

This NUMA WALKER is not buried in a cemetery. His son, NUMA CAPTAIN CALVERT WALKER is buried at Keaton Mills and so is his wife, Martha. But Numa Sr is buried on a hillside about 4 miles away with two other unknown graves.

On June 11, 1983 some of his great-grandsons set a Civil War marker at his grave.

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHM7-RTQ : 11 November 2020), Numa Walker, 1860.

*https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29223134/numa-dink-walker