Isaac Walker (1835 - 1919)

Born 1835 in Keswick, Westmorland, England

Husband of Maria (Coombs) Walker — married 1855 in New Zealand

Husband of Jane (Coombs) Walker — married 1873 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 10 Jun 1919 at about age 84 in Nelson, New Zealand

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Biography

Isaac was born in 1835. He was the son of John Walker and Sarah Richardson.

He passed away in 1919 and is buried with his wife Maria in Wakapuaka Cemetery, Nelson

Isaac was born in 1835 Keswick, Cumberland, England to John Walker and Sarah Richardson.

Isaac Walker, his parents and siblings resided at Harrimanfield, Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England in 1841. In the England and Wales Census, 1841 it recorded that John Walker was between 35-39 years, Sarah Walker between 30-34 years born at Cumberland, John Walker about 10 years born at Cumberland, Mary Walker about 7 years born at Cumberland, Isaac Walker about 5 years born at Cumberland, Sarah Walker about 3 years born at Cumberland and George Walker about 1 year born at Cumberland. ^[1]

He came to NZ age 8 in 1842 with his parents and siblings in the ship, Thomas Harrison.

The late Mr Isaac Walker, who died at Nelson on Tuesday, was one of the pioneer settlers of this district. Bom at Keswick, Cumberland, in 1835, the deceased came out to New Zealand in the ship Thomas Harrison, arriving in Nelson in 1842. After spending a few years here he went to Puramahoi, in the Takaka district, where he was engaged in farming operations until about six years ago, when he came to reside in Nelson. The deceased was a widower, his wife having predeceased him some years ago, and he is survived by one son, Mr Edward Walker, of Bay of Islands, and three daughters, Mrs Vercoe, of Blenheim, and the Misses Walker (2) of Nelson. The deceased was a man of sterling character, and was much respected in the Puramahoi district. In the early days of the Nelson Agricultural and Pastoral Association, he was a well-known competitor in the jumping competitions with his mare, Chess, winning honours on several occasions. The deceased was a brother of the late Captain Walker and Mr Geo. Walker, of Cambria-street. and of Mrs E Ricketts, of Haven-road. ^[2]

Our Takaka contemporary says:— "There is much justification for the remark made by Mr Rose, that Mr. Walker 'stood head and shoulders' above many other pioneers of this district. Arriving in this province in 1853, Mr. Isaac Walker started working in a coal mine at Motupipi, of which his late father was. then manager. From this mine coal was shipped to Australia and Wellington—Motupipi coal was the first that went into the market—and it was a good coal—but soon afterwards Victorian coal came. Young Isaac went two trips to Wellington with coal before there was a wharf there, and the coal cargo had to bo discharged in small boats. Later, Mr. Walker turned his attention to farming pursuits, in which capacity he helped to drive tho first cattle overland to Greymouth; also-to assist to forward the first shipment of live stock to the West Coast.. He harvested in Marlborough as a pioneer, cutting grain with a sickle and threshing it with a flail; He travelled overland from Marlborough, through the Upper Pelorus, over the Maungatapu ranges, before there was any road there and before the-murders made this inhospitable region unenviably notorious —a veritable pioneer in the most complete sense of the word. Diverting his attention to more settled and tangible pursuits, Mr. Walker 'anchored' himself at Puramahoi many years ago, where he has resided ever since, his quiet, retiring, disposition, uprightness, hospitality, and industry winning for him the esteem of all, as was amply demonstrated by the cordiality of his send off, reported above, and the universal expressions of regret at his departure. Mr. Walker has taken up his residence in Cambria street, Nelson, on the identical spot where his father and family originally settled on their first arrival in Nelson, and subsequently well known as thoe residence of the late Captain Walker, one of Mr. Walker's brothers."^[3]

He married Maria Coombs in 1855^[4]

Some years after Maria passed away in 1870, he married 2nd wife, Jane Saunders (Maria's sister) in 1873. ^[5] The marriage of Jane's daughter below clearly confirms Jane's identity with Isaac and her family and that Jane had been a Saunders and not a Sanders:

Horton- Saunders. - On April 17th, at the residence of the bridegroom's brother, by the Rev. Charles Dalliston, Frank, eldest son of Thomas and Thurza Horton, to Sarah Ann, only daughter of the late F. A. Saunders, and stepdaughter of Isaac Walker, Puramahoi. - "The Colonist", Nelson, New Zealand, Issue 9783 , Thursday 10 May 1900. - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/imageserver/newspapers/P29pZD1UQzE5MDAwNTEwJmdldHBkZj10cnVl; page 2 0f 6.

Frank and Sarah (Saunders) Horton's marriage certificate.

AN EARLY GOLDEN BAY SETTLER A PRESENTATION, (From "The Colonist," May 26.) Fifty settlers met at Takaka the other day to take formal farewell of Mr. Isaac Walker, the well known settler of Puramahoi, who has sold his farm, and taken up his residence in The Wood, Nelson. Mr J. Packard, senior, (who is in his 87th year) said it was in 1853 that he first heard of Mr. Walker in the district, and after a long knowledge of him he was quite sure he had earned whatever happiness and success he may have met with. On behalf of the donors, Mr. Packard presented Mr Walker with a handsome traveling rug asking his acceptance of it as a token of the esteem in which he was held by all. Mr Walker, in responding, said he was not a talker, but he claimed that in all movements of a public nature he had been active—he had done his best in all conditions of life, and was pleased to see that he had earned the goodwill of his fellowmen. whom he had known so long. He thanked them, for meeting him in such a friendly way.

He passed away at his residence, Cambria street. Nelson, on June 10th 1919, Isaac Walker, late of Puramanoi, Takaka, in his 85th year. (Private interment.) ^[7] DEATH.WALKER. —At his residence, Cambria street. Nelson, on June 10th 1919, Isaac Walker, late of Puramanoi, Takaka, in his 85th year. (Private interment.) ^[8]

The late Mr Isaac Walker, who died at Nelson on Tuesday, was one of the pioneer settlers of this district. Bom at Keswick, Cumberland, in 1835, the deceased came out to New Zealand in the ship Thomas Harrison, arriving in Nelson in 1842. After spending a few years here he went to Puramahoi, in the Takaka district, where he was engaged in farming operations until about six years ago, when he came to reside in Nelson. The deceased was a widower, his wife having predeceased him some years ago, and he is survived by one son, Mr Edward Walker, of Bay of Islands, and three daughters, Mrs Vercoe, of Blenheim, and the Misses Walker (2) of Nelson. The deceased was a man of sterling character, and was much respected in the Puramahoi district. In the early days of the Nelson Agricultural and Pastoral Association, he was a well-known competitor in the jumping competitions with his mare, Chess, winning honours on several occasions. The deceased was a brother of the late Captain Walker and Mr Geo. Walker, of Cambria-street. and of Mrs E Ricketts, of Haven-road. ^[9]

Isaac burial information...Nelson City Council Database: Isaac Walker: Record No. WKBP01033_A, Area: Baptist., Cemetery: Wakapuaka, Plot:033/Block:01., Burial., Denomination: Baptist. Funeral Director: W E Fleming., Age at Death: 84 years., Date Deceased:, Interment: 12/06 1919. ^[10]

Notes for Research

On NZ BDM Online (http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/ ) there are two lots of Isaac and Maria's recorded as marrying in the same year.

First One: ^[11] Second One:^[12]

I found another Isaac Walker born 1831 and who died in 1901 at the age of 70 years. So maybe I might as yet, find another Maria Coombs to match this Isaac and that would then, account for those two marriages with same names.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Citing this Record: "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M73X-8LN : 13 December 2017), Isaac Walker in household of John Walker, Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
2. ↑ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 134, 12 June 1919
3. ↑ The Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13752, 18 June 1913
4. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1855/22 (registered twice see also1855/26)
5. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Marriage registration 1873/5941 (her name as "Sanders")
6. ↑ Horton- Saunders. - On April 17th, at the residence of the bridegroom's brother, by the Rev. Charles Dalliston, Frank, eldest son of Thomas and Thurza Horton, to Sarah Ann, only daughter of the late F. A. Saunders, and stepdaughter of Isaac Walker, Puramahoi. - "The Colonist", Nelson, New Zealand, Issue 9783 , Thursday 10 May 1900. - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/imageserver/newspapers/P29pZD1UQzE5MDAwNTEwJmdldHBkZj10cnVl; page 2 0f 6.
7. ↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
   • NZ Death registration 1919/4402
8. ↑ Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15095, 11 June 1919. View @ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19190611.2.23?end_date=11-06-1919&query=Isaac+Walker&start_date=11-06-1919&title=TC
9. ↑ Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 134, 12 June 1919.
10. ↑ Nelson City Council Database: Isaac Walker: Record No. WKBP01033_A, Area: Baptist., Cemetery: Wakapuaka, Plot:033/Block:01., Burial., Denomination: Baptist. Funeral Director: W E Fleming., Age at Death: 84 years., Date Deceased:, Interment: 12/06 1919.
11. ↑ Isaac Walker New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes Name Isaac Walker Event Type Marriage Event Date 1855 Event Place New Zealand Gender Male Spouse's Name Maria Coombs Spouse's Gender Female Registration Number 1855/26 Citing this Record "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-VQBM : 4 October 2016), Isaac Walker and Maria Coombs, 1855; citing Marriage, New Zealand, registration number 1855/26, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.
12. ↑ Isaac Walker New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes Name Isaac Walker Event Type Marriage Event Date 1855 Event Place New Zealand Gender Male Spouse's Name Maria Coombs Spouse's Gender Female Registration Number 1855/22 Citing this Record "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-VQKP : 4 October 2016), Isaac Walker and Maria Coombs, 1855; citing Marriage, New Zealand, registration number 1855/22, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.
13. ↑ New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes Name Isaac Walker Event Type Death Event Date 1901 Event Place New Zealand Age (Estimated) 70 Birth Date 1831 Registration Number 1901/7188 Citing this Record "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q242-M2GP : 27 November 2017), Isaac Walker, 1901; citing Death, New Zealand, registration number 1901/7188, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington.

• N.Z. MARRIAGES - 1855/26 - Maria Coombs & Isaac Walker
• N.Z. DEATHS - 1919/4402 - Walker Isaac aged 84 years
• Nelson City Council cemetery records
  • WKBP01033_A - WALKER ISAAC aged 84 years buried 12/06/1919 in Wakapuaka Cemetery - Block: 01 Plot: 033 Area: BAPTIST