Jeremiah Walker (1747 - 1792)

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Beverly Logan [send private message]

Biography

Jeremiah, son of William Walker, an Immigrant from Ireland, He was decended from a line of Scottish ministers who became prominent while serving Church of England churches in Ireland. He was born in Bertie District of North Carolina in 1747. He received a sound education and gained a reputation of clarity and eloquence. The established church of England did little to minister to the people in the frontier areas and the "illegal" Baptist church began to spread. Walker joined it at age 21 and was conducting services in North Carolina and Virginia. He married Milly Colson, a widow, and maiden name is not known. He went to Amelia County, VA in 1768 and the demonstration began to accelerate. He moved to Virginia in 1769 to accept the pastorate of Nottoway Church which he had founded on a preaching mission and held that post for 15 years. Walker did not favor the outcries or epilepsies so much liked by his Separatist Baptist bretheren but carried out an extremely fruitful ministry. He made revival tours and new churches sprang up with Walker serving as pastor for a time for some of them. He influenced other preachers to found churches and is credited with founding 30-40 himself. Meanwhile his home church thrived despite his absences. He helped form the Virginia Association of Separatist Baptist Churches and spoke to crowds of 4-5 thousand at the meetings. The churches growth meant trouble as many Baptist churches were denied the state license required under the Act of Toleration. The Baptists were harassed by court actions of which Walker himself faced in 1769 but it was dropped One historian said he was a target because he was one of the most distinguished of the Baptist leaders and thought if they could silence him the "troublesome" Baptists would be extinguished. Walker was arrested in 1773 in Chesterfield County, charged with preaching to a congregation without being a minister of the Church of England. He was sent to jail pending posting of 50 pounds to ensure his behavior for a year. He was placed in close confinement but that was remedied by intercession of Patrick Henry, a friend of the dissenters. Walker preaded his case so eloquently under the Act of Toleration that he was freed. This became a turning point for as a former preacher to the poor in the back country he was now accepted in the "polite" society of Virginias best families. Patrick Henry was elected governor in 1776. Walker carried on the fight for full religious freedom with success after the revolution. He grew disenchanted with some trends in the Baptist Church of Virginia and harsh economic times settled over the state in the wake of the Revolution. A group of Virginians including Walker, his wife and 6 children visited Wilkes County, GA in 1784 and found land promising for the cultivation of their crop, tobacco. Notable Virginia families and Walker migrated there and prospered. They settled in what is now Elbert and Oglethorpe counties and founded Petersburg at the point where the Broad River flows into the Savannah in southeastern Elbert County. Walker was among the first to settle in Petersburg becoming a highly successful planter in 1785 owning 1354 acres in Wilkes County and 2733 acres in Washington County. He continued in the Baptist Church and became affiliated with Fishing Creek Church in Wilkes County and in 1786 was one of the founders of the Georgia Baptist Association. He was chosen clerk of the association and worked with them for 2 years but soon after formed a separatist Baptist group made up of a few churches. But religious differences did not seem to hurt his popularity. He was one of Wilkes counties 2 representatives to the Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1785 and was elected a JP the same year. However he died in 1792 at the age of 45.

Compiled by Julian Clark, August 1974

Sources

• Walker ancestry files

Beverly Logan