Descendants of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker (1615-1684)
-and-
Other Related Branches of the Walker Family
-including-
Descendants of Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687)

This Walker Coat of Arms is reproduced from one that was used in Colonial times by Major Edward⁴ Walker (1739-1802), lawyer of Boston and Westfield, Mass., and later Major and Paymaster in the Army during the War of the Revolution. Major Walker was a great grandson to Capt. Samuel¹ Walker (1615-1684) of Woburn, Massachusetts. The discovery of the use of these arms by Maj. Walker was made prior to 1923 by Col. E. W. Foster, an eighth-generation descendant of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker. It is not known to whom the right to use the Coat of Arms was first granted. It was in use considerably before 1656 by a Walker in the town of Walker near Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. The place name Walker was first recorded as Waucre in 1242 which means "wall-carr" or the marsh by the Roman wall (i.e. Hadrian's Wall). The motto "Passant Cressant en Honneur" means "Progressing in Honour." A variation of the word “carr” in “wall-carr” is the ancient Scandinavian name “Kiarr” which means “from the marsh.” Kiarr is also the name of a king of Valland in Norse mythology. Variations of this Coat of Arms were granted to Thomas Walker, Esq., (1817-1887) of Berkswell Hall, county Warwick, and to Roger Walker, Esq., of Portlester, county Meath, in 1812.

This compilation began in 2005 as the Descendants of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker (1615-1684) of Exeter, New Hampshire, Reading and Woburn, Massachusetts. However, with the emergence of molecular genealogy, the Walker Surname DNA Project has identified three related branches of this Walker family within its Group-12. The second branch is Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687) of Lynn, Reading, Boston, and once again Lynn, Massachusetts. A third branch of Walkers in Group-12 originated in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, England, with some descendants emigrating to New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia, respectively, in the nineteenth century. The most recent common ancestor of all three branches is estimated to have lived by the early fifteen century. This compilation will be expanded to include all three branches of this Walker family. Some descendants of Capt. Richard have already been added. Please visit often for updates.

My DNA research article "Samuel¹ Walker, Kinsman of Captain Richard¹ Walker" has been published in the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) magazine American Ancestors 23 (Winter 2023): 38–41. The article shows that Captains Richard and Samuel Walker were not brothers, but likely first or second cousins. It also includes DNA evidence of Scandinavian heritage and possible origin of the Walker surname for this clan. See the Publications section.

Descendants of Capt. Richard Walker, Capt. Samuel Walker, and other Walker descendants in Group-12 of the Walker Surname DNA Project are in y-DNA Haplogroup I-M223 and its subclades I-L801, I-Y13087, I-PH4369, and I-FT374569. The I-M223 lineage had its origins in northern France 15,500 to 19,100 years ago and is found most frequently within Viking / Scandinavian populations in Northwest Europe and the British Isles. A large concentration can be found in upper Sweden and along the English and Scottish border. The I-Y13037 subclade was formed 2,700 to 4,000 years ago, and I-PH4369 was formed in Denmark or Sweden 1,215 to 1,350 years ago. This correlates well with the Danish Viking incursions and settlements in Northumbria from the 9th to the 11th centuries. Subclade I-FT374569 was formed about 500 years ago in England.

By the fifteenth century, surnames in England had become hereditary. Traditional English surnames predominantly reflected society with common surnames based on a person's trade or occupation. The most popular origin of the Walker surname is from the occupation of a fuller or somebody who walks on cloth to soften it up. It is derived from the Middle English "walkere" meaning "a fuller of cloth" or the Old English "wealcan" meaning "to walk or tread."

But some of the oldest English surnames are those derived from place names. To that end, the Coat of Arms featured above was used in Colonial times by Major Edward⁴ Walker, Esq., a great grandson of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker. This is an ancient arm that was in use "considerably before 1656" by a Walker in the town of Walker near Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. The place name Walker was first recorded as "Waucre" in 1242 which means "wall-carr" or the marsh by the Roman wall (i.e., Hadrian's Wall). A variation of the word “carr” in “wall-carr” is the ancient Scandinavian name “Kiarr” which means “from the marsh.”

It is possible that the Walker clan of Group-12 derived its surname from the "marsh by the Roman wall" in Northumberland perhaps in the thirteenth or fourteenth century. Over the next two to three centuries, descendants from this Walker family migrated to Nottinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and perhaps other neighboring shires. Presently, descendants can be found throughout the United States, and in Australia and New Zealand. At this point, all we can say is that the likely patrilineal origin of our Walker family is from the early Viking settlements in England, perhaps those in Northumbria from the 9th to the 11th centuries.

The first branch of this compilation is represented by Capt. Samuel¹ Walker of Exeter, New Hampshire; Reading and Woburn, Massachusetts, and his descendants. Samuel was born in England about 1615. It's likely that he arrived at Boston in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 12 July 1637 aboard the ship bearing passengers and friends of the Rev. John Wheelwright. Because of the Antinomian Controversy involving Rev. Wheelwright and others, these passengers were not allowed to stay in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and were given four months in which to leave. Many followed Rev. Wheelwright to Exeter, New Hampshire, after his banishment for contempt of court in November 1637. Samuel Walker was a signer of the Exeter Combination on 4 July 1639. After the banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony had been lifted, Samuel relocated to Reading, Massachusetts, in January 1644/45 where his kinsman Capt. Richard Walker resided. Although the birth date of Samuel's first child was recorded at Reading, it's likely that Samuel, Jr., was born at Exeter on 28 Jun 1643 as the Reading births were not recorded seriatim until 1651. About 1652 Samuel, Sr., had difficulties with the Pastor of the Reading Church, and in 1654 removed to Woburn, Mass., where he lived out the remainder of his life. He was the tavern keeper at Woburn and Captain of the local train band. He died at Woburn on 6 November 1684 at the age of 68.

Capt. Samuel¹ Walker was married twice. The identity of his first wife is unknown. It's likely that he married at Exeter, New Hampshire, about 1642. The records of the first church at Exeter are no longer extant and her identity will probably remain unknown. Her female line ended with her granddaughter, Hannah Thompson, who died unmarried which eliminates any possibility of identification through mtDNA analysis. He married second about 1677 Ann (Sheldon) Alger, widow of Lieut. Arthur Alger of Scarborough, Maine, and daughter of Godfrey and Alice (Frost) Sheldon. Lieut. Arthur Alger died on 14 October 1675 at the garrison house of his brother-in-law William Sheldon from wounds inflicted by the Indians during King Philip's War. Ann Alger fled to Marblehead, Mass., and on 30 June 1676 Lieut. Alger's nuncupative will was proven in court at Salem by Ann Alger, relict and administratrix. She then removed to Woburn where her brother John Sheldon resided and married Capt. Samuel¹ Walker as his second wife about 1677. She died at Woburn on 21 March 1716.

The second branch is represented by Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687) of Lynn, Massachusetts, and his descendants. Capt. Richard Walker was born about 1611. The location of his birth is unknown, although it is a fair assumption that he was born in England.

The third branch is represented by families from Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, with some of their descendants emigrating to New Zealand, and New South Wales, Australia, in the nineteenth century, respectively.

Many references and a number of published genealogies from the 19th century claim a kinship existed between Captains Samuel¹ Walker and Richard¹ Walker. After Charles E. Mann in 1910 proved that Capt. Richard¹ Walker was born about 1611 and not 1592 as previously thought, there remained no tangible evidence that the two Captains were related, even though each had owned adjacent parcels of land at Reading. In 2004 a y-DNA study initiated by the writer was conducted on known descendants of Captains Samuel¹ Walker and Richard¹ Walker. This study showed that the two Captains were not related. However, in 2020, two additional descendants of Capt. Richard have matched, thus confirming that the two captains were somehow related with a most recent common ancestor at least three generations earlier.

Direct line male descendants of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker fall within Group-12 of the Walker Surname DNA Project. To date, six are descendants of Joseph² Walker; three are descendants of Israel² Walker; three are descendants of John² Walker; and two are descendants of Josephⁿ Walker (1761-1843) whose relationship to Capt. Samuel¹ Walker remains unknown. Eleven participants had reached brick walls in their genealogical research at the time of their y-DNA testing. Knowing that a kinship existed to Capt. Samuel¹ Walker, the missing links for seven of the eleven brick wall cases have been resolved.

Request for Additional Participation by Descendants of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker (1615-1684) of Woburn, Massachusetts

All of the participants within Group-12 of the Walker Surname DNA Project who have traced their lineage back to Capt. Samuel¹ Walker descend from either Joseph², Israel², or John² Walker, three of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker's six sons. We would like to see 111-marker participation by additional direct line male descendants of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker, particularly those who descend from Samuel's other sons; namely, Dea. Samuel², Jr., of Woburn, Isaac² of Concord, N.H., and Ezekiel² of Boston. This would enable us to better understand our mutation patterns and to refine the modal haplotype for Capt. Samuel¹ Walker.

Request for Additional Participation by Descendants of Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687) of Lynn, Massachusetts

There are four participants in the Walker Surname DNA Project who descend from Captain Richard¹ Walker, but only two match with each other and are in Group-12. We would like to see 111-marker participation by other direct line male descendants of Capt. Richard¹ Walker in order to confirm the modal haplotype for Capt. Richard.

Request for Additional Participation by Walkers whose origins can be traced to sixteenth century Northumberland, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire or other nearby shires of England.

We would like to see 111-marker participation by other Walkers in this group in order to gain a clearer picture of the most recent common ancestor of these branches of Walker.

Request for Participation by any Walker whose origins can be traced to eighteenth or nineteenth century Wishaw, Warwickshire, England.

We would like to see 111-marker participation by Walkers in this group in order to determine if they were related to these branches of Walker.

• The following article presents the DNA evidence and proof that Samuel¹ Walker and Captain Richard¹ Walker were related as possible first or second cousins.
  Reprinted by permission of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
  Eugene Allen Walker, “Samuel¹ Walker, Kinsman of Captain Richard¹ Walker,” American Ancestors 23 (Winter 2023): 38–41.
  For more information about American Ancestors magazine and the New England Historic Genealogical Society, please visit AmericanAncestors.org.
  I acknowledge the NEHGS copyright. Click here to view a PDF of the article.
  
  
• The following article presents the evidence and proof that Samuel¹ Walker immigrated by 1637, and first settled at Exeter, New Hampshire, before removing to Reading, Massachusetts, in 1644 and thence to Woburn.
  Reprinted by permission of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
  Eugene Allen Walker, "The Whereabouts of Samuel¹ Walker of Reading and Woburn, Massachusetts, Prior to his Arrival at Reading in 1644," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 177 (Spring 2023): 119-125.
  For more information about the New England Historic Genealogical Society, please visit AmericanAncestors.org.
  I acknowledge the NEHGS copyright. Click here to view a PDF of the article.
  
  
• The following article presents the evidence and proof that Mary, the wife of Maj. William² Dyer, was a daughter of Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687).
  Reprinted by permission of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
  Wesley W. Walker and Eugene Allen Walker, "The Identity of Mary, Wife of Major William² Dyer, Thirteenth Mayor of New York City," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 177 (Spring 2023): 126-135.
  For more information about the New England Historic Genealogical Society, please visit AmericanAncestors.org.
  I acknowledge the NEHGS copyright. Click here to view a PDF of the article.
  
  
• The following article describes my experience with the Ford 8N tractor while growing up on a farm in Maine.
  Reprinted by permission of N-News.
  Eugene Allen Walker, "The Small, Versatile, Fordson & Ford Tractors," N-News Magazine Vol. 38, No. 4 (Autumn / Oct-Nov-Dec 2023): 3-6.
  For more information about the N-News Magazine, please visit n-news.com.
  I acknowledge the N-News copyright. Click here to view a PDF of the article.
  
  
• The following article has been accepted by the New England Historic Genealogical Society for future publication in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
  Eugene Allen Walker and Neva P. Adams, "Solomon⁶ Walker of Langdon, New Hampshire; Delmar, Tioga County, Pennsylvania; and Nicholas County, (West) Virginia."
  Unpublished draft work © 2023 Eugene Allen Walker and Neva P. Adams. All rights reserved.
  

The following publications are under development:

• Eugene Allen Walker, "Research into the English Origin of Capt. Samuel¹ Walker of Exeter, New Hampshire, and Reading and Woburn, Massachusetts."
  Unpublished draft work © 2005, 2023 Eugene Allen Walker. All rights reserved.
  
  

Funding is available to pay for a 111 marker y-dna test for any male Walker who can demonstrate lineal descent from Capt. Richard¹ Walker (1611-1687) of Lynn, Massachusetts, through his son Shubael² Walker (ca. 1639-1688/9) of Bradford, Massachusetts. With regard to Capt. Richard¹ Walker's other sons, Nathaniel² had no issue, Obadiah²'s line died out in the third generation, and it is questionable whether Richard Walker of Ipswich (1637-1721) was a son of Capt. Richard¹ Walker. Thus, the only certain line of descent from Capt. Richard¹ Walker, without question, is through his son Shubael². That is why we are seeking descendants of Capt. Richard¹ Walker through his son Shubael² to join the Walker Surname DNA Project so that we can determine if Capt. Richard¹ Walker was related to any other early Walker lines.

Contact Eugene A. Walker

Through y-DNA testing, the following branches are known to descend from Capt. Samuel¹ Walker. We need help in identifying where they properly fit in this tree. If you have any information in this regard, please contact us.

• Josephⁿ Walker (DNA Table Kit#'s 130320 & 94545), b. 29 Dec 1761 in Connecticut or possibly Massachusetts; d. 12 Sep 1843 Edinboro, Erie, Pennsylvania; m. 28 Oct 1787 Selah Cooley at Lyme, New London, Connecticut; Revolutionary War Soldier from Connecticut.
  
  
• Nathaniel⁵ Walker (DNA Table Kit# 170659) and Edward⁵ Walker (DNA Table Kit# 278289) brick walls have been resolved and placed as descendants of Israel². However, there is some indication from named variants of Big Y-700 testing that they may have descended from John². More research is required.
  
  
• Peterⁿ Walker (DNA Table Kit# B106846), b. ca. 1809 in New England; d. 17 Oct. 1878 Chautauqua Co., New York; m. abt. 1835 Rachel Skinner. From Big Y-700 DNA testing, we know that he descends from Samuel¹, Joseph², John³, Joseph⁴, but his line of descent from Joseph⁴ is unknown. He will be included in the next update.
  
  
• Orrinⁿ Walker (DNA Table Kit# 374318), b. ca. 1839 in (prob.) Livingston Co., New York; d. Nov. 1878 Warrick Co., Indiana; m. 4 May 1866 Nancy J. Sprinkle in Warrick Co., Indiana. He may be included in the next update.
  
  

This Walker family tree includes the following notable descendants:

Rev. James⁷ Walker, (1794-1874); Minister and Rel. Philosopher; President of Harvard
Sears Cook⁷ Walker, (1805-1853); Mathematician and Astronomer
George⁸ Walker, (1824-1888); U. S. Consul-General in Paris, France, from 1880 to 1887
Hon. Joseph Henry⁸ Walker, (1829-1907); U. S. House of Representatives from 1889 to 1899
Gen. Francis Amasa⁸ Walker, (1840-1897); Civil War General; President of MIT
Col. Everett Worthington⁸ Foster, (1835-1933); Third Minnesota Regiment; Walker Family Researcher
(John) Calvin⁹ Coolidge, Jr., (1872-1933); 30th President of the United States
Nicholas⁹ Longworth, Jr., (1870-1931); Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives
George W.¹² Bush, (1946- ); 43rd President of the United States; (related through his mother)

This Walker family tree includes the following notable people who married descendants:

Sir Benjamin Thompson, also known as Count Rumford, (1753-1814); Physicist and Inventor; m. (1) Sarah⁵ (Walker) Rolfe
Samuel F. B. Morse, (1791-1872); Inventor of the Telegraph and Morse Code; m. (1) Lucretia Pickering⁷ Walker
Alice Roosevelt, (1884-1980); Daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States; m. Nicholas⁹ Longworth, Jr.
George H. W. Bush, (1924-2018); 41st President of the United States; m. Barbara¹¹ Pierce

This database includes a compilation of records for this branch of the Walker Family, i.e., the descendants of Samuel Walker of Woburn, which is as complete and as accurate as we have been able to assemble as of the spring of 2008. Information has been incorporated from personal family records of the compilers and from many other sources available in the open literature, either published or on the Internet. The core data for that portion of the database dealing with the descendants of Capt. Nathaniel⁴ Walker of Sturbridge, Mass., was extracted from the series of articles by Col. E. W. Foster which appeared in the Boston Evening Transcript from July through December 1928.

We know there must be many errors in this compilation, and obviously there are many missing individuals as well as entire branches of the family. Thus, one of our principal objectives is to encourage other researchers to add to this database. For that purpose, we will be delighted to hear from any and all Walker family descendants who want to share.

This web site is a work in progress and was originally established by Gerald Lloyd Smith (1923-2013). In 2005 Mr. Smith partnered with Eugene A. Walker to maintain and upgrade this site. The earlier versions of this database prior to July 2005 were compiled by Gerald L. Smith. Subsequent versions of this database were the results of merging the databases compiled by Messrs. Smith and Walker and reconciling the differences. In future versions, we plan to add additional source citations and brief biographical sketches where information is available.

Please revisit often.

• 12 July 2005 - We are beginning to merge data starting with the descendants of Samuel² Walker (Samuel ¹).
• 23 July 2005 - Added 236 descendants of Rev. Timothy⁴ Walker of Concord, N. H. (Samuel ³, Samuel ², Samuel ¹).
• 04 August 2005 - Added 381 descendants of Mr. Edward⁴ Walker of Woburn, Mass. (John ³, Samuel ², Samuel ¹).
• 30 August 2005 - Added 166 descendants of Capt. Samuel⁴ Walker of Wilmington, Mass. (Samuel ³, Samuel ², Samuel ¹).
• 17 January 2008 - We have completed the database merge and have included numerous new entries not found elsewhere.
• 24 January 2008 - Added West Virginia branch - descendants of Solomon⁶ and Leah (Boyden) Walker. (Seth ^5-3, Joseph ², Samuel ¹).
• 24 March 2008 - Added color to Coat of Arms based on notes by Col. Foster, provided by Charles¹¹ and Jeanne Walker of Arizona.
• 01 April 2008 - Reorganized the Home Page and added a section on the Walker DNA Project.
• 11 November 2008 - Revised the section on the Walker DNA Project.
• 19 November 2008 - Added the family of Alanson J.⁷ Walker of Mooers, New York. (John ⁶, Henry ^5-3, Israel ², Samuel ¹).
• 22 August 2009 - Numerous additions and corrections. Added DNA Results Section.
• 24 September 2009 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 14 November 2009 - Various additions and corrections.
• 12 February 2010 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 02 June 2010 - Various additions and corrections.
• 29 October 2010 - Updated to latest release of RootsMagic 4 which corrected problems with the way source citations are displayed.
• 09 April 2011 - Updated DNA Chart; additional source citations; various additions and corrections.
• 07 August 2011 - Various additions and corrections.
• 20 August 2011 - Various additions and corrections re descendants of Brownfield and Thorndike, Maine.
• 03 June 2014 - Changed font size; updated DNA Chart; additional source citations; various additions and corrections.
• 18 April 2020 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 07 July 2020 - Expanded DNA Chart to 111 markers; added Capt. Richard Walker presumed modal haplotype to DNA Chart.
• 10 July 2020 - Numerous additions and corrections; added some descendants of Capt. Richard Walker; added family of Maj. Timothy Walker of Belfast, Maine.
• 23 July 2020 - Corrected formatting issue experienced with new Microsoft Edge Browser.
• 02 August 2020 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 06 August 2020 - Added Branches and Hypothetical Origin sections.
• 12 January 2021 - Updated DNA Chart based on deep clade SNP analysis.
• 01 February 2021 - Revised Hypothetical Origin section.
• 16 March 2021 - Solved brick walls for Nathaniel⁵ Walker (DNA Table Kit# 170659) and Edward⁵ Walker (DNA Table Kit# 278289).
• 18 March 2021 - Added some descendants for the Australia and New Zealand branches.
• 24 June 2021 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 24 November 2021 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 11 February 2022 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 18 April 2022 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 11 January 2023 - Updated Introduction Section to announce the publication of my Walker DNA research article.
• 1 March 2023 - Added link to my Walker DNA research article.
• 8 April 2023 - Updated Publications Section to announce the planned publication of two additional Walker research articles.
• 18 April 2023 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 13 May 2023 - Updated Publications Section to announce revised publication dates.
• 29 June 2023 - Added links in the Publications Section for two additional Walker research articles.
• 19 October 2023 - Rehosted Website; numerous additions and corrections; added Mary Walker, daughter of Capt. Richard Walker (1611-1687).
• 16 November 2023 - Added proof that Hannah N. Walker is a daughter of Serg. Timothy Walker (1758-1841) [Conway Congregational Church record].
• 15 December 2023 - Updated DNA Chart and announced the submission of another Walker research article for publication in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
• 18 January 2024 - Updated DNA Chart.
• 11 April 2024 - Updated Publications Section to announce the acceptance of a Solomon⁶ Walker research article for publication in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
• 19 April 2024 - Updated DNA Chart.

• Eugene A. Walker
  
  
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