Elihu Walker, the youngest child of Joseph
and Mary (Tussey) Walker, was born apparently on
4 April 1832 in the Little
Sycamore Valley in Claiborne County, Tennessee.
His birthday is somewhat questionable, as his tombstone
indicates 4 April 1828. However, there is no entry to
account for him in the 1830 Census, and the 1840 Census
entry is more consistent with the 1832 date; he (or
someone) also gave "April 1832" to the Census
enumerator in 1900.
He was married by his brother Jacob
in Claiborne County on 5 October 1856. His wife, Barbara
Parks, was a daughter of Jacob J. Parks and Martha Clarkston,
with Jacob being the brother of Louisa Parks, who married
Elihu's brother Samuel.
Elihu and Barbara appear to have lived their lives
on or near Little Sycamore Creek and raising six known
children. Barbara died on 6 November 1878, and Elihu
apparently never remarried. Elihu himself died 13 October
1912, and both are buried in the family cemetery at
Little Sycamore Creek.
Their oldest child, Martha J. Walker, was born 31 August
1856 and married William Fugate around 27 May 1878.
A marriage license was issued that day in Claiborne
County, but the marriage book contains no return information.
They raised 8 children before William died 24 October
1894. Martha died 27 September 1937 in Claiborne County.
She is buried in the family cemetery while William is
buried in Walker-Fugate Cemetery not far away.
Albert Joseph Walker, the second child, was born 13
August 1860. He married Cornelia Francis Pearson about
1886, possibly in Claiborne County but no license has
been found. Five of their six children were probably
born in Claiborne County, but the couple moved to Cooke
County, Texas around the turn of the century, where
their last child was probably born. Albert died 5 April
1934 at his home at 1016 Flores in Loredo, Webb County,
Texas, and Cornelia died 5 July 1956 where she was living
in Olton, Lamb County, Texas.
Ollie Jane Walker was born 11 August 1863 and married
Wiley Augustus Bartlett on 5 February 1882 in Claiborne
County. Wiley was born sometime in May 1860 in Claiborne
County. They had two children, and both Ollie (probably
short for Olivia) and Wiley died in Claiborne County,
Wiley on 9 December 1931 and Ollie around 31 January
1940. Their burial places are unknown.
Identified by Fay (Walker) Barnard as Fleenor and
Nursie (Walker) Williams. From the Center for Southern
Folklore. Click for larger version.
Narcissa Walker, known as Nursie, was born 31 July
1866. She married Fleenor H. Williams on 19 September
1895 in Claiborne County, and they apparently lived
in the Little Sycamore area. Fleenor was born 17 April
1869. According to a family story, Nursie was a large
woman and Fleenor a small man; she would jokingly threaten
to throw him in the creek. The picture at right was
taken by Samuel Brown Walker or his wife Lula (Steppe)
Walker and was donated by their daughter Mae to the
Center for Southern Folklore in Memphis; Fay (Walker)
Barnard has identified it as being a photo Fleenor and
Nursie. The couple had at least four children but only
one, James, lived beyond infancy. Nursie died on 29
January 1932 probably in Claiborne County, while Fleenor
survived her more than 25 years, dying at his residence
near Tazewell, Tennessee, on 26 December 1957. Both
are buried in the Walker family cemetery on Little Sycamore
Creek.
Elihu and Barbara's youngest child, Amanda J., was
born 31 July 1871 and was just 7 when her mother died.
She married John Brewer on 23 November 1893 in Claiborne
County and had a daughter named Maggie; Amanda died
on 30 October 1899. She may have had more than one child,
but John Brewer has not been positively identified,
and only Maggie was raised by her grandfather Elihu.
Maggie never married. Amanda is buried in the family
cemetery on Little Sycamore Creek.
