John Gilmore Walker, a son of Edward
and Mahala (Tussey) Walker, was born 29 November
1834 probably at his
parents' home on Mulberry Creek, where he left his
name carved in the house. He married 11 September 1856
in Claiborne County and was called Little John.
John Gilmore and Lucinda
(Atkins) Walker; photo from Our Union County Heritage,
volume 2
His wife was Lucinda Atkins, the daughter of Morris
Atkins and Lucinda Peak and a sister to Dr. Samuel Atkins,
who married Henry
Walker's daughter Malissa. Lucinda was born 1 March
1838 probably in Grainger County and died 5 May 1913
probably in the Walker's Ford/Hickory Valley section
of Union County. Both are buried in Yadon Cemetery in
Union County, and the couple had 10 children.
John Gilmore Walker
and unidentified grandchild. Photo from Earl B.
Walker; sent by Tim Walker.
John was raised near Mulberry Gap and, among other
things, apparently was responsible for taking care of
his younger half brothers after his father remarried,
being the one to retrieve the doctor, supposedly an
elderly woman who boiled herbs and bark as medicine.
This woman may well have been Patsy Davis, wife of Eli,
although no hard evidence currently exists.
After the marriage, the couple lived briefly near his
parents but soon bought a farm on a ridge on Bear Creek
in Claiborne County from his oldest brother, Henry.
He later sold that farm to his brother-in-law, Lawrence
Wolfe, and bought the Abe Haner tract in Union County
in the Hickory Valley area near Walker's Ford, where
he lived for the rest of his life.
Shared tombstone in Yadon Cemetery, Union County.
Photo taken by Tim Walker 5/5/2003.
John was a blacksmith during the war, making items
for the soldiers, although he apparently was not actually
in the army because of the blacksmith exemption. At
one point, soldiers from one side or another chased
him; he was hit by a bullet at some distance, but, because
of the distance, the bullet was nearly spent and simply
raised a bruise on his head. Supposedly, neighbors rose
up and killed the attackers. Later, he was also an engineer
helping to keep the Clinch River navigable at one point.
John Gilmore Walker on
the farm feeding the sheep. Photo from Earl B.
Walker; sent by Tim Walker.
Like most farmers in the area, John, according to his
daughter, built rafts to carry wheat, corn, hams, meal,
and honey down the Clinch River to Chattanooga, Hamilton
County, Tennessee, to be sold. While no evidence is
presented as to how he returned, the typical farmer
at that time would simply walk home or perhaps, if enough
money was made, purchase a horse. In any event, such
a trip likely took more than a month.
