William WALKER

     William WALKER, son of Hugh WALKER and Margaret CARROLL, was born on 3 March 1812 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. William married Sarah Virginia SHELTON, daughter of Stephen SHELTON and Martha GRAVES, on 9 May 1844 in Autauga County, Alabama. The service was preformed by J. W. Brown, minister.^1,2

William WALKER was alllowed the sum of $295 to build a new bridge across Autauga Creek at McNeil's Mill in August 1847.³

William WALKER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1850 in Huddleston Beat, Autauga County, Alabama. The household was listed as William Walker, age 38, carpenter, born North Carolina; Sarah Walker, age 23, born Alabama; Martha, age 4; Robert, age 2; Margarett, age 1; and Francis Hutten, age 19, carpenter, born Alabama. All of the children were born in Alabama. William's real estate was valued at $2,000 The Huddleston District was north of Prattville up to Kingston, and ran from Booth on the west side to approximately modern day U. S. Hwy. 31.⁴

William purchased a government land patent 2 February 1852 in Autauga County, Alabama. The land tract purchased at the Cahaba Land Office contained 40 acres in Northwest quarter of Northeast quarter of Section 12, Township 17N, Range 14E from St. Stephens Meridian. This was located near present day Whitewater Community off County Road 165 about halfway between Autaugaville and Booth.⁵

He was employed to build the new Autauga County courthouse at Kingston for about $6,400. According to 9 Feb 1857 entry in Autauga County Commissioner's Court Minutes, "It appearing from the examination of the County Treasurers Reports that Mr. William Walker, the builder of the Court House in Kingston, has received five thousand three hundred and four 88/100 dollars, leaving a balance of three [one?] thousand and ninety-five 12/100 dollars due him. It is therefore ordered that the said William Walker be allowed the said sum of one thousand and ninety-five 12/100 dollars, the amount due him for building said Court House." A jail and a tavern were also located at Kingston, but little else. A few lawyers and the county officials resided within the close environs but the town never enjoyed any popularity as a place where people chose to live. Within a few years the county seat moved to Prattville.⁶

William WALKER purchased a government land patent 1 September 1858 in Autauga (now Chilton) County, Alabama. On this date William purchased three tracts at Greenville Land Office, the first for the East half of Southeast quarter of Section 19, the second for the Northwest quarter of Section 29, and the third the East half of Northeast quarter of Section 30, all of these in Township 21N, Range 13E of St. Stephens Meridian. The three tracts near Maplesville totaled 320.37 acres.⁷

William WALKER was owner and operator of a cotton gin circa 1860 in Maplesville, Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama.⁸

William WALKER and Sarah Virginia SHELTON appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1860 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as W. Walker, age 41, born North Carolina; Sarah, age 33, born Alabama; Martha, age 14; Robert, age 12; Margaret, age 11; W[illiam], age 9; Sarah, age 5; Mary, age 3; and Samuel, age 1.

William WALKER purchased a government land patent 1 December 1860 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. This tract from Greenville Land Office contained 19.12 acres in Southeast quarter of Southeast quarter of Section 13, Township 21N, Range 12E of St. Stephens Meredian.⁹

In the 1870 Manufacturing Schedule for Baker (now Chilton) County, Alabama William Walker was shown as the operater of a water-powered grist mill, with capitol of $2,500.

William WALKER and Sarah Virginia SHELTON appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 30 July 1870 in Chestnut Creek, Baker (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as William Walker, a 58-year-old farmer, born North Carolina. He had real estate valued $4500 and personal property valued $2000. There was also Sarah Walker, age 43, keeping house; Robert Walker, age 22, works on farm; Margarette Walker, age 20, at home; William Walker, age 17, works on farm; Sally Walker, age 15, at home; Mary Walker, age 13, at home; and Samuel Waker, age 11. Sarah and all of the children were born in Alabama.

William built a beautiful two-story Eastlake style home between Maplesville and Clanton sometime during the 1880s. This house is rectangular with a wing attachment on the left rear. The exterior walls are of weatherboarding. The tile-like tin roof is gabled, with two magnificent gables on the front and two on the rear. The rectangular windows are covered by green, blind-like wooden shutters. Four red brick interior chimneys rise from the roof, and the house rests on a red brick foundation. The eaves extend two feet out, and beneath them is one foot of decorative board and batten. Between the two front gables is a cupola with three windows in the base and four window-like vents in the upper portion. The porch is supported by eight Eastlake style columns with carved, decorative wooden motifs at the tops and a carved balustrade. The central one of three gables extending from the roof is supported by two Eastlake columns and extends over a flight of wooden steps. A wainscoting of diagonally placed boards extends across the rear wall of the porch; at the base is a white carved eight-inch baseboard. The home has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

William WALKER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 7 June 1880 in Beat 3, Benson, Chilton County, Alabama. The household was listed as William Walker, a 69-year-old farmer; his daughter, Margaret, age 30, keeping house; son William, age 28, works on farm; daughter Sarah, age 25, works in house; daughter Molly, age 23, works in house; and son Samuel, age 20, at school. All were born in Alabama, William's parents were born in North Carolina.

William WALKER died on 28 January 1891 in Chilton County, Alabama, at age 78.¹⁰ He was buried in Isabella Methodist Church Cemetery, Chilton County, Alabama. His tombstone was engraved "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."¹⁰