AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT
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Direct descendant is highlighted in red
| Daniel Walker | see FAMILY TREE | |
Born: 10 Oct 1706 Rehoboth, Bristol, MA
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| Married: 01 Jan 1729/30 Seekonk, Bristol, MA
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Marriage Date: 01 Jan 1729-30 Int Date: 13 Dec 1729 By Whom: Rev. John Greenwood Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896. |
FATHER
MOTHER
Sarah
WIFE
CHILDREN
1. Mary Walker b. 24 May 1730 Rehoboth, Bristol, MA
2. Mehitable Walker b. 06 Jan/1731/32
3. Mehitable Walker b. 22 Sep 1733 Rhode Island
4. Sarah Walker b. 02 Sep 1735
5. Daniel Walker b. 11 Mar 1735/36
6. Gideon Walker b. 20 Nov 1738
7. Rebecca Walker b. 14 Jun 1740
8. Esther Walker b. 09 Jun 1742
9. Nathan Walker b. 04 May 1744
10. Keziah Walker b. 06 Jan 1745/46
d. 01 Nov 1747
11. John Walker b 01 Sep 1748
d. 15 Oct 1748
12. Ichabod Walker b. 23 Dec 1749
Source unknown
"Daniel Walker was born October 10, 1706, married Mary, daughter of Jasiel Perry, at Seekonk, January 1, 1730. They were both members of the church in Rehoboth. Some time after the year 1750 he removed, with his family, to Coventry, Rhode Island. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, and was at Quebec at the capture of that city in 1759. It was his to be a witness of, and a participator in, that final act in the great drama of the eighteenth century, in which the lillies of France faded from the continent, and gave place to the domination of the Saxon race. Many soldiers from the New England colonies, as they returned from that last expedition, attracted by the appearance of the country, as they traveled along the newly cut military road, which followed the valley of the Otter Creek, decided to make their homes in the hitherto unpeopled territory, to the east of Lake Champlain. The settlement of the country was slow, and it was not until nine years later that, in 1768, Daniel Walker gave up his rugged Rhode Island farm, and removed with his family to Clarendon, then in the "New Hampshire Grants." He was sixty-two years of age at the time of his settlement in Clarendon. He died there, but the date of his decease, no records has been found. His wife died in Rutland, Vermont, at about the commencement of the Revolutionary War, in 1775 or '76. They had twelve children."
The following article is mostly about his son, Daniel Walker, Jr.
DANIEL WALKER
appeared in Cataraqui Loyalist Town Crier (March 2004),
23(2):8-9
contributed by Lilyan Durkee of Southbury CT
"The Walker family of Ernestown Township had its origin in America, in Rehoboth, Mass., when the widow Walker and her two children arrived from England about 1630. Her name appears in the town records of 1643 and 1646.One of her great-grandsons, Daniel Walker, was born on October 10, 1706. He married, January 1, 1729/30, Mary, daughter of Jasiel Perry.
During the war for the Conquest of Canada, Daniel joined the army under General Wolfe and was present at the battle of Quebec in September, 1759. He was then 53 and was employed as an artificer. After the war he received his discharge in Canada. Then, in the company of others, he undertook the long journey home overland, in the winter of 1760 or 1761. They journeyed up the St. Lawrence River to Sorel, then up the Richelieu River and across lake Champlain to the mouth of the Otter River. Then up that river and across the hills to the Connecticut River, down which they proceeded to Long Island Sound, and on to Rhode Island and Massachusetts, finally reaching his family the following year.
In 1768 the region which is now known as northern New York and Vermont, was open for settlement and Daniel gathered his 12 children and grandchildren, from Coventry, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and started the long journey to the Otter River Valley, on April 1st, 1768.
The genealogy of the family, entitled, "Walkers of the Old Colony", has this to say about Daniel, Jr. (born March 11, 1735/1736): "He married Jerusha Bates, and then Mary Young, an English woman by whose influence he espoused the side of the British in the revolution. The Committee of safety, of which his brother Gideon was a member, notified Daniel that if he was found off his farm, he would be declared an outlaw. He at once, with five other Tories, started for Canada. His property in Clarendon was confiscated and his family soon followed." Daniel Walker, Jr. had settled on one of the finest farms in Vermont, three hundred acres of valley land in Durham County and Clarendon Town. A dispute arose between New York and New Hampshire over ownership of the new settlements. New York 'won' and under Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain boys took matters into their own hands, beating Benjamin Hough, a justice of the peace. They also warned Daniel Walker Jr. that he could "not with any degree of safety return home without danger from the said rioters".
War broke out and from the Clarendon settlement Daniel Walker, Ebenezer Washburn, Robert Perry, and David Shorey joined Lt-Col. John Peters' Queen's Loyal Rangers, to become part of the Loyalist regiments with Burgoyne. Daniel Walker was at the Battle of Bennington in August and at the Battle of Saratoga the next month.
At the family home in Clarendon, Vermont, things went badly. The farm buildings, live stock and implements were seized on January 30, 1778 and sold at public auction. His family continued to reside with his parents. In 1779, Daniel's name appeared on a list of those persons who were attainted and threatened with seizure and death if they returned to Vermont. This was revoked and Daniel returned home, likely with the idea of removing his family to Canada. He became ill and remained there until January 1781; not long afterwards, his family is recorded in Canada.
Daniel and Mary Walker are shown living at Riviere Du Chene from July, 1781, until their removal to the Bay of Quinte region in June, 1784. At that time Daniel and Mary Young Walker, were accompanied by daughter Mary, aged 14, and Daniel, aged 12. The other daughter Esther had already married Solomon Ball, a young Loyalist from Vermont. Mary and Daniel were soon baptized by the Rev'd John Langhorn.
The Walker family arrived at Cataraqui about the middle of June and remained there until arrangements had been made for their settlement in Ernestown in early July, where Daniel Walker drew the east half of Lot #9, in the second concession. Older sons William and Weeden finally came to Canada in 1788. By that time they had married, and both were fathers of two small children. Daniel travelled to Montreal to present his claim for losses of property during the war.
Daniel died in 1795 in Ernestown."
From Data on United Empire Loyalists Collected by the Staff of the Archives
Department, Toronto, Canada
"When certain citizens of the British Colonies in America determined on
rebellion against the Crown in 1776, a large number of loyal citizens in all the
colonies volunteered for the King's service.
Not less than 52 Regiments of loyal citizens of the Colonies were formed to
maintain law and order, and to preserve the unity of the British people.
Aided by the full strength of Spain, Holland and France, the rebellious element
in the Colonies in 1783 succeeded in severing the connection between the Mother
Country and the Colonies.
Those citizens who had served in the King's forces, and those who had in other
way endeavoured to maintain the Unity of the Empire, left the Colonies, having
sacrificed their homes and property, to retain for themselves and their
descendants the proud distinction of being British subjects.
(There is now an Exhibition) in proud memory of the thousands of noble and
patriotic men and women, who set their ideals above material wealth, and who
through their faith, loyalty and courage, became founders of British Canada."
.