General Notes

[JOHNBWALKER.FTW]

John M. Bell writes: "Grandmother Lucretia Bell was of Welsh descent and  came from North  Wales."  The Six J. Naron's Ranch research shows the  Walker's being from Virginia  and then Kentucky, before settling in Texas.  Their  research shows that  James Walker, Sr. spent several years in KY. before coming to  Texas as a  member of Austin's Colony.

p. 420-422 "Silas Bell...." book by Shirley Newman, 1999
"James Francis Walker was born December 13, 1755 in Orange County or Augusta County, Virginia to Thomas and Elizabeth Walker, Jr.  He owned several slaves during his lifetime.  He was married to Catherine Miller September 9, 1783 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.  Catherine was bornDecember 28, 1766 in Greenbrier County to Jacob and Elizabeth Fudge Miller."  "They lived in Greenbrier County in Virginia, Orange County, Virginia, and in Madison, Cumberland and Wayne Counties in Kentucky, before moving to Texas.  In Wayne County James deeded land to John M.M., James Jr., Gideon, Charles, and Thomas Walker (his sons).  James and Catherine came to Texas and received a sitio(one labor plus one league or about 4428 acres) of land fronting the Brazos atNew Year's Creek just east of Brenham in Washington County, Texas from the Mexican governement on July 21, 1824.  The deed was in Spanish and was signed by Estevan (Steven) F. Austin in San Felipe, Texas.  The original land grant is on file with the land commissioner in Austin, Travis County, Texas.   James Walkerwas one of Austin's "Original Three Hundred".  Witnesses to the signing were John Austin and Samuel M. Williams.  James is listed on the 1826 census of Texaswith a wife, two male children and one female child (none named)."  "The Walker family built a log house sometime during that first two years and it was still standing in 1998.  It is on the National Register of Historic Homes and is one of the oldest in historic Washington County, Texas.  Prior to 1921 the house was located across the road wast of its present location.  About 1921 the owner, Mr. Bockhorn, moved the house to a small hill about 200 yards southeast of its present location and then to the place where it rests now.  It was moved by placing logs under it and using horses to pull it along.  Mr. Bockhorn used it for a hay barn.  When the Barnhills bought the property, they restored the log house ad are using it as a Bed and Breakfast.  The house consists of two main rooms, three small rooms at the back, a vaulted ceiling in the living room and a loft over the bedroom.  The house is built of massive cedar logs, some 28 feet long, shaped with an adze and notched at the corners.  The fire place and chimney were added by the Barnhills.  The Walker Cemetery is located nearby and several family members are buried there. James is listed on the tax rolls of 1837. According to the deed record books, it appears he believed that he was going to die in 1836-37.  There are many recordings of land transfers to his sons and daughters.  A judge came to his house when the transactions were made an in at least one of the transactions he stated that he is doing this to avoid difficulty in the administration of his estate.  But hope was not gone completely, for on February 1, 1836 he bought 164 acres of land from Polly Laurence for $200.  James died in 1837.  The "Old 300 Association" says he is buried in Peach CreekCememtery near Millican in Brazos County, Texas.  There is no tombstone for him in Washington County or in the Peach Creek Cemetery.  Some believe that he was injured in the Runaway Scrape and never fully recovered.  Catherine died before 1860 in Texas.  According to a listing in the family Bible that had sixreen children."