Maj. John Walker and Diana Craighead

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Husband Maj. John Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: Cal 9 Feb 1770 - Wilmington, New Castle Co, DE
     Christened: 
           Died: 4 Jun 1856 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Samuel Walker (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Elizabeth Springer (      -      ) 1

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Diana Craighead ^{1 2}

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           Born: Cal 3 May 1780
     Christened: 
           Died: 7 Oct 1853 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Robert Craighead (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Mary Davidson (      -      ) 1

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Children

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1 M Samuel Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 1798 - Elizabeth, Allegheny Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 1876 - Elizabeth, Allegheny Co, PA 1
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Nancy Speer (      -      ) 1
           Marr: 1819 1

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2 M John Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1889 - Colorado
         Buried: 

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3 M Maj. Robert C. Walker ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1889 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, UT
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Blaine (      -      )

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4 F Mary Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1889 - Peoria, Peoria Co, IL
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Solomon Speer (      -      ) 2

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5 F Matilda Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 5 Jan 1805 - Elizabeth Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 21 Aug 1874 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William K. Van Kirk (1799-1881) 1 2 4

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6 F Diana Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1889 - western Pennsylvania
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Samuel Frew (      -      ) 1 2

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7 F Sarah Walker ^{1 2}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1889 - Elizabeth, Allegheny Co, PA
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Dr. William Penniman (      -      ) 1 2

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8 F Julia B. Walker ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1889
         Buried: 

         Spouse: John McDonough (      -      ) 1

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General Notes: Husband - Maj. John Walker

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The Walkers came to Western Pennsylvania from the state of Delaware.

He was a youth of seventeen years when he came with his parents to Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, where he spent the remainder of his life, and died at the age of eighty-six years. He was a boat-builder, and constructed many of the first boats used on the river. He built the pirogues used in
the Lewis and Clarke expedition to the northwest, and also the first steamboat built west of the Allegheny mountains. He also was engaged in hotel-keeping for many years.
He participated in the War of 1812, and gained the rank of major.
His family consisted of three sons and five daughters.

About the time of the "whiskey insurrection" in Western Pennsylvania, the ferry across the Monongahela, above Elizabeth, near the later Lock No. 3, a crossing known as MacFarlane's Ferry, was operated by Major John Walker, and there he ferried many of the soldiers across, who were bound for the seat of war. [GPHWP, 637]

He was born in Wilmington, Delaware county, Pennsylvania [sic], coming when young to Western Pennsylvania. For a time he operated MacFarlane's Ferry across the Monongahela river, later settling in Elizabeth. In 1819 he built a brick hotel on the site overlooking the river, that is still [1915] standing, and there for many years conducted a well patronized and popular house of entertainment for travellers. He was also engaged with his brother-in-law, John Craighead, in the lumber business. [GPHWP, 638]

1 —, The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Part II (Chicago, IL: A. W. Warner & Co., 1889), Pg 403.

2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 638.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 639.

4 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. III (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 189.