James James Walton

GEDCOM Note

As of 10 August 1993, all Walton ancestors prior to James are nottruely connected and remain purely speculation. There may be a Henry whomarried Mary Hogue, John who married his cousin Enrica Dosia (or Eudosia)Walton and Sherwood, wife unknown, the father of John and the brother of the father of George Walton, the signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia. 1) [FACT] James Walton moved to Starkville, Mississippi sometimeafter his brothers-in-law Robert Allison Lampkin and Elijah Hogan settledthe area. He and his wife, Louisa Lamkin, were charter members of the Starkville Methodist church and he served as the one of the firstSenators in Mississippi for Oktibbeha, Chicksaw and Choctaw counties. He beganhis term of office in 1837 and served until 1843. 2) [SPECULATION] Per Mary Carter, in a letter to Florence Turner Marshall in 1969: the Walton clan decended from four brothers who immigrated from Wales. Two stayed in the north (similar to the four Waltons who arrived in Pennsylvania in the late 1600's). Two othersmoved to Starkville, Mississippi. She stated that one of the brothers whostayed in the north was the George Walton who signed the Declaration of Independence. (Not quite the same as we see shown, plus quite a few generations between.) 3) [SPECULATION] In Mother Turner's notes, she listed JamesWalton's great-grandfather as brother of Col. George Walton. Henry Walton livedin Chester, South Carolina. When quite young, his family moved to KnoxCo., Tennessee, where he grew to manhood. 4) [FACT] James Walton was born in Chester district, S. C., Aug.17, 1799. In early childhood his parents removed to Knox county, Tenn.,where he received that culture at their hands which gave type to hismanhood, and that blessing of heaven which made him a child of God, and gavethe earnest of a better life to come. His parents were religious, and believed that problem of Christian experience involved the entire consecration of them- selves and family to God. Accordingly, religion, with them, was a blessed and beautiful life. The toil of the fields,the service of the sanctuary, and the family devotion, were all alikehallowed by grace, and blended in a perpetual offering and tribute to God.Under this tuition of hallowed influence young Walton began life. Without a knowledge of his subsequent course, no mind enlightened by the faithof the gospel can fail to de- termine the result. At the early age ofeight years he was penetrated with religious convictions. He retired dailyto the grove to plead will the God of his father and mother for the peaceof conscience which, at so early an age, he could scarcely understand.His conversion was manifest and powerful, and became to him and the worlda clear testimony to the distinguishing doctrines of Methodism - apresent salvation and a divine witness of the same. It was in his sixteenthyear, at a camp-meeting in Middle Tennessee, where the Rev. James Axley presided, that he sought and obtained justification with God. Uponthis occasion he sought the pardon of his sins with all his heart. Atevery appointment given for public prayer, he wept, and mourned, and sighedfor relief. The last night of the meeting came, and no peace, no pardon,had come to his soul. Then, beneath the silent stars, in the mid-hour of night, he cried, in deep anguish, to God. Hope, long contending withthe fear of unbelief, gave place to dispair, which displaced human effortfor simple faith in Christ. " Peace, like the dawn of eternal beatitude," rose upon his soul The spirit of joy and gladness obtained in thathour, put a radiance on the world around him. The years rolled on in brightness and beauty, for he walked with God." Manhood came, andyoung Walton went forth from the home of his childhood to begin life'smission. He first settled in North Alabama, where he was married, in January, 1824, to Miss Louisa Lamkin, who became the faithful and patient companion with him in life's holy ministries, and who still surviveshim ,in patience and hope. In Feb., 1832, he removed to Mississippi, and settled in what was called the Choctaw Purchase. When that portion ofthe state was laid off into counties, he was chosen to represent thecounty of Oktibbeha, for two successive terms, in the State Senate. Butother and higher claims pressed their demands; and while yet a member of the Senate, in 1838, he was licensed to preach. In the autumn of 1842, hewas admitted on trial in the Mississippi Conference, when he was ordained deacon by Bishop Andrew, and appointed to Yazoo Circuit, which circuithe traveled till the autumn of 1844, when he was ordained elder by Bishop Janes. During the years 1844-46, he traveled the Carrolton Circuit;in 1847-48 , Holmes Circuit. During the years 1849-50-51, he wasPresiding Elder of the Jackson District; in 1852-53-54, he was the PresidingElder of the Yazoo District; in 1855, he was sent to Wheeling Mission; in1856, he was stationed in Canton; in 1857, he was stationed in Jackson; andin 1858 in obedience to circumstances which he could not control, helocated. But he was not idle; he preached every Sabbath, to the coloredpeople, and often to the whites. He was readmitted in the fall of the sameyear and appointed Presiding Elder of the Sharon District, where hefinished his labors on earth. Brother Walton was a man of strong characterand unbending integrity. He had the material of which martyrs were made;and while his firmness in some instances had the semblance of a fault,yet it was, in him, always a virtue, being, in many cases, a tribute paid to conscience and God. He had a strong and well-balanced mind, and being early taught to cast its estimates in the light of God's word, itbecame, by the grace of God; his safety from the inflexibility of his will.His obedience to duty was, in a high sense, prompted by the veneration hehad for God; hence, he was consistent and constant in its performance. Neither the frowns nor the favor of men moved him; con- science, withhim, was more sacred than friendship. His geniality was not so constant and lasting as his integ- rity to conscience, but it was an idiosyncrasy, rather than the election of his will. At other times no man was more genial and sociable; his presence was like the joy of the morning, andhis spirit broke forth like the radi- ance of a bright and beautiful day.As a preacher, he ranked with the best expository preachers of the Confer- ence. There was more of strength and point than there was. of varietyand brilliancy. His power and sincerity, and the great veneration he hadfor God made him venerable in the pulpit, and impressive and effective asa. preacher. He has been known to preach at times with more than ordinary power, and with the stirring elo- quence of an earnest soul dealing honestly with his auditors. As a pastor he was faithful to all theflock. He was fully an itinerant, surrendering always to the appointingpower, without let or hinderance. His sound judgement and earnest piety eminently fitted him for an administrative officer. If he erred--whilehe would not wound, or infringe upon the rights of his brethren --he was sure that the purity of the Church and integrity of the Disciplinedid not suffer; for he was a friend to both, and as much as in him was,held himself responsible for their preservation. Faithful to all her interests, he kept the Discipline in "all things for conscience'sake." With a personal appearance striking and majestic, there was an added dignity of deportment so befitting an ambassador of God. He wasprudent, and an example to ministers, in the management of his temporalaffairs, following the apostolic injunction to "owe no man anything." A man of strong affections, he was ardent in his attachments, and true as a friend. Conscious of his own integrity, together with a high sense of justice and his own personal rights, he had confidence in his own convictions, and was bold to maintain them. Few men ex- celled him inthe governance of his own family. his labor here was seed sown, and cameforth to show the beauty and shed the fragrance of early piety upon the evening tide of his own life. As husband and father he was loved and venerated, as a man of God and a citizen , and appreciated most in the community where he lived. Many are the blessed in heaven from that community to whom he ministered in the name of his Master, theprecious word of consolation and peace in the parting hour; and many of thosewhom he pointed success- fully, for the first time, to the Lamb of God.They greet him upon the other shore. On the morning of January 9, heordered his horse and buggy to go to his appointment, but before starting, was taken with a chill, and brought to his bed, from which he never recovered. He gave every assurance of a steadfast confidence in the gospel he had preached. Disdaining all form, and reposing upon the promises of God, his spirit went forth on the morning of January 18,upon the dawn of an eternal life.

Rev. James Walton, my grandfather (6th generation), apparently lived in Tennessee some of the time between 1800 and 1824. He was born 12 August 1799, in Chester District, South Carolina. There is a possibility that his parents were Henry Walton and Mary Hogue. Family tradition is that there were twelve generations of ministers without a break. His father could very likely have been a minister. he issupposed to have had siblings named William, John, David, Alfred Marshall,Mary, Pyrena, Rachel and Kirby. I have no birth dates nor birth-places forany of these brothers and sisters.