Biography

Updated 20 August 2023

John Walker was born before 1627 in England and died 11 Dec 1663 after age 35 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony. He was the son of Margaret (1597-1684) and her first husband, a Mr. Walker. She married the widower Arthur Howland (1590-1675) second and they had 4 daughters and a son Arthur Howland, Jr. together. Between 1639 and 1640, the family emigrated to the Plymouth Colony; Arthur Howland’s brothers John and Henry preceded them.

John Walker was born before 1627 probably in England. The reason for giving the birth date is based on the list of men who able to bear arms in Marshfield in 1643,[1] and he must have been at least 16 to bear arms.[2]

Life in Plymouth Colony

In 1643, John Walker was made a Freeman of Marshfield in Plymouth Colony.[3] To become a freeman, he must be over 16 years of age to bear the arms, so he probably was born sometime before 1627.

He was on the grand inquest in 1654 and took the oath of fidelity in 1657.[4]

On 6 June 1643, "The condicon, that if John Walker, sonn in law of Arthur Howland, do psonally appeare before the Gov and Assistante at the next Genall Court, to be holden for this govment, to answere to all such matters as shalbe objected against him on his sd maties behalf, concning lying wth a bitch, and abide the further order of the Court, & not dept the same wthout lycence; that then, &c."[2]

The term son-in-law had a broader meaning in the seventeenth century including step-son. The fact that John Walker was a step-son of Arthur Howland is revealed in a deed dated 19 May 1663.

It cannot be determined whether the bitch in question was a female dog or a lewd woman. The Oxford English Dictionary lists both definitions as appropriate for the period. In either case, no mention is ever made about this case in a future court.

The deed records prove that John Walker was the son of Margaret, widow of a Walker.

1663 Prence Govr:
A Deed appointed to bee Recorded
Know all men by these prsents that I Arther Howland senir of the towne of Marshfeild in the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth in New England; for and in Consideration of moneyes payed for my use in old England by my wife Margarett Howland to the sume of seaventeen pounds fourteen shillings and ten pence which said sume was given by the above said Margarett in the time of her widdowhood unto her son John Walker; for the satisfaction of which said sume of seaventeen pounds fourteen shillings and ten pence abovesaid; I the said Arther Howland Doe by these prsents graunt and sett over unto the said John Walker; his heires and exequitors for ever twenty acrees of upland bounded for breadth from the land of Willam Foard senir to a Rocke and abuting on the south River and for length on on a Northwest line into the woods as alsoe the house and land which John Walker now lives in with the land Improved buting on the aforsaid River; also from the easterly Corner of the Improved land aforsaid on a straight line unto the Rocke above said; which includes a smale valley of low land; alsoe a pcell of marsh meddow lying alonge the south River Containing three or foure acrees bee it more or lesse ; bounded by a brooke over which the old way went to Scittuate; and on the other end a creeke next the Improved meddow lands of the above said Arther Howland; all which pcells of upland and meddow with the house and Improved land with all and singulare the appurtenances and privilidges and emunities therunto belonging; I the said Arther Howland Doe sett over and allianate; from my selfe and heires for ever unto the above said John Walker and his heires and exequitors To have and to hold for ever In Witnes wherof I have sett to my hand and seale this nineteenth Day of May in the yeare of our Lord God 1663
p me Arther Howland
and a (seale);
Witnes
John Aldin
Willam Foard senir:[6]

Family

John Walker married Lydia Reed on 20 October 1654 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony.[3]. Her parents are not known.

“John Walker and lydia Reed were maried the .20. of october 1654”

“John walker dyed & waas buried y^ 11 of December 1663”

Children

• 1. Lydia Walker, b. 30 September 1655, Marshfield, MA
• + 2. John Walker, b. 26 October 1657, Marshfield, MA d. 1747, Marshfield, MA (Age 89 years)
• 3. Martha Walker
• 4. Mary Walker, d. before 8 August 1687 Married John Howland, son of Henry Howland & Mary.

He was on the grand inquest in 1654 and took the oath of fidelity in 1657.

John Walker died and was buried on 11 December 1663 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony.[7]

Inventory of John Walker’s estate was completed on 11 December 1663, and it mentioned his wife Lydia and three daughters.[8]

A true Inventory of the estate of John Walker taken by William ffoard Senir and John Bourne the 28th of December 1663
Imprimis houses and outhouse and upland and meddow... £20.00.00
Item 3 swine... £03.12.00
Item 2 hives of bees and one Raw hide... £03.12.00
Item 1 longe Coate 2 [illegible, five words] 2 hatts... £01.12.00
Item 1 stuffe suite of [?] Ceaskes... £00.12.00
Item 1 parie of stockers and one parie of shooes... £00.13.00
Item 2 old shirts, hatt, pillow beare 2 hand kerchiffes... £00.06.08
Item 1 pare of Rid cloth... £00.13.00
Item [?] pares of Cotton Ribboneing 05 pares of half sek ribbonne... £00.14.02 Item 2 pewter platters 2 basons 2 porringeys [?]... and one pint pott and one Candlestickes 2 Cupps, salte & smales Dishes and one Chamber pott... £01.13.04
Item 3 tin pans & one bread grater... £00.04.00
Item earthen ware as Dishes and Drinkeing potts... £00.04.04
Item 2 brass kettles skilletts 1 [?] 1 shaner... £00.08.00
Item 1 great Iron kette 1 Iron pott 1 Iron skillett 1 kettel... £01.18.00
Item 1 hand saw 1 [?] 1 spade 1 adds 1 pare of pincers & 1 hoe... £00.17.09
Item 3 bibles... £00.10.00
Item marnke fler binding 2 shide 2 1 Dear skine... £00.05.10
Item 1 paire of tonges 1 gridiron 1 chaffing Disser 1 tramell... £00.09.00
Item 2 paire of sheers 2 presing Irons 1 frying pan... £00.05.00
Item 3 Cod lines 2 Cod hookes and makerell hookes... £00.09.06
Item 5 sheets 11 pares of lockorum and four pares and half of comeas... £01.16.04
Item [?] Table cloth & 2 napkins 1 parie of pillowbeers... £01.00.00
Item 1 Cow... £03.05.00
Item [?] Cotten wooke & a brass ladle... £00.14.00
Item 1 peell of axle and hyme... £01.15.00
Item 1 paire of bellowe and one shott pourk... £00.04.00
Item 1 Rugg 2 Coverlidds 2 blosters 1 bed case 1 pillow one bloster case... £04.07.08
Item 3 Chisles 2 boxes 1 Case of botles 1 Table... £01.08.00
Item halfe a barrell of beefe & salt & butter & Cheese... £00.17.00
Item a bushell & halfe of wheat, 4 bushell [?] halfe Indian & one bushell of pease... £01.03.09
Item 6 pares of [?] Clothe... £00.10.00
Item household [?]... £00.10.00
The sume is £57.09.09
William ffoard
John Bourne;

Debts owing from the estate to severall [?]... £17.15.06
Debts Due to the estate... £[?]9.01.08
John Bourne
William ffoard Senir

Aprill 30th '64
Lydia Walker the widdow of John Walker Deceased made oath unto this Inventory and engaged to give out of the estate unto her Daughter Lydia six pounds shereing unto her Daughter Martha six pounds and to her Daugther Mary forty shillings; when they are att age or att theire marriage; before John Alden and Josias Winslow Assistants;

Sources

1. Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of Plymouth Colony in New England. "Miscellaneous Records." 1633-1689. Boston: William White, 1857, p. 196.
2. Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of Plymouth Colony in New England. Court Orders: Vol. II. 1641-1651. Boston: William White, 1855, p. 57.
3. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/14517/1/265072478. Bowman, George Ernest. Vital Records of Marshfield, p. 1. Text: "John Walker and lydia Reed were maried the .20. of october 1654."
4. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/14517/4/265072558. Bowman, George Ernest. Vital Records of Marshfield, p. 4. Text: "lydia The daughter of John Walker was borne The 30 of September. 1655."
5. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/14517/4/265072563. Bowman, George Ernest. Vital Records of Marshfield, p. 4. Text: "John The sonne of John Walker was Borne The 26. october 1657."
6. The Mayflower Descendant, Volume 18, 1916, Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, p. 87.
7. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB190/rd/14517/10/265072718. Bowman, George Ernest. Vital Records of Marshfield, p. 10. Text: "John walker dyed & was buried ye 11 of December 1663."
8. "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-VQQP?cc=2018320&w... : 20 May 2014), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 235 of 616; State Archives, Boston.Walker, James B. R. Memorial of the Walkers of Old Plymouth Colony: Embracing Genealogical and Biographical Sketches of James, of Taunton ; Philip, of Rehobeth ; William, of Eastham ; John, of Marshfield ; Thomas, of Bristol ; and of Their Descendants from 1620 to 1860. Northampton: Metcalf & Co., Printers, 1861. Print, p. 368.
9. http://trees.wmgs.org/getperson.php?personID=I63987&tree=Schirado
10. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Walker-45330