Walker Family of Boston, Mass, and Stratford, Fairfield County, Conn.

Robert Walker and his wife Sarah Walker came to Massachusetts on a ship of the Winthrop Fleet in 1630. Robert had lived with his family in Manchester, county Lancaster, England. Walker family were neighbors in Lancashire of Henry Sewell Sr. and his son Henry Sewell, Jr, early settlers of Newbury, Mass. Robert and his wife Sarah settled in Boston, Suffolk Co., Mass., where they joined the First Church (Congregational) in 1632. Robert Walker was listed on the Roll of Freemen dated May 14, 1634. He was a weaver or linen webster. He later was a shop keeper. He was a founder of Old South Church in Boston in 1669. Old South broke from First and Second Church over meaning of the Trinity and baptism practices.

Couple had 12 children: Elishua b. 14 Feb 1635 Boston, Middlesex Co, Mass.; Zechariah b. 15 Sept. 1637; John b. 22 Sept 1639; Sarah b. 15 Nov 1641; Jacob b. 21 Mar 1743; Joseph Walker b. 14 July 1646, Mary b. 12 Apr 1649; Thos b. 12 Apr 1649, Ti,othy b. Sept 1650; Eliakim b. 3 Ju;y 1752; Mary b. 1 Nov 1654; John b. 14 July 1656.   

In testimony dated April 10, 1679, he called himself a linen webster and stated his age as 72, and that 56 years before he had lived with his father in Lancashire. He died on May 29, 1687, and his widow, Sarah Walker, died December 21, 1695. (photo: historic Old South Church where Boston Tea Party planned)

Biography from "The Great Migration Begins" by Robt. C. Anderson: 

Robert Walker from Manchester, Lancashire, migration 1632, res. Boston, weaver by occupation, Admt. to Boston Church as Member No. 131. Robert Walker was one of the leaders who broke away from the First Church to found the Third Church in 1669. His wife Sarah was admt. to the Third Church 16 Oct 1674. He was a Freeman 14 May 1634. He signed his first deed as did his wife Sarah. He was on grand jury duty 25 Jan 1674 & 20 Jan 1676. On 31 May 1652, Robert Walker sold land to Margery Elliott of Boston for the use of the children of Jacob Elliot. On 13 June 1661, Robert Walker of Boston, weaver, and Sarah, his wife, mortgaged to James Penne a ruling elder of the Church of Christ Boston to the overseers of the will of Henry Webb, the Walker dwelling house in Boston, which mortgage they cleared in 1668. On 1 Nov 1676, Robert Walker of Boston Sr., weaver, and Sarah Neald, widow of Richard Mason, as Mason's admx, made an agreement about the bounds of their adj. properties. On 19 Mar 1679, Robert Walker of Boston, linen webster, with consent of his wife, Sarah, sold to Capt. John Hull of Boston, merchant "all my house lot where I now dwell and all fruit trees & housing thereon, and my right of commonage and divident of land in town of Boston." Adm. of estate of Robert Walker granted to widow Sarah Walker 17 Aug 1787. Samuel Sewell of Boston & Theophilus Grary of Boston, cordwainer were sureties to adm. bond issued same day. 

"The Winthrop Fleet of 1630" http://members.aol.com/dcurtin1/gene/winthrop.htm  http://www.winthropsociety.org/settlers.php

"New England Ancestors" http://www.newenglandancestors.org/

Book Sources: "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New Eng. 1620-1633, Robt. C. Anderson, ed., Boston: NEHGA, 1995, Vol III "Sketch of Robert Walker." "History & Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, Jacobus, Donald Lines, comp./ed., DAR Chpt. Fairfield Conn., Balto. Md. GPC, reprint 1991,  Vol. 1, p. 637.

Joseph Walker, son of Robert & Sarah Walker of Boston, removed to Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn, as a young man. He married Abigail Prudden Hubbell, widow of Richard Hubbell, daughter of Rev. Peter Prudden and his wife Joanna Boyse Prudden of Milford, New Haven Co, Conn., on 14 Nov 1667 in Milford. Couple had six children:  Robert Walker b. 6 Aug 1688 Milford, New Haven Co, Conn; Sarah b. c1669; Abigail b. 17 Feb 1671 Stratford, Conn.; Joseph b. 8 Dec 1674 Stratford; Joanna b. 5 May 1677 Stratford; Mary b. 18 Dec 1680 Stratford.  Joseph died Nov 1687; his widow married (2) Rich. Huddell Sr. in 1688. 

"A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Before 1692," James Savage, Vol. 4, p. 395:  WALKER, JOSEPH, Stratford, Conn. Son of Robert Walker of Boston. Married 14 Nov 1667 to Abigail Prudden, dau. of Rev. Peter Prudden. She was born 13 Feb 1647 . Children: Robert Walker b. 5 Aug 1668 Milford; Sarah etc. His inventory dated 19 Nov. 1687.

Photo - Tombstone of Rev. Peter Prudden (1601-1656) in Milford, Conn.

Robert Walker was the son of Joseph Walker and Abigail Prudden Walker. He mar. Ruth Wilcoxson, daughter of Timothy Wilcoxson and his wife Johanna Birdsey Wilcoxson. Robert serv'd as deacon in the Congregational Church of Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn. He died in 1743 at age 75. Ruth died in 1769 at age 95. Couple had 9 children:

1. Sarah Walker b. 23 July 1697 Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn. 2. Abigail Walker b. 26 Oct 1699,  3. Johannah Walker b. 3 Oct 1702;

4. Robert Walker b. 1 Apr 1705;

 5. Ruth Walker b. 19 Sept 1707; 6. Mary Walker b. 28 May 1710; 7. Phebe Walker b. 1 Feb 1712;

8. James Walker b. July 1715; 9. Ann Walker b. 1717.

Photo - Congregational Church, Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn.

James Walker was the son of Robert Walker and Ruth Wilcoxson. He was b. July 1715 Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn. He mar. Jerusha Nichols (b. 27 March 1717) on Jan 4, 1738. Jerush Nichols was the daughter of Richard Nichols (b. 26 Nov 1678) and Comfort Sherman (b. c1775) who married 4 Jan 1739 Stratford, Conn.

James & Jerusha Walker had 9 children: Eliakim Walker b. 8 May 1740; Ann Walker b. 29 Jan 1741; Naomi Walker b. 13 Feb 1743; Jerusha Walker b. 15 Mar 1745; Hepzibah Walker b. 18 Aug 1748; James Walker b. 2 Nov 1750; Ruth Walker b. 14 Mar 1753; Richard Walker b. 31 May 1756; Huldah Walker b. 1 Apr 1760. All born in Stratford, Fairfield Co, Conn.

Hepzibah Walker (1748-1819)  mar. Lewis Curtis (1745-1834) Jan. 28, 1773, Stratford, Conn. 

Curtis Page