I have a concern about the Daniel Walker / Charles Walker link and thought I would bring it up here for discussion.

I realize most people think the Daniel Walker (b.ca 1640-1702) of Talbot County Maryland is the father of Charles Walker Sr (b. ca 1665-1730) who lived and died in Prince Georges County Maryland. This info is posted on genealogy sites and most online family trees and I wanted to possibly correct this line of thought.

From what I can gather most believe this Daniel Walker of Talbot County is the father of Charles Walker Sr based solely on the will left by Daniel in 1702. His last will and testament names children Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, William, Daniel Jr, and Charles. The will states “I Give and Bequeath unto my Sonnes Daniel Wm and Charles Walker and to my Daughter Mary Walker all the rest of my Goods Chattells & Credits to be equally divided among my said three sonnes Danl Wm and Charles and my daughter Mary”. The lands left to his children were near the Miles River bridge and Doncaster town on the Eastern shore in Talbot County.

PROBLEM: It was pointed out to me by another Walker researcher that the Charles Walker in Talbot and the Charles Walker in PGC might be two different men because their wives have different names. At first I balked at this train of thought and stubbornly fought it for a while but…upon first hand examination of the deeds (years 1709, 1713, 1716) concerning lands left by Daniel Sr to sons Daniel Jr, William, and Charles it is unmistakably clear the Charles Walker in Talbot county has a wife named ELIZABETH. The Charles Walker in Prince Georges County was married to REBECCA ISAAC prior to 1694 and they never separated. Charles Walker of Prince Georges died in 1730 and his wife Rebecca was still alive in 1767. She never remarried, she still is going by Rebecca Walker in a deposition given in 1761 and in a bill of sale with son Joseph Walker (b. 1715) in both 1749 & 1767. Further more Charles Walker and Rebecca Isaac had children recorded in the records of Prince Georges St. Barnabas Church, Queen Anne’s Parish from the years 1695-1717. At the same time the Charles Walker in Talbot County is selling land in years 1709, 1713, and 1716 with wife ELIZABETH releasing dower rights on all three occasions. So they simply can’t be the same person. There are two Charles Walker living at the same time in separate counties. In my opinion the Charles Walker with wife Rebecca in PGC is not related to or the same person as the Charles Walker with wife Elizabeth in Talbot County.

If anyone wants copies of the following records below please email me.

1709 Talbot County Deed: “between William Walker of Talbot County within the province of Maryland planter of the one part and Charles Walker of the same county and province of the other part, whereas Daniel Walker JR late of the said county deceased, the aforesaid William and Charles Walker, by deed of conveyance duly executed and enrolled in the county of Talbot aforesaid, did purchase of DANIEL WALKER THEIR FATHER late of the said county deceased three tracts of land known by the names of “Daniels Rest”…”Walker Tooth”…”Daniels Addition”…and whereas the said Daniel Walker JR soon after the said purchase was made, died without issue whereof the whole purchase aforesaid is vested in the said William Walker and Charles Walker…In joint tenancy whereas the said William Walker and Charles Walker took upon a certain tract of land in partnership between them called by the name of “Partnership”…the said Charles Walker or his heirs or assignees or any person or persons claiming or to claim by from or under him and that free and clear and freely and clearly acquitted, exonerated, and discharged of and from all manner of all former gifts, grants, and dowers and tiles of dower (important part) **,especially of and from the dower of ELIZABETH, his now wife, and all other troubles, charges, and encumbrance”. From this deed we can determine (1) That these men mentioned within – Daniel SR, Daniel JR, William, and Charles Walker – are the same men included in the last will and testament of Daniel Walker Sr of Talbot County dated 1702. (2) This Charles Walker of Talbot County– son of Daniel Walker Sr – has a wife named Elizabeth and therefore cannot be the same Charles Walker that is married to and having children with Rebecca Isaac in Prince Georges County in 1709.

1713 Talbot County Deed: “This indenture made one thousand seven hundred and thirteen between Charles Walker of Talbot County in the province of Maryland planter of the one part and Robert Morton of the same county and same province of the other part…all that parcel of land adjoining to the aforesaid Robert Morton’s land…with the dividing line between the said Charles Walker and his brother William Walker…Signed and sealed by both Charles Walker and Elizabeth Walker…Witnessed by John Bradshaw and Dan. Walker…memorandum, and that within Robert Morton hath of the gift of them the aforesaid Charles Walker and Elizabeth his wife to him the said Robert Morton his heirs and assignees for ever. She the said Elizabeth being fully and privately examined as the law in full requires”… Again, here we have Charles Walker of Talbot with wife Elizabeth selling property next to the land of brother William Walker – this time in 1713.

1716 Talbot County Deed: “This indenture made the 9th day of November 1716 between William Walker of Talbot county in the province of Maryland planter and CHARLES WALKER of the same county and province planter, and ELIZABETH his wife of one part and Richard Bennett of Queen Anne County of the province of Maryland merchant of the other part…make over to him the said Richard Bennett…all the several tracts and parcels of land called “Daniels Rest”, “Daniels Addition”, “Walkers Tooth”, “Partnership”, and “Millington”…and now this indenture witnessed that the said William Walker the said Charles Walker and Elizabeth his wife for and in consideration of the said sum of tobacco paid unto them the said William and Charles…signed and sealed by all three William Walker, Charles Walker, and Elizabeth Walker…witnessed by Robert Walker, Alexander Moore, and Norton Hatchbull (?)…So here we have William, Charles, and Elizabeth (wife of Charles) selling tracts willed to them by Daniel Walker Sr. This again highlights the fact that Talbot Charles Walker had a wife Elizabeth and this man cannot be the same Charles Walker with wife Rebecca that is living in Prince Georges County in the year 1716.

I think what happened is this: the will of Daniel Walker of Talbot County was found to include a son Charles. Researchers (me included) just assumed Charles Walker of Talbot and Charles Walker of PGC were one and the same. I can’t find any good solid evidence that now suggests a link between the Talbot Charles and PGC Charles. Yes they were around the same age, lived during the same time period, and had the same first / last name but that’s about all the similarities I can find. The fact that they had wives with different names brings up considerable issues.

So that leaves us with Charles Walker Sr’s real parents. Who were they??? Right now my best guess is (1) the George Walker with land “Plumpton” so close to where Charles Walker later lives on the Prince Georges / Anne Arundel border OR (2) the young Charles Walker transported 1680 by Capt. Peter Paggen out of London in ship “Elizabeth and Catherine”. Other evidence or guesses are welcome.

I’m sure I haven’t covered all the angles here so if anyone has questions, comments, or additional information please respond to this post rather than my personal email. Hopefully we can get this sorted out.

Kent Walker
walkerkk@comcast.net