Portal:Wigton Walker/Dispersion/Explanation

This table attempts to show where various members of the first four generations of Wigton Walkers settled. The data shown is largely drawn from White 1902, with some adjustments made where additional information is available. Where there were multiple relocations, to the extent practical I've shown successive moves in successive entries. This is probably not complete, and for the most part, I'm taking White at face value---and her information was probably not complete either.

The data is organized roughly in family groups, though there may be a few disconnects in places. Note that where there have been "cousin marriages", where the individuals may or may not be entered twice---once under the husband, and once under the wife.

Recent YDNA test results show that the descendancy given by White 1902 is not "monolithic", but made up of two separate and independent lines. We designate these lines for convenience as the "Walkers Creek Line", and the "Natural Bridge Line". Current thinking, subject to new data, suggests that the Walkers Creek line is descended from John Walker I of Wigton Scotland. The affinities of the Natural Bridge line are not yet understood, though there is a working hypothsis that they came to the area from Goochland County, VA.

Note that many of the "cousin marriages" noted in White 1902 are actually intermarriages between these two separate family lines. This is an important point to keep in mind from a YDNA perspective. In some cases where a daughter in the Natural Bridge line marries a son in the Walkers Creek line, you can get a YDNA match with Walkers Creek line, even though the lineage is placed under the Natural Bridge line. If that's confusing, keep in mind that our ancestors couldn't keep it straight either. By the mid 1800's its clear that they thought they were all descended from the same common Walker ancestor. That's why White ended up merging the two lines. In fact, White is not really responsible in any way for this confusion; by the time the family history was written down by her, others had already intertwinned the two families, so that it was impossible for her to recognize the true relations.