Overview[]
The "Wigton Walkers" is a term in common use in the genealogical community referring to persons descended from John Walker (c. 1666->1702) and Jane McKnight (c. 1666 ->1702), of Wigton Scotland. (See Wigtown). Their descendants are described in the work "Genealogy of the Descendants of John Walker of Wigton Scotland" by Emma Siggins White, published in 1902. During the early 19th century the name of the town of Wigton, Scotland was changed to "Wigtown" to distinguish it from an English town by the same name. White 1902 used the "Wigton" spelling, but it is clear that she was referring to the town in Wigtonshire, Scotland. Most Wigton Walker descendants use the "Wigton" spelling, probably because White used it, and also because their immigrant ancestors knew the town as "Wigton".
Location of Wigton, Dumfries-Galloway, Scotland
The American branch of this family left Scotland shortly after 1702, settled in Newry, County Down, Ireland. (See Newry) About 1726 they immigrated to America settling near the community of Rising Sun, Rising Sun in modern Cecil County MD. The area was at the time of their arrival, part of Chester County PA. About 1734-1738 the family relocated to the Valley of Virginia. Some settled about 1734 near Stuanton VA, on Beverly's Grant, or a bit north. Others settled (1738) on Walkers Creek within Borden's Grant (modern Rockbridge County. VA). Others settled south of the Grant along Buffalo Creek, and at Natural Bridge. From there various branches migrated north into the Ohio River Valley, south into North Carolina and Southwestern Virginia, and west into Kentucky.
Natural Bridge, VA
White is our sole source for many aspects of the family history, especially that portion of the family history prior to arrival in the Valley of Virginia. While many of our family lines can be documented after 1738 with other soures, White 1902 is for most practical purposes, the only known source of information for the family prior to that date.
Wigton Walker Descendancy[]
White 1902 laid out the outlines of the Wigton Walker family, showing a descendancy from John Walker I of Wigton Scotland. This descendancy is presented at The White Descendancy which outlines the first four generations of the family, as presented by White 1902.
Several generations of genealogists have relied on White for their basic understanding of their Walker ancestry. Today we know that White shows several confusions, and that not everyone in her descendancy truely descends from John Walker of Wigton. Nonetheless, White's lineages will probably dominate our understanding of the family for the foreseeable future.
Links[]
- Portal:Wigton Walker
- Walker Home Page This is a home page for those working on other Walker families. Its mostly focused on the lines of interest to the WalkerShortList.
- Wigton Walker Create Page A page to help you make a page. Follow the directions and you'll get a page consistent with the general format being used for Wigton Walkers. You aren't restricted to the format shown, but can vary it to meet your needs. But keep in mind that others might want different things, and can also edit any page you create.
- Help_Tutorial Everybody needs some help sometime! But this is a good starting point if you are new to the Wikia family of sites.
Walker YDNA Project[]
The main data page for the Walker YDNA project is found at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fabercove/test_results.htm A page detailing information about lineages of participants, who have been identified as related to the Wigton Walker line of descent from John I, is to be found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fabercove/Groups/Group-8.htm Another page detailing information about lineages of participants, whose DNA results suggest that White's Walker Genealogy had combined more than one Walker line, is to be found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fabercove/Groups/Group-33.htm
References[]
- White 1902. Genealogy of the descendants of John Walker of Wigton, Scotland, with records of a few allied families. Also war records and some fragmentary notes pertaining to the history of Virginia. 1600-1902
Contributors[]
--Bill 19:27, 10 August 2006 (UTC)