John Williams Walker (August 12, 1783April 23, 1823) was an American politician, who served as the

Democratic-Republican The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...

United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

from the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, the first senator elected by that state.

Life and career

Walker was born August 12, 1783 in

Amelia County, Virginia Amelia County is a county located just southwest of Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The county is located in Central Virginia and is included in the Greater Richmond Region. Its county seat is Amelia Court House. Amel ...

, of Scots-Irish heritage, the son of Rev. Jeremiah Walker and Mary Jane Graves. He was educated at the prestigious Willington Academy of Dr.

Moses Waddel Moses Waddel (June 20, 1770 – July 21, 1840) was an American educator and minister in antebellum Georgia and South Carolina. Famous as a teacher during his life, Moses Waddel was author of the bestselling book ''Memoirs of the Life of Miss C ...

near

Petersburg, Georgia Petersburg, Georgia was an upriver market town located in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States (now Elbert County, Georgia, Elbert County). Now defunct, it was named after Petersburg, Virginia, and founded by Dionysius Oliver in 1786 to serve ...

, and received degrees in 1806 and 1809 from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Petersburg. In 1808, Walker married Matilda Pope, daughter of

LeRoy Pope LeRoy Pope (January 30, 1765 – June 17, 1844) was an American planter, lawyer, and early settler of Madison County, Alabama. He purchased much of the land on which downtown Huntsville, Alabama now stands, and for his role in the establishment ...

and Judith Sale, and in 1810, he followed his father-in-law to settle in the new town of

Huntsville Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...

Mississippi Territory The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the western half of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Mississippi. T ...

(now

), and there began the practice of law. Upon the formation of the

Alabama Territory The Territory of Alabama (sometimes Alabama Territory) was an organized incorporated territory of the United States. The Alabama Territory was carved from the Mississippi Territory on August 15, 1817 and lasted until December 14, 1819, when it w ...

in 1817, Walker served as a representative from Madison County to the first territorial legislature in 1818. In the second session, he served as

speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

. In 1819, he was president of the convention that framed Alabama's first constitution, which enabled Alabama's admission to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. On October 28, 1819, Walker was elected by an almost unanimous vote of the state legislature as the first United States senator from Alabama. He served from December 14, 1819 until his resignation on December 12, 1822 on account of his failing health. He died in Huntsville on April 23, 1823, and is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery.

Walker County, Alabama Walker County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. "ACES Walker County Office" (links/history), Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), 2007, webpage: ACES-Walker As of the 2020 census, the popu ...

, established December 20, 1824, is named in his honor. Walker was the father of

LeRoy Pope Walker LeRoy Pope Walker (February 7, 1817 – August 23, 1884) was the first Confederate States Secretary of War. Early life and career Walker was born near Huntsville, Alabama in 1817, the son of John Williams Walker and Matilda Pope, and a grand ...

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

secretary of war and

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

;

Richard Wilde Walker Richard Wilde Walker (February 16, 1823 – June 16, 1874) was an American politician. Biography Walker was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1823. He was the son of John Williams Walker, the brother of Percy Walker and LeRoy Pope Walker, and ...

, Confederate States senator;

Percy Walker Percy Walker (1812-1880) was an American politician from Huntsville, Alabama. He was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1835. He began practicing medicine in Mobile, Alabama. He served in ...

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

; and several other children. He was also grandfather of Richard Wilde Walker, Jr., Alabama Supreme Court Justice and a judge in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and American diplomat

John Walker Fearn John Williams Walker Fearn (January 13, 1832 – April 7, 1899) was an American diplomat. Early life Fearn, born in Huntsville, Alabama, was an 1851 graduate of Yale University. He was the nephew of LeRoy Pope Walker, the first Secretary of War ...

, who served as Minister of Serbia, Romania and Greece from 1885 to 1889.

Notes

References

* Owen, Thomas McAdory, ''History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography''. Vol. IV. Chicago: S. J. Clarke, 1921. Reprinted with an introduction by Milo B. Howard, Jr. Spartanburg, SC: Reprint Company, 1978. * Alabama Territory
''Journal of the House of Representatives of the Alabama Territory'', First Session, First General Assembly, February 1818
St. Stephens, Alabama Territory: Thomas Eastin, 1818. Full text online at website o
Alabama Legislature
* Alabama Territory

St. Stephens, Alabama Territory: Thomas Eastin, 1818. Full text online at website o
Alabama Legislature
* State of Alabama

Cahawba, Alabama: State Press, 1820. Full text online at website o
Alabama Legislature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, John Williams 1783 births 1823 deaths Princeton University alumni Members of the Alabama Territorial Legislature Alabama lawyers Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama Democratic-Republican Party United States senators from Alabama 19th-century American politicians Walker family Lawyers from Huntsville, Alabama 19th-century American lawyers