Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/305

 WALKER

WALKER

WALKER, Abraham Joseph, jurist, was born near Nashville, Tenn., in 1819; son of Matthew and Nancy Walker. He was graduated from the University of Nashville in 1838 ; was admitted to the bar, 1841, and commenced practice in Jack- sonville, Ala., 1842. He was a Democratic mem- ber of the state legislature ; removed to Talla- dega, Ala., in 1853 ; was chancellor of the state, 1854-56 ; judge of the state supreme court, 1856- 59, and chief-justice, 1859-68. He was twice married : first, in Novenaber, 1847, to Sarah A., daughter of John and Nancy (Cook) Nisbet of Jacksonville, Ala.; and secondly, in June, 1871, to her sister, Clara Nisbet. He died in Mont- gomery, Ala., April 25, 1872.

WALKER, Amasa, joolitical economist, was born in Muddy Brook (now East Woodstock), Conn., May 4, 1799 ; son of Walter and Priscilla (Carpenter) Walker. He removed with his par- ents at an early age to North Brookfield. Mass., where he prepared for Amherst college, but did not matriculate, owing to ill health. He taught district schools, 1818-20, and was a merchant and manufacturer, 1820-40. He was twice married : first, July 26, 1826, to Emeline, daughter of Jona- than Carleton of Boston, who died in 1828 ; and secondly, June 23, 1834, to Hannah Ambrose of Concord, N.H. He was a delegate to the Demo- cratic national convention of 1836 that nominated Van Buren ; went to Oberlin, Ohio, in 1842, where he was influential in organizing the college of which he was non-i*esident professor of political economy, 1842-50 ; took up his residence in the family homestead at North Brookfield, Mass., 1843 ; joined the Liberty party, 1844 ; was an or- ganizer of the Free Soil party. 1848 ; a representa- tive in the state legislature, 1849 ; a state senator,

1850, originating a sealed-ballot law passed in

1851, and was also instrumental in securing the introduction of AVebster's dictionary into the schools of the state ; was secretary of the state of Massachusetts, 1852-53, and a member of the state constitutional convention of 1853, serving as chairman of the suffrage committee. He was an examiner in political economy at Harvard, 1853- 60 ; visited Europe, 1859 ; was a second time representative in the state legislature, 1859 ; a member and secretary of the Massachusetts elec- toral college, 1860, voting for Abraham Lincoln, and was a Republican representative from Massa- chusetts in the 37tli congress, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Goldsmith F.Bailey, serving from Dec. 1, 1863, to March 3, 1863. He was lecturer on political economy at Amherst, 1860-69, and a delegate to the Loyalists' conven- tion at Philadelphia, Pa., 1866. He suggested in 1861 to Secretary Chase that the greenbacks to be issued by the department as legal tender should bear interest. He was a trustee of Rutgers col-

lege, 1842-45, and received the honorary degree of A.M. from Middlebury college, 1850, and that of LL.D. from Amherst in 1867. He was an or- ganizer of the Boston Lyceum, its first secretary, and subsequently its president ; president of the Boston Temperance society, 1839, and a member and vice-president of the International Peace congresses held at London and Paris in 1843 and 1849 respectively. He contributed papers on political economy to Hunfs MerchanVs Magazine (1857), and with W. B. Calhoun and C. L. Flint, published : Transactions of the Agricultural So- cieties of Massachusetts (7 vols., 1848-54). He is the author of: Nature and Uses of Money and Mixed Currency {18o7); Science and Wealth (1866). which went into eight editions and was translated into Italian. He died in Brookfield, Mass., Oct. 29, 1875.

WALKER, Charles Irish, educator and his- torian, was born in Butternuts, Otsego county, N.Y., April 25, 1814; son of Stephen and Lydia (Gardner) Walker ; grandson of Ephraim and Priscilla (Rawson) Walker, and of Samuel and Sarah Jenkins) Gardner, and a descendant of Widow Walker of Rehoboth (now Seekonk) Mass., who immigrated prior to 1643. He was trained for a merchant at Cooperstown, N.Y., and commenced business there. He taught school, 1830-36, removing to Grand Rapids, Mich., in the latter year ; was editor of the Grand Rapids Enquirer for three years ; was a delegate from Kent county to the .second convention of assent, Dec. 14-15, 1836, and was a representative from Kent, Iowa and Ottawa counties in the state legislature, 1841. He returned East, began to study law in Springfield, Mass., 1841 ; studied in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, Vt., 1841-51 ; re- turned to Michigan, and practised law in Detroit, 1851-81 ; was Kent professor of law in the Uni- versity of Michigan, 1859-76 and 1886-87 ; acting professor of the same, 1879-81, and was judge of the Wayne circuit court, 1867. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of Michigan in 1874, and is the author of : Life of Cadillac ; Michigan from 1796-1805 (1859) ; Tlie Civil Administration of Oeneral Hull, and The Northivest Territory during the Revolution. He was married first, April 13, 1838, to Mary A. Hinsdale, and secondly in May, 1865, to Ella Fletcher. He died in Flint, Mich., Feb. 11. 1895.

WALKER, Cornelius, clergyman, was born at Richmond, Va., June 12, 1819; son of William Woodson and Mary (Bosher) Walker. He at- tended the Episcopal High school at Fairfax county, Va. ; was graduated from the Virginia Theological seminary, 1845 ; admitted to the diaconate, July 12, 1845 ; advanced to the priest- hood, Sept. 23, 1846, and was in charge of Lex- ington Parish, Amherst, Va,, 1845^7. He was